September 10, 2015 — Urban Science has acquired AutoHook from HookLogic in a play to expand its online lead management services for automakers and dealers.

Urban Science, long known for helping manufacturers plan their retail networks as they determine where to place dealerships, also acts as a traffic cop in the online lead space, gathering leads from automaker and third party websites and sending them to the right dealer.

HookLogic, a New York-based firm that provides performance marketing services to hospitality and retail companies, hired David Metter about four years ago to help create AutoHook to gain a foothold in the automotive retail space. AutoHook provides real-time online incentive-based solutions to dealers designed to drive traffic from the website to the showroom. Metter is joining Urban Science as president of AutoHook.

Using AutoHook’s solutions, Urban Science hopes to create a better lead experience for both the customer and the dealer, and ultimately help online leads convert at a higher rate and at a lower cost.

AutoHook is an important addition to Urban Science.” said Jim Anderson, founder, president, CEO of Urban Science. “We are breaking new ground in helping dealers drive their business performance in near real-time. Bringing science to retail has allowed our clients to achieve high sales and high profit performance at the same time. AutoHook is a perfect strategic fit for Urban Science due to its innovative approach to increase showroom traffic.”

The acquisition will allow Urban Science provide real-time incentives to prospective shoppers through dealer websites, email, mobile, direct mail and third-party websites. It also will provide Urban Science with the ability to tie lead conversion to actual sales.

It will be interesting to see whether the AutoHook acquisition is the beginning of a series of moves for Urban Science moving it beyond lead management services and into a more expansive role helping manufacturers with their digital marketing and retail efforts, much like Shift Digital, and to a lesser extent, Trilogy does today.

Financial terms for the deal were not disclosed. Meanwhile, AutoHook’s Ann Arbor offices will be moved to Urban Science’s headquarters in Detroit.