12 years ago we started a business that helped brands understand what was being said about them online.

The message then was simple. You may not be on social media but that doesn’t mean people aren’t talking about you there. You need to be listening.

Since then social media and social listening have evolved – a lot. Our customers are now embedding the data we analyze in more teams across their organizations. They’re blending it with other data. They’re using our insights to build a deeper understanding of their consumers to improve their businesses.

Continuous improvement

We’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the smartest minds at the world’s best known companies and our customers have constantly challenged us to improve. One of our favorites said to me earlier this year “we like you guys a lot but the minute you stop being the best solution out there, we’re going to move”. And that wasn’t the first time she said it, either. I love it and I hope it never stops.

Innovation has also been driven by other players in our field. The best of which has always been Crimson Hexagon.

Today, I’m delighted to announce our merger with Crimson and welcome them to Brandwatch.

We will move forward under the company name of Brandwatch and a blended leadership team drawn from both organizations.

Product integration

Both products will continue to be run independently, but the plan is to combine them into one platform utilizing the best of both.

The product integration vision is the driving force behind this merger and we are convinced that the combination will be a win for everyone. 1+1 truly is going to be >2.

We’ll be working out the integration timeline over the coming weeks and will share it with all our customers. In the meantime, both platforms will also deliver their own improvements and roadmaps so there’ll be no hint of stagnation.

A moment

This is a defining moment for us and for our industry. By bringing Crimson’s historic data, advanced AI, and machine learning together with Brandwatch’s fast and flexible data handling and user interface, we are going to build something exceptional.

There are other big benefits, such as:

• NYK conferences will almost double in size – more opportunities to meet like-minded companies and hear from a wider variety of folks on the social intelligence journey
• Customer support will be a blend of best of both systems and practices
• Crimson customers now have local support in France, Germany, Singapore, and Sydney

For more information see this FAQ.

Innovation

We will now have a product and engineering team of over 200 people. This is a huge engine for innovation. We’re going to think big, aim high, and listen intently to you, our customers, to make sure we build software that you won’t want to live without.

It’s a big moment for us and our industry – we want to look back in a couple of years and see it as a massively positive thing for everyone – that’s on us. We’ll keep you posted.

Very best,

Giles