Cision provides public relations services to businesses, using a cloud-based, or software as a service model. The company offers social media monitoring and engagement and media publicity services. Cision's software is distributed in seven languages., it is used by more than 16,000 annual subscribers worldwide, including commercial businesses and governmental, educational and non-profit organizations.
Software
The company offers three web-based packages: the "CisionMarketing Suite", the "Public Relations Suite" and a "Government Relations and Political Action Committee Suite". The Cision "Public Relations Suite" allows users to distribute press releases, access a database of bloggers and journalists, and monitor and analyze news and social media sites. The company's "Government Relations Suite" manages government contacts, analyzes lobbying activity, facilitates communication with elected officials and provides PAC compliance software for filing reports to the FEC and state elections commissions.
Services
Through a series of acquisitions, the company provides services in PRWeb, HARO, North Social, Eureka, and Media Insight Suite which Cision has continued to operate under the existing brand names. Vocus also offers consulting services to support the use of its software products. PRWeb is an online press release service. PRWeb services are available through the "Vocus Marketing Suite," the "Vocus PR Suite" or as a separate service.
History
In 2011, Cision AB sold its Finnish subsidiary Oy Cision Finland AB to M-Brain Group. On September 15, 2014, Cision announced the acquisition of Visible Technologies, a social media analytics company. On October 14, 2014, Cision AB and Vocus announced a "friendly merger" of the two public relations companies. Cision based in Sweden will relocate its headquarters to Chicago and so will Vocus from Maryland, United States. The company will be based out of Chicago and the combined entity will be known as Cision. During 2015, Cision also acquired UK company Gorkana. Gorkana offered monitoring, journalist database and analysis services. On December 15, 2015, Cision agreed to acquire PRNewswire from UBM plc for $841 million. On June 29, 2017, Cision went public via its reverse merger with special purpose acquisition company Capitol Acquisition Corporation III. On December 26, 2017, Cision agreed to acquire PRIME Research. The acquisition was completed on January 24, 2018.
