XPON acquires Alpha Digital to boost AI marketing services
The acquisition will see XPON integrate Alpha Digital's agency expertise in strategy with its own AI technology, which includes a proprietary Customer Data Platform called Wondaris, as well as services utilising the Google Marketing Platform and Google Cloud. According to XPON, the deal will allow marketers to better predict customer behaviour and customise advertising and communications on a greater scale.
XPON has stated that it will maintain its partnership model with independent media agencies, aiming to deliver a strengthened service offering through collaboration and leveraging its established relationship with Google. The company intends to continue supporting independent partners, while facilitating faster growth pathways utilising advanced AI tools.
XPON was recently recognised as the best media AI innovator at the Australian AI Awards and has also previously received Google's Advanced Data and AI Partner Award. XPON emphasises that its technology provides immediately actionable insights for marketers, allowing campaign automation and measurable business results.
Matt Forman, Founder and Group Managing Director of XPON, said, "Alpha has built a quality business with excellent customers in key verticals, like retail, for over a decade. It's that reputation that made them one of our first agency partners. We have an alignment on values for our customers, as well as the culture we're building for our people. Both share a focus on customer-centricity and when Alpha's smart team is armed with our latest technology, I can't wait to see the results they'll deliver."
He added, "Our new combined offering creates an unrivalled suite of AI marketing solutions that help businesses acquire, retain, and monetise customers, with transparency. This acquisition is an important step forward for us and the industry as we drive the modernisation of marketing and customer experience."
Alpha Digital will continue to operate under its own brand name and maintain independence in its operations, retaining its specialised expertise. The agency, which has been in business for 14 years, has clients including Target, K-Mart, and QUT. Matt Cooper, Alpha Digital's Founder and Chief Executive Officer, will continue to lead the agency as CEO, focusing on driving growth.
Matt Cooper commented, "I've spent over two decades in digital marketing, and the pace of change we're seeing with AI right now is unlike anything before. And it's getting exponentially faster. This move gives Alpha the depth of tech capability needed to keep our clients not just current, but ahead.
"In the past, marketers would build a handful of personas based on assumptions about their audience. Today, AI can identify hundreds of profitable personas and predict their customer journeys with speed & accuracy. And soon we will be able to automatically design and deploy tailored strategies for each and every profitable customer persona. That level of precision and scalability is the future of marketing, and with XPON, we're ready to lead it," Cooper said.
The Alpha Digital acquisition is XPON's first foray into agency acquisition and forms part of a broader mergers and acquisitions strategy. The company has indicated that it will focus on further opportunities in the tech-enabled digital marketing sector, aiming to acquire businesses that are well-positioned to accelerate AI transformation. XPON has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting its ecosystem of independent agency partners while expanding its direct service capabilities.
Matt Forman of XPON stated, "The next evolution of marketing is already here and we're excited to be at the forefront of what comes next, offering a competitive advantage, together with Alpha Digital."
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