Rocket Fuel Resists Pull of Gravity4

In the US, the Board of artificial intelligence-driven marketing platform Rocket Fuel has rejected a second acquisition bid from ad targeting specialist Gravity4. Terms of the proposal have not been disclosed.

Rocket Fuel, which currently operates in more than twenty offices worldwide, combines the science of artificial intelligence with big data, to improve the effectiveness of programmatic marketing. The company's platform includes data management, programmatic media-buying, site optimization, and predictive analytics capabilities that extend across a marketer's paid and owned channels, personalizing customer interactions.

Gravity4 was set up by controversial business leader Gurbaksh Chahal last year, after he had been sacked from his role as CEO of social media ad targeting specialist RadiumOne. His new company promises marketers the ability to target a customer throughout the entire purchase journey and across touch-points, using technology that builds a consumer persona; and aggregates data across web, social media, mobile, e-mail and CRM. Since its launch last summer, the firm has made several acquisitions, including retargeting firm Triggit.

In May, Gravity4 submitted a proposal to buy Rocket Fuel, but was rejected by the latter's Board. It has now made a second bid, which has been evaluated and found to be 'not credible'. In a letter sent to Chahal, Rocket Fuel's Interim CEO Monte Zweben said: 'The August 30 proposal is identical, except for the date and proposed 'purchase price', to Gravity4's May 7, 2015 proposal to Rocket Fuel. Our Board of Directors has reviewed your August proposal in consultation with its independent advisors, and concluded that the highly conditional and non-customary nature of the proposal does not constitute a credible offer'.

Web sites: www.rocketfuel.com and www.gravity4.com .