What Accelerate360 does

Accelerate360, formerly McClatchy Media Distribution, is a privately held US-based omni-commerce company with over 100 years of operating history (founded 1920) that integrates wholesale distribution, third-party logistics (3PL), eCommerce, and consumer media. The company's core distribution business delivers more than 6,000 magazine titles to over 56,000 retail locations weekly across grocery, mass market, and pharmacy channels, supported by more than 3 million square feet of strategically positioned warehouse space. Its wholly-owned subsidiary a360media operates celebrity, entertainment, and women's lifestyle media brands — including Us Weekly, First for Women, and Women's World — reaching approximately 120 million consumers monthly across print, digital, and social platforms.

The platform is anchored by proprietary technology including The Impulse Equation algorithm, which processes sales data, product attributes, and placement data to identify psycho-emotional shopper motivators and optimize retail merchandising decisions. Accelerate360 monetizes through a diversified mix of revenue streams: wholesale distribution buy/sell and distribution fees; managed 3PL services (pick, pack, ship, custom kitting); eCommerce marketplace management across Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, CVS, Rite Aid, Boxed, and DTC storefronts including UsNow.com; media subscriptions, newsstand sales, and advertising; and brand development services through The Brand Highway. The go-to-market motion is sales-led enterprise field sales targeting CPG brands and retailers, with case-study evidence of 2X-400% sales lifts and distribution expansion for partners including Boost Oxygen, KH7, Totes-Isotoner, Toni Braxton's Nude Sugar, and Gryph & IvyRose. Key strategic moves in recent years include the November 2021 acquisition of Media Solutions from Anderson Media Corporation, the December 2022 divestiture of Men's Journal and Adventure Network digital assets to The Arena Group for $28.5 million, and the selection of Darwin CX as subscription management partner effective July 2023.

Name

Accelerate360

Legal name

A360 Media, LLC

Website

https://accelerate360.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Accelerate360 is a US-based omni-commerce company operating wholesale distribution, third-party logistics, eCommerce, and consumer media services. It delivers 6,000+ magazine titles to 56,000+ retail locations weekly and reaches 120MM consumers monthly through celebrity and women's lifestyle brands including Us Weekly and Women's World.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Distribution and Logistics Services

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Representatives (541840)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketplace & Retail Media Advertising (Amazon/Walmart/Instacart, etc.) (MPAAACAJ)

Keywords

• Wholesale distribution
• Third-party logistics
• ECommerce fulfillment
• Magazine media brands
• CPG distribution services

Headquarters

HQ city

Smyrna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale distribution services delivering magazine titles and CPG products to over 56,000 retail locations weekly. Revenue generated through buy/sell model and distribution fees.
2. Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Third-party logistics including pick, pack, shipping, inventory management, custom kitting, and sourcing for CPG brands expanding into retail.
3. Media Brands: Media group operating celebrity, entertainment, women's lifestyle, and men's active lifestyle brands. Generates revenue through advertising, subscriptions, and content licensing.
4. eCommerce & Fulfillment: Omnichannel eCommerce operations including Amazon, Walmart.com, Boxed.com, Kroger, CVS, Rite Aid, and brand DTC websites. Operates UsNow.com shop featuring celebrity-endorsed products.
5. Magazine Publishing: Publishing more than 450 special interest magazines annually. Revenue from newsstand sales, subscriptions, and advertising.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Accelerate360 is an omni-commerce company that provides wholesale distribution of 6,000+ magazine titles and CPG products to 56,000+ retail locations weekly, third-party logistics (3PL) across 3MM+ square feet of warehouse space, eCommerce fulfillment across major online marketplaces, and operates a360media media brands reaching 120MM+ consumers monthly through celebrity and women's lifestyle publications such as Us Weekly, First for Women, and Women's World.

Product overview

Accelerate360 is an omni-commerce sales, distribution, logistics, marketing and media company that unlocks growth for retailers and brands at the intersection of culture, content, and commerce. The company operates a platform-plus-services architecture consisting of: Wholesale Distribution (delivering 6,000+ magazine titles to 56,000+ retail locations weekly), Third-Party Logistics (3PL with 3+ million square feet of warehouse space), eCommerce & Fulfillment (managing brands across Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, CVS, and other marketplaces), a360media Media Brands (Us Weekly, First for Women, Women's World and other celebrity/entertainment publications engaging millions of consumers), Comag Marketing Group (CMG) for magazine retail sales and marketing, The Impulse Equation (proprietary algorithm for impulse purchase optimization), The Brand Highway (brand development services), Us Weekly Now Trending (innovative brand launch program), UsNow.com (celebrity e-commerce platform), and Magazine Shop (magazine marketplace with 1,000+ titles). The company also partners with Darwin CX for subscription fulfillment services and specializes in General Merchandise, Health, Beauty, and Wellness categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Us Weekly: Celebrity and entertainment magazine brand
• First for Women
• Women's World
• The Impulse Equation
• Comag Marketing Group
• The Brand Highway
• UsNow.com
• Magazine Shop

Products and services

• Wholesale Distribution
• Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
• eCommerce & Fulfillment
• a360media Media Brands
• Comag Marketing Group (CMG) Magazine Services
• UsNow.com
• Magazine Shop
• The Brand Highway
• The Impulse Equation
• Canadian Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Blossom beauty products out-performed top 10 category items in all stores in Us Weekly Now Trending launch program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Arena GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 December 2022The Arena Group acquired digital assets of Men's Journal, Men's Fitness, Surfer, Powder, Bike, SKATEboarding, Snowboarder and NewSchoolers from a360media for $28.5 million. This strategic investment allows a360media to sharpen focus on Celebrity and Women's Lifestyle brands.
• Darwin CXcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 October 2022a360media selected Darwin CX as its subscription management and fulfillment partner effective July 2023. Darwin CX's SaaS platform provides end-to-end subscription management including marketing campaign management, customer care, customized campaign order pages, reporting and analytics, and transaction processing for more than a dozen a360media brands including Us Weekly and Women's World.
• Comag Marketing Group (CMG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMG is North America's premier magazine retail sales and brand marketer. As the leading player in magazine publishing services, CMG works with 6,000 titles and provides comprehensive retail HQ sales, marketing and supply chain solutions for mass market, direct-to-retail, international and specialty market newsstand channels.
• Alliance for Audited Media (AAM)minorOthersa360media President and Chief Media Officer Doug Olson was re-elected as AAM Director. AAM is the industry body for media auditing and standards.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Daymon Worldwide: Specializes in retail services, private label development, and CPG distribution support for retailers and manufacturers; comparable to Accelerate360's wholesale distribution, The Brand Highway, and CPG retail launch programs.
• The Arena Group: Acquired Men's Journal and Adventure Network digital assets from a360media in December 2022 for $28.5M; operates Sports Illustrated and other major media brands, directly comparable to a360media's media operations.
• Dotdash Meredith: Operates a portfolio of well-known media brands including People, InStyle, and Entertainment Weekly, comparable to a360media's celebrity and women's lifestyle brands; also focused on commerce integration and first-party data monetization across content properties.
• Anderson Media Corporation: Sold Media Solutions magazine distribution business to Accelerate360 in November 2021; one of the closest historical comparables as a specialty magazine and CPG distribution company serving retail chains.
• Nexxen (formerly Amobee/News America Marketing): Provides retail media and shopper marketing solutions for brands and retailers, comparable to Accelerate360's emerging retail media network strategy and Impulse Equation merchandising analytics.
• Inmar: Provider of logistics, media, and retail solutions including supply chain, returns processing, and digital commerce services; directly comparable to Accelerate360's 3PL, wholesale distribution, and eCommerce fulfillment operations.

Broad incumbents

• Hearst: Major diversified media conglomerate with magazine publishing (Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Good Housekeeping), broadcast, and digital media operations; broader scale than Accelerate360 but overlaps in celebrity and women's lifestyle publishing.
• AmerisourceBergen (now Cencora): Large-scale pharmaceutical and consumer products distribution company with deep retail relationships; relevant as a broad incumbent in distribution serving major retailers, though focused on healthcare.
• Bauer Media Group: Global media company operating major magazine brands (including celebrity and lifestyle titles), comparable to a360media's Us Weekly, First for Women, and Women's World portfolio; also has adjacent eCommerce and subscription operations.

Others

• National Distribution Alliance (NDA) / Comag Marketing Group: Actually a wholly-owned subsidiary of Accelerate360 (CMG), but operates as the North American magazine retail sales and brand marketing partner to 6,000+ titles; relevant as an in-house distribution and marketing services peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/accelerate_360
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2qKQMaGeznY6i4mbpTzp_Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/accelerate360
• Facebookfacebook.com/Accelerate360

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Accelerate360