Axel Springer acquires social media advertising platform cmmrcl.ly

Axel Springer SE announced on July 30, 2025, its complete acquisition of cmmrcl.ly GmbH, the Hamburg-based social media advertising technology company. The acquisition marks a strategic expansion into programmatic social media advertising for the German media conglomerate.

According to Hansjörg Blase, Managing Director at cmmrcl.ly, and Manuel König, co-founders of the company, the deal represents "an important milestone in our journey, opening up new opportunities" in digital advertising. The acquisition was announced through a LinkedIn post that detailed the completion of the transaction.

The German social media advertising platform was founded in 2020 by Blase, König, Max Poth, Jakob Diener, and Robin Göbelshagen. Since its establishment, cmmrcl.ly positioned itself as a leading media solutions provider on social platforms in Central Europe, specializing in first-party data targeting and turnkey social media advertising solutions.

Technical capabilities and first-party data focus

cmmrcl.ly's platform centers on leveraging exclusive first-party data from over 25 leading retailers, publishers, and marketplaces across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company's technology stack enables "hyper-precise targeting based on real intent via search, browsing & buying behavior of millions of consumers," according to company documentation.

The platform's publishing partners include major German retailers such as REWE, Rossmann, Douglas, OBI, and BILLA, alongside digital properties including ZooRoyal, Cyberport, HolidayCheck, and Business Insider. Notably, Axel Springer itself appears among cmmrcl.ly's existing publishing partners, indicating pre-existing commercial relationships between the companies.

The platform addresses what cmmrcl.ly describes as a "primary targeting dilemma" where "brand awareness does not equal purchase intent." Traditional targeting based on sociodemographics and interests often results in media wastage, the company argues, leading to campaigns that raise awareness among broad audiences who may not have actual purchase intent.

The advertising technology provider offers several specialized solutions through its proprietary tech stack. These include adaptive ads that boost "unimpressive and boring shopping feeds" through shop-feed integration, automated ad creation, and brand identity application. The platform also provides hyperlocal advertising capabilities for different products and services to local target audiences.

cmmrcl.ly's dynamic boosting ads automate daily editorial planning and small-scale post boosting with adjustable rules optimized for reach and engagement. The company's digital circular ads are designed to replace traditional paper-based product flyers with dynamic templates and mobile-first presentation.

Interactive advertising formats drive engagement

The platform's interactive ad formats represent a key differentiator in the social media advertising space. These include quiz ads for product discovery, choice ads for localized product and service advertising, gamification ads for entertainment-focused campaigns, and experience ads that allow users to discover and experience products through flexible, immersive design.

According to company materials, these formats are "designed to boost user engagement" by harmonizing social media communication with personalized advertising objectives. The approach creates what cmmrcl.ly terms "a new breed of engagement formats" focused on guided product discovery and meaningful brand interaction.

The company's guarantee-based approach offers "risk-free and effortless" campaign management through benchmark-based pricing and optional third-party verification. The platform supports both single KPI and multi-KPI campaign structures, with pricing models including CPM (cost per mille), vCPM (viewable cost per mille), CPR (cost per reach), CPV (cost per view), CPC (cost per click), and custom arrangements. Multi-KPI campaigns can combine metrics such as impressions with views or completed views, providing flexible measurement approaches for different campaign objectives.

Strategic implications for Axel Springer's digital expansion

The acquisition aligns with Axel Springer's broader digital advertising strategy. The media giant has been actively expanding its advertising technology capabilities, including a strengthened partnership with Microsoft announced in April 2024 that expanded advertising solutions across Axel Springer properties in the United States and Europe.

Through the Microsoft partnership, Axel Springer integrated Microsoft Advertising technology across properties including POLITICO, which joined the Microsoft Advertising Network. The collaboration also explored AI-driven experiences and Chat Ads API monetization opportunities through generative AI.

The cmmrcl.ly acquisition provides Axel Springer with immediate access to established first-party data partnerships across major European retailers. These partnerships include relationships with retailers, publishers, and marketplaces that generate first-party consumer behavior data across German-speaking markets.

For the marketing community, this acquisition signals continued consolidation within the social media advertising technology sector. European digital advertising reached €118.9 billion with 16% growth in 2024, with social media advertising showing particularly strong performance. Display video advertising achieved 24.5% growth, while video within social media platforms surged by 32.8%.

Market context and industry trends

The acquisition occurs amid significant shifts in digital advertising measurement and targeting capabilities. According to recent industry data, 72% of marketers plan to increase their programmatic advertising investment in 2025, while traditional identifier coverage dropped below 50% for mobile advertising environments.

Privacy regulations continue reshaping targeting methodologies across the industry. First-party data solutions like those offered by cmmrcl.ly become increasingly valuable as traditional tracking methods face regulatory constraints. The platform's emphasis on exclusive retailer partnerships positions it advantageously in this privacy-focused environment.

Connected TV emerged as a dominant force within programmatic strategies, with budget allocation projected to double from 14% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. However, social media maintains consistent presence in programmatic strategies, holding steady at 20% of total media budgets across surveyed marketing organizations.

The transaction reflects broader industry consolidation trends. TripleLift's acquisition of European DMP 1plusX for approximately $150 million in 2022 demonstrated similar strategic moves by advertising technology companies to expand European capabilities and first-party data access.

For cmmrcl.ly's founding team, the acquisition culminates five years of growth since the company's 2020 establishment. The founders emphasized their 14-year partnership history and shared values as foundational elements enabling the company's development and successful exit.

Future integration and development prospects

According to the acquisition announcement, Axel Springer and cmmrcl.ly identify "highly synergistic opportunities in a rapidly changing environment." The combination of Axel Springer's media footprint with cmmrcl.ly's media solutions expertise aims to create "new, innovative ways for advertisers to engage audiences."

The integration strategy leverages Axel Springer's established media properties alongside cmmrcl.ly's specialized social media advertising technology. This combination could potentially offer advertisers integrated campaign solutions spanning traditional media, social platforms, and programmatic advertising channels.

Industry observers note the acquisition's timing coincides with increased focus on measurement verification and brand safety in social media advertising. DoubleVerify's recent expansion of social attention measurement and similar measurement innovations indicate growing advertiser demand for sophisticated performance analytics in social environments.

The deal structure, described as a complete acquisition, provides Axel Springer with total control over cmmrcl.ly's technology platform and exclusive data partnerships. This ownership model enables comprehensive integration with existing Axel Springer advertising operations and strategic planning processes.

Looking ahead, the founders suggested the acquisition "may just be the beginning of something even bigger," indicating potential for additional strategic developments within the combined organization's advertising technology portfolio.

Timeline

• 2020: cmmrcl.ly GmbH founded by Hansjörg Blase, Manuel König, Max Poth, Jakob Diener, and Robin Göbelshagen
• 2022: TripleLift acquires European DMP 1plusX for $150 million, serving publishers including Axel Springer
• April 2024: Axel Springer and Microsoft deepen partnership in AI, content, and cloud services
• May 2024: European digital advertising market reaches €118.9 billion with 16% growth
• July 30, 2025: Axel Springer SE announces complete acquisition of cmmrcl.ly GmbH
• February 2025: 72% of marketers plan to increase programmatic advertising investment in 2025

Summary

Who: Axel Springer SE acquired cmmrcl.ly GmbH, founded by Hansjörg Blase, Manuel König, Max Poth, Jakob Diener, and Robin Göbelshagen.

What: Complete acquisition of the Hamburg-based social media advertising technology company specializing in first-party data targeting and programmatic social media solutions across Central Europe.

When: The acquisition was announced on July 30, 2025, representing the culmination of cmmrcl.ly's five-year growth trajectory since its 2020 founding.

Where: The deal involves the German social media advertising platform serving markets across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with integration into Axel Springer's broader European and US operations.

Why: The acquisition enables Axel Springer to expand its digital advertising capabilities with specialized social media technology and exclusive first-party data partnerships, addressing growing demand for privacy-compliant targeting solutions in European markets.