{{Infobox company | name = EQAL | logo = 200px|Company logo<br><small>Official Company Logo</small> | type = | founded = Los Angeles, California, USA (2008) | hq_location_city = Los Angeles, CA | hq_location_country = USA | fate = acquired by Everyday Health | key_people = Miles Beckett, CEO/Founder<br />Greg Goodfried, President/Founder<br />Paras Maniar, CSO and EVP, Corporate Development<br />Robert Weiss, Chief Operating Officer | industry = Entertainment, Technology | products = Celebrity Influencer Networks <br>Branded Entertainment <br>Web Series <br>Website Hosting Software (Umbrella) | website = http://www.eqal.com }}
'''EQAL''' was a media and technology company founded in 2008 by Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried, two of the creators of ''lonelygirl15''.<ref name = "WSJ" >{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120840403372722269|title=''Lonelygirl'' Gets Popular with Investors| date = April 17, 2008 | author=Buckman, Rebecca | newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> EQAL built influencer networks around celebrities, consumer brands, and intellectual properties. Prior to building influencer networks, EQAL produced ''lonelygirl15'' (LG15) as well as for producing other series in the LG15 Universe (the universe using the mythology started by the lonelygirl15 series) including ''KateModern'' in association with Bebo<ref name = "pulse2" >{{cite news |url=http://pulse2.com/2007/04/16/coming-this-july-lonelygirl15-presents-katemodern-exclusively-on-bebo/ | title=Coming This July: LonelyGirl15 Presents… KateModern Exclusively on Bebo | author=Chowdhry, Amit | date=April 16, 2007 | publisher = Pulse2 }}</ref> and ''LG15: The Resistance'',<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/lonelygirl15-creators-unveil-new-web-show-the-resistance/ | title='Lonelygirl15' creators unveil new Web show, 'The Resistance' | first=Caroline | last=McCarthy | work=CNET | date=August 27, 2008}}</ref> as well as ''Harper’s Globe'', the original web series, commissioned by CBS as a tie-in for the series, ''Harper’s Island''.<ref name = "MediaPost">{{cite news | url = http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=102381 | publisher = MediaPost News | date = March 19, 2009 | author = O'Malley, Gavin | title = CBS Interactive, Eqal Launch Online Community | access-date = September 7, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090625222823/http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=102381 | archive-date = June 25, 2009 | url-status = dead }}</ref> In 2012, Everyday Health acquired EQAL.
==History== In 2006, Miles Beckett met Mesh Flinders, a screenwriter, at a birthday party. Beckett had the idea to use short internet videos to tell a story. Flinders had developed a character that he thought would be perfect for the project. Together the two of them contacted Greg Goodfried for legal advice, and the three of them subsequently created ''lonelygirl15''.<ref name="sfgate">{{cite news | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/09/12/national/a214921D26.DTL | title= Creators Confess to Lonelygirl15 | publisher = San Francisco Chronicle (Associated Press) | date = September 12, 2006 | author = Gentile, Gary}}{{dead link|date=February 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The group became formally known as LG15 Studios/Telegraph Ave. Productions.<ref name="cnet1">{{cite news | url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-9921126-36.html | title='Lonelygirl15' creators launch production company, pull in venture funding | publisher=CNET News | date=April 17, 2008 | accessdate=Sep 15, 2009}}</ref><ref name="mpp1">{{cite news | url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/80921/ | title=LG15/Telegraph Ave. Morphs Into Eqal | publisher=Online Media Daily | date=April 18, 2008 | access-date=Sep 15, 2009 }}</ref>
While Mesh Flinders went on to pursue other endeavors at the end of 2007,<ref name = "MeshBlog">{{cite news | url = https://meshflinders.blogspot.com/2008/01/mesh-moves-on.html | title = mesh's blog: Moving on... | author = Flinders, Mesh|accessdate=Oct 16, 2009}}</ref> in April 2008, Beckett and Goodfried announced the formation of EQAL.<ref name = "BusinessWeek">{{cite magazine | url = http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=43607438 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080608235448/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=43607438 | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 8, 2008 | title = EQAL, Inc.: Private Company Information |magazine=BusinessWeek|accessdate=Oct 16, 2009}}</ref> The new company raised $5 million in venture capital.<ref name = "WSJ"/> Among EQAL’s initial investors were Spark Capital, Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, Conrad Riggs, formerly with Mark Burnett Productions, tech investor Ron Conway, and Georges Harik, former developer of new products at Google.<ref name="cnet1"/>
In May 2008, a partnership between EQAL and CBS was announced to create new original programming and online tie-ins for CBS network shows.<ref name="B&C1">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/113725-CBS_Strikes_Deal_with_lonelygirl15_Creators.php | title=CBS Strikes Deal with lonelygirl15 Creators |author = Weprin, Alex | magazine=Broadcasting & Cable | date=May 14, 2008 | accessdate=Sep 15, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.tvweek.com/in-depth/2008/05/cbs-interacts-with-lonelygirl1/ | title=CBS Interacts With ‘LonelyGirl15’ Creator EQAL| publisher=TV Week | date=May 14, 2008}}</ref><ref name="latimesCBS1">{{cite news | url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/05/cbs-taps-lonely.html | title=CBS taps Lonelygirl15 guys for smart Web fusion| newspaper=Los Angeles Times | date=May 15, 2008 | accessdate=Sep 15, 2009}}</ref> A few months later, it was announced that EQAL would produce the Harper's Globe online companion show for CBS's Harper's Island.<ref name="businessweekCBS1">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_04/b4117097472612.htm?chan=magazine+channel_opinion | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130005647/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_04/b4117097472612.htm?chan=magazine+channel_opinion | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 30, 2009 | title=Web Video: How to Actually (Maybe) Make Money| magazine=BusinessWeek | date=Jan 14, 2009 | accessdate=Sep 15, 2009}}</ref> Through the CBS deal, EQAL met Anthony E. Zuiker, creator of CSI, and was hired by Zuiker to create the online component for Zuiker's first novel, [http://Level%2026.com Level 26]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, which was released in September 2009.<ref name="edsun">{{cite news | url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/entertainment/other/2009/07/26/10265261-sun.html | title=Miles away from lonely| newspaper=Edmonton Sun | date=July 26, 2009 | accessdate=Sep 16, 2009}}</ref> The Zuiker partnership was the first in a series of similar media partnerships.
In 2009, EQAL launched two new original web series with dedicated social networks: ''Get Cookin'' for Food Network host Paula Deen<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/04/business/media/04adco.html | title=An Accompaniment Moves Beyond the Bagel | first=Andrew Adam | last=Newman | work=The New York Times | date=April 3, 2011}}</ref> and ''The Kind Life With Alicia Silverstone'' for Silverstone about global warming and vegetarian topics.<ref name="kindlife">{{cite news| url=http://www.clickz.com/3633936|title=New Networks Offer Alternative to TV Upfronts |publisher=ClickZ |author=Beardsell, Christine |date=June 2, 2009|accessdate=Oct 16, 2009}}</ref>
In 2010, EQAL launched The Real Women of Philadelphia with Digitas for Kraft Foods and Paula Deen which went on to garner a gold Effie award in 2011. EQAL continued to launch celebrity sites in association with Skinny Bitch and Made Just Right with Earth Balance.
In 2011, Robert Weiss joined EQAL, launching their Media Networks division to build social networks around celebrities and influencers. They have launched nearly 40 sites with another 10 expected this year. EQAL and its Media Networks recently won 6 Awards of Distinction from the International Academy of Visual Arts.<ref name = "EQAl.com Blog">{{cite news | url=http://www.eqal.com/post/eqal-wins-six-awards-of-distinction-from-the-international-academy-of-visual-arts | title=EQAL Wins Six Awards of Distinction from the International Academy of Visual Arts | author=EQAL|accessdate=May 4, 2012}}</ref>
In October 2011, YouTube announced an initiative to fund the production of new channels containing original "premium" content. EQAL became one of the first partners in this program, launching a fashion-oriented channel known as ''u look haute'' on April 3, 2012.<ref name=youtube-niche>{{cite magazine|title=YouTube Announces TV Initiative With 100 Niche Channels|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/youtube-tv-channels-kutcher-poehler-254370|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="TubeFilter News">{{cite news | url = http://www.tubefilter.com/2012/04/04/u-look-haute-eqal/ | title=EQAL’s Original YouTube Channel ‘u look haute’ Heats Up | author=Drew Baldwin| accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref>
In September 2012, Everyday Health acquired EQAL. The company become an entity within its lifestyle division.<ref name=eqal-acquired>{{cite web|title=Everyday Health Buys Lonelygirl15 Producer EQAL in Expansion to New Genres|url=http://adage.com/article/digital/everyday-health-buys-lonelygirl15-producer-eqal/237397/|publisher=AdAge|accessdate=26 September 2012}}</ref>
==Products== ===Original Productions=== * ''lonelygirl15'' * ''KateModern'' * ''LG15: The Resistance'' * ''N1ckola'' * ''Harper’s Globe'' * ''Get Cookin' With Paula Deen''
===Other Original Content=== * ''LG15: The Last'' * ''LG15: Outbreak''
===Software=== * Umbrella <ref name="umbrella-1">{{cite news | url=http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/07/30/eqal-sharing-secret-sauce-launching-umbrella-platform/ | title=EQAL Sharing Secret Sauce, Launching ‘Umbrella’ Platform | author=Hustvedt, Marc| publisher=Tubefilter News | date=July 30, 2009 | accessdate=Sep 21, 2009}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[http://www.eqal.com/ Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eqal}} Category:Video production companies Category:Mass media companies established in 2008 Category:American companies established in 2008