Insticator

Insticator operates as a digital publishing and advertising technology firm, founded in 2012 by Zack Dugow in New York City. Dugow, an entrepreneur from a young age, had previously started and sold an online ticketing company before conceiving Insticator. The initial concept for Insticator was a direct-to-consumer application where users could predict outcomes of television shows and sporting events to earn rewards. Recognizing the need to be where fan communities already existed, the company pivoted its strategy in 2014 to a business-to-business model, focusing on creating embedded experiences to increase user engagement and monetization for digital publishers.

The company's core business revolves around providing a suite of products designed to help online publishers increase audience engagement and advertising revenue. Its business model is primarily ad-supported, where Insticator places its interactive units on publisher websites and shares the subsequent advertising revenue with them. This allows publishers to implement the tools without direct cost. The company's technology is designed to work even when users have ad blockers enabled. Insticator serves a wide range of clients, from individual bloggers to large media companies like Warner Bros., TMZ, and Tribune Media. In July 2024, Insticator announced the formation of a parent holding company, "the COOL company," to unify its portfolio of brands under a single corporate structure.

Insticator's product suite has expanded significantly, largely through strategic acquisitions. The core offering includes interactive widgets like polls, quizzes, and trivia to boost user time on-site. These tools capture first-party data, which is then used to provide publishers with audience insights and to enable targeted advertising. The company also offers a commenting platform, a result of acquiring Squawk-It in 2020, which uses a hybrid of AI and human moderation to foster safe online communities. Through its acquisitions, Insticator has integrated several distinct but complementary businesses. In 2021, it acquired OKO Digital, a UK-based ad management platform and Google Certified Publishing Partner, to enhance its ad monetization capabilities, especially in Connected TV (CTV). In 2023, it acquired Balihoo, a specialist in multi-location and franchise marketing, which allows for localized ad creative delivery. More recently, it rebranded Insticator Australia to COOL Media, a managed-service provider in the CTV space known for its attribution dashboard.

The company's strategic growth is evident in its financial performance and acquisitions. After pivoting its business model, revenue grew from $3,000 in 2014 to $1.3 million in 2016, eventually reaching eight figures. A 2019 report noted revenue for 2018 was $8.9 million, with projections for 2019 to fall between $17 million and $25 million. The company has secured over $11 million in funding through multiple rounds to fuel its expansion. Keywords: publisher engagement, ad monetization, first-party data, audience insights, interactive content, commenting platform, adtech, digital publishing, content recirculation, revenue share, multi-location marketing, CTV advertising, supply-side platform, user engagement tools, ad revenue optimization, Balihoo, OKO Digital, Zack Dugow, online community building, data management solution