Email marketing service Mailchimp has acquired Chatitive, a SMS marketing platform, to enhance its marketing and commerce platform offering for small businesses.

Chatitive uses context to deliver ‘conversation-driven’ performance marketing via personalised mobile messages sent directly to consumers. It was founded by Daniel Pirone in 2016 under Madrona Venture Labs, an incubator for new startups, and is today led by CEO Andy Hollenbeck.

Hollenbeck will join Mailchimp as Head of Conversational SMS, with other members of his team joining in technology and customer-focused roles, while continuing to operate under the Chatitive brand.

Brands utilising Chatitive’s platform include Universal Music Group, Rover, Vivino, Burst Oral Care, and Goose Island Beer.

Last summer, Mailchimp acquired feedback management platform BigTeam in a bid to improve the survey tool it launched in February 2020. This was followed by the capture of Inspector 6, an AI platform which analyses a brand’s marketing content, delivering insights and recommendations.