[x+1]

[x+1], founded in 1999 and formerly known as Poindexter Systems, established itself as a significant player in the marketing technology sector from its headquarters in New York City. The company developed the [x+1] Origin Platform, a programmatic marketing hub designed to facilitate relevant conversations between brands and their audiences across various digital channels. This was achieved through its integrated Data Management Platform (DMP) and a patented Predictive Optimization Engine (POE™), which combined first and third-party data to inform marketing decisions on platforms like online display, mobile, email, and company websites.

The [x+1] Origin 3.0, a notable version of their marketing hub, was built to create individualized, data-driven user experiences. Its system worked by capturing user behavior, such as visiting a website to consider a product, and then placing that user into an interest segment. The platform's decision engine would then determine and deploy the most suitable offer across multiple touchpoints, including email, display ads, and mobile apps. If a user did not respond, the system would automatically present the next best offer.

John Nardone served as the Chairman and CEO of [x+1], guiding the company through a pivotal period in digital advertising. His journey in the ad business began after business school, with roles at P&G and Pepsi before joining the pioneering digital agency Modem Media. He took the helm at [x+1] in 2008, a challenging economic time, and led the team in rebuilding its technology stack to create what was effectively a proto-DMP, capable of using first-party data for website and ad personalization.

In a significant development for the ad tech industry, [x+1] was acquired by Rocket Fuel in August 2014 for an estimated $230 million. This acquisition was a strategic move for Rocket Fuel to integrate [x+1]'s robust data management and demand-side platform (DSP) capabilities into its own offerings. The goal was to combine Rocket Fuel's AI-driven media buying with [x+1]'s sophisticated data and campaign management tools to compete more directly with major marketing clouds. Following this acquisition, Rocket Fuel itself was acquired by Sizmek in 2017, and the Rocket Fuel brand, including the technologies from [x+1], was retired later that year.

Keywords: [x+1], xplusone, John Nardone, programmatic marketing, data management platform, DMP, demand-side platform, DSP, ad tech, digital marketing hub, Predictive Optimization Engine, Poindexter Systems, Rocket Fuel, Sizmek, marketing automation, personalization engine, customer data platform, ad targeting, media buying, multichannel marketing