Business Partners Acquire Icon Israel Digital Assets for Millions

Businessman Avi Ben-Tal, CEO of Maccabi Tel Aviv, and comedian Shalom Assayag have jointly acquired the digital assets of "Icon Israel" for an estimated NIS 4 million. The deal includes 100% ownership of Icon Israel's Instagram page with 547,000 followers, its TikTok account with 140,000 followers, and its Facebook page with 16,000 followers.

This acquisition marks the formation of a new media group called Buzz Code Digital Media, which plans to expand by acquiring and managing additional digital assets. Ben-Tal and Assayag aim to rebrand and refresh the content of the acquired pages, leveraging their significant reach. The move is seen as a strategic expansion into the digital content market, with aspirations to become a major player.

The digital assets were purchased from the trustee and Yaffa Fisler, as the original owner, Erez Fisler, is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings and faces serious charges including fraud and money laundering. The acquisition was of the operational assets, not the company "Mi Sheba Icon Knows," ensuring no ongoing connection for the Fisler family to the new venture.

Ben-Tal brings extensive experience from his previous roles as CEO of ynet and Channel 13. Assayag is known for creating the popular "The 80s" and "The 90s" television series. Both expressed confidence in the potential of digital media and social networks as growth engines, emphasizing their commitment to quality content and professional standards in building a strong media group.

The acquisition reflects a growing trend of significant investments in social media platforms, which have become strategic media assets attracting business figures and investment funds. The shift of younger audiences to social networks has transformed these platforms into powerful economic engines with substantial commercial influence.