EQAL
Media company developing technology-based digital media properties to help promote consumer brands and celebrities.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
EQAL, founded in 2008, was a media and technology company that emerged from the success of the pioneering web series *lonelygirl15*. The company was established by Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried, two of the original creators behind the viral video project. Their journey began in 2006 when Beckett, who envisioned using short videos for narrative storytelling, partnered with screenwriter Mesh Flinders and sought legal counsel from Goodfried to create *lonelygirl15*. Following this venture's success, Beckett and Goodfried formed EQAL, securing $5 million in venture capital from notable investors including Spark Capital and Marc Andreessen.
The firm specialized in building and managing digital media properties and online communities for high-profile clients. EQAL's business model focused on forging partnerships with celebrities, consumer brands, and media companies to transform their fan bases into engaged communities. They served a client roster that included personalities like Paula Deen, Alicia Silverstone, Jennifer Lopez, and Lauren Conrad, as well as brands like Kraft Foods. Revenue was generated by creating branded entertainment, managing social marketing, and developing digital properties. A core component of their operation was the proprietary "Umbrella" social publishing platform, an end-to-end solution for building and managing community-based websites and integrating with social services like Facebook and YouTube.
EQAL produced original content, such as a CBS web series tie-in for *Harper's Globe* and became an early partner in YouTube's original channel initiative, launching the fashion-focused channel *u look haute* in 2012. The company's trajectory culminated in its acquisition by Everyday Health, Inc. in September 2012, where it was integrated into the digital health and wellness company's lifestyle division to enhance their branded content and social marketing capabilities.
Keywords: EQAL, Miles Beckett, Greg Goodfried, lonelygirl15, digital media, online community management, influencer networks, branded entertainment, social publishing platform, celebrity brands, web series production, Umbrella platform, Everyday Health acquisition, social marketing, digital content creation, community-based websites, fan engagement, CBS Harper's Globe, YouTube original channel, u look haute