System1

Before we all carried smartphones in our pockets, people in need of directions often turned to MapQuest. While the company’s origins actually date back to the 1960s, MapQuest truly took off in the ‘90s as a go-to resource for early internet users.

Fast-forward over two decades and it’s now second nature for us to pull out our phones when we need directions. While the landscape has changed dramatically for MapQuest, that didn’t stop ad-tech veteran System1 from taking a big swing and acquiring MapQuest in 2019.

The thought of supercharging growth doesn’t intimidate System1 — after all, massive growth lies at the heart of their story. In their humble early days, System1 started out subletting space next to Snapchat. Today they have a staff of 350, are publicly traded, and generate over $1 billion annually for their network partners.

Leveraging System1’s partnerships with Google has been a valuable component to their acquisition and growth strategy — in fact, Lila Hunt, System1’s Vice President of Display, calls it the #1 reason for their success.

“We’ve worked with Google going all the way back to 2002,” says Lila. “It’s been quite a run, and along the way we’ve used Google’s ad platforms to give our properties the sophisticated technology and customer-centric solutions they need to succeed.”

Between System1’s engineering-first approach and Google’s flexible ad platforms, everything was in place to turn around one of the internet’s most historic brands.

While MapQuest initially experienced challenges in adapting to the evolving landscape of the internet, the site now has wind in its sails. The staff has expanded to over 20 dedicated team members and a collection of contractors tapped on an as-needed basis. It’s also part of System1’s larger organization, benefiting from their support staff in business intelligence, data science, and accounting.

Getting the chance to reinvent an internet classic excites System1, offering users a diversity of options when it comes to looking for directions.

“We live in a world where more and more of the apps and tools and features that consumers use every day are provided by a very small number of large companies that continue to consolidate the offerings,” says Stewart Marlborough, President of Organic.

“These large companies offer great solutions, but they might not be perfect for everyone. Having an offering such as MapQuest gives an alternative to people looking for something not tied in with a vast, larger data ecosystem.”

As users turn to MapQuest to get a fresh alternative from some larger competitors, Lila and her team are happy to have a partner in Google that helps them effectively monetize.

“Ads are a great way to keep our services free for consumers while driving great value for advertisers,” says Lila. “We love that Ad Manager offers lots of options to test and prioritize different revenue strategies along with the support of robust and easily accessible reporting.”