New Media has finalised the purchase agreement for Swipe iX, a digital solutions and specialist development house that is part of the Amazon Web Services Partner Network.

Swipe iX specialises in full-stack app and web development, business analysis, UX and interaction design, and emerging technologies such as IoT, cloud architecture and AI. It is 100% owned by Media24, of which New Media is a wholly owned subsidiary, but will continue to trade under its established name.

“Bringing Swipe iX into the fold is a game changer. It allows us to deepen our innovative and holistic offering with our existing blue-chip client base and creates compelling opportunities for new clients and our own brands,” said New Media CEO, Aileen Lamb, in a statement.

“New Media has always stood for specialised storytelling content and can now marry this with the best-quality business intelligence and tech. In the coming months and years, there will be a stronger focus on using smart tech to integrate relevant content into the customer experience.”

And she added, “This is particularly true in a post-pandemic business, where clients will need integrated digital-first solutions that deliver value to their customers as well as proof that the content makes a meaningful commercial impact in their business. New Media has played a leading role in growing our industry for over 20 years and this acquisition helps us to continue that tradition.”

The acquisition of Swipe iX means that New Media now combines decades of storytelling expertise with solid, scalable tech solutions.

“As relevant, quality content that creates an emotional connection plays an increasingly powerful role in customer experience, so the intelligent integration of content and platform becomes more crucial,” Lamb said. “Creating an efficient, tied-together and measurable content journey right up to – and beyond – the point of sale means that the content works as hard as possible and offers maximum value to customers.”

Swipe iX’s client base includes both local and international big hitters such as Tencent Africa, Capitec Bank, Discovery Channel, MultiChoice and Primedia.

Managing director and co-founder Leo Redelinghuys said Swipe had always been about delivering world-class solutions to clients by building products that truly make a difference in the day-to-day lives of customers.

“The opportunity to provide cutting-edge digital solutions at an even larger scale, together with the powerful storytelling that the talented New Media team brings, creates a very strong dynamic that will greatly benefit both companies’ clients. Combining the strengths of our two distinct yet complementary businesses will enable us to deliver the sort of groundbreaking innovations that will push the envelope of what is possible,” she said.

Lamb said the acquisition was a “giant leap” in New Media’s evolution. “We’re ready to supercharge the content marketing offering in South Africa through this acquisition.”