Adobe has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire B2B cloud-based marketing platform Marketo for $US4.75 billion.
As part of the deal, the business will be integrated into the Adobe Experience Cloud, which currently services B2C clients.
The acquisition brings together the capalities of Adobe Experience Cloud analytics, content, personalisation, advertising and commerce offering with Marketo’s management and account-based marketing technology to provide B2B companies with the ability to create, manage and execute marketing engagement at scale.
With nearly 5,000 customers, Marketo brings together planning, engagement and measurement capabilities into an integrated B2B marketing platform.
The transaction, which is expected to close during the fourth quarter of Adobe’s 2018 fiscal year, is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
Until the transaction closes, each company will continue to operate independently.
“The imperative for marketers across all industries is a laser focus on providing relevant, personalized and engaging experiences,” Adobe Digital Experience executive VP and GM Brad Rencher says.
“The acquisition of Marketo widens Adobe’s lead in customer experience across B2C and B2B and puts Adobe Experience Cloud at the heart of all marketing.”
Upon close, Marketo CEO Steve Lucas will join Adobe's senior leadership team and continue to lead the Marketo team as part of Adobe’s Digital Experience business, reporting to Rencher.
“Adobe and Marketo both share an unwavering belief in the power of content and data to drive business results," Lucas says.
“Marketo delivers the leading B2B marketing engagement platform for the modern marketer, and there is no better home for Marketo to continue to rapidly innovate than Adobe.”
Adobe's purchase of Marketo is the most recent in a spate of acquisitions, which has included Sizmek's buyout of predictive marketing software company Rocket Fuel in July last year.
This was then followed by Salesforce's acquisition of marketing analytics firm Datorama for $800m in July this year, as well as Amobee finalising its Videology acquisition in August.
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