This article is a work in progress, evolving as we track the ever-changing MarTech landscape. I realize there are hundreds of shuttered platforms, so I will try to update the list every month. I think it’s important to understand what’s happened to some of the companies we’ve grown to appreciate and how they may have been shut down, absorbed into larger companies, or rebranded. Let us know who we’re missing on social media or via our contact page!
Table of Contents
This list aims to document these changes, highlighting notable disappeared or transformed tools. While we’ve compiled a thorough overview, martech churn is constant, and we welcome insights on any platforms we may have missed. Expect periodic updates as we research industry shifts and uncover more details about martech’s rapid evolution.
2000s (2000–2009)
- AOL Instant Messenger (AIM): AOL shuttered AIM in December 2017, a messaging platform with early marketing uses like chat-based promotions. Its decline began in the late 2000s as social media overtook it, with no rebranding or absorption.
- Buongiorno: A mobile marketing and digital content company, it was acquired by NTT Docomo in 2012 and absorbed into another company. It is no longer available as a standalone brand, with its services integrated into NTT Docomo’s global offerings.
- ChaCha: A mobile Q&A service launched in 2006 with marketing tie-ins (e.g., branded answers), ChaCha was shuttered in 2016 due to funding issues and competition from Google, with no absorption or rebranding.
- Claria Corporation: Originally known as Gator Corporation, Claria pioneered online behavioral marketing. Founded in 1998, it gained notoriety for its adware products. The company rebranded as Claria in 2003 but ceased operations entirely by 2008 due to mounting criticism and legal challenges.
- Compendium: A content marketing platform acquired by Oracle in 2013, it was absorbed into another company but no longer available as a standalone product, integrated into Oracle Content Marketing before eventually being phased out.
- Emailvision: An email marketing and campaign management platform, Emailvision was totally rebranded in 2013 and now exists in a new platform as SmartFocus. The original Emailvision identity was discontinued.
- Google Answers: Launched in 2002 as a paid Q&A service with potential for market research, it was shuttered in 2006 and replaced by free alternatives like Google Search, without absorption or rebranding.
- Google Wave: Introduced in 2009 as a collaborative tool with marketing potential, it was shuttered in 2012 after poor adoption, with no absorption or rebranding.
- iGoogle: Launched in 2005, this personalized homepage with marketing-friendly widgets was shuttered in 2013 as Google shifted focus to other products, with no rebranding or absorption.
- InfoSpace: Once a significant player in the early internet era, InfoSpace offered search engine and online directory services. After a series of strategic missteps and financial scandals, the company rebranded as Blucora in 2012, shifting its focus away from its original business model.
- Microsoft adCenter: Microsoft’s ad platform from the mid-2000s was rebranded and exists in a new platform as Bing Ads in 2012, later Microsoft Advertising in 2019, with the original adCenter identity gone by decade’s end.
- MySpace: Once a leading social network with marketing features like band promotions, MySpace declined in the late 2000s and was rebranded into a niche music platform by 2013, no longer resembling its original form.
2010s (2010–2019)
- Adobe Social: A social media management tool launched in 2012, Adobe Social was absorbed into another company and no longer available as a standalone product by 2018. It was integrated into Adobe Experience Cloud, losing its distinct identity.
- Brand.com: Founded in 2009 as Reputation Changer, Brand.com specialized in online reputation management. Despite a high-profile rebranding in 2013, the company faced operational challenges and filed for bankruptcy in 2015, leading to its complete shutdown.
- Buddy Media: A social marketing platform acquired by Salesforce in 2012, Buddy Media was absorbed into another company but no longer available. It was merged into Salesforce’s Social Studio (which was later discontinued in 2023), ending its standalone existence.
- Chango: Established in 2008, Chango was a programmatic advertising platform specializing in search retargeting. It was acquired by Rubicon Project in 2015 but was shut down in 2017 after failing to meet performance expectations.
- ExactTarget: An email marketing platform acquired by Salesforce in 2013, it was absorbed into another company but no longer available as a standalone. By the mid-2010s, it had been rebranded into Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
- Google+: Launched in 2011 as a social network with marketing features like brand pages, it was shuttered in April 2019 for consumers due to low usage and security issues. However, enterprise features briefly lived on as Google Currents (also now defunct).
- Kontagent: A mobile analytics platform for marketers, it was acquired by Upsight in 2013. It was absorbed into another company but is no longer available, and its brand and standalone platform have been phased out.
- Mixpanel (early standalone version): An analytics tool that evolved significantly in the 2010s; its early version was rebranded and exists in a new platform by decade’s end, shifting to a broader product analytics suite, distinct from its original form.
- Oracle Marketing Cloud (Eloqua standalone): Eloqua, acquired by Oracle in 2012, was absorbed into another company but is no longer available as a standalone, integrated into Oracle Marketing Cloud, losing its identity by the late 2010s.
- RhythmOne: Originally launched as Blinkx in 2004, RhythmOne evolved into a digital advertising technology company. It acquired several properties, including AllMusic and AllMovie, before being acquired by Taptica (now Nexxen) in 2019, leading to the phasing out of the RhythmOne brand.
- Search Technologies: Founded in 2005, Search Technologies provided search engine and big data consulting services. Accenture acquired the company in 2017, integrating its capabilities into Accenture’s Applied Intelligence unit, effectively dissolving the Search Technologies brand.
- Silverpop: A digital marketing automation platform acquired by IBM in 2014, it was absorbed into another company but is no longer available, integrated into IBM Watson Marketing (later Acoustic), with the Silverpop brand discontinued.
- Vine: A short-video platform launched in 2013 with marketing potential, it was shuttered totally by Twitter in 2017 due to competition from Instagram and Snapchat, with no rebranding or absorption.
- Wildfire Interactive: A social media marketing tool acquired by Google in 2012, it was absorbed into another company but is no longer available. It was integrated into Google’s ad ecosystem and shut down as a standalone by 2014.
2020s (2020–Present)
- Adobe Flash Player: A multimedia platform powering early martech ad experiences (e.g., rich media banners), Adobe shuttered it completely in December 2020 due to security issues and HTML5’s rise, with no rebranding or absorption.
- BlueKai: A data management platform (DMP) acquired by Oracle in 2014, it was absorbed into another company but no longer available as a standalone by 2022, fully integrated into Oracle’s Data Cloud and CX suite.
- Facebook Analytics: Launched to provide insights into user interactions, Facebook Analytics was discontinued in June 2021 as the company shifted focus to other business tools, leaving no direct replacement.
- Google Currents: Launched in 2020 as the enterprise replacement for Google+, it was shuttered totally in July 2023, with its features migrated to Google Spaces, marking the end of its standalone existence.
- Google Jamboard: Launched in 2016 as an interactive digital whiteboard for collaboration, it was discontinued in 2024 due to low adoption, with some features integrated into Google Meet and other Workspace tools.
- HubSpot Website Platform (standalone CMS): HubSpot’s original standalone CMS was totally rebranded and, by 2020, existed in a new platform called CMS Hub, integrated with its CRM and marketing tools and no longer a separate entity.
- Internet Explorer: Microsoft’s legacy web browser, once widely used for digital advertising and early martech applications, was shuttered totally on June 15, 2022. It was replaced by Microsoft Edge, with no standalone rebranding or continuation of the Internet Explorer brand.
- Marketo Engage (standalone): Adobe acquired it in 2018. Its standalone marketing automation was absorbed into another company and no longer available by the early 2020s. It is now part of Adobe Experience Cloud.
- Percolate: A content marketing platform acquired by Seismic in 2019, it was absorbed into another company but is no longer available. By 2021, it was fully integrated into Seismic’s sales enablement platform, and the brand was discontinued.
- Salesforce Social Studio: A social media management tool that succeeded Buddy Media, it was shuttered completely in 2023 as Salesforce refocused on Marketing Cloud, with no direct rebranding or absorption.
- ToutApp: An email tracking and sales engagement tool acquired by Marketo in 2017, ToutApp was absorbed into another company but no longer available. It was integrated into Marketo Engage (itself later absorbed by Adobe) and faded by the early 2020s.
The martech industry is defined by innovation, consolidation, rebranding, and obsolescence. As companies adapt to changing technologies, privacy regulations, and market demands, platforms that once dominated the industry may vanish or morph into something unrecognizable. This list is an ongoing effort to document these changes, and we encourage contributions from industry professionals who have insights into tools that should be added. If you have suggestions or corrections, feel free to share them—helping us keep this record as accurate and comprehensive as possible.
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