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Mediasurface acquired by Alterian

18-May-2008

Tags: Web Content Management, Marketplace at Large, Selecting Technology, Vendor Viability & Financials, Content Manager Enterprise Edition

We recently pointed out that UK-based Web CMS vendor Mediasurface was being courted, and now the suitor has revealed themselves: Alterian.

Alterian is a marketing automation software vendor (also UK-based) that's twice the size of Mediasurface (revenue-wise) but much more profitable. Both companies will talk about "synergies," but I'll remain a bit skeptical. Yes, many website scenarios are marketing-oriented, but not as many as analysts often think. Perhaps more importantly, the history of diversified software vendors taking on a Web CMS tool to cross-sell to their existing base is not one marked with great success (c.f., WebSideStory's fatal embrace of Atomz and those products' subsequent journey into oblivion). This will be complicated by the fact that Mediasurface sells no less than three Web CMS offerings.

If there is a silver lining, it is that Mediasurface joins a company with a much more solid history of generating earnings, perhaps an indication of a more disciplined or experienced management team. We'll be watching.

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