Ströer to take over leading network for the sale of online advertising in Turkey and Eastern Europe

• Ströer internationalizes online marketing portfolio by acquiring Ballroom Group
• Expansion of core business to include online marketing in Turkey and Poland

Ströer Media AG is to acquire a 53.4-percent share in Ballroom Group, a market-leading independent network for online advertising sales with a focus on Eastern European markets. Ströer will take over full control of business operations at Ballroom. The aim of the acquisition is to introduce the new business model, that has already been successfully implemented in Germany, in Ströer’s core foreign markets of Turkey and Poland.

“In the wake of the successful launch in Germany, we have now turned our focus toward internationalizing our new business model,” said Christian Schmalzl, COO of Ströer Media AG. “By pooling our expertise at a national and international level, we will be able to enhance synergies in technology and product development. This will put us in the position to introduce new features, new formats and new approaches in each of our markets and then project the findings across all core markets. Therefore we are on the right path to become the first fully integrated premium sales house. We are delighted to join forces with Ballroom and have such experienced management and a dynamic, international team on board.”

The acquisition of Ballroom allows Ströer to extend its full-service provision strategy into its Eastern European markets. The Ballroom portfolio encompasses ad exchange services, video and display advertising, and performance marketing. Ströer will be able to operate right from day one with a great deal of relevance. In Turkey, Ströer is already market leader in out-of-home advertising. Now, by joining forces with Ballroom, Ströer has also acquired the top spot in online advertising. In addition to Ströer’s core markets of Turkey and Poland, Ballroom also operates in Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic.

In 2012, Ballroom generated consolidated sales of around EUR 30 million with some 200 employees. Both parties have signed a confidentiality agreement concerning the cost of the acquired shares. The transaction is subject to approval by the respective antitrust authorities.

By combining out-of-home advertising and online advertising, Ströer has opened up a brand-new, international business model. As a result, the company is now in the position to offer its advertising clients customized communications solutions and products across the entire value chain and beyond:

• From branding to performance marketing.
• From regional advertising to high-impact marketing.
• From national and international reach to hyper-local precision advertising.
• From stills to video advertising.
• From home and mobile displays to out-of-home displays.