{{Short description|American digital marketing and information services company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox company | logo = | logo_alt = Advantage Business Marketing logo | logo_caption = | logo_padding = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | former_name = Advantage Business Media | type = Private | ISIN = | industry = Marketing | genre = | fate = Bankruptcy | predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = --> | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = {{start date|2006}} | founder = {{unbulleted list |Rich Reiff |George Fox }} | defunct = {{end date|2019|06}}<!-- {{end date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Rockaway, New Jersey | hq_location_country = | area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = --> | key_people = {{unbulleted list |George Fox, President (2010)<ref name="silverman2010" /> }} | products = | brands = | production = | production_year = <!-- Year of production data (when known) --> | services = {{Unbulleted list|Marketing|publishing}} | revenue = | revenue_year = <!-- Year of revenue data (when known) --> | operating_income = | income_year = <!-- Year of operating_income data (when known) --> | net_income = <!-- or: | profit = --> | net_income_year = <!-- or: | profit_year = --><!-- Year of net_income/profit data (when known) --> | aum = <!-- Only for financial-service companies --> | assets = | assets_year = <!-- Year of assets data (when known) --> | equity = | equity_year = <!-- Year of equity data (when known) --> | owner = <!-- or: | owners = --> | members = | members_year = <!-- Year of members data (when known) --> | num_employees = >200 (2010)<ref name="silverman2010" /> | parent = Owner Resource Group | divisions = | subsid = | website = {{unbulleted list |{{url |https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://www.advantagebusinessmedia.com/ |Archived Advantage Business Media homepage}} |{{url |https://web.archive.org/web/20230000000000*/https://www.advantagebizmarketing.com/ |Archived Advantage Business Marketing homepage }} }} | footnotes = }} '''Advantage Business Marketing''' ('''ABM''') was a private American digital marketing and information services company owned by the venture capital firm Owner Resource Group. The company was founded in 2006 and was based in Rockaway, New Jersey, United States. It filed for bankruptcy in June 2019.
== Business model == In the period between 2006 and 2014, the company transitioned from print-centric to digital media, increasing digital revenues from 11% to 50% of total revenues.<ref name="rondon2014" /><ref name="callahan2011">{{cite news |last=Callahan |first=Sean |url=http://adage.com/article/btob/advantage-business-media-s-digital-road-map/283493/ | title=Advantage Business Media's digital road map | work=Advertising Age | date=August 9, 2011 |access-date=August 5, 2023 }}</ref> The company's growth during this period came from both "organic" growth and strategic acquisitions.<ref name="rondon2014">{{cite news |url=http://www.foliomag.com/2014/advantage-business-media-sold-pe-firm |title=Advantage Business Media Sold to PE Firm |work=Folio |date=February 13, 2014 |last=Rondon |first=Michael |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140218100501/http://www.foliomag.com/2014/advantage-business-media-sold-pe-firm#.UwMwWCrP1qY |archive-date=February 18, 2014 }}</ref> In 2009 the firm was described as a "business to business magazine publisher",<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonsera |first=Paul |date=July 15, 2009 |title=Roy Morance is always willing to lend a hand |pages=MTW 2 (104) |work=Morris County Daily Record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/687559787/ |url-access=registration |access-date=August 5, 2023 }}</ref> which could be interpreted as a publisher of trade magazines.
In 2018, the organization transitioned fully from a digital media organization to a digital marketing organization, following market trends. As such, the company changed its name from '''Advantage Business Media''' to Advantage Business Marketing, updated its logo, and began the overhaul of its digital websites and assets.<ref name="Marketing" />{{Better source needed|date=August 2023}}
The organization offered digital marketing services including inbound marketing, branding, automation services, customer relationship management integration, and data management.
== History == In 2006, Rich Reiff and George Fox purchased several publications from Reed Business Information's New Product Division, formerly known as Gordon Publications, with the backing of private equity provided by Catalyst Investors.<ref name="silverman2010">{{Cite news |last=Silverman |first=Sally |date=April 27, 2010 |title=Business grows in challenging times |pages=A9 |work=Morris County Daily Record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/257488334/ |url-access=registration }}</ref><ref name="callahan2011" /><ref name="tcomweek2012" /><ref name="circmag2008">{{Cite magazine |last=<!-- no author specified --> |date=September 2008 |title=Former BPA auditor named circ director at Russell Publishing |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A193756073/ITOF?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5ba7a139 |magazine=Circulation Management |location=Connecticut, United States |publisher=Red 7 Media |volume=23 |issue=7 |page=42 |issn=0888-8191 |access-date=August 5, 2023 |via=Gale General OneFile (Wikipedia Library) |url-access=registration}}</ref>
Also in 2006, the company launched the FindGuru business-to-business-focused search engine as a revised and rebranded ReedLink tool originally available from Reed Business Information.<ref name="briefcase2006">{{Cite news |last=<!-- no byline indicated --> |date=September 8, 2006 |title=Briefcase: Morris County Company News |pages=E1 (47) |work=Daily Record |location=Morris County, New Jersey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/256381476/ |url-access=registration |access-date=August 5, 2023 }}</ref>
In 2011, ABM acquired Continuity Insights and Vicon Publishing;<ref name="callahan2011" /><ref name="tcomweek2012" /> this was followed in 2013 by acquisition of eMedia Vitals.<ref name="rondon2014" /> Vicon Publishing was renamed by ABM to Vicon Business Media and instantiated as a subsidiary organization.<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> Vicon operates out of New Hampshire, United States.<ref name="tcomweek2012">{{cite news | work=Telecommunications Weekly | title=Advantage Business Media Purchases Vicon Publishing, Inc. | via=HighBeam Research | date=January 18, 2012 | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-279009059.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409123156/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-279009059.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 9, 2016}}</ref>
In 2014, the firm was sold by Catalyst to Owners Resource Group (ORG), a private equity firm based in Austin, Texas, for undisclosed terms.<ref name="rondon2014" /><ref name="collins2014">{{cite news |author=Collins, Allison |date=February 12, 2014 |title=Owner Resource Buys PE-Backed Advantage Business Media |work=Mergers & Acquisitions |url=http://www.themiddlemarket.com/news/owner-resource-buys-pe-backed-advantage-business-media-247703-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811000702/http://www.themiddlemarket.com/news/owner-resource-buys-pe-backed-advantage-business-media-247703-1.html |archive-date=August 11, 2014}}</ref> This acquisition makes the first foray for ORG into the media space.<ref name="rondon2014" /> In March 2014, co-founder Richard Reiff left the firm, leaving the CEO position vacant,<ref name="rondon2014" /> though there is an indication that Jim Lonergan was brought in as CEO by the new owner.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}
In 2018, Lonergan was replaced by Bruce Cummings and the company rebranded, changing its name to Advantage Business Marketing.<ref name="Marketing">{{Cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-media-publisher-pivots-business-model-to-deliver-greater-customer-value-300668767.html |title=National Media Publisher Pivots Business Model to Deliver Greater Customer Value |website=PR Newswire |access-date=August 5, 2023 |publisher=Advantage Business Media |date=June 19, 2018 }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=August 2023}}
On June 11, 2019, Cummings held a staff meeting where he told all employees that the company was filing for bankruptcy and closing effective immediately. Staff had until the end of the day to vacate the premises.<ref>{{cite web | last=Dool | first=Greg | title=Advantage Business Marketing Ceases Operations After 13 Years | website=Folio | date=June 19, 2019 | url=https://www.foliomag.com/advantage-business-marketing-media-shuts-down/ | access-date=March 8, 2021 |url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621004052/https://www.foliomag.com/advantage-business-marketing-media-shuts-down/ |archive-date=June 21, 2019 }}</ref> No severance pay was given to employees, customers lost much of what they'd purchased, and many vendors were never paid.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}
== Titles published by ABM == {{As of|2017|post=,}} ABM published 23 titles.<ref name="callahan2011" /> Publication titles and ISO 4 abbreviations are as follows:
* ''ALN Magazine'' (''{{Visible anchor|ALN Mag.}}'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> *''ALN World'' (''ALN World''), no longer published<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Bioscience Technology'' (''Biosci. Technol.'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''CED'', formerly ''Communications, Engineering & Design''<ref name="mickey2010">{{cite news | url=http://www.audiencedevelopment.com/2010/falsified+recordings+land+eight+advantage+business+media+titles+bpa+probation | title=Falsified Recordings Land Eight Advantage Business Media Titles on BPA Probation | work=Audience Development | date=September 24, 2010 | author=Mickey, Bill | access-date=August 4, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806225814/http://www.audiencedevelopment.com/2010/falsified+recordings+land+eight+advantage+business+media+titles+bpa+probation | archive-date=August 6, 2014 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all}}</ref> * ''Chem.Info''<ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Continuity Insights'' (''Cont. Ins.''), no longer an ABM brand * ''Chromatography Techniques'' (''Chromatogr. Tech.''), no longer an ABM brand<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Controlled Environments Magazine'' (''Control. Environ. Mag.'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''DFI News Digital Forensic Investigator'' (''DFI News Digit. Forensic Investig.''), no longer published<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Drug Discovery & Development'' (''Drug Discov. Dev.'' also ''DDD Mag.'')<ref name="DDD2015MediaKit">{{cite web | url=http://www.advantagemedia.com/sites/default/files/DDD%202015%20Media%20Kit.pdf | title=2015 Integrated Media Planning Guide | access-date=October 2, 2014 | website=Drug Discovery & Development | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141003004017/http://www.advantagemedia.com/sites/default/files/DDD%202015%20Media%20Kit.pdf | archive-date=October 3, 2014}}</ref> * ''Electronic Component News'' (''Electron. Compon. News'' also ''ECN'')<ref name="collins2014" /><ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Food Manufacturing'' (''Food Manuf.'')<ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Forensic Magazine'' (''Forensic Mag.'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Industrial Distribution'' (''Ind. Distribution'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operations'' (''Ind. Maintenance Plant Oper.'')<ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Laboratory Design'' (''Lab. Des.'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Laboratory Equipment'' (''Lab. Equip.'')<ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Manufacturing Business Technology'' (''Manuf. Bus. Technol.'')<ref name="collins2014" /> * ''Manufacturing.net'' (''Manuf. Net.'') * ''Medical Design Technology'' (''Med. Des. Technol.'')<ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Pharmaceutical Processing'' (''Pharm. Process.'')<ref name="mickey2010" /> * ''Product Design & Development'' (''Prod. Des. Dev.'')<ref name="collins2014" /> * ''R&D Magazine'' (''R&D Mag.'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Scientific Computing'' (''Sci. Comput.'')<ref name="tcomweek2012" /> * ''Surgical Products'' (''Surg. Prod.'') *''Wireless Design & Development'' (''Wirel. Des. Dev.'')<ref name="entcloseup2017">{{Cite magazine |last=<!-- no byline provided --> |date=March 15, 2017 |title=TESSCO Technologies Names Wireless Week as 2017 TESSCO One Media Partner |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A485528568/ITOF?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=89c59942 |magazine=Entertainment Close-up |location=Florida, United States |access-date=August 5, 2023 |via=Gale General OneFile (Wikipedia Library) |url-access=registration}}</ref> * ''{{Visible anchor|Wireless Week}}'' (''Wirel. Week'')<ref name="collins2014" /><ref name="entcloseup2017" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{Cite news |last=<!--no byline indicated--> |date=May 5, 2010 |title=They take advantage of expertise in media business |pages=DRTW 7 (80) |work=Morris County Daily Record |type=Interview with CEO |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/256986408/ |url-access=registration |access-date=August 5, 2023 }}
Category:2006 establishments in New Jersey Category:Marketing companies of the United States Category:Mass media companies established in 2006