In a significant move for B2B marketing, DemandScience and Terminus have announced their merger, marking a new chapter of consolidation within the B2B media and lead generation landscape. The merger places data at the forefront of B2B marketing strategies, underscoring its vital role in understanding and engaging potential buyers.
Founded in 2012, DemandScience is a data aggregation powerhouse, helping B2B companies identify and connect with potential clients using various channels, from ads and events to email marketing and content syndication. In contrast, Terminus brings an account-based marketing (ABM) approach, enabling B2B vendors to target key accounts through ads on platforms like LinkedIn, connected TV, and audio ads. Its Terminus Data Studio feature operates similarly to a customer data platform (CDP), providing a unified view for users.
Together, the combined entity will introduce “ABX by DemandScience,” a global platform that integrates ABM and syndication activation with comprehensive, cross-channel reporting. This move highlights a broader trend in the industry toward account-based experiences (ABX), where data fuels coordinated marketing and sales efforts for better engagement.
A Crowded Market with Rising Competition
B2B marketing is a high-stakes arena, with spending in the sector reaching around $8 billion in 2023 and expected to surpass $21 billion by 2032. DemandScience competes with firms like Infuse Media and data vendors like ZoomInfo, while Terminus faces rivals such as 6sense and DemandBase in the ABM space. As consolidation becomes the norm, recent acquisitions like Informa’s purchase of TechTarget and Semrush’s acquisition of Third Door Media demonstrate a growing reliance on data amid potential shifts away from third-party cookies.
The sector remains divided on the approach to B2B marketing: data-driven, performance-focused marketing on one side, and brand-building strategies on the other. Many marketers argue that focusing solely on data-driven targeting misses the long-term value of brand development, which can engage potential buyers even before they enter the sales funnel. As this debate continues, some B2B companies are experimenting with more B2C-inspired tactics, including the hiring of leaders experienced in consumer marketing.
Looking Ahead
With DemandScience and Terminus joining forces, the B2B marketing landscape is likely to see more mergers as competition intensifies. Lead generation providers like DemandScience, who lean heavily on performance marketing budgets, will continue to contend with social platforms and data providers like LinkedIn and Lusha. As B2B marketing evolves, data-driven strategies and brand-building approaches will coexist, shaping a complex, highly competitive marketplace.
