Kin Community Closes $13.5M In New Funding To Accelerate Global Growth of Home-Focused Content Brand And Community
SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kin Community, the premier home-focused content brand and creator community, announced today that it has raised $13.5 million in new funding through a Series D financing round led by Emil Capital Partners, a consumer focused investment firm backed by retail giant Tengelmann Group, with participation by Corus Entertainment (Canada), Allure Media (Australia) and TEGNA (US).
The new funding will be used to:
- Increase Kin original content production and distribution across social, OTT and traditional media platforms;
- Continue global expansion into new markets including Australia and the UK; and
- Invest in global sales, marketing and partner management infrastructure.
Kin Community has over 170 million followers across social platforms and generates more than 600 million video views monthly. Its creator community includes some of social media's most well-known lifestyle names – Rosanna Pansino (Nerdy Nummies), Hannah Hart (MyHarto), Jenn Im (Clothes Encounters), Lauren Riihimaki (LaurDIY) and Rachel and Byron Talbott.
At its NewFront in May, Kin Community re-positioned its consumer brand around home-focused video content with the mission of helping millennial women around the world "make their way home."
Watch video here: KIN COMMUNITY BRAND VIDEO
"There are over 800 million young women around the world on a journey to define home for themselves," said Kin Community Co-Founder and CEO Michael Wayne. "With our new partners and funding, we will further our mission to inspire and inform this generation through our extraordinary content and creator community."
New food, home and DIY social programming across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, coupled with new distribution partners Amazon, Roku and AppleTV, will enable Kin to inspire and inform young women wherever they are consuming content.
As part of the new funding, Kin and TEGNA, a digital and media company comprised of 46 television stations, Cars.com, CareerBuilder and other businesses, will work together to explore potential opportunities for content sharing, sponsored content and cross-promotion. Through this partnership, TEGNA and Kin's brand, content and creator community will connect with new audiences in fresh and exciting ways.
In addition, Kin will work with its outstanding creator community to produce groundbreaking new and returning video series. Series include Overhaul, a home makeover-meets-ecommerce experience with Christiane Lemieux; Dinner Exchange, a global food culture sharing series; and Aging Out, a docu-series about young women leaving the foster-care system and moving into their first homes.
Kin Community will continue expanding its global presence. Kin Canada, which opened for business in 2014 in partnership with Corus Entertainment, has experienced tremendous growth in its first 18 months. Headquartered in Toronto, Kin Canada has been responsible for adding fast-growing creators like Yolanda Gampp (How To Cake It), Rachel Cooper (Rachhloves) and Lauren Toyota (Hot For Food). It has secured dozens of brand partnerships with notable advertisers, including Motrin, McCain, Baskin Robbins and Banana Boat.
This Fall, Kin Community will launch Kin ANZ in Australia and New Zealand in partnership with Allure Media. Kin will foster and support new relationships with lifestyle content creators and bring high quality brand content and marketing solutions to leading advertisers in the Australian and New Zealand market.
Kin continues to gain momentum in the US with world-class advertisers including Olay, Nordstrom Rack, Chevrolet and Target. With growing offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto and Sydney, Kin will invest in more sales, marketing and partner management infrastructure to meet global advertiser demand and provide more opportunities for its brand and creator community.
Founded in 2007, Kin Community is a digital media company that inspires and informs young women around the world through home-focused content and community. Kin Studios produces world-class video content in categories that include food, home, and DIY. The Kin Community multi-platform network is home to more than 120 of the best lifestyle content creators from all social platforms. It has more than 170 million social followers while delivering over 600 million video views every month. Kin Community's investors include Mayfield, General Catalyst, Rustic Canyon, Atomico, Corus Entertainment, Emil Capital, Allure Media and TEGNA.
Contact:
Bronagh Hanley
[email protected]
415-314-7262
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160630/385537
SOURCE Kin Community
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