Bright Mountain Media Inc (QB) (BMTM) News

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media (OTCQB: BMTM) Announces Appointment of AdTech Veteran Tom Triscari as Director and Compensation Committee Chair

https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2024/09/17/2947463/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-OTCQB-BMTM-Announces-Appointment-of-AdTech-Veteran-Tom-Triscari-as-Director-and-Compensation-Committee-Chair.html

Boca Raton, FL, Sept. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) ("Bright Mountain" or the "Company"), a global marketing services platform with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative and media services, announced via a FORM-31 on August 20, 2024, the appointment of Thomas Triscari to the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Compensation Committee.

With a distinguished career in the AdTech and digital media industries, Thomas Triscari brings a wealth of experience to Bright Mountain Media. Currently a Senior Advisor at Landmark Ventures, Triscari is instrumental in developing a premier M&A advisory practice within the AdTech and Media sectors. He is also the Founder of the Forensic AdTech Collaborative Thinktank (FACT), an initiative to pioneer new standards in the industry.

Triscari's extensive advisory and non-executive board roles include positions at WasteNot, Br1dge, Adfidence, and Compliant. He serves as a Non-Executive Board Member at Adslot and has made significant contributions as the Founder of the Quo Vadis Newsletter, a widely respected resource in AdTech.

Previously, Triscari has held influential roles at Yahoo! EMEA, where he participated in sales operations, planning, and strategy. His expertise was further demonstrated at Criteo, where he served as Director of Publisher Marketplace & Business Intelligence. As an entrepreneur, Triscari founded Labmatik, a consultancy specializing in programmatic advertising, and led Yieldr, a Demand-side Platform (DSP), as CEO.

Thomas Triscari, commented, "I am thrilled to join Bright Mountain Media as a Director," said Triscari. "The company's innovative approach to digital marketing and commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with my professional values and goals. I look forward to contributing to Bright Mountain Media's continued success and growth in the dynamic marketing landscape."

Matt Drinkwater, Chief Executive Officer of Bright Mountain Media, commented, "We are delighted to welcome Tom to our Board of Directors. Tom's extensive experience and deep understanding of the AdTech and media industries will be invaluable as we navigate the evolving marketplace. His strategic insights and industry expertise will significantly enhance our governance and drive our mission forward."

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media Appoints Industry Veteran Joe Pergola as Director and Audit Committee Chair


https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2024/09/10/2943690/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Appoints-Industry-Veteran-Joe-Pergola-as-Director-and-Audit-Committee-Chair.html

Boca Raton, FL, Sept. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) ("Bright Mountain" or the "Company"), a global marketing services platform with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative and media services, announced via a FORM-31 on August 16, 2024, the appointment of Joe Pergola to the Board of Directors and as Chair of the Audit Committee.

Joe Pergola brings a wealth of experience to our team as the Chief Financial Officer of Truckstop, a leading digital marketplace for freight. With over 25 years in the industry, Joe has a distinguished track record of leading and transforming finance, accounting, mergers and acquisitions, corporate development, business and sales operations, and real estate for multiple Fortune 500 Media and Ad Tech companies. His impressive career includes key roles at Amazon, Criteo, The Weather Company, Yahoo, and Time Warner. Notably, as CFO of Integral Ad Science, Joe played a crucial role in the company’s successful IPO in 2021, which valued the company at $3.8 billion.

In his new role, Joe expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I am honored to join the Bright Mountain Media Board of Directors. Matt continues to build a best-in-class team that has effectively integrated two companies, creating a unique value proposition for marketers. I look forward to collaborating with Matt, the Board, and the rest of the Bright Mountain Media leadership team to provide strategic direction, accelerate growth, and enhance shareholder value.”

Matt Drinkwater, Chief Executive Officer of Bright Mountain Media, commented, “Joe is an accomplished finance leader with a proven track record of driving revenue and profitability at scale. His financial expertise and hands-on operational experience with leading technology and digital media companies will be invaluable as we guide Bright Mountain Media through its next growth stage.”

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media Appoints Elaine Riddell as Non-Executive Director Bringing 15 Years of Experience Driving Transformative Growth

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/09/04/2940546/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Appoints-Elaine-Riddell-as-Non-Executive-Director-Bringing-15-Years-of-Experience-Driving-Transformative-Growth.html

Boca Raton, FL, Sept. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) ("Bright Mountain" or the "Company"), a global marketing services platform with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative and media services, announced via a FORM-31 on August 14, 2024, that they have appointed Elaine Riddell as Non-Executive Director of the Governance Committee.

Elaine Riddell is a dynamic growth strategist with a proven track record of unlocking breakthrough potential within companies. With over 15 years as a CEO at leading firms such as NOPWorld Health (a unit of UBM), TNS Healthcare, and Kantar Health (now Oracle LifeSciences), Elaine has a distinguished history of transforming established global data, analytics, and consulting firms into high-performing market leaders. Her efforts have consistently driven revenue growth at three times the market rate, demonstrating her unique ability to scale businesses rapidly while achieving attractive margins.

Elaine’s expertise extends from her foundational roles at Abbott Labs (now AbbVie) and IMS Health (now IQVIA), where she honed her skills in customer-centric innovation, strategic mergers and acquisitions, and building high-performance cultures. This broad experience underpins her current role as Managing Director at Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips, a leading investment bank specializing in M&A advisory within the marketing and media services sectors.

In addition to her advisory work, Elaine is an influential board director for the Executive Forum, a network of top executives dedicated to advancing business growth. She served as Vice President from 2012-2016 and 2018-2024 and was Chair of the Advisory Board for Themis Analytics from 2016 to its acquisition in 2017. Themis, a leader in data and analytics for the biopharma industry, benefited greatly from Elaine’s strategic guidance.

Elaine is a McGill University alumna and holds dual Canadian and American citizenship.

Elaine Riddell stated, "I am thrilled to join Bright Mountain Media's Board of Directors at an important and exciting time. The company's innovative marketing services approach and commitment to excellence align perfectly with my values and experience. I look forward to working with the team to enhance Bright Mountain Media's governance further and drive its continued success."

Matt Drinkwater, CEO of Bright Mountain Media, commented, "We are excited to welcome Elaine Riddell to our Board of Directors. Her extensive experience transforming market research companies and deep understanding of strategic growth make her an invaluable addition to our team. Elaine's insights and leadership will be instrumental as we advance our position in the global marketing services landscape and uphold our commitment to exceptional governance."

Additionally, Bright Mountain Media is excited to announce that Matt Drinkwater, our Chief Executive Officer, has been appointed Interim Chairman of the Board, effective immediately. This appointment comes at a crucial juncture as we undergo significant strategic and financial transformations. Key developments include:

Strategic Acquisitions: We have undertaken acquisitions that strengthen our market position and expand our capabilities.
Debt Restructuring: Our debt restructuring efforts pave the way for clearer profitability.
Governance Enhancements: We have implemented new governance structures to support our evolving business needs better.
Growth and Transformation: We are advancing our growth strategy and business transformation initiatives to ensure long-term success.
Matt Drinkwater's new role as Interim Chairman highlights our commitment to steering this transformative phase with solid leadership and a clear strategic vision.

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc Announces Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2024/08/14/2930430/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-Announces-Second-Quarter-2024-Financial-Results.html

Second quarter revenue increased to $13.0 million compared to $12.6 million for the second quarter of 2023.
Half year revenue increased by $11.3 million to $25.5 million compared to $14.1 million for the same period of 2023.
Boca Raton, FL, Aug. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global marketing service platform with capabilities in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, creative and media services, today announced its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2024.

Matt Drinkwater, CEO of Bright Mountain, expressed enthusiasm about the company's recent credit amendment. “We're pleased with a key amendment we entered into in the second quarter that enhances our financial flexibility by deferring certain payments owed to Centre Lane Partners, our lending partner. This adjustment will help bolster our growth initiatives.

We're also pleased with our ongoing financial performance, marked by the successful integration of Big Village and Deep Focus with our legacy Bright Mountain business, and significant cost-reduction efforts. Our current focus is on unlocking further synergies, launching innovative products and business lines, and advancing our vision of an AI-driven marketing services platform.

An excellent example of these synergies is the organic growth from our ad tech division, driven by the strategic use of data assets from our market research division. This approach opens up new and innovative opportunities to enhance return on advertising spend for our clients. We are optimistic about the potential for future synergies and continued success.”

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended June 30, 2024

Revenue was $13.0 million, an increase of $387,000, or 3%, compared to $12.6 million for the same period of 2023. This increase was due to an improvement in revenue from our advertising technology division, which was driven by our ability to leverage our resources to attract top advertisers, which in turn allowed us to onboard premium publishers. This led to an increase in volume, as well as rates and overall revenue. This increase in revenue was partially offset by a decline in revenue in our digital publishing division, which was significantly impacted by macroeconomic factors, which reduced traffic to our website, coupled with an overall reduction in spending by some customers related to inflationary concerns and reduction in website traffic.
Advertising technology revenue was approximately $3.6 million, digital publishing revenue was approximately $516,000, consumer insights revenue was approximately $6.7 million, creative services revenue was approximately $1.7 million, and media services revenue was approximately $566,000 during the second quarter of 2024.

Cost of revenue was $9.6 million, an increase of $1.2 million, or 14%, compared to $8.4 million for the same period in 2023. The increase is mainly a result of increased publisher costs of $1.2 million, which is driven by the increase noted in revenue for our advertising technology division. These are payments to media providers and website publishers.
Cost of revenue is inclusive of publisher costs of $2.3 million, direct project costs of approximately $3.1 million for payments made to third-parties that are directly attributable to completion of projects to allow for revenue recognition, direct salary and labor costs of approximately $2.1 million for employees that work directly on customer projects, and $1.6 million of non-direct project costs.

General and administrative expense was $5.3 million, a decrease of $2.8 million, or 35%, compared to $8.1 million in the same period of 2023.
Gross margin was $3.4 million, a decrease of 19%, compared to $4.2 million in the same period of 2023.
Net loss was $5.2 million, a decrease of 14%, compared to a $6.1 million net loss in the same period of 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA loss was $920,000, compared to Adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.9 million in the same period of 2023. See the below section on Non-GAAP Financial Measure for a reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.
Financial Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2024

Revenue was $25.5 million, an increase of $11.3 million, or 80%, compared to $14.1 million for the same period of 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, revenue includes $18.3 million which represents the impact of the Big Village Acquisition, which was completed in April 2023. This compares to $9.2 million for the same period in 2023. As a result, the acquisition contributed to revenue for three months of the prior period and for the full six months of the current period and is the main driver of the increase in revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Advertising technology revenue was approximately $6.2 million, digital publishing revenue was approximately $950,000, consumer insights revenue was approximately $13.4 million, creative services revenue was approximately $3.7 million, and media services revenue was approximately $1.2 million during the six months ended June 30, 2024.

Cost of revenue was $18.9 million, an increase of $9.5 million, or 101%, compared to $9.4 million for the same period in 2023. For the six months ended June 30, 2024, cost of revenue includes $14.0 million, or 74%, which is the impact of the Big Village Acquisition, which was completed in April 2023. This compares to $6.7 million, or 72%, for the same period in 2023. As a result, the acquisition contributed to cost of revenue for three months of the prior period and for the full six months of the current period and is the main driver of the increase in cost of revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2024.
Cost of revenue is inclusive of publisher costs of $4.1 million for payments to media providers and website publishers, direct salary and labor cost of approximately $4.1 million for employees that work directly on customer projects, direct project costs of approximately $6.2 million for payments made to third-parties that are directly attributable to completion of projects to allow for revenue recognition, and $3.7 million for non-direct project cost.

General and administrative expense was $10.6 million, a decrease of 9%, compared to $11.6 million in the same period of 2023.
Gross margin was $6.6 million, an increase of 38%, compared to $4.7 million in the same period of 2023.
Net loss was $10.0 million, an increase of 1%, compared to a $9.9 million net loss in the same period of 2023.
Adjusted EBITDA loss was $2.0 million, compared to Adjusted EBITDA loss of $3.9 million in the same period of 2023. See the below section on Non-GAAP Financial Measure for a reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.

$BMTM $GOOG Are Digital Advertising Stocks A Safe Haven? Analyzing Alphabet, Bright Mountain Media and Key Players

https://techbullion.com/are-digital-advertising-stocks-a-safe-haven-analyzing-alphabet-bright-mountain-media-and-key-players/

Resilient Growth: Despite the broader tech sector’s fluctuations, digital advertising shows strong resilience and growth, driven by giants like Google and innovative companies like Bright Mountain Media. Google’s significant revenue increase and Bright Mountain Media’s diverse service offerings exemplify the sector’s robust performance.
Strategic Advantages: Digital advertising benefits from being an essential service with high adaptability and data-driven precision, making it less vulnerable to economic downturns compared to other industries. Companies like Bright Mountain Media enhance ROI for advertisers through targeted solutions and insights-driven strategies.
Comparison with Other Sectors: While industries like automotive manufacturing and real estate have faced challenges, digital advertising thrives on continuous innovation and the digitization of consumer habits, underscoring its potential as a lucrative investment opportunity in contrast to traditional sectors.
In an economic landscape punctuated by fluctuations across the tech sector, digital advertising has proven to be resilient. In some cases, thriving, suggesting a fertile ground for investors seeking outsized returns. Amidst a broader tech downturn, it is crucial to differentiate between the general tech industry and the specialized niche of digital advertising and media. This sector, bolstered by innovative companies like Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) and the impressive results of Alphabet’s Google, presents a compelling argument for its distinct potential.

The Resilience of Digital Advertising
The digital advertising sector continues to demonstrate robust growth, spearheaded by industry giants and supported by burgeoning firms. This week, Luigi Wewege, the president of Caye International Bank shared his research on high growth stocks where the digital marketing industry overall received a high rating. Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, recently posted a significant revenue jump of 15% to $80.5 billion, outpacing expectations. This surge was driven in part by its advertising revenues from platforms like YouTube and Google Search, underscoring the enduring demand for digital advertising space despite broader economic headwinds. The sector’s resilience is further illustrated by trends in emerging formats such as podcast advertising. According to the IAB U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue Study prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, while the broader challenging ad market in 2023 slowed podcast growth, this niche is projected to expand by 12% to over $2 billion this year, with expectations to reach nearly $2.6 billion by 2026. Innovations in programmatic advertising, along with new revenue streams from video and live events, are poised to drive this growth.

However, the spotlight also deserves to shine on smaller entities that are carving out substantial niches within this domain. Bright Mountain Media, a noteworthy example, has reported a stunning 128% increase in annual revenue, showcasing a sharp ascendancy in its market presence. With a diversified portfolio that spans across advertising, marketing, technology, and media services fused by data-driven insights, BMTM stands out as a microcosm of growth potential within the sector. The success of such firms highlights the channel’s wide appeal and the diverse opportunities that continue to emerge in the digital advertising landscape.

Why Digital Advertising Stands Apart
Digital advertising benefits from several unique attributes that insulate it against the volatility seen in the broader tech landscape:

Essential Service Provision: Unlike discretionary tech gadgets or speculative software products, advertising is an essential service for businesses aiming to reach consumers effectively. This makes digital advertising a staple expenditure for companies regardless of economic conditions.
Data-Driven Precision: Companies like Bright Mountain Media leverage sophisticated analytics and consumer insights to optimize advertising effectiveness. For instance, BMTM’s Big Village Insights and Wild Sky Media MomLife brands use cutting-edge technology and in-depth analysis to offer targeted advertising solutions, thereby enhancing ROI for advertisers.
Scalability and Adaptability: Digital advertising platforms can quickly adjust to changing market dynamics and consumer behaviors, unlike traditional media which may have longer lead times and less flexibility.
Diverse Revenue Streams: By integrating multiple services and offerings, companies within this space, such as Bright Mountain Media, can tap into various revenue streams from strategy, creative services, media planning, and data analysis.
Case Study: Bright Mountain Media’s Strategic Positioning
Bright Mountain Media exemplifies strategic positioning in digital advertising, harnessing a composite approach to service delivery. With a suite of interconnected brands, each specializing in different facets of the advertising process, BMTM delivers an end-to-end solution that is particularly attractive in an environment where efficiency and effectiveness are paramount. The impressive financial performance, with a gross margin increase of 41% in 2023, is testament to their effective business model and market demand for their specialized services.

While companies like The Trade Desk and PubMatic have shown robust growth and strong profitability in the adtech space, their performance has yet to match the exceptional rises seen by giants like Google and specialized firms like Bright Mountain Media. Here’s a deeper analysis incorporating the distinct features and challenges these companies face, which might explain why their stocks could perform differently:

Scope and Scale: Google, with its dominant market position in online search, has a massive advantage in digital advertising due to its extensive data and widespread user engagement. This broad reach allows Google to command a significant portion of advertising budgets worldwide. Similarly, Bright Mountain Media, although smaller, benefits from its comprehensive approach—integrating advertising, marketing, technology, and media services under one roof, which is particularly appealing in today’s fragmented media landscape.
Diversification and Resilience: Google’s diversification across multiple platforms like YouTube, Google Search, and Android provides resilience and extensive market penetration that specialized adtech firms can’t easily match. The Trade Desk, focusing on the buy-side of the digital advertising market, and PubMatic, servicing the sell-side, cater to more specialized segments, which can limit their growth potential compared to Google’s more comprehensive ecosystem.
Technological and Innovative Edge: Google continually invests in advancing its technology, particularly in AI and machine learning, to maintain superior ad targeting and effectiveness. Bright Mountain Media also leverages data-driven insights across a wide array of services, creating unique value. In contrast, while The Trade Desk and PubMatic are certainly innovative within their respective niches—such as The Trade Desk’s AI-powered, cloud-based platform for ad buying automation—they may not fully encompass the broader dynamics and scale of Google’s capabilities.
Operational Efficiencies and Risks: The operational models of The Trade Desk and PubMatic, though efficient, face different market dynamics. PubMatic’s unique approach to managing its hardware infrastructure to reduce costs also carries significant capital expenditure and operational risks. These are challenges that larger, more diversified firms like Google can more readily absorb.
Revenue Growth and Market Dynamics: The Trade Desk and PubMatic have shown impressive revenue growth, with The Trade Desk rapidly increasing its revenue and maintaining high customer retention rates, and PubMatic leveraging its infrastructure to cut costs significantly. However, their growth trajectories still face stiff competition from Google’s pervasive presence and Bright Mountain Media’s integrated service model. Moreover, as highlighted in recent reports like the IAB U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue Study, sectors like podcasting show significant growth potential but also highlight the fragmented nature of digital advertising growth, which benefits firms with broader operational scopes.
These factors collectively illustrate why, despite their successes, some ad tech stocks may not reach the same market performance levels as industry leaders like Google or highly integrated firms like Bright Mountain Media. Their more niche focus, while advantageous in specific segments, might not capture broader market opportunities as effectively. This nuanced understanding of their business models, market reach, and strategic positioning is crucial for evaluating their potential in a competitive landscape.

Digital Advertising Compared To Other Traditional Investor Favourites
While digital advertising continues to flourish, several traditionally reliable industries have not fared as well, further accentuating the opportunity within digital advertising. Industries such as automotive manufacturing and retail have experienced stagnant growth due to supply chain disruptions and shifting consumer preferences accelerated by the pandemic. Similarly, the real estate sector has faced challenges with fluctuating interest rates affecting buyer affordability. In contrast, digital advertising thrives on continuous innovation and the increasing digitization of consumer habits. This sector’s ability to adapt and grow, even in uncertain times, starkly contrasts with these other industries’ struggles, highlighting its potential as a particularly promising area for investment.

Conclusion: A Sector Worth Watching
For investors, distinguishing between the broader tech malaise and the vibrant field of digital advertising is essential. The sector’s growth is fueled by innovation, essential service delivery, and an increasing shift of consumer and business activities online. As demonstrated by companies like Google and Bright Mountain Media, digital advertising not only offers resilience in turbulent times but also presents opportunities for significant growth.

Thus, while tech stocks may face headwinds, digital advertising stands as a beacon of growth, meriting investor attention for those seeking robust and potentially lucrative market opportunities. Yet among the industry players, are also those platforms that participate in the pay per click arena, which may soon have to be weighed by the European Union and FTC for compliance and transparency.

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) Leveraging AI for Advanced Audience Insights and Data Analysis.

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/04/10/2860679/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-OTCQB-BMTM-Leveraging-AI-for-Advanced-Audience-Insights-and-Data-Analysis.html

Big Village Launches Smart Targets: Dynamic Real-Time Audience Segments That Help Brands and Agencies Reach the Highest Value Customers and Reduce Waste.

Boca Raton, FL, April 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global marketing services platform with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative and media services, today announced that their subsidiary Big Village, a leader in consumer insights, has launched an innovative new product, Smart Targets, which represents a paradigm shift in how brands manage and understand their target customer profiles. Designed to help consumer brands maintain an always-on connection to their customers, Smart Targets provide a dynamic, evolving picture of buyer personas - empowering strategic decision-making, enriching marketing efforts, and fueling growth.

"More than ever, consumer interests, preferences and behaviors are dynamic, not static. Traditional market research relies too much on episodic reads of the target customer and misses the dynamic nature of the consumer-brand relationship that has developed in the digital age," said Matt Drinkwater, CEO of Bright Mountain Media. “With Smart Targets, brands are able to execute with recency and relevance, thus delivering better performance and less waste a goal every marketer has in today’s fragmented environment.”

Big Village leverages AI to derive audiences, assess consumer sentiment among large samples, and mine large data sets with natural language. “Artificial intelligence is central to our ability to provide our clients with an up-to-date understanding of their target audience that goes beyond the traditional behavioral signals common in the marketing ecosystem. By combining qualitative, quantitative, and behavioral data with generative AI analytic tools, we can provide deeper audience understanding in a fraction of the time and cost,” says David Albert, Big Village’s General Manager.

Promising to support insights and marketing leadership, Smart Targets are designed to enhance clarity and control in decision-making, leveraging an always-on, accessible platform that strengthens with each related insights project. The process builds an invaluable asset for client teams transforming how they work with their stakeholders and communicate with consumers. Big Village ensures that this innovation represents not just a transient change, but a strategic evolution built for the challenges and complexities of modern marketplaces.

For additional information about Smart Targets and how they're set to change the landscape of consumer insights, visit https://big-village.com/.

$BMTM HBO and Deep Focus Celebrate the Silver Anniversary of The Greatest Series of All Time

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/03/05/2840379/0/en/HBO-and-Deep-Focus-Celebrate-the-Silver-Anniversary-of-The-Greatest-Series-of-All-Time.html

Boca Raton, FL, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced that their subsidiary, Deep Focus, an award-winning creative and media agency, recently launched a campaign with HBO to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos.

Just months after the re-launch of Deep Focus, the agency and HBO are once again partnering to celebrate another seminal anniversary for The Sopranos.

For the series’ 20th anniversary, the agency partnership created one of the greatest twitter threads of the year with a single tweet, offering Soprano-worthy mob nicknames for whoever wanted one. 300,000,000 impressions and 5 years later, the two are back at it.

On January 10th, The Sopranos turned 25. Deep Focus and HBO wanted to make sure that its silver anniversary was unforgettable with three activations to excite the fandom.

Long revered by fans as a cornerstone of the series itself, Tony’s beloved ducks set into course Tony’s surprising and complex character arc. To pay homage to the (in)famous, they welcomed them back to Tony’s backyard for a livestream on social, 25 years after they first appeared, resulting in over 1,000,000 minutes spent with duck content across platforms.

Few shows cast food itself in such a central role as The Sopranos, from Carmela’s ziti to a slice of gabagool. To give fans who have always wanted to try Jersey’s finest for themselves, they launched a Satriale’s pop-up that delivered an original Sopranos-inspired Italian sandwich right to their door. For one day only, New York and Los Angeles had a chance to get a bite of television history, exclusively on Postmates - which sold out in just two hours.

Finally, to pay respect to the greatest show of all time, they condensed each of its 86 action-packed, genre-defining episodes into 60 seconds, for the fans to get a bite-sized taste of every moment, which resulted in HBO’s TikTok gaining 50,000 followers in the first two weeks of the campaign.

This marks another significant campaign for the relationship between Deep Focus and HBO, who together have won several awards, including the 2023 Webby for Best Overall Social Presence – Media/Entertainment, a 2022 MediaPost OMMA Award in the Entertainment: Games/Music/TV/Other category, and a 2019 Clio Entertainment Gold Award, just to name a few.

"The Sopranos redefined the television landscape, and reaching this 25-year milestone is a testament to its enduring legacy and the profound connection it has with its audience," said Steve Scutellaro, SVP & Managing Director of Deep Focus. "Our latest collaboration with HBO speaks to our commitment to pushing boundaries and celebrating iconic storytelling. Here's to honoring the past and shaping the future of entertainment together."

$BMTM Big Village Launches Audience Intelligence Services: Revolutionizing Audience Strategy, Targeting, and Measurement


https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/12/07/2792633/0/en/Big-Village-Launches-Audience-Intelligence-Services-Revolutionizing-Audience-Strategy-Targeting-and-Measurement.html

Boca Raton, FL, Dec. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) ("Bright Mountain" or the "Company"), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced that their subsidiary Big Village, a leading innovator in the consumer insights industry, has launched its Audience Intelligence platform, a game-changer in the realm of audience profiling, targeting, and strategy. The launch represents a major advancement in technology dedicated to supporting brands, agencies, publishers, and other stakeholders across the digital marketing landscape to understand, target, and evaluate both consumer and business segments more effectively.

Built entirely from the voice of the customer, Audience Intelligence offers an unparalleled and comprehensive taxonomy of thousands of segments that capture the unique intentions, sentiments, interests, values, and behaviors coveted by brands and their agencies. Deep media, behavioral, and attitudinal insights on each combined with the option to incorporate custom segments into the platform differentiate it from other audience services available in the market.

Brands, agencies, and other industry players can leverage Audience Intelligence to enrich their first-party data assets, including survey data and customer data, plan media and communications strategies, and activate campaigns for pre-built or custom segments across a range of media platforms.

"What makes Audience Intelligence different is the seamless integration it provides between the voice of the consumer and the campaigns that are ultimately delivered to them,” shares Chief Data Officer, Andy Davidson. “We have intentionally built our platform to enable brands and agencies to avoid the hops across various stages of strategy, planning, activation, and measurement that typically dilute campaigns. At the same time, we've purpose-built our solution to help publishers improve monetization with details on their first-party audiences that other solutions can't provide."

With the launch of Audience Intelligence, Big Village is reshaping the way the digital marketing industry approaches strategy and execution. By offering a platform that connects the dots between consumer insights and campaign execution, Big Village empowers brands, agencies, and publishers to reach their target audience with precision and effectiveness, ultimately maximizing their return on investment.

For more information about Audience Intelligence and its capabilities, please visit https://big-village.com/insights/audience-intelligence.

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc Announces Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/11/14/2780432/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-Announces-Third-Quarter-2023-Financial-Results.html

Boca Raton, FL, Nov. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced its unaudited financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023.

Third Quarter 2023 Highlights

Revenue increased 192% to $15.3 million compared to $5.3 million in the prior year period
Gross margin increased 57% to $3.4 million compared to $2.1 million in the prior year period
Mr. Drinkwater concluded: “We are very excited to welcome Deep Focus Agency and Big Village Insights to the Bright Mountain Media family of brands. We are highly encouraged by the addition of these businesses into our portfolio and have started to work together in ways to use our existing ad-tech and owned and operated web properties for our new customers. These are established high margin businesses that will aid in continued creative content creation, help unearth a new generation of data products to bring to market and bring a fresh, innovative perspective to how advertising technology, creative agencies, digital insights, and content publishing can work together. We will continue to work together as one organization to source new opportunities, both organic and inorganic, to inspire our customers and continue to drive growth in this challenged environment.”

Financial Results for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2023

Revenue was $15.3 million, an increase of $10.0 million or 192% compared to $5.3 million for the same period of 2022, which was driven by the Big Village Acquisition, and was partially offset by macroeconomics factors, coupled with an overall reduction in spending by some partners due to inflationary concerns, which has led to lower than normal rates and lower earnings.
Advertising technology revenue was approximately $3.6 million and digital publishing revenue was approximately $1.0 million. The new offerings we acquired as part of the Big Village Acquisition were consumer insights, creative services, and media services. Creative insights revenue was approximately $8.0 million, creative services revenue was approximately $1.8 million, and media services revenue was approximately $793,000 during the third quarter of 2023.

Cost of revenue increased to $11.9 million as a result of new cost associated with our new revenue offerings from the Big Village Acquisition, inclusive of direct salary and labor cost of approximately $2.7 million for employees that work directly on customer projects, and direct project costs of approximately $3.5 million for payments made to third-parties that are directly attributable to completion of projects to allow for revenue recognition and $2.9 million for non-direct project cost.
General and administrative expense was $4.1 million, an increase of 24%, compared to $3.3 million in the same period of 2022.
Impairment of goodwill and intangibles increased approximately $16.3 million, or 100% compared to the same period of 2022. The Company performed an assessment of its goodwill and intangible assets, the assessment indicated that the carrying value was in excess of its implied fair value, resulting in an impairment charge.
Gross margin was $3.4 million, an increase of 57%, compared to $2.1 million in the same period of 2022.
Net loss was $19.8 million, an increase of 786%, compared to a $2.2 million net loss in the same period of 2022.
Adjusted EBITDA profit was $283,000 compared to Adjusted EBITDA loss of $(373,000) in the same period of 2022. See the below section on Non-GAAP Financial Measure for a reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

Financial Results for the Nine Months ended September 30, 2023

Revenue was $29.4 million, an increase of $15.0 million or 104% compared to $14.4 million for the same period of 2022.
Advertising technology revenue was approximately $6.1 million, digital publishing revenue was approximately $3.4 million, creative insights revenue was approximately $14.9 million, creative services revenue was approximately $3.5 million, and media services revenue was approximately $1.4 million during 2023.

Cost of revenue increased to $22.1 million and includes direct salary and labor cost of approximately $5.2 million, direct project costs of approximately $6.1 million and non-direct project cost. of approximately $5.3 million.
General and administrative expense was $14.9 million, an increase of 41%, compared to $10.6 million in the same period of 2022.
Gross margin was $7.3 million, an increase of 10%, compared to $6.7 million in the same period of 2022.
Net loss was $29.6 million, an increase of 411%, compared to a $5.8 million net loss in the same period of 2022.
Adjusted EBITDA loss was $3.6 million compared to Adjusted EBITDA loss of $1.8 million in the same period of 2022. See the below section on Non-GAAP Financial Measure for a reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.

$BMTM Award-winning Creative & Media Agency Deep Focus Takes Back Its Name Under New Ownership of Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM)


https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/11/01/2771604/0/en/Award-winning-Creative-Media-Agency-Deep-Focus-Takes-Back-Its-Name-Under-New-Ownership-of-Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-OTCQB-BMTM.html

Deep Focus will continue to be led by Executive Creative Director Matt Steinwald, Managing Director Steve Scutellaro, Head of Strategy Lindsey Allison, and Head of Media & Analytics Kyle Krueger, under Bright Mountain Media CEO Matt Drinkwater.

Boca Raton, FL, Nov. 01, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) ("Bright Mountain" or the "Company"), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced that Deep Focus, the award-winning creative and media agency most recently known as Big Village Agency, is taking back its name under the new ownership of Bright Mountain Media.

Big Village Insights will continue to operate as Big Village and will serve as a partner to Deep Focus for continuing consumer research and business intelligence.

Deep Focus, originally founded in 2002 to bring brands closer to people and people closer to each other, was acquired by ENGINE USA in 2010 and was again rebranded as Big Village Agency in 2022. This return to its original name represents a refocus on the culture and values that made Deep Focus so successful against all odds over the past two decades.

“The DNA of Deep Focus was always there, and we still have a significant number of people that joined us before all the rebranding started as well as some brilliant people we’ve collected along the way. This is just a return to our roots—a story about people who wanted an agency that didn’t fit the mold of other agencies, so they built one from scratch and protected it through the years. For us, it’s always been Deep Focus, and it feels right to make it official again,” said Matt Steinwald, Deep Focus executive creative director.

While agencies being bought, sold, and spun off is nothing new on Madison Avenue, clients don’t usually stick with them throughout that tumultuous journey. What makes Deep Focus unique is that through it all, long-time clients like HBO Max continued to believe in the team and the work, winning awards such as the 2023 Webby for Best Overall Social Presence – Media/Entertainment, a 2022 MediaPost OMMA Award in the Entertainment: Games/Music/TV/Other category, and a 2019 Clio Entertainment Gold Award, just to name a few. The agency’s client roster includes top names in the media and tourism industries like Max, NBCUniversal, Nickelodeon, the Aruba Tourism Authority, Avis Budget Group and Ace Hotel Group, along with recent work for brands including Angi, PF. Flyers, American Public Education, Inc. (APEI), Credible, Liberty Science Center and others. Deep Focus will continue to be led by Executive Creative Director Matt Steinwald, Managing Director Steve Scutellaro, Head of Strategy Lindsey Allison, and Head of Media & Analytics Kyle Krueger, under Bright Mountain Media CEO Matt Drinkwater.

Ian Schafer, the original founder and CEO of Deep Focus and one of advertising’s most influential voices in digital marketing and social media, will support the team as founder emeritus in an advisory capacity. “The name Deep Focus brings with it a reputation for understanding how people use, create, and engage with their media, and what it takes to earn their valuable attention. But then again, Deep Focus has always been about people—including the people who make it so great. I'm so happy the team gets to take back ownership of their identity, and I'm excited to support them as they help their clients win with great, new assets around them," said Ian.

Deep Focus and Big Village’s Insights division joined Bright Mountain in April, rounding out their new owner’s growing portfolio of media assets including BrightStream, a robust stack of programmatic technology, and Wild Sky Media, a collection of high-profile owned and operated audience destinations offering global reach through engaging content and multicultural audiences.

Bright Mountain Media CEO Matt Drinkwater said, “This is a group of immensely talented people who have continued to produce amazing work and grow revenue regardless of the circumstances around them. We were fortunate to have an opportunity to acquire an agency of this pedigree and at the same time strengthen Bright Mountain’s portfolio of complementary businesses.”

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc.'s Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Big Village, Commits to Harness the Power of Generative AI

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/10/04/2754573/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-s-Wholly-Owned-Subsidiary-Big-Village-Commits-to-Harness-the-Power-of-Generative-AI.html

Generative AI awareness is on the rise and Big Village plans to optimize AI opportunities to deliver to clients, investors, and shareholders.

Boca Raton, FL, Oct. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) ("Bright Mountain" or the "Company"), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Big Village Insights, a global research and analytics business uncovering not just the 'what' but the 'why' behind customer behavior, has been capitalizing on the benefits of Generative AI. This technology promises to reshape the marketing and advertising landscape by unlocking its transformative potential.

Matt Drinkwater, Chief Executive Officer of Bright Mountain Media, commented: “Generative AI is not just another buzzword; it's a game-changer. With its potential yet to be fully realized, it's an exciting time for brands and advertisers willing to harness its creative and transformative power. As we continue to explore and refine the applications of Generative AI, we're sure to witness the dawn of a new era for digital advertising and media, one filled with innovation, creativity, and unprecedented engagement."

Generative AI has emerged as one of the most promising and revolutionary technologies on the horizon, and Big Village Insights is diving into the opportunities. The Insights business has been utilizing AI tools since 2022 and has, since then:

Performed theming and sentiment analysis on 200k comments in the first 3 quarters of 2023
Implemented a variety of tools for summarizing and querying unstructured data
Leveraged AI for content creation and marketing collateral
Begun using an AI co-pilot for coding within engineering teams
Mr. Drinkwater continued: “As we delve deeper into the realm of Generative AI, it's clear that this technology holds the key to a future where digital advertising and media are more engaging, personalized, and effective than ever. Brands and advertisers should embrace these exciting tools but with a mindful approach…The possibilities are vast, and we are only scratching the surface.”

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc’s Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Wild Sky Media, Launches MomLife Community To Provide Brands Power To Cultivate The Ultimate Influencer… The Power Of Moms

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/09/14/2743240/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-s-Wholly-Owned-Subsidiary-Wild-Sky-Media-Launches-MomLife-Community-To-Provide-Brands-Power-To-Cultivate-The-Ultimate-Influencer-The-Power-Of-Moms.html

Moms Wield An Astounding $2 Trillion In Spending Power And Hold Sway Over More Than 85% Of Household Purchase Decisions. The MomLife panel gives brands unparalleled access to moms across the US.

Boca Raton, FL, Sept. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Wild Sky Media a mission-driven publishing company devoted to elevating and cultivating the power of moms, today announced the launch of MomLife, a community of diverse and engaged moms eager to share their experiences and perspectives. MomLife, a panel created, powered and managed by Big Village Insights, provides brands with unparalleled access to the motivations and intentions of the person most responsible for the products that make it into the home, the household media consumed, and what the house spends their time and money on.

MomLife will give brands direct access to the ultimate influencer: Mom

Moms wield an astounding $2 trillion in spending power and hold sway over more than 85% of household purchase decisions. With MomLife, Wild Sky Media is giving brands the opportunity to tap into this powerful demographic and gain insights that will help them better understand and serve their customers.

MomLife is an always-on panel of moms who are actively engaging with the Big Village team, each other, and clients around topics related to money, career, child-raising, aging parents, health & wellness, shopping, passions, lifestyles, and more.

"We are thrilled to launch MomLife and provide brands with the opportunity to gain insights from the most influential consumer in the household," said Bright Mountain Media CEO, Matt Drinkwater. "MomLife utilizes our unique power to combine insights and community to help brands better understand the needs and wants of moms and their families, and ultimately create product and services that meet their needs."

MomLife is a private, secure community of moms who are eager to share their experiences and perspectives. Members of the community will be invited to participate in surveys, polls, and other activities that will help brands gain insights into the motivations and intentions of moms. In the first study, many moms revealed that finding gender-neutral options was a major pain point as a consumer; showing real time effects of societies evolution.

Big Village Insights is committed to providing brands with the insights they need to better understand and serve their customers. Through its partnership with Wild Sky Media, an authority on moms and motherhood, brands will have access to the most influential consumer in the household and gain insights that will help them create products and services that meet the needs of moms and their families.

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc’s Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Wild Sky Media, Announces Deal With Taboola.Com Ltd. (TBLA) A Global Leader In Powering Recommendations For The Open Web

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/09/06/2738394/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-s-Wholly-Owned-Subsidiary-Wild-Sky-Media-Announces-Deal-With-Taboola-Com-Ltd-TBLA-A-Global-Leader-In-Powering-Recommendations-For-The-Open-Web.html

Taboola Is The Leading Recommendation Engine In The $60+ Billion Open Web Market.

Wild Sky Media Is Utilizing Taboola Newsroom, A Technology Offering That Uses Advanced A.I. And Readership Signals From More Than 500 Million Daily Active Users.

Boca Raton, FL, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Wild Sky Media entered into a deal with Taboola.com Ltd. (TBLA) a global leader in powering recommendations for the open web.

Taboola (Nasdaq: TBLA), a global leader in powering recommendations for the open web, today announced a new partnership with Wild Sky Media, the largest portfolio of owned and operated parenting and family sites in the U.S. reaching 10 million unique visitors per month.

Through this deal, digital properties for Wild Sky Media including Cafemom.com, Mom.com, Littlethings.com, and Mamaslatinas.com have incorporated Taboola recommendation widgets below their article pages, providing readers with personalized content, including sponsored options, for a more engaging experience.

Additionally, Wild Sky Media is utilizing Taboola Newsroom, a technology offering that uses advanced A.I. and readership signals from more than 500 million daily active users. Newsroom helps Wild Sky Media further understand its audiences, learn about its most engaged articles and conduct A/B testing for headlines. Wild Sky Media has also adopted Taboola News, which integrates content recommendations from Taboola’s large publisher network with leading mobile device manufacturers across multiple touchpoints, including Minus One screens, news notifications and browser applications. Lastly, Wild Sky Media has implemented Taboola’s Explore More across its network, an offering designed to increase session depth and engage users visiting publisher sites directly from social media and apps.

“At Wild Sky Media, we are laser focused on high quality content for our ‘mom’ audience — so it was important to be selective with our content recommendation partner,” said Jonathan Slavin, Chief Revenue Officer of Bright Mountain Media (parent company to Wild Sky Media). “We’re excited to be working with Taboola, whose comprehensive offerings, like Taboola News, Explore More and Newsroom, will keep our readers engaged and open new avenues to grow our business.”

$BMTM Bright Mountain Media, Inc Announces Addition Of Renowned Global Industry Veteran In Media Services, To Its Board Of Directors

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/08/24/2731230/0/en/Bright-Mountain-Media-Inc-Announces-Addition-Of-Renowned-Global-Industry-Veteran-In-Media-Services-To-Its-Board-Of-Directors.html

Jeff Hirsch Has 25+ Years Experience In Strategy Development, Sales Organization Structuring, International Expansion, And Marketing To Spur Growth Of Private And Public Companies

Mr. Hirsch Sees A Bright Future As Bright Mountain Fills A Critical Void In Audience Targeting

Boca Raton, FL, Aug. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (OTCQB: BMTM) (“Bright Mountain” or the “Company”), a global holding company with current investments in digital publishing, advertising technology, consumer insights, and creative media services, today announced via an 8K1 that on August 15, 2023, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Jeff Hirsch as a director of the Company, effective as of August 15, 2023. Mr. Hirsch qualifies as an independent director under the New York Stock Exchange listing standards.

Mr. Hirsch, 65, has over 25 years in technology, business and sales organization development, brand strategy and investor relations. From July 2016 to April 2023, Mr. Hirsch held various leadership roles at PubMatic including serving as Chief Commercial Officer. He also held prior executive roles as President of CPXi (now Digital Remedy), Chief Executive Officer of AudienceScience, Chief Marketing Officer of SundaySky, SVP of ValueClick, and was a founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Fastclick. Mr. Hirsch graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Experimental Psychology.

He presently remains as a Strategic Advisor for PubMatic and is also the Founder of Executive Guru2 where he shares his expertise in strategy development, sales organization structuring, international expansion, and marketing to spur growth of private and public companies.

Matt Drinkwater, Chief Executive Officer of the Company stated: "I am thrilled to have Jeff join our Board. Jeff has worn every hat in digital media, not just as an observer, but as a participant. His impact is felt all across the media industry. He is joining at a critical time. The acquisition of Big Village was, in part, to enable us to create a next generation targeting capability. As I've said, we know that audience targeting is going through a transformation as regulation impacts things like third party cookies and personal data. Jeff is here to help us take our existing solution to this emerging problem to the next level.”

Mr. Hirsch commented: “What attracted me to this company was that I was immediately impressed and excited about the management team and their board. I see a bright future as Bright Mountain fills a critical void in audience targeting and helping it efficiently navigate the growing sea of governmental regulations coming on the horizon. I am looking forward to working with this team to take the Company to the next level.”

Lovely!

Took some profit. Still holding some to see if this goes moon…

Starting to wake up here

ouch https://www.otcmarkets.com/filing/html?id=15888876&guid=IrpwkKnxA_mSKVh

Getting cheap again..

Bright Mountain Acquisition Corp., BMAQ, changed to Bright Mountain Media Inc., BMTM:

http://otce.finra.org/DLSymbolNameChanges

Go BMAQ! This is a great opportunity in the internet media niche!

BRMH changed to BMAQ:

http://www.otcbb.com/asp/dailylist_detail.asp?d=07/28/2014&mkt_ctg=OTCBB