Ogilvy buys 33.3% stake in DTDigital

January 19, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Ogilvy & Mather has acquired a 33.3% position in STW’s digital communications firm, DTDigital.

Australian digital agency DTDigital joined STW Group in 2003 and during the next eight years grew revenues from $1 million per annum to forecast revenue for 2012 of $14 million. Clients include Bunnings, Myer and NAB.

For the past four years, DTDigital has been working alongside Ogilvy in Melbourne. Today DTDigital has more than 110 full-time staff in its Melbourne office. STW Group owns 66.7% of Ogilvy Group Australia, with WPP holding the remaining 33.3%. The investment by WPP in DTDigital brings its ownership in line with that of Ogilvy Australia.

“Ogilvy know brand, social and CRM while DTDigital provides great digital, channel and technology skills making the combination a winning formula. We have worked in partnership for the past four years and acquiring part of DTDigital cements that relationship, allowing us to offer first class integrated digital to clients inside Australia and across Asia,” said Paul Heath, CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Asia Pacific.

Australia, Sydney

Related articles:

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

Publicis Groupe acquires Mediagong

January 19, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Publicis Groupe has acquired French digital agency Mediagong.

Founded in 2002, Mediagong employs some 50 communications professionals on the conception and development of innovative digital tools and interactive campaigns. Mediagong will retain its current name and will continue to operate under the leadership of its founding partners Guillaume De La Brosse, David Oks and Olivier Zetlers. They will take the title of Deputy Managers of Mediagong, an entity within Groupe Leo Burnett France, and will report to Jean-Paul Brunier, President of Groupe Leo Burnett France.

Mediagong has demonstrated strong growth (more than 25% in 2011) and is particularly noted for its creation of vivid, playful and highly interactive narrative campaigns.Its many core sectors include digital and community strategizing, social media, the development of brand content, advergaming and mobile. Mediagong’s client list is particularly strong in the food, beauty and luxury industries, as well as financial services and retail, and includes market leaders Accor hotels, Bel, Crédit Agricole, Danone, Dessange International and Lindt. Mediagong will be aligned with Leo Burnett France, one of the top ten full-service agencies in the country, which has experienced very high growth over the past two years.

“Mediagong is a smart young company with a track-record that’s already very solid and a management team that is very impressive indeed,” said Jean-Paul Brunier, President of Leo Burnett France. “They’re energetic, rigorous, structured and driven to achieve high levels of return on investment for their clients. Every project they undertake is carried out with the same passion for perfection. Digital has become key to our clients, and the French market has the potential for strong growth. This strategic acquisition means Leo Burnett will be among the very few full-service agencies with such a strong grounding in digital expertise.”

France, Paris

Related articles:

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe. Tags: , , . Leave a Comment »

Berkery Noyes releases 2011 year-end Financial Technology & Information Industry M&A Acquisitions Report

January 18, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet
Berkery Noyes has released its 2011 Full Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trend Report for the Financial Technology & Information Industry.

The report analyses the sector for 2011 and compares it with similar activity in 2009 and 2010. This market includes information and technology companies in capital markets, payments, banking, insurance and other related financial services.

  • The most active acquirer between 2009 and 2011 was Thomson Reuters with 11 transactions.
  • Total transaction volume in 2011 increased by 2 percent over 2010, from 266 to 271 transactions.
  • Total transaction value in 2011 increased by 43 percent over 2010, from $20.52 billion in 2010 to $29.78 billion this year.
  • The median revenue multiple increased from 2.2x in 2010 to 2.6x in 2011, while the median EBITDA multiple decreased from 13.5x to 11.6x.

There has been a consistent improvement in the number of Capital Markets transactions, which was the only segment that saw an increase from 2010 to 2011. Indeed, the most active market segment tracked by Berkery Noyes between 2009 and 2011 was Capital Markets with 254 transactions, 100 of which were announced or closed in 2011. The segment’s transaction value for the year was $18.17 billion.

“At present we are seeing destructive creativity going on in a number of financial service sectors,” said Peter Ognibene, Berkery Noyes managing director. “For instance, smart phones have become digital wallets and are enabling a host of banking and other mobile commerce activities. There has also been an increase in consumer focus on wealth management strategies. And as always in times of turmoil and uncertainty – there is a desire for more precise and forward looking risk management tools, especially enterprise-wide.”

Click here to read the full report.

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Market Data & Information, Publishers, Research Reports, ~Asia, ~Europe, ~Latin America and Caribbean, ~Middle East & Africa, ~North America, ~Oceana. Leave a Comment »

January 18, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Mountain News Corporation, publisher of OnTheSnow Norwegian snow sports website Skiinfo. This acquisition will increase Mountain News Corporation’s reach in key European ski markets and creates a total audience of more than 23 million unique visitors per year. The combined companies will operate in 14 languages and 20 countries.

Established in 1996 in Oslo, Norway as a snow reporting website, Skiinfo.com expanded over the years adding offices in Germany, France, Italy and Slovakia, and had an audience of 11 million unique users in 2011.

“This acquisition allows us to combine the dominant snow sports leader in North America with the leader in Europe to create the first ever, truly global snow sports media platform,” said Chad Dyer, global managing director of Mountain News Corporation. “With a combined 23 million unique visits per year, we will be able to offer advertisers access to skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts around the world — one of the most coveted demographics in media. The combined companies also will be able to offer skiers and riders the most comprehensive global snow sports content and most robust worldwide snow reports.”

The acquisition is expected to close on February 1st, 2012.

USA, Broomfield, CO & Norway, Oslo

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Publishers, ~Europe, ~North America. Tags: . Leave a Comment »

Berkery Noyes releases 2011 year-end Online & Mobile Industry M&A Report

January 18, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Berkery Noyes has released its 2011 Full Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trend Report for the Online & Mobile Industry. The report analyses the sector for 2011 and compares it with similar activity in 2009 and 2010.

  • Total transaction volume in 2011 increased by 33 percent over 2010, from 1299 in 2010 to 1723 this year.
  • Total transaction value in 2011 increased by 55 percent over 2010, from $46.34 billion in 2010 to $71.95 billion this year.
  • The median revenue multiple rose from 1.9x in 2010 to 2.4x in 2011. The median EBITDA multiple increased from 11.4x to 12.5x.
  • The segment with the largest increase in volume in 2011 over 2010 was E-Marketing & Search with a 53 percent increase from 263 in 2010 to 403 in 2011.

“M&A activity for social media and analytics companies continues to grow as a broader range of players seek to capitalize on this evolution in media and marketing communications,” said Kathleen Thomas, Managing Director at Berkery Noyes. “The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, entered the market in April with their $300 million acquisition of Kosmix Corporation, and Kosmix, now known as @WalmartLabs, has already completed four deals.”

  • Microsoft Corporation’s acquisition of Skype Technologies SA, a portfolio of Silver Lake Partners, was the largest transaction for 2011, with an acquisition price of $9.08 billion.
  • The most active acquirer in the Online & Mobile Industry was Google Inc. with 21 transactions (not including the acquisition of Motorola Mobility).
  • There were 192 financially sponsored transactions with an aggregate value of $11.93 billion, representing 11 percent of the total volume and 16 percent of the total value, respectively.

Total acquisitions involving social media and analytics companies rose 39% from 116 transactions in 2010 to 161 in 2011. The median revenue multiple for this sector between 2009 and 2011 was 5.5x.

Click here for a copy of the Full Year 2011 Online & Mobile Industry M&A Trend Report.

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Mobile Apps, Research Reports, ~Asia, ~Europe, ~Latin America and Caribbean, ~Middle East & Africa, ~North America, ~Oceana. Leave a Comment »

News Corporation acquires a stake in MOBY Group

January 18, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

News Corporation is to become a minority investor in MOBY Group, a media company headquartered in Dubai and active in Central Asia, principally Afghanistan, and the Middle East. Under the terms of the agreement, News Corporation will contribute its 50 percent shareholding in Broadcast Middle East, its Farsi-language TV joint venture with MOBY, for a minority shareholding in MOBY and will also provide growth capital to MOBY for its expansion plans. Broadcast Middle East will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of MOBY following the investment.

Through Broadcast Middle East, News Corporation and MOBY have launched two successful Farsi-language channels, FARSI1 and Zemzemeh, reaching millions of Farsi speaking audiences across Central Asia and the Middle East.

The agreement with News Corporation will enable MOBY to strengthen its leadership position across the regions in which it currently operates whilst working to expand its presence in new and emerging markets. MOBY will continue to be chaired by Saad Mohseni while Zaid Mohseni will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer of BME.

News Corporation will provide strategic guidance and input via representation on the MOBY Board of Directors.

James Murdoch, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chairman and CEO, International, News Corporation said, “Merging our Farsi joint venture into MOBY allows us to expand our activities with what is surely one of the most dynamic and exciting media businesses in emerging markets anywhere. The Mohsenis are true pioneers and we are pleased to be able to invest alongside them in these challenging, yet very promising markets.”

Saad Mohseni, Chairman, MOBY Group said, “We are delighted to have in News Corporation both a partner with a long track record of growing entrepreneurial, innovative businesses and an investor that sees value in entering parts of the world which many media organizations have not traditionally looked to. Today’s agreement both recognizes the value we have created together in Broadcast Middle East and enables us to continue to grow MOBY for the future.”

UK, London & UAE, Dubai

Related articles:

Posted in Broadcasting, Content Media, ~Europe, ~Middle East & Africa. Tags: . Leave a Comment »

UK private equity investment in the £10M-£10OM market grows by 44%

January 18, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Data from the Lyceum Capital and Cass Business School UK Growth Buyout Dashboard shows that the UK has reinforced its position as the preeminent market for private equity investment in Europe, with activity in its lower mid-market having continued its strong recovery in 2011 to pre-recession levels of almost 100 deals.

Highlighting the segment’s robustness despite macro-economic challenges, the UK Growth Buyout Dashboard, revealed 44 per cent growth in the total number of transactions last year to 91, compared to 63 in 2010 and 34 deals in 2009.

The quarterly data, which analyses UK-headquartered private equity control deals in the £10 to £100 million enterprise value space, also shows that total deal value has more than trebled over the past three years, with aggregate values in excess of £3.4 billion last year compared to over £2.2 billion in 2010 and just above £1.0 billion in 2009.

Technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) was the stand-out sector – a trend which is likely to continue, driven by growth in innovative IT solutions such as cloud computing and mobile business applications. 26 TMT deals completed during 2011, contributing to 29 per cent of completed transactions, compared to 11 a year earlier and just four in 2009.

Click here to read the full UK Growth Buyout Dashboard.

Related articles:

Posted in B2B Services, Broadcasting, Conference/Exhibitions/Events, Consultancy, Content Media, e-Commerce, Energy & Environmental Services, Games, Internet Media, Market Data & Information, Marketing/Advertising, Mobile Apps, Publishers, Research Reports, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

Future sells its US Music division to New Bay Media for $3M

January 13, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Future plc subsidiary Future US is selling its loss-making, New York based, Music Division to NewBay Media for a gross consideration of $3.0 million. The sale involves the US magazines Guitar World, Revolver and Guitar Aficionado and the related websites together with a licence to operate the Golden Gods Awards show in the US.

The gross consideration is payable as follows: $2.60 million in cash on completion; $0.15 million in cash on 30 September 2012; and $0.25 million in cash in the third calendar quarter of 2012 based on achievement of certain operational targets. In addition, NewBay will assume all subscription liabilities relating to the titles. The net sale proceeds will be used for the continued restructuring of Future US and to reduce the level of bank debt. The is made on a cash-free/debt-free basis.

Post completion of the sale, there will be a short transition period during which Future US will continue to support NewBay while NewBay integrates the US Music Division into its portfolio. Once this period is over, Future will market its New York property.

For the year ended 30 September 2011, the revenue and pre-tax loss attributable to the US Music Division was £8.5 million and £3.8 million, respectively.  At 30 September 2011, the US Music Division had gross assets of £1.8 million.

Mark Wood, Future’s Chief Executive, said: “The sale represents a big step forward in our strategy to streamline our US business and return it to profitability by 2013. The merger of our mainstream US operations and our UK business is on track, and we are making good progress in reducing costs. We continue to accelerate our transition to a digital business model and to create a single global product line, selling our entire range of digital content to high-value audiences in all key markets.”

USA, New York, NY

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Publishers, ~Europe, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Immediate Media acquires You & Your Wedding and Prima Baby from Hearst Magazines UK

January 12, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Immediate Media Co has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the magazine and website assets of You & Your Wedding and Prima Baby & Pregnancy from Hearst Magazines UK for an undisclosed sum. All staff working on the titles within the deal are expected to transfer to Immediate Media’s London offices.

The deal marks the first acquisition by the newly-created Immediate Media Co, formed out of the merger of BBC Magazines, Origin Publishing and Magicalia in November 2011. The company already publishes a parenting portfolio including Practical Parenting and Pregnancy magazine and the MadeforMums digital network, as well as bridal brand Perfect Wedding.

Tom Bureau, CEO of Immediate Media Co, says: “I am delighted that we have acquired these strong assets. They are an excellent fit with our existing brands and this acquisition is in line with our strategy of developing strong cross-media opportunities. The deal also demonstrates our ambition to invest in Immediate Media Co in order to create a fast-growing, dynamic business, and we look forward to welcoming the new teams.”

Arnaud de Puyfontaine, Chief Executive, Hearst Magazines UK, says:  “This deal reinforces our overall strategy to focus investment on Hearst UK’s core business and digital expansion, and we are confident this move will allow both You & Your Wedding and Prima Baby to succeed within the Immediate Media stable.”

UK, London

 

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Publishers, ~Europe. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

Berkery Noyes Releases 2011 Year End Online & Mobile Industry Mergers and Acquisitions Report

January 12, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet
Berkery Noyes, an independent middle market investment bank, has released its 2011 Full Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trend Report for the Online & Mobile Industry. The report analyses the sector for 2011 and compares it with similar activity in 2009 and 2010.

Median revenue and EBITDA multiples increased from 2010 to 2011. The median revenue multiple went from 1.9x to 2.4x, a 26 percent rise, while the median EBITDA multiple increased from 11.4x to 12.5x. There were 1531 strategic transactions, an increase of 33 percent compared to 2010. Total volume in the Online & Mobile space increased 33 percent over 2010, from 1299 to 1723 transactions.

“M&A activity for social media and analytics companies continues to grow as a broader range of players seek to capitalize on this evolution in media and marketing communications,” said Kathleen Thomas, Managing Director at Berkery Noyes. “The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, entered the market in April with their $300 million acquisition of Kosmix Corporation, and Kosmix, now known as @WalmartLabs, has already completed four deals.”

@WalmartLabs, which is now the retailer’s digital technology division, has been building what they call “the future of commerce” through their “Social Genome,” a database combining billions of tweets, YouTube videos, Facebook messages and more. They claim this will assist shoppers with making decisions through “a broad array of social commerce applications” and ultimately help Walmart achieve greater margins and sales.

Total acquisitions involving social media and analytics companies rose 39% from 116 transactions in 2010 to 161 in 2011. The median revenue multiple for this sector between 2009 and 2011 was 5.5x.

A copy of the Full Year 2011 Online & Mobile Industry Mobile Industry M&A Trend Report is available at the Berkery Noyes website.

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Mobile Apps, Research Reports, ~Asia, ~Europe, ~Latin America and Caribbean, ~Middle East & Africa, ~North America, ~Oceana. Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »