Pocket Outdoor Media buys five companies, rebrands to Outside
- Monday, February 22nd, 2021
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Pocket Outdoor Media, which creates active lifestyle content and experiences, has announced a series of acquisitions that expand the scope of its audience and range of services provided to customers and partners. The company has also changed its name from Pocket Outdoor Media to Outside.
Outside has bought a total of five companies. They are Outside Integrated Media, the producer of award-winning adventure content and home to Outside magazine, Outside Studios, and the travel business Outside GO. Outside TV, which provides outdoor lifestyle TV and video programming across cable, satellite, and over-the-top networks. Gaia GPS, a mobile mapping and navigation application. AthleteReg, an event registration platform serving runners, triathletes, cyclists, and skiers. And Peloton magazine, a source of inspirational storytelling and photography about the sport of cycling.
They join existing brands including SKI, Yoga Journal, Women’s Running, Triathlete, Backpacker, Climbing, Clean Eating, VeloNews, Trail Runner, FinisherPix, Warren Miller Entertainment, and more.
The acquisitions were facilitated by the closing of a Series B financing round from investment partners including Sequoia Heritage, JAZZ Ventures, Zone 5 Ventures, and NEXT Ventures. Outside said the financing and acquisition transactions will enable the company to make significant investments in audience, technology, and product development.
The deals create a platform whose scale across television, mobile, desktop, and print is unparalleled in the outdoor, endurance, fitness, and wellness markets
“This is a transformational day for our company and our customers,” said Robin Thurston, CEO of the new Outside. “Everything we do is driven by a belief that a hike, run, ride, or yoga practice can change your life, and these new brands will help us fulfill our mission to build the world’s best consumer experience across a wide range of activities.
“Each of these brands brings unique and powerful strengths to our network. The incredible reputation and relevance of the Outside brands across multiple lifestyle categories made our decision to change our company’s name a logical choice. Meanwhile, Gaia GPS and athleteReg significantly boost the ways we facilitate participation through best-in-class tools and services. And as a lifelong cyclist, I’m personally thrilled to welcome Peloton, one of my go-to reads for its evocative celebrations of the sport. With these moves, we can now deliver world-class content 24/7 to almost every home in America across every platform, screen, and device.”