NEW YORK and TORONTO – Rogers is bringing iVillage, the largest on-line community for women, to Canada this spring after striking a long-term partnership with the site’s parent NBCUniversal.
The expansion marks the first major international partnership for iVillage since the launch of iVillage.co.uk in December 2000. Rogers will independently operate the new iVillage.ca site, which it says will reflect iVillage’s brand mission as a trusted and reliable community where women come to connect, share advice, find life tools and engage in conversations that matter most to them.
“We’re excited to partner with iVillage and bring the leading women’s digital brand to millions of women across Canada," said Pary Bell, VP of digital product at Rogers Media, in the announcement. "iVillage.ca will offer rich content and community, covering areas like Pregnancy & Parenting; Beauty & Style; Health and Food; and Entertainment."
A team of Canadian-based editors and writers will offer original women-centric content; editorial from both iVillage.com and iVillage.co.uk, plus content from Rogers’ media properties such as Chatelaine, sweetspot.ca and Citytv. Rogers will manage all aspects of sales and marketing, as well as exclusively represent Canadian advertising inventory on existing iVillage network sites, including iVillage.com and iVillage.co.uk.
“This deal speaks volumes about the brand equity of iVillage, which is an established leader in women’s on-line community”, said iVillage’s SVP of business development, John Curbishley. “Rogers – with an unrivalled combination of cross-media assets, digital expertise and sales strength – is an ideal partner to carry the brand forward in the Canadian market. This is an exciting start to a long-term relationship with Rogers and also a strong model for further iVillage international expansion."
Leigh Felesky has been tapped as the site’s general manager and director, after leading the re-launch of Rogers-owned Chatelaine.com last year.
