Prodege
{{Short description|American online marketing company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Prodege, LLC
| logo = Prodege_company_logo.png
| type = Private
| location = El Segundo, California
| foundation = 2005
| founder = Josef Gorowitz
| key_people = Charles "Chuck" Davis, CEO
| industry = Online marketing, consumer surveys, market research
| products = Swagbucks, MyPoints, Tada, InboxDollars, CouponCause, Pollfish, Bitburst,{{cite web|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/07/06/2474892/0/en/Global-Expansion-Continues-for-Prodege-with-Acquisition-of-Germany-based-BitBurst.html/|title=Global Expansion Continues for Prodege with Acquisition of Germany-based BitBurst|website=globenewswire |date=2012-12-27 |accessdate=2020-03-03}} AdGate Media, Upromise
| revenue =
| parent =
| homepage = [https://www.prodege.com www.prodege.com]
}}
Prodege, LLC ({{IPAc-en|p|r|ou|d|ei|'|zh|ei}}) is an American online marketing, consumer polling, and market research company based in El Segundo, California. The company develops consumer rewards and polling programs under various brands including Swagbucks, MyPoints, InboxDollars, CouponCause, Tada, Ysense, Upromise, and Pollfish.{{Cite web |title=About Prodege: Cutting-Edge Marketing and Consumer Insights |url=https://www.prodege.com/about/ |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=Prodege |language=en-US}}
History
Prodege was founded in Torrance, California, in 2005 by entrepreneur Josef Gorowitz. The company originally partnered with search providers to build a platform for raising charitable donations. Supporters of the charities would earn money for the charities while surfing and shopping using white labeled web browsers.{{cite web|url=https://www.sramanamitra.com/2012/12/27/bootstrapping-to-35m-via-affiliate-fees-swagbucks-co-founder-scott-dudelson-part-1/|title=Bootstrapping to $35M via Affiliate Fees: Swagbucks Co-founder Scott Dudelson (Part 1)|website=Sramanamitra |date=2012-12-27 |accessdate=2020-03-03}} The company started offering the custom browsers to brands as a way to earn money from their fans' online activities.{{cite web|url=https://socaltech.com/interview_with_scott_dudelson_swagbucks/s-0036667.html |title=Interview with Scott Dudelson, Swagbucks|website=SoCal Tech |date=2011-07-05 |accessdate=2020-03-04}} Early customers included the Green Bay Packers football team, and singer Kanye West.{{cite web|url=http://www.sbnonline.com/article/josef-gorowitz-ceo-prodege-llc/ |title=Josef Gorowitz, CEO, Prodege LLC|website=Smart Business |date=2012-07-01 |accessdate=2020-03-04}}
In February 2008, Prodege launched the online rewards portal Swagbucks.com – under co-founders Josef Gorowitz and Scott Dudelson – and introduced Swag Bucks (SB) as a digital currency earned for activity throughout its network of websites.{{cite web|url=http://socaltech.com/interview_with_scott_dudelson_swagbucks/s-0036667.html|title=Interview with Scott Dudelson, Swagbucks|last=Kuo|first=Benjamin F.|date=July 5, 2011|website=Socaltech.com|access-date=September 6, 2016}} By shopping and playing online games, customers would earn SB, points which could be redeemed for gift cards and other merchandise.{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9913701-7.html|title=Searching for swag: Music to fans' ears|last=Mills|first=Elinor|date=April 7, 2008|publisher=CNET|access-date=September 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121214511/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9913701-7.html|archive-date=November 21, 2013}}
In January 2013, Prodege founder Josef Gorowitz appointed former Shopzilla and Fandango CEO Chuck Davis as the company's executive chairman.{{cite web |last=Bloom |first=David |date=May 13, 2014 |title=Ex-Fandango CEO Chuck Davis Joins Swagbucks; Company Raises $60M For Expansion |url=https://deadline.com/2014/05/chuck-davis-ceo-swagbucks-raises-60-million-dollars-729297/ |access-date=March 28, 2018 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
In May 2014, Prodege announced that Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV) had invested $60 million into Prodege.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-swagbucks-raises-60-million-former-fandango-chief-named-ceo-20140512-story.html|title=Swagbucks raises $60 million; former Fandango chief named CEO|last=Faughnder|first=Ryan|date=May 13, 2014|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=September 6, 2016}} Prodege also announced Executive Chairman Chuck Davis had been appointed as Prdege’s new CEO and Chairman, while Josef Gorowitz assumed the title of Founder and President. Chuck Davis was also mentioned as being a TCV Venture partner.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/05/chuck-davis-ceo-swagbucks-raises-60-million-dollars-729297/ |title=Ex-Fandango CEO Chuck Davis Joins Swagbucks; Company Raises $60M For Expansion |website=Deadline |date=2014-05-13 |accessdate=2020-03-03}}{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-swagbucks-raises-60-million-former-fandango-chief-named-ceo-20140512-story.html |title=Swagbucks raises $60 million; former Fandango chief named CEO |newspaper=LA Times |date=2014-05-13 |accessdate=2020-03-04}}
In July 2014, Prodege announced its acquisition of SodaHead.com, an online polling technology platform founded by Jason Feffer. SodaHead.com CEO Chris Dominguez and Founder Jason Feffer joined Prodege's executive leadership team in the move.{{cite web|url=http://upstart.bizjournals.com/money/loot/2014/07/31/swagbucks-acquires-sodahead-and-now-they-ll-be-key.html?page=all|title=Swagbucks acquired SodaHead and now they'll be kings of web polling|last=Novellino|first=Teresa|date=July 31, 2014|publisher=Upstart Business Journal|access-date=September 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820065727/http://upstart.bizjournals.com/money/loot/2014/07/31/swagbucks-acquires-sodahead-and-now-they-ll-be-key.html?page=all|archive-date=August 20, 2014}}
In April 2016, Prodege bought rewards site MyPoints from United Online, the company formed by the merger of online services companies NetZero and Juno Online Services.{{cite web|url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2016/apr/19/prodege-buys-mypoints-13-million/ |title=Prodege Buys MyPoints for $13 Million |website=LA Business Journal |date=2016-04-19 |accessdate=2020-03-05}}
In August 2017, the company acquired Greenwood Village, Colorado–based cash-back shopping and coupon site ShopAtHome.{{cite web|url=https://www.socaltech.com/prodege_buys_shopathome_com/s-0071524.html |title=Prodege Buys ShopAtHome.com |website=SoCAL Tech |date=2017-08-10 |accessdate =2020-03-05}}
In May 2019, the company bought Cotterweb Enterprises, a Minnesota-based operator of reward sites in the US, Canada, and the UK.{{cite web|url=https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2019/may/10/acquisition-gives-el-segundo-rewards-company-acces/ |title=Acquisition Gives El Segundo Rewards Company Access to 100 Million Consumers, InboxDollars |website=LA Business Journal |date=2019-05-10 |accessdate=2020-03-04}} In July, Prodege partnered with online local service deal company Groupon to develop a local merchant reward card program for customers.{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2019/07/09/groupon-cuts-distribution-deal-with-prodege.html |title=Prodege Buys MyPoints for $13 Million |website=Chicago. Business Journal |date=2019-07-09 |accessdate=2020-03-04}}
By 2020, Prodege’s products had over 120 million users, and as of 2019, had rewarded $725 million to its users since its inception.
In February 2020, Prodege bought digital coupon company CouponCause.{{cite web|url=https://dot.la/swagbucks-buys-couponcause-2645019750.html|title=Swagbucks Owner Buys CouponCause as Race For Shoppers, Data Heats Up |website=Dot.LA |date=2020-02-04 |accessdate=2020-03-04}} In May, Prodege bought Upromise, a loyalty program focused on saving for college, from student loan company Sallie Mae.{{cite web|url=https://dot.la/swagbucks-owner-on-a-buying-spree-picks-up-upromise-2646137693.html|title=Swagbucks Owner on a Buying Spree, Picks Up Upromise |website=Dot.LA |date=2020-05-31 |accessdate=2020-06-08}} Prodege partnered with Isometric Solutions and Panel Consulting to provide polling for the Prediction Survey, a political forecast developed by Thomas Miller during the 2020 Georgia Senate election.{{Cite web|title=Georgia Senate races: Democrats predicted to take both seats, according to data scientist|url=https://fortune.com/2021/01/05/who-will-win-georgia-senate-races-runoffs-data-scientist-predicts-democrats-win-loeffler-ossoff-warnock-perdue/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Fortune|language=en}}
On May 24, 2021, ShopAtHome.com was relaunched as Tada.com.{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Tada! |url=https://help.tada.com/hc/en-us/articles/360061192271-Welcome-to-Tada |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=Tada Support}}
In February 2022, Prodege acquired Pollfish, a DIY market research platform.{{cite web|url=https://www.themiddlemarket.com/latest-news/prodege-acquires-pollfish/ |title=Prodege Accelerates Innovation & Growth Plan With Acquisition of Pollfish|website=themiddlemarket |date=2011-07-05 |accessdate=2020-03-04}}
In July 2022, Prodege acquired AdGate Media, a digital advertising service company founded in 2011, originally based in New York City.{{cite press release|url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/07/11/2477246/0/en/Prodege-Builds-Upon-Acquisition-Strategy-with-AdGate-Media-to-Grow-Consumer-Audience.html|title=Prodege Builds Upon Acquisition Strategy with AdGate Media to Grow Consumer Audience |website=globenewswire |date=2022-07-11 |accessdate=2022-07-27}}
Services
Prodege offers online marketing services under several different consumer brands.
- Swagbucks – a website and application where users shop and participate in other earning activities for cash rewards and gift cards.
- MyPoints – an online rewards site.
- InboxDollars – an online rewards site. Also known in the UK as InboxPounds.
- CouponCause – a coupon site that donates the money users save to non-profits.
- Upromise – a rewards program that helps members save for key milestones like education.
- Tada – a site that provides rewards from grocery receipts.
- Ysense – a gift card rewards program for customers that shop and take surveys.
- Pollfish – a market research platform.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.prodege.com Prodege Official Site]
{{Customer loyalty programs}}
Category:Customer loyalty programs
Category:2005 establishments in California
Category:Companies based in El Segundo, California
Category:Marketing companies established in 2005