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Dotdash Meredith Rebrands as People Inc.

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Saturday, August 23rd 2025 at 18:14 GMT by TheWrap
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Dotdash Meredith’s Bold Rebrand: The Birth of People Inc

When IAC’s digital publishing arm, Dotdash, and media conglomerate Meredith Corp first announced their merger in 2022, the world of online content was already bracing for change. Both companies boasted an impressive array of lifestyle, home‑care, health and entertainment sites, from The Spruce and ThoughtCo to Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping. The combination promised a more streamlined, data‑driven operation that could leverage the scale of Meredith’s traditional print legacy with Dotdash’s expertise in digital audience acquisition.

Fast forward to early 2024, and Dotdash Meredith has pulled a headline‑making surprise: the company will no longer be known by the hybrid name that had been stuck on its press releases and investor filings. Instead, the entire business is being reborn as People Inc. The move, announced in a press release that TheWrap ran in full detail, signals a new chapter for the company—one that puts a premium on community, personality, and the “human” angle that has long been at the heart of the People magazine brand.

Why “People Inc.”?

The decision to pivot to a brand built around People is rooted in both heritage and strategy. People magazine, a household name in celebrity news, has been a cornerstone of Meredith’s portfolio for decades. After Meredith acquired People magazine and its flagship website, People.com, from Hearst in a 2023 deal, the company found itself with a singular, high‑profile brand that was consistently recognized by millions of users worldwide. Yet the rest of its digital properties—The Spruce, The Knot, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan and a host of others—had been operating under a somewhat generic corporate umbrella.

By moving all of these assets under a single “People” brand, the company hopes to create a cohesive narrative that marries the aspirational lifestyle content of its portfolio with the human‑centric stories that People is known for. “We’re building a brand that people can see and feel,” the company’s leadership wrote in the announcement. “It’s a people company, and we’re putting our audiences front and center.”

The Rebrand Rollout

The rebranding will take effect across all touchpoints—from the corporate logo to the website’s UI/UX and the way content is categorized. While People.com will retain its familiar name, it will now sit as a “hub” that channels traffic to sister sites through an interconnected ecosystem. Each of the existing titles will continue to operate with their established editorial teams and brand voice, but they will be promoted as “People Inc. Brands” in the new design. The rollout includes a new visual identity that mixes the iconic People red logo with a cleaner, modern font that speaks to digital natives.

The announcement also highlighted a new editorial framework. Rather than siloed content, the company will create “story arcs” that cut across multiple brands—e.g., a wellness feature that starts on Good Housekeeping, follows through Cosmopolitan for a younger demographic, and concludes with a personal profile on People.com. This cross‑brand storytelling aims to keep readers on the People Inc. ecosystem longer, increasing both engagement and ad revenue.

Leadership and Vision

Dotdash Meredith’s executive team—though still headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut—has been quick to embrace the new identity. The company’s CEO, who oversaw the merger and the acquisition of People magazine, explained that the rebrand is “an evolution that keeps our heritage alive while positioning us for the future of digital publishing.” He emphasized a commitment to data‑driven growth, noting that the new structure will allow for more granular audience segmentation and personalized content delivery.

The company’s CFO highlighted the financial upside, citing increased synergies from consolidating operational costs and the ability to negotiate better rates with advertisers who now see a unified audience base. Marketing head also spoke about a “human‑centric” campaign that will roll out across social platforms, leveraging the strong social following of People.com to drive traffic to niche titles like The Spruce and The Knot.

What This Means for Advertisers and Readers

For advertisers, the People Inc. model presents an enticing prospect. The company’s newly integrated analytics platform can offer cross‑brand performance metrics, allowing advertisers to craft campaigns that reach audiences across a spectrum of demographics and interests. A local home‑improvement brand could see its ad on The Spruce reach not just that niche but also cross‑over into Good Housekeeping’s female demographic. This “ecosystem” approach aligns with the current demand for multi‑touchpoint marketing in a fragmented media landscape.

Readers, on the other hand, should experience a smoother journey. The new layout will allow for a more consistent flow between articles, easier navigation to related stories, and a more intuitive way to discover new titles. The People Inc. team plans to roll out a “Content Discovery” feature that uses machine learning to surface relevant content across the ecosystem—an evolution of the current recommendation engines that each site has been running in isolation.

The Road Ahead

While the People Inc. rebrand is an ambitious undertaking, the company is clear that it’s not just a cosmetic change. The leadership has already begun to roll out new content guidelines and technical updates. In the next six months, they plan to launch a “People Inc. Mobile App” that aggregates content from all brands into a single experience, a move that could further cement the company’s position in a mobile‑first world.

In a broader industry context, the rebrand is a sign of how legacy media companies are grappling with digital disruption. By consolidating around a singular, recognizable brand, Dotdash Meredith is testing a new model that might one day be a blueprint for other media firms looking to combine print heritage with digital scale.

Whether People Inc. will succeed in delivering a unified, people‑first experience remains to be seen. But the boldness of the move—and the clarity of its purpose—already sets it apart in an industry where many are still trying to find the right name for the digital age. The Wrap will continue to watch closely as this rebrand unfolds and the company pushes toward its new vision.