Acxiom Digital Acquires Kefta

While it has been known for its e-mail delivery systems, Acxiom Digital is broadening its Internet marketing solutions through the acquisition of Kefta, a Web site personalization company.

Kefta was acquired by Acxiom Digital for an undisclosed sum, and was sought out by Acxiom to add the company’s personalization algorithms and expertise to Acxiom’s offerings, according to Kevin Johnson, president of Acxiom Digital.

“We are known for our heritage as an e-mail marketing company, but we are really much more,” he said. “We have a vision to help our clients manage and control all their digital communications, but one of the pieces that been missing for us over the past couple of years was the ability to help manage the customer experience once they click through to a client Web site. One of the things that is unique about Kefta is they are able to start that personalization from the very first interaction that a customer has with that Web site.”

Last year, Kefta began offering a combination of behavioral targeting and Web site optimization system for marketers, and later offered a slimmed down, self-service hybrid of its previous system. The company’s technology delivers content to Web site visitors based on their online behavior and individual portraits, in order to help marketers boost response, revenues, and customer loyalty.

Acxiom’s Impact platform helps marketers create and execute campaigns across multiple media channels including personalized e-mail, targeted Web sites, banner and other Web advertisements, search engines, and direct mail. While initially Kefta’s technology will be integrated with Acxiom’s Web site technology, it will also be integrated into its other technology platforms, including its e-mail delivery systems.

“Kefta has an optimization set of algorithms and experience that we haven’t had in the e-mail space. And we’re interested in bringing that into our over all e-mail platform,” said Johnson.

Philippe Suchet, CEO of Kefta, and a former ClickZ columnist, will remain with the company along with his staff. Kefta will be incorporated into Acxiom Digital, but will retain its San Francisco-based headquarters. The Kefta brand name will initially be used by Acxiom Digital, but will likely be phased out over time.

“Like everybody else in the team I will remain within Acxiom Digital,” said Suchet.