Symphony EYC Acquires Slingshot One-Click Marketing Communications to On-line Basket Platform

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Symphony EYC, a global leader in delivering ROI for retailers and manufacturers using customer insights to drive execution, today announced the acquisition of Slingshot, a marketing communications "one click" shopping platform, for an undisclosed sum. The Slingshot acquisition facilitates Symphony EYC's ability to offer fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands and retailers a more engaged digital experience with their customers.

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Slingshot is used by 50 of the UK's largest grocery brands, such as Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Amazon. Founded in 2011 by Stephen Darlington and Mitch Vidler in the UK, Slingshot allows customers to add items to their online retailer shopping baskets from anywhere in one click. For example, if a customer shops online with Tesco and they browse the Doritos Facebook page, they can click the Slingshot button to add the item to their basket at Tesco without interruption to activities. The item will be added in the background and be available in their basket when they next sign into Tesco.

A complement to Symphony EYC's Connected Customer suite, the Slingshot solution:

• Creates an impulse channel from any FMCG brand marketing communication, across social, digital and printed channels, to retailer point of sale;
• Enhances customer purchasing and engagement thereby increasing customer loyalty for FMCG brands and retailers;
• Brings retailers and brands closer together by allowing customers to add items as they see them and are persuaded to buy in day-to-day life.

The Slingshot acquisition makes Symphony EYC the only solution to connect information from the entire customer journey by combining customer pre-purchase intent with retailer transaction and loyalty data, then enhancing that information with comprehensive customer insights. Symphony EYC enables FMCG brands and retailers to drive those insights through the retail execution processes including purchasing, pricing and inventory management, product choice via assortment and space, and targeted marketing. As a result, manufacturers and retailers are able to plan the assortment, promotions, perceived price and overall shopping experience around the customers' needs and preferences thereby improve customer loyalty.  

"Slingshot is unique and well-liked by our current retailer and FMCG brand clients," said Has Dosanjh, Executive Vice President, Symphony EYC. "The Slingshot acquisition brings innovation and great talent to the growing Symphony EYC digital and social proposition. Our expertise with customer data will further enhance the Slingshot proposition as we strive to make online shopping a more engaging customer experience and to help FMCG brands and retailers grow their customer loyalty."  

Mitch Vidler, founder of Slingshot said, "With its new Slingshot capabilities, Symphony EYC offers insight and relevant targeting all the way from first ad impressions through to purchase and beyond so that FMCG brands and retailers can take advantage of analysis, loyalty and targeting methods as never before. Slingshot has been truly revolutionary in the grocery industry, and now Symphony EYC will be taking our offering international to the 70 countries of its existing customer base." 

Vidler was keen to stress that, "Every client using the Slingshot product will continue to receive the same dedication to excellence. It's business as usual and there will be no interruptions to service."

About Symphony EYC

Symphony EYC delivers ROI for retailers and manufacturers by using customer insights to drive execution through software and services that enable a better customer experience and optimized operations. The solutions optimize multi-channel customer engagement strategies, assortment, merchandising, marketing, inventory fulfillment, store operations and supply chain execution ensuring multi-channel connectivity of both the customer experience and retail operations. Deployed in over 70 countries, Symphony EYC is a strategic partner to leading retailers and manufacturers worldwide enabling them to differentiate against the competition, improve productivity and deliver value to the bottom line. More at www.eyc.com and follow us on twitter @SymphonyEYC. 

About Slingshot

The Slingshot product Intellectual Property was owned by the founders Stephen Darlington and Mitch Vidler who ran the company SDMV which will be integrated into a SymphonyEYC UK entity.  See www.slingshotshopping.com

Contact: Joan Geoghegan, 978-371-3921

SOURCE Symphony EYC