LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LOST iN, the premier media brand built to inspire the next generation of travel enthusiasts, today announced the acquisition of BuzzFeed's Bring Me!, among the first and largest travel and experience publishers on the internet. This strategic acquisition will significantly bolster LOST iN's content library and expand its reach to millions of travelers worldwide.
LOST iN launched last month with a mission to build a vibrant community of like-minded travelers. Founded by Jonathan Skogmo, Mike Skogmo, and Anton Reut, the visionary leaders behind Jukin Media, LOST iN aims to inspire travelers to embark on more fulfilling and enriching journeys. The acquisition of Bring Me! aligns seamlessly with this mission, enriching LOST iN with a wealth of high-quality, aspirational and educational travel content and a vast global audience. The acquisition is part of LOST iN’s dynamic approach to provide unmatched value and engagement to its audiences, while fostering new and enduring connections for brands within the industry.
"This acquisition helps accelerate our growth and puts us in a position to instantly reach millions of travel enthusiasts,” says Jonathan Skogmo, CEO and co-founder of Lost iN. "BuzzFeed has a tremendous track record of building digital properties that connect with millennial and Gen Z audiences, and Bring Me! is no exception. We see a unique opportunity to elevate this content across platforms and take the unique editorial lens that the LOST iN guidebooks have cultivated since 2014 to digital audiences through engaging social-first video content.”
Bring Me! has made an indelible mark in the travel media space, amassing over 3 billion video views and an average of 4 million views per video. With a growing reach in 189 countries, Bring Me! has become synonymous with captivating travel experiences and inspiring travel enthusiasts worldwide. Bring Me! has made significant inroads with the advertiser community (both for endemic travel brands and non-endemic brands), having created and distributed sponsored content for brands like Alaska Airlines, Hilton, Hyundai, and Visit Florida.
The acquisition comes on the heels of LOST iN’s $4M oversubscribed seed round led by MaC Venture Capital with investment from BDMI, Pitbull Ventures, Pocket.Watch founder Chris Williams, Fullscreen founder George Strompolos and others. LOST iN also previously acquired the esteemed global travel guidebook publisher of the same name, which was founded in 2014 and has launched 25 volumes that are sold in more than 50 countries around the world. By leveraging the strengths of Bring Me! and the guidebook publisher, LOST iN is poised to become the go-to destination for travel inspiration and extraordinary storytelling.
The acquisition includes the regional Bring Me! Australia, Bring Me! en Español, and Bring Me! em Portugues brands that will help LOST iN further establish its global footprint.
“We’re looking to acquire travel assets to integrate under the LOST iN banner, and this deal with BuzzFeed for Bring Me! represents the next step in our plan to assemble a multi-faceted media company that inspires travelers throughout the world,” added Jonathan Skogmo.
Sklar Kirsh (Los Angeles) served as legal advisor to LOST iN, and Rob Levy of Digital Media Capital Advisors served as financial advisor to LOST iN, in connection with the transaction. Nick Wang, SVP, Business Development, Partnerships & International brokered the transaction on behalf of BuzzFeed.
About LOST iN
We believe that the transformational power of travel is unlocked when you immerse yourself in a new place, or in other words, when you get lost in it. But in today's media environment, where travelers are exposed to influencer content in their feeds, user reviews and star ratings in their search results, and legacy magazine brands on their coffee table, it's hard to know where to start. At LOST iN, we're here to help. LOST iN is a new media company dedicated to providing inspiration to travelers through extraordinary storytelling. Online and in the real world, through video, audio, editorial, and curated experiences, we’re building a vibrant community of like-minded travelers who seek better, more fulfilling travel experiences. Learn more at http://www.lostin.com.
About BuzzFeed, Inc.
BuzzFeed, Inc. is home to the best of the internet. Across food, news, pop culture and commerce, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, buy, and obsess over next. Born on the internet in 2006, BuzzFeed, Inc. is committed to making it better: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives.
