{{Short description|American media company}} {{Italic title}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox website | name = Thrillist | logo = Thrillist logo.svg | type = Private | founder = Ben Lerer <br> Adam Rich | key_people = Meghan Kirsch (chief content officer)<br>Helen Hollyman (editor-in-chief) | num_employees = 300+ | foundation = {{start date and age|2004}} | location_city = New York City | parent = Vox Media | location_country = United States | homepage = {{URL|https://thrillist.com/}} }}
'''''Thrillist''''' is an online media website covering travel. ''Thrillist'' was founded in 2004 by Ben Lerer and Adam Rich. In October 2016, Thrillist merged with internet brands ''The Dodo'', NowThis, and Seeker to form the digital media holding company Group Nine Media, which was acquired by Vox Media in 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2017-08-31 |title=Discovery Invests in Digital-Media Outlets - WSJ |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/discovery-invests-in-digital-media-outlets-1476378648 |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831130228/https://www.wsj.com/articles/discovery-invests-in-digital-media-outlets-1476378648 |archive-date=August 31, 2017 }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-02-22 |title=Vox Media Completes Acquisition of Group Nine |url=https://www.voxmedia.com/2022/2/22/22945736/vox-media-completes-acquisition-of-group-nine |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Vox Media |language=en}}</ref> ''Thrillist'' covers national and international travel and experiences, spanning service guides and news, and, as of 2023, 18 cities across the United States.<ref name=":0" />
==Description and history== thumb|Founder Ben Lerer (2016) Thrillist was founded in 2004 by Ben Lerer, son of media executive Kenneth Lerer; and Adam Rich, his friend from college. They graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2003 and moved to New York City. Rich initially served as president, and Ben Robinson served as the Chief Creative Officer. Lerer and Rich sent the first Thrillist email newsletter in 2005 to 600 friends.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com">{{Cite web |date=2017-03-09 |title=Thrillist Staff Announces Plan To Unionize |website=HuffPost |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/thrillist-will-unionize_us_58a3a9a5e4b03df370db9767 |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170309041212/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/thrillist-will-unionize_us_58a3a9a5e4b03df370db9767 |archive-date=March 9, 2017 }}</ref>
In May 2010, Thrillist acquired online men's fashion retailer JackThreads.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-10-27 |title=Is Thrillist The Future of Media?|url=http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/05/13/is-thrillist-the-future-of-media/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027131601/http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/05/13/is-thrillist-the-future-of-media/ |archive-date=October 27, 2011 }}</ref>
In March 2011, TMG hired Eric Ashman as chief financial officer from ''The Huffington Post''. In 2012, Ashman was charged with committing accounting fraud by the SEC while working as CFO at The Street and was "barred from acting as a director or officer of a public company for three years."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ante |first=Spencer |date=March 31, 2011 |title=Chief Financial Officer of the Huffington Post to Leave |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-DGB-22255}}</ref>
In February 2012, Lerer announced the creation of the Thrillist Media Group (TMG), which combined Thrillist, deal site Thrillist Rewards, and JackThreads. In August 2012, the media group led a $13 million fundraising round, from OAK, the Pilot Group, and Lerer Ventures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Del Rey |first=Jason |date=February 7, 2012 |title=Thrillist Hires New Head of Sales, Forms Thrillist Media Group |url=http://adage.com/article/digital/thrillist-hires-head-sales-forms-thrillist-media-group/232567}}</ref>
In March 2013, TMG discontinued Thrillist Rewards, citing slow growth, and also launched ''The Crosby Press'', a site designed to market JackThreads products by providing content aimed at a target audience of men in their late teens to early twenties.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Foster |first=Tom |date=May 29, 2015 |title=How Ben Lerer Succeeded Where So Many Others Failed |url=https://www.inc.com/tom-foster/how-ben-lerer-succeeded.html}}</ref> By May 2015, ''The Crosby Press'' had been closed by TMG.<ref name=":2" /> In October 2013, TMG launched the tech site Supercompressor, which focused on gear and gadgets for a young male audience. Supercompressor was discontinued as a site in September 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-12-01 |title=Supercompressor (@supercompressor) {{!}} Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/supercompressor?lang=en |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201081419/https://twitter.com/supercompressor?lang=en |archive-date=December 1, 2015 }}</ref>
In September 2015, TMG announced it raised $54 million in total from European publisher Axel Springer, Oak Investment Partners and SBNY. As part of the transaction, Thrillist separated its businesses, with Thrillist Media group operating the media site, Thrillist, while the e-commerce company operated JackThreads.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2017-03-16 |title=Axel Springer buys minority stake in Thrillist |website=USA Today |url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/09/30/axel-springer-buys-minority-stake-thrillist/73106672/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316173108/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/09/30/axel-springer-buys-minority-stake-thrillist/73106672/ |archive-date=March 16, 2017 }}</ref>
In October 2016, TMG merged with The Dodo, NowThis News and Seeker to form Group Nine Media. The newly formed holding company received a $100 million strategic investment from Discovery, Inc.<ref name=":0" />
In February 2017, JackThreads laid off most of its staff in preparation to "cease operations as an independent company." A number of customers subsequently experienced problems with returns, canceled orders, and items that never shipped.<ref name=":3" />
Following the layoffs of more than 25 employees, the Thrillist editorial, video, and distribution staffs announced plans to unionize with the Writers Guild of America East.<ref name="huffingtonpost.com"/>
In July 2017, Thrillist hired entertainment industry veteran and former MTV and GoPro executive Ocean MacAdams to lead the digital brand.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-05 |title=Thrillist Taps GoPro, Current TV Veteran Ocean MacAdams as President (Exclusive) {{!}} Hollywood Reporter |website=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/thrillist-taps-gopro-current-tv-veteran-ocean-macadams-as-president-1020173 |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180405152750/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/thrillist-taps-gopro-current-tv-veteran-ocean-macadams-as-president-1020173 |archive-date=April 5, 2018 }}</ref>
In late September 2018, after more than a year at the bargaining table and a staff walkout, the Thrillist Union and management reached a collective bargaining agreement. The deal included a guaranteed 8.5% raise for all employees in its first year, as well as a salary floor of $50,000/year. "This represents a victory not just for the editorial employees of Thrillist, but for our entire industry," the Thrillist Union's bargaining committee said of the contract. "Through collective action we've made our workplace better and helped set a standard we hope other digital media shops can follow."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-15 |title=Thrillist Union on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/thrillistunion/status/1050389601905496069 |access-date=2024-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715015449/https://twitter.com/thrillistunion/status/1050389601905496069 |archive-date=July 15, 2020 }}</ref>
In 2022, Vox Media acquired Group Nine Media, bringing Thrillist into the Vox Media portfolio.<ref name=":1" />
== Leadership and editorial staff == In 2019, Thrillist hired Meghan Kirsch, formerly Vice Media's Senior Vice President of marketing and creative, as its chief content officer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date= 2019-07-08 |title=Thrillist Hires Meghan Kirsch, Former Vice and A&E Exec, as Chief Content Officer (EXCLUSIVE) |url= https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/thrillist-meghan-kirsch-chief-content-officer-1203260938/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> That same year, the media brand named Helen Hollyman, Founding Editor of Vice's Munchies, its new Editor-in-Chief.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date= 2019-10-16 |title=Thrillist Taps Helen Hollyman, Founding Editor of Vice's Munchies, for Top Editorial Post (EXCLUSIVE) |url= https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/thrillist-helen-hollyman-editor-munchies-1203372810/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>
After Group Nine Media's merger with Vox Media, Thrillist became a part of Vox Media's Lifestyle "pod," comprising Thrillist, Eater, POPSUGAR, and Punch. Later that year, Amanda Kludt, former Editor-in-Chief of Eater, was named Group Publisher of the Lifestyle sites.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Vox |date=2022-03-09 |title=Vox Media Announces Leadership for Editorial Brands and Studios |url= https://www.voxmedia.com/2022/3/9/22969053/vox-media-announces-leadership-for-editorial-brands-and-studios |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Vox Media |language=en}}</ref>
In 2023, Lindsay Schrupp, formerly of VICE Media's Broadly, was named the Editor-in-Chief of Thrillist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Vox |date=2023-04-24 |title=Lindsay Schrupp Named Editor-in-Chief of Thrillist |url= https://www.voxmedia.com/2023/4/24/23695816/lindsay-schrupp-named-editor-in-chief-of-thrillist |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Vox Media |language=en}}</ref>
== Reception == ''Thrillist'' maintains a presence across several social media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook, with a reported monthly digital reach of over 12 million users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Vox |date=2024-07-16 |title=Thrillist and Vox Media Release Survey on Gen Z and Millennials' Attitudes Towards Travel |url=https://www.voxmedia.com/2024/7/16/24199280/thrillist-and-vox-media-release-survey-on-gen-z-and-millennials-attitudes-towards-travel |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Vox Media |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Digiday |date=2021-02-08 |title='Not just one thing': How Thrillist plans to rebound from a nearly travel-free 2020 |url=https://digiday.com/media/thrillist-rebound/ |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref>
''Thrillist'' is the recipient of four James Beard Foundation media awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2023 James Beard Media Award Winners {{!}} James Beard Foundation |url=https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2023-james-beard-media-award-winners |access-date=2024-07-30 |website=www.jamesbeard.org |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.thrillist.com}}
{{Vox Media}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thrillist}} Category:American review websites Category:Companies based in Manhattan Category:Mass media companies based in New York City Category:Internet properties established in 2004 Category:Online mass media companies of the United States Category:Mass media about Internet culture Category:Mass media companies established in 2004 Category:2004 establishments in New York City Category:2016 mergers and acquisitions Category:Vox Media Category:Newsletter publishing companies