Bird & Bird has advised the major shareholders of Ad-Lib.io on its acquisition by ad-tech company Smartly.io for approximately USD$100 million. Headquartered in London but with offices around the world, Ad-Lib.io offers marketers tools for Google’s advertising platforms and YouTube ads.
Helsinki-based Smartly.io focuses on paid social media advertising on the Meta Platforms Inc. including Facebook and Instagram, along with Pinterest, TikTok, and Snapchat. The acquisition was driven by an exponential increase in digital advertising due to Covid-19 and the growth of online shopping. Smartly.io is focused on building their offering for paid social on both Facebook and Google.
An international team at Bird & Bird advised on the transaction, led by Corporate partner Mark Rundall, senior associate George Mason, and associate Ed Reardon (all UK).
Oli Marlow Thomas, founder & CEO of AdLib.io says “This is an exciting day for Ad-Lib.io and it’s amazing to see the deal complete after the team has worked so hard over the last few years. Having Bird & Bird there as legal advisors to support us every step of the journey has been invaluable.”
Mark Rundall, partner at Bird & Bird comments: “We’re proud to have worked with Ad-Lib.io from incorporation to exit. This is a fantastic deal in the digital advertising space, showcasing the strength of tech during the pandemic. This is what the Corporate team at Bird & Bird does best: supporting high-growth international firms throughout their lifecycle.”