Everyday Health Acquires EQAL To Join Growing Lifestyle Division

Everyday Health, the digital media company with its own successful YouTube Original Channel, last week announced the acquisition of EQAL, the media company best known as the team behind lonelygirl15, one of the web’s first popular web series. EQAL will continue to produce all of its original programming, including the u look haute YouTube Original Channel, with its properties moving over to Everyday Health, where they will feature prominently within the company’s Lifestyle Division.

Among other ventures, EQAL manages the digital brands of celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Lauren Conrad. “When you can attach celebrity influence to any message, you are able to extend your reach and improve audience engagement to truly move the needle and help change behaviors,” said Lifestyle Everyday Health GM Laura Klein. “I am excited that Everyday

Health will be able to leverage EQAL’s celebrity and social influence to help millions of Americans choose well to live healthier, happier lives.” The fit is good fit for both companies; EQAL Co-Founder Greg Goodfried noted:

 “EQAL Media works with a roster of celebrities and brands who have consistently promoted healthy lifestyles through their content and communities like Alison Sweeney, who also is the celebrity host of WalkWithWalgreens.com which has logged in over 7 billion steps in its branded community to get people walking.  We’re excited to continue doing what we do, and about the new opportunities for users and marketers.”

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The partnership has begat a new website, BetterEats.com, which serves as a companion to Recipe Rehab, the Everyday Health web series that has gained a TV deal on local ABC stations. Better Eats will feature recipes and tips for eating healthy and will be promoted heavily during broadcasts of Recipe Rehab. “With the help of EQAL, we’ve built a site that serves today’s average super mom,” said Klein,  “With engaging content, and elegant design and functionality, it is designed to create a robust social sharing environment.  Just like the kitchen has become the heartbeat of most homes, Better Eats is that virtual kitchen where culinary and health experts, community and celebrities meet to share ideas, recipes and strategies to empower healthy eating.”

The partnership is still young, but already seems like a prosperous merger between two of YouTube’s most notable Original Channels, with Klein believing it can go even further. “[Everyday Health] already has a successful portfolio of sites and mobile apps, a YouTube original channel, sites dedicated to local and healthcare professionals, and EQAL will add a great deal to this mix for users as well as to our advertisers and partners, in taking us further towards our goals.”