Synapse Group, Inc. is a multichannel marketing company. Synapse is also the largest consumer magazine distributor in the United States, with access to over 700 magazine titles from all the major publishers. Synapse attracts subscribers for these publications by working through a number of non-traditional marketing channels, including credit card issuers, catalog companies, and airline frequent-flyer programs.
History
Synapse Group began in 1991 as NewSub Magazine Service LLC. Founded by Jay S. Walker and Michael Loeb, the company began by marketing fixed-term magazine subscriptions through credit card companies. Over the years, NewSub expanded its marketing channels to include retailers, airlines, catalogers, and dot-com companies. In the year 2000, the company changed its name to Synapse Group, Inc.
In 1996, NewSub introduced their Continuous Subscription Service system, which would automatically renew subscriptions. The company applied for a patent, which was granted in 2000 to Michael Loeb and Synapse Group, Inc. for "a system for providing an open-ended subscription to commodity items normally available on a term basis includes a central agent that serves as the front-end for commodity suppliers. This central agent maintains databases containing information associated with a group of commodity items and their sales. Using these databases, the central agent produces subscription records to provide open-ended subscription services to its customers, while supporting the term-based subscriptions of the commodity suppliers."
In 2000, Time Inc. made its first equity investment in Synapse Group, starting a partnership that would ultimately culminate with the outright purchase of Synapse in 2006. In a 2000press release from Time Warner, Jeremy Koch explained, "The marketing of consumer magazines is undergoing substantial change. Our relationship with Synapse is an important part of Time Inc.'s strategy to support the expansion of new and innovative marketing methods."
In 2016, Synapse Group acquired Magazine Discount Center.
Acquisition of Stop, Breathe & Think and Re-branding to MyLife
In 2019, Synapse Group acquired Stop, Breathe & Think, a mindfulnessmobileapp. In May 2020, the app was re-branded as MyLife.
Operations
Synapse Group is headquartered at 225 High Ridge Road in Stamford, Connecticut. The company employs over 250 people and has revenues of $400 million.
Divisions
Elite Traveler Awards was founded in 1995 as CAP Systems to develop affinity marketing strategies for frequent flyer and other customer reward programs. Members may elect to redeem their frequent flyer miles or other points for subscriptions to traditional print or electronic magazines. Since the program was implemented, an estimated 100 billion frequent flyer miles have been redeemed for magazine subscriptions.
Magazine Direct, a program introduced in 1998, offers magazine subscriptions to DRTV and catalog customers when they call to place orders.
SynapseConnect, Inc. is the e-commerce subsidiary of Synapse Group. The company has developed a number of internet-marketing strategies that attempt to use Synapse's offline marketing strength to leverage online sales. Some of its properties include , which launched in 2000 and was the first third-party subscription service for trade publications.
MyLife, formerly known as Stop, Breathe & Think, is a mindfulness app that provides meditation exercises tailored to how a person responds to questions on their current emotional state. The app was created by two women, Jamie Price and Julie Campistron, who both had positive experiences with mindfulness in dealing with occupational burnout. Much of the app content is free. The app was listed as a Top 10 Alexa Skill in 2019, and mentioned by Healthline.com as one of the best meditation apps of 2019.
Service Marks
Synapse Group has used a number of service marks over time in association with particular business channels, both for direct sales projects as well as with partner services. These marks include: Synapse Group Inc., Newsub Services, Synapse Solutions, Synapse Retail Ventures, and Magazine Rewards Center. These names often appear on customers' credit card statements for the company's subscription service charges.
