Fandango has purchased a series of channels that will help scale up the site’s online video offerings in a big way. The movie ticketing company has acquired the MOVIECLIPS network from YouTube brand management company ZEFR.
Through the deal, Fandango adds the most popular collection of licensed movie content on YouTube. This includes the main MOVIECLIPS channel, which has more than 1.4 million subscribers and 1.54 billion views, and the MOVIECLIPS Trailers channel, which has nearly five million subscribers and more than 1.7 billion views. Altogether, the 25 YouTube channels in the MOVIECLIPS network have more than seven million subscribers and average 200 million views per month.
By selling MOVIECLIPS, ZEFR is moving on from the property that first put it on the map. When it first launched in 2009, ZEFR was MOVIECLIPS, but it has expanded since rebranding in October 2012. The company is now more focused on its brand management technology, which includes a large focus on fan-uploaded content. A recent $30 million investment gives ZEFR the resources it needs to expand its business in new directions.
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Fandango will add the MOVIECLIPS network to its growing video library, which also includes several film-focused original series. “The MOVIECLIPS acquisition will further serve our fans, enhancing the Fandango experience with amazing video content available at one definitive destination,” said Paul Yanover, President of Fandango. “This deal, along with the launch of our redesigned website and mobile apps, will provide consumers an even better way to explore and share their passion for the movies.”
For Fandango, the deal is a big step forward in the online video business. For ZEFR, it’s an expression of how much the company has changed in fewer than five years.
