MediaGold comes under new global banner

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 4, 2004

BVRP Software is rebranding all its subsidiaries worldwide under the Avanquest banner.

BVRP Software is rebranding all its subsidiaries worldwide under the Avanquest banner.

The change is being made to better reflect Avanquest's tightly integrated global operations.

Simultaneously, Avanquest also revealed two new directors and its new global tagline, "world class software, worldwide".

The tagline signifies Avanquest's commitment to category-leading software titles in the world's major software markets.

A network of value-added software publishers that maximises sales across multiple channels, Avanquest combines powerful retail relationships, a wide range of value-added services and a local presence in territories registering nearly 90% of the world's total packaged software sales.

Since its formation in June 2003, Avanquest has launched over 120 third-party software titles in 14 countries.

"Avanquest has expanded rapidly since its launch last year", said Bruno Vanryb, BVRP Software Group founder and Chairman.

"Avanquest is now a united global organisation with centralised operations in many key functions." "The rebranding effort announced today recognises this and demonstrates our continuing commitment to helping developers reach the world's software markets in a faster, better way." "Despite the advent of the Internet, the vast majority of software is still sold through the retail channel," Vanryb added.

"In fact, the Internet has opened a new era in programming creativity, equipping and supporting millions of developers".

"Avanquest was developed as a conduit for this creativity, enabling new and established companies of all sises to reach global markets with innovative software products." The move effectively makes Avanquest one of the biggest republishers of software in the world.

The global Avanquest rebranding initiative includes five wholly owned subsidiaries, each acquired by BVRP within the past five years.

Three entities will collectively be known as Avanquest UK: Kommunicate, a British distributor of enterprise solutions with over 100 channel partners in the UK corporate software market; Guildsoft, a UK publisher and exclusive distribution partner for leading software developers; and MediaGold, a provider of production, localisation, marketing and PR and services to software companies through the retail, e-commerce, corporate, OEM, catalogue and direct sales channels.

San Mateo, California-based Elibrium Software develops and sells its MySoftware products and third-party titles in over 10,000 retail outlets across North America, including Wal-Mart, Staples, Office Depot, OfficeMax and CompUSA, will be known as Avanquest USA.

ABSoft, a leading French software publisher with experience in a vast array of distribution models including retail, distributors and value-added resellers, corporate sales, mail order and catalogue sales, and e-commerce, will now be referred to as Avanquest France.

The Munich offices of MediaGold, which also distribute software in Austria and Switserland, will now be been renamed Avanquest Germany.

All of Avanquest's member companies are publishers with long histories of doing business in their local markets.

They cover every major distribution channel in their respective markets, including over 15,000 retail outlets worldwide and are tightly integrated into Avanquest's network-wide systems that control product evaluation and selection, overall marketing strategy, technical support and other facets of operations.

Avanquest also maintains partnerships with publishers and distributors covering Spain, Portugal, Italy, Scandinavia, Japan, Australia and South Africa.

BVRP also announced today that it has chosen San Mateo, California and Munich, Germany as Avanquest's new North American and European headquarters, respectively, and has named new executives in each area following its recent acquisitions of MediaGold and Elibrium.

Elibrium CEO Christina Seelye and MediaGold CEO Andy Goldstein have each been named Executive Directors of Avanquest worldwide, and Seelye will also assume the responsibilities of CEO and President of Avanquest USA.

(Bob Lang, the previous Avanquest Director in North America, remains President of BVRP USA, based in Denver, Colorado, which manages OEM and channel sales of BVRP's software.).