RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News Over Wireless (NOW) today announced a corporate rebranding initiative to better reflect its position as a leading provider of innovative digital solutions to help publishers and advertisers create new revenue opportunities using mobile and Smart TV technology. As part of the rebranding initiative, the company announced its new name, StepLeader, and new CEO, online advertising veteran, Brian Handly.
Today, one of the biggest opportunities for StepLeader’s partners comes in the form of mobile advertising, which is expected to generate more than $2.6 billion in US ad spend in 2012 (eMarketer, US Mobile Ad Forecast, January 2012). New CEO Handly brings more than 14 years of leadership experience in the online advertising industry.
“I am very excited to join StepLeader as CEO and look forward to working with the great team and to drive future growth,” expressed Handly. “The company platform is extremely strong, and we are well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities in the Mobile and Smart TV space.” Handly previously served as GM of Microsoft’s Advertiser and Publisher Solutions division. Prior to his tenure at Microsoft, he was co-founder and CEO of Accipiter, which was acquired by aQuantive in December of 2006, followed by the acquisition of aQuantive by Microsoft in 2007.
Sam Matheny has served as the company’s general manager for the past seven years and will become Capitol Broadcasting Company’s Vice President of Policy and Innovation. In this role he will continue to serve in a leadership and advisory role at StepLeader.
“It is so gratifying to see how much this company has grown,” said Matheny. “I look forward to working together with Brian to create even more growth opportunities for StepLeader and our partners. I also look forward to serving as an evangelist for the company and the industry as a whole.”
With more than eight years of experience creating mobile revenue opportunities, hundreds of well-known broadcasters and other media companies already rely on the NOW Mobile Platform as the foundation of their mobile marketing strategies. Since releasing the first subscription-based mobile local television news app in 2004, StepLeader has been the first to market with a number of other industry-changing innovations. Today, StepLeader continues to deliver industry-leading innovations as it expands to add new channels and create new opportunities for media publishers and advertisers.
StepLeader is based on a meteorological term, referring to an invisible channel of energy that makes the connections necessary for lightning to strike. The new name speaks directly to all of the work that and connections that must take place out-of-site before something electric can happen. It better reflects the company’s goal of creating positive change, in the form of new opportunities, for its partners.
To support its rebranding initiative, the company also launched a new logo and a new corporate website at www.StepLeaderDigital.com. The new site better emphasizes the company’s increased focus on mobile advertising, and better speaks to the value proposition for online publishers and advertisers. In preparation for the rebranding, the company recently moved its headquarters to a new space in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.
“This is a great day for StepLeader and Capitol Broadcasting Company,” exclaimed James F. Goodmon, Jr., Vice President & General Manager of CBC New Media Group. “For the past several years News Over Wireless has been an industry leading platform for broadcasters and publishers across the country. As StepLeader, and with Brian’s leadership, we are going to build the next phase of digital content delivery with greater investment and an enhanced focus on driving revenue for our partners.”
About StepLeader
Founded in 2005, StepLeader (formerly News Over Wireless/NOW) builds innovative digital solutions to help publishers and advertisers create new revenue opportunities in an ever-changing environment of mobile technology, Smart TV applications and more.
StepLeader helps publishers create a wide breadth of revenue opportunities across multiple mobile platforms, and helps advertisers extend their reach to more consumers with the most trusted local content from the largest network of premium partners.
With more than eight years of experience creating mobile revenue opportunities, StepLeader has a proven track record of delivering ROI for its partners. The company continues to develop industry-leading innovations, as it expands to add new channels and create new opportunities for both publishers and advertisers. StepLeader has more than 300 partners, with 107 live mobile apps and more than 200 million mobile ads served monthly. StepLeader is part of CBC New Media Group, LLC, a division of Capitol Broadcasting Company.