Front Row Acquires Socium Media to Enhance E-commerce Capabilities

Front Row, a full-service e-commerce agency known for helping brands grow across digital marketplaces, has acquired performance marketing agency Socium Media. This strategic acquisition aims to bolster Front Row’s Connected Commerce platform by integrating Socium’s expertise in paid search, social media, SEO, and digital growth, particularly within the beauty, health, wellness, and consumer packaged goods sectors.

The move to acquire Socium Media is primarily motivated by the intensifying competitiveness in the e-commerce and performance marketing landscape. Brands are increasingly under pressure to align creative storytelling with measurable results. By incorporating Socium’s performance-driven capabilities, Front Row seeks to eliminate any friction between evolving brand strategies and their execution. This acquisition reflects Front Row’s focus on a unified approach to digital growth, facilitating smoother navigation through complex commerce ecosystems where integrated campaigns and off-platform media are crucial for marketplace demand.

Founded by Sam Sherman and Owen Loft, Socium Media has established a solid reputation in the performance marketing arena, specializing in paid search, shopping, paid social, SEO, and GEO. The agency has collaborated with various brands across sectors such as travel, wellness, and lifestyle, including notable clients like Auberge, VINCE, Canopy, Magic Spoon, and OSEA. Socium’s existing expertise complements Front Row’s portfolio and facilitates an expansion into new verticals, enhancing the overall offering to clients.

Following the acquisition, Socium Media will merge into Front Row’s integrated agency operations and will initially operate under the name “Socium, Powered by Front Row.” Full brand integration is scheduled for completion by late 2026. The integration will see Socium’s team join Front Row’s ranks, under the leadership of EVP and Managing Director Katie Martin. This is expected to enhance the combined organization’s capabilities and bridge the gap between creative brand campaigns and the data and technology necessary for scaling brand growth on platforms like Amazon and beyond.

Marketers will benefit significantly from this integration as it promises a more cohesive set of services. The combined agency will focus on delivering a unified brand strategy along with performance marketing, thereby reducing traditional silos between creative and execution phases. Enhanced capabilities will span various areas, including paid media, influencer marketing, social, and retention marketing. Additionally, the agency will provide full-funnel execution that covers aspects from awareness and demand generation to conversion across Amazon, Direct-to-Consumer (D2C), and retail platforms.

Front Row’s proprietary technology, Catapult, coupled with its experience managing notable brands like OUAI, Essity, Wella, and Tatcha, positions the agency to effectively aid clients in achieving measurable growth. The integration of Socium Media is poised to further strengthen Front Row’s service offering, creating a singular partner for brands seeking creative and data-driven avenues for digital growth.

This acquisition illustrates a continued trend in the market towards creating more integrated agency services that align strategic brand initiatives with performance marketing needs, reflecting industry’s move to respond to evolving client and consumer demands.