MinuteBuzz

MinuteBuzz, established in October 2010 by co-founders Laure Lefevre, Maxime Barbier, and Julien Boyé, carved a niche for itself in the French digital media landscape. Initially conceived as an entertainment platform akin to BuzzFeed, the company targeted the millennial demographic with viral content. The business model was centered on native advertising and brand content, creating engaging material for brands that was seamlessly integrated into its feed, a strategy co-founder Maxime Barbier noted was like an ad agency that also controlled distribution. A significant portion of its traffic, around 70%, was driven by social networks.

The company's strategic direction evolved significantly over the years. A key milestone was a €1 million funding round from Seventure Partners in 2014, aimed at developing its native advertising network. By 2016, MinuteBuzz made a pivotal decision to cease operations of its website and become a 100% video and 100% social media-focused entity, distributing content exclusively on platforms like Facebook to capture the youth audience more effectively. This strategic shift attracted major industry players, leading to its acquisition by the TF1 Group in December 2016. TF1 sought to leverage MinuteBuzz's expertise to connect with younger audiences (18-35 years old) that traditional television struggled to reach. Following the acquisition, co-founder Julien Boyé departed the company.

In January 2019, the MinuteBuzz media group rebranded and consolidated its various brands, including Hero and Superbon, under a single new entity called Vertical Station. The acquisition, however, did not fully meet the ambitious financial projections set out in the business plan, which had forecasted a €15 million turnover for 2019. Despite this, the company established a strong presence in creating shareable video content for major brands, effectively blurring the lines between entertainment and advertisement. The journey of MinuteBuzz illustrates a dynamic adaptation to the shifting media consumption habits of younger demographics and the increasing dominance of social platforms in content distribution.

Keywords: digital media, viral content, social media marketing, native advertising, brand content, millennial audience, video content, content strategy, media acquisition, TF1 Group, Vertical Station, Laure Lefevre, Maxime Barbier, French media, social video, content distribution, entertainment media, advertising network, media rebranding, digital entertainment