StyleHaul was a marketing services, media, and technology company which gained recognition as an early pioneer of
branded content and
native advertising
Native advertising, also called sponsored content, is a type of advertising that matches the form and function of the platform upon which it appears. In many cases it functions like an advertorial, and manifests as a video, article or editorial. ...
on digital platforms.
The company was founded in 2011 by Stephanie Horbaczewski and operated as a portfolio company of
RTL Group
RTL Group (for "Radio Television Luxembourg") is a Luxembourg-based international media conglomerate, with another corporate centre in Cologne, Germany. The company operates 68 television channels and 31 radio stations in Germany, France and ...
, which paid $127 million USD to acquire a controlling stake in the company in 2014.
StyleHaul was known for its large-scale
influencer
An Internet celebrity (also known as a social media influencer, social media personality, internet personality, or simply influencer) is a celebrity who has acquired or developed their fame and notability through the Internet. The rise of social m ...
and
paid media
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...
campaigns for major beauty brands and retailers, such as
Sephora,
Maybelline, and
Walgreens
Walgreen Company, d/b/a Walgreens, is an American company that operates the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States behind CVS Health. It specializes in filling prescriptions, health and wellness products, health information, a ...
,
as well as for its high-profile talent network, which has included creators like
Zoella
Zoë Elizabeth Sugg (born 28 March 1990), also known by her online name Zoella, is an English media personality, entrepreneur, and author. She began her career as a YouTuber in 2009, and has since amassed over 10 million subscribers.
In 2014, ...
,
Ashley Tisdale
Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress and singer. During her childhood, she was featured in over 100 advertisements and had minor roles in television and theatre. She achieved mainstream success as Maddie Fitzpatr ...
,
Chloe Lukasiak and
Joey Graceffa.
In 2018, StyleHaul founder and CEO Stephanie Horbaczewski left the company in order to launch an
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machine
A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, moveme ...
startup, Vody, alongside former StyleHaul
Chief Technology Officer, Jeremy Houghton. In 2019, StyleHaul shuttered operations, which coincided with the arrest and guilty plea of Dennis Blieden, 29, a former StyleHaul executive and professional poker player who embezzled $22 million from the company to pay his poker debts, personal debts and bad investments in
cryptocurrencies
A cryptocurrency, crypto-currency, or crypto is a digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange through a computer network that is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to uphold or maintain it. It ...
.
References
External links
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Marketing companies of the United States
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