Ansira Announces Agreement to Acquire the CDK Digital Marketing Business to Strengthen Local Marketing Activation in the Auto Vertical

Newly Refreshed Platform Provides Opportunity to Further Deliver on Hyper-Local Opportunities for Dealers

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Feb 20, 2020, 09:30 ET

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ansira Partners, Inc. ("Ansira"), an independent global marketing services and solutions company, today announced that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire the CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK) Digital Marketing Business. CDK Global, a leading automotive retail technology company, made the decision to sell all the assets of the Company's Digital Marketing Business including all advertising solutions and website services.

"The acquisition of the CDK Digital Marketing Business will provide an opportunity for Ansira to further extend its efforts in local marketing activation solutions for automotive clients, leveraging the great depths of their dealer solutions," said Alan Herrick, an operating partner with Advent International and chairman of Ansira's board of directors. "What we know for certain is that success in marketing for brands greatly relies on them delivering in that 'last mile' for their customers. With the CDK Digital Marketing Business, Ansira will provide another solution for clients to reach their customers locally, in a seamless and relevant way."

The CDK Digital Marketing Business uses powerful proprietary websites and advertising technology to improve the customer experience and drive more than 83 million monthly unique visitors across a multi-tiered automotive landscape. Aimed at improving the customer experience, the Digital Marketing Business offerings include websites, advertising, digital consulting, earned marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and social product lines. In addition, the newly refreshed CDK Digital Marketing Business platform delivers new user features and improved dealer usability.

"While we continue on our accelerated path of product and services innovation, we will be able to tap into Ansira's extensive experience in automotive, its world-class marketing services, and creative, to improve our dealer marketing effectiveness and the insights we bring to the industry," said Jen Cole, senior vice president, CDK Digital. "Our shared passion with Ansira for digital marketing technology and services will help drive even more value for our clients and their customers. We will continue to bring clients industry-leading platform innovations to help them compete in local markets and realize greater returns on their marketing investments."

The CDK Digital Marketing Business has more than 175 representatives in the field to call on dealers in the market, providing a responsive and consistent quality of service. In addition, the company has a team of almost 200 employees in India focused on operations and engineering, which expands Ansira's global presence.

"The CDK Digital Marketing Business will amplify Ansira's extensive and industry-recognized expertise in the auto vertical, driving customers to strategically leverage hyper-local opportunities as a unique selling point that can help drive growth and build and maintain customer brand loyalty," says Jay Dettling, chief executive officer, Ansira. "The acquisition solidifies Ansira's depth and scale of local marketing activation solutions, and utilizing its newly-refreshed and ever-evolving platform, as well as their agents in the field, will provide our clients with another solution to drive in-market effectiveness."

Ansira is backed by Advent International, one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors, with deep expertise in the business and financial services sector. The proposed transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.

ABOUT ANSIRA
In a world where it's never been harder for brands to capture and keep customers, experience is everything. An independent, global marketing agency, Ansira believes designing relevant, persuasive experiences for all the right moments is the only way to strengthen relationships, cultivate brand loyalists, and assure profitable growth. That's why Ansira arms brands and their sales partners with solutions to make those experiences possible: strategy, performance marketing, loyalty marketing, martech consulting and integration, channel partner marketing, and local marketing activation. For more information, visit Ansira.com or LinkedIn.

ABOUT ADVENT INTERNATIONAL
Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 350 private equity transactions in 41 countries, and as of September 30, 2019, had $56.6 billion in assets under management. With 15 offices in 12 countries, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 200 investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; healthcare; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology. After 35 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies. For more information, visit: www.adventinternational.com.

Media Contact: Megan Duran
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SOURCE Ansira Partners, Inc.