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# Mailchimp's Big Payday, Goodcall Is CallJoy 2.0, Local Media Trust Win
- URL: https://www.nearmedia.co/mailchimps-big-payday-former-googler-makes-goodcall/
- Published: 2021-09-03T21:15:06.000Z
- Updated: 2021-09-03T21:15:06.000Z
- Author: Greg Sterling
- Tags: News

### Report: Intuit to Buy Mailchimp for $10B

Bloomberg [reported](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-01/intuit-said-in-talks-to-buy-mailchimp-for-more-than-10-billion?ref=nearmedia.co) this week that Intuit, maker of tax and accounting software, is seeking to buy Mailchimp for $10B or more. It would be the largest acquisition in the company's history after Credit Karma, [picked up last year for $8B](https://fortune.com/2020/12/10/intuit-credit-karma-deal-acquisition-fintech/?ref=nearmedia.co). This makes a lot of sense for Intuit, which has sought multiple times to deliver digital marketing services to its largely small-business customer base. Mailchimp was founded 20 years ago and is entirely bootstrapped. The company has evolved from an email marketing tool to a more [full-service digital marketing platform ](https://mailchimp.com/?ref=nearmedia.co)for SMBs and agencies. Bloomberg reported that Mailchimp had $300M in EBITDA in 2020\. The company also has a reported 11 million customers. Intuit [says it has](https://investors.intuit.com/news/news-details/2020/Intuit-Full-Year-Revenue-Up-13-Percent/default.aspx?ref=nearmedia.co) 50 million customers globally and nearly $8B in annual revenue. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/09/mailchimp.webp)

**Our take:** 

- Putting aside price, on paper this looks like a smart deal for Intuit. It's a great deal for Mailchimp, which started exploring a sale last year.
- Intuit, however, has a history of failure when it comes to integrating marketing services for SMBs, not limited to [StepUp](https://investors.intuit.com/news/news-details/2006/Intuit-Acquires-StepUp-Commerce/default.aspx?ref=nearmedia.co) and [Demandforce](https://www.pymnts.com/news/acquiring/2016/intuit-sells-off-smb-software-demandforce/?ref=nearmedia.co).
- The only way this will really work is if Mailchimp is allowed to remain an independent subsidiary and Intuit doesn't "monkey" with the formula.

### Goodcall Rises from the Ashes of Google's CallJoy 

Goodcall, an "intelligent phone agent," announced [$4M in seed funding and a Yelp partnership](https://goodcall.com/how-it-works?ref=nearmedia.co). Goodcall was started by former Google executive Bob Summers who was the GM of CallJoy. Remember [CallJoy](https://youtu.be/X2-aDwYspMU?ref=nearmedia.co)? Shuttered [in July of last year](https://searchengineland.com/google-to-shutter-calljoy-virtual-agent-for-smbs-on-july-22-336518?ref=nearmedia.co), CallJoy was a virtual agent that answered phone calls. filtered spam (read: inside sales), answered basic questions, and enabled booking/ordering. It was $39 per month. There wasn't enough adoption for Google to keep CallJoy going, however. Goodcall looks like a slightly simpler version of CallJoy with revamped pricing (note: same actor in both companies' video explainers). It uses a freemium model, with two paid plans: [$19 and $49 per month](https://goodcall.com/pricing?ref=nearmedia.co) (per location) for multi-location businesses. Yelp will offer Goodcall to its SMB customers.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-09-03-at-1.02.03-PM.png)

**Our take:** 

- One old stat ([2016](https://411locals.us/small-business-owners-dont-answer-62-of-phone-calls/?ref=nearmedia.co)) argues \~60% of SMBs don't answer the phone. Yet consumers [reportedly](https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/05/customer-contact-statistics.html?ref=nearmedia.co) prefer to contact SMBs via phone.
- CallJoy was a solid product, if more complex than necessary. It lacked marketing and a commitment from Google (par for the course).
- Goodcall's timing may be perfect now, as labor shortages continue to plague the SMB market. Tools like this are a response.

### Traditional Channels, Local(ized) Media More Trusted 

Kantar's new [Media Reactions](https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/media-reactions?ref=nearmedia.co) study tracks attitudes toward ad channels (international survey). It uses multiple variables to rank sites/media types by "equity": "by combining multiple positive and negative dimensions, \[the study\] provides a comprehensive understanding of how ads are viewed." One way to translate "equity" is consumer ad-receptiveness. TikTok and Amazon had higher equity than Google or Facebook; traditional media generally outranked digital. And local/localized media had stronger equity than global, although Apple News "has the highest ad equity in the United States." There was also misalignment between marketers and consumers: "marketers trust TV ads and online video most... \[consumers\] trust newspaper ads and events most and consider digital OOH to be the most innovative channel." 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-09-03-at-1.35.04-PM.png)

Source: Kantar Media Reactions study 2021

**Our take:** 

- It makes sense that local media brands (or localized global brands) had greater equity than global counterparts; they're more "relevant."
- Older digital brands (e.g., Google) were rated more trustworthy (read: familiar); newer brands (Spotify, TikTok) were more innovative.
- We're struck by the disconnects between where the audience is concentrated (global digital brands) and where the greatest equity/trust reside: traditional and local media.

## Short Takes

- **Google's ad business** facing immanent [antitrust suit by DOJ](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-01/u-s-doj-readying-google-antitrust-lawsuit-over-ad-tech-business?ref=nearmedia.co).
- Delta will keep [50%](https://searchengineland.com/delta-variant-has-marketers-less-eager-to-return-to-in-person-events-this-year-351478?ref=nearmedia.co) to [60%](https://twitter.com/gsterling/status/1432799410816094212?ref=nearmedia.co) **away from industry conferences**.
- **Duda buys Snipcart** [to deliver](https://pr.slicedbrand.com/duda/snipcart?ref=nearmedia.co) e-commerce tools/services.
- An upbeat [take](https://www.niemanlab.org/2021/09/facebook-has-always-been-where-my-audience-was-meet-some-of-the-local-journalists-writing-the-first-paid-newsletters-at-facebook/?ref=nearmedia.co) on **Facebook's Bulletin** newsletter initiative.
- Urban zits: **Amazon lockers** [mysteriously popping up](https://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-lockers-are-popping-up-in-odd-places-they-arent-always-welcome/?ref=nearmedia.co) all over.
- Why the FTC will [probably lose](https://stratechery.com/2021/regulators-and-reality/??ref=nearmedia.co) its **antitrust fight with Facebook**.
- **Apple AR/VR glasses** [will need](https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/2/22654606/apple-ar-vr-headset-iphone-wireless-connection-stream-data?ref=nearmedia.co) to be tethered (wirelessly) to iPhone.
- Tech cos. [will get caught](https://www.protocol.com/policy/the-texas-abortion-ban-could-force-tech-to-snitch-on-users?ref=nearmedia.co) in Texas' #handmaidstale **abortion dragnet**.
- **Apple** will soon [apply ATT ads opt-in rules](https://9to5mac.com/2021/09/02/apple-personalized-ads-targeting-ios-15/?ref=nearmedia.co) to itself, in iOS 15\.
- **Google Page Experience** update [now fully rolled out](https://searchengineland.com/google-page-experience-update-is-now-rolled-out-374237??ref=nearmedia.co).
- **Apple** [exempts "reader apps"](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/09/japan-fair-trade-commission-closes-app-store-investigation/?ref=nearmedia.co) (e.g., Spotify) from payments rules.
- New **Chrome** with "continuous search" [will show competitor URLs](https://www.seroundtable.com/chrome-beta-continuous-search-32023.html?ref=nearmedia.co).
- **In-store retail (foot traffic) recovery** [continues](https://www.placer.ai/blog/how-is-retail-in-americas-three-largest-cities-recovering-from-covid/?ref=nearmedia.co) despite Delta.
- **Kohl's doubles down on 3D** "webAR" [to support e-commerce](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/08/31/2289122/0/en/Nextech-AR-and-Kohls-Expand-Augmented-Reality-Contract-For-Ecommerce.html?ref=nearmedia.co).

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