UBM acquires Lead in Research for £1.45m

November 2, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

United Business Media has acquired Lead in Research (LIR), a boutique sales leads business on behalf of UBM Built Environment from its founder, Mark Hurley. The consideration will be satisfied by an initial cash payment of £1.15 million with a further deferred performance-related consideration of up to £300,000, payable at the end of 2010.

The acquisition of LIR is a complementary addition to UBM Built Environment’s existing Barbour ABI business, facilitating expansion beyond ABI’s construction leads offering into the post-construction lead supply market.

LIR uses planning applications and a wide range of other sources to compile detailed information on relocation, refurbishment and business expansion projects taking place across the UK. LIR’s analysis identifies businesses in likely imminent need of products and services relating to new, relocating and expanding operations. LIR’s subscription-based customers are principally providers of goods and services to commercial properties, with a focus on the furniture, telecoms and recruitment sectors. LIR also provides data to its customers via its website, weekly HTML bulletins and newsletters.

LIR employs five staff and in the financial year to May 2010 generated revenues of £0.4 million. The acquisition is anticipated to exceed UBM’s cost of capital criterion in its first full year of ownership.

Adrian Barrick, CEO of UBM Built Environment, said, “I am very pleased to announce this acquisition, which will enhance our current product offering and complement UBM Built Environment’s existing ABI business. We are pleased to have acquired a high quality product that we can use to respond to our clients’ requests for additional product offerings in post-construction lead supply, as well as helping us to attract new customers. We believe that LIR will provide further synergies – for example, with our Property Week brand – and generate strong revenue growth in the future”.

UK, London & Warwick

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Marketing/Advertising, Publishers, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

Specific Media acquires online video provider BBE

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Independent media platform Specific Media has acquired Broadband Enterprises, a premier online video provider. Founded in 2004, BBE is a video advertising company that helps brands to monetize, track and produce video across all digital platforms. The deal recently closed for an undisclosed amount.

BBE, which currently works with a majority of Fortune 100 brands, has developed a complete video advertising solution used by major brand advertisers. The company has also developed the industry’s first ad-serving and tracking platform dedicated exclusively to video, VINDICO, which has logged more than 23 billion impressions to date. In addition, the company’s branded entertainment division has produced more than 20 original series, including the award-winning hit show Jen and Barb, Mom Life.

“Video is an exciting market, but advertisers have been unable to capitalize on its potential because it currently lacks data, targeting and analytics. We’re bringing our expertise to this area to fulfill the promise of video,” said Tim Vanderhook, co-founder and CEO of Specific Media. “We chose BBE because the company has a complete solution for brand advertisers, proven technology and a strong leadership team.”

USA, Irvine, CA and New York, NY

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Marketing/Advertising, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Omnicom Group’s Diversified Agency Services acquires Excerpta Medica

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Omnicom Group‘s Diversified Agency Services has acquired Amsterdam-based medical communications agency Excerpta Medica from world-leading publisher Elsevier, a division of Reed Elsevier Group plc.

Excerpta Medica will become a division of DAS’s Adelphi, a group of businesses that provide multiperspective healthcare solutions to the pharmaceutical industry. Excerpta will continue to operate as an independent business, with offices in Amsterdam, New Jersey and London.

The acquisition of Excerpta Medica will allow Adelphi to collaborate on an increasing number of wide-ranging global client assignments. Excerpta Medica’s portfolio of strategic communications services includes publication planning, medical meetings and education, interactive solutions and customized publishing solutions.

“For years I’ve admired the work and reputation of Excerpta Medica. This has always been a best-in-class company,” said Thomas L. Harrison, Chairman and CEO, Diversified Agency Services Division, Omnicom Group Inc. “With the acquisition of Excerpta we can align two related and strategic businesses to offer more value and innovation to our healthcare clients.”  

Adelphi provides services in strategic marketing, marketing and business intelligence, real-world observational research and disease-specific programs, health and economic outcomes research, market access, pricing and research, health communications, medical education and strategic product development consultancy.

USA, New York, NY & China, Shanghai

Related articles

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Omnicom acquires Sales Power

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Global advertising and marketing services business Omnicom Group, has acquired Sales Power, an in-store promotion company.

Sales Power was set up in January 2009 as a joint venture between Omnicom’s Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division and a local field marketing agency to service Unilever China’s in-store promotional needs in South China. The company has 23 offices across Southern China.

“This significant investment in Sales Power underscores Omnicom’s continued commitment to the fast growing Chinese market and providing best in class retail activation services to our clients,” said Serge Dumont, Senior Vice President, Omnicom Group Inc., President, APIMA (Asia-Pacific, India, Middle East, and Africa), Chairman Asia Pacific.

Simon Dalby, President of DAS Asia-Pacific, said, “We look forward to the next phase of Sales Power’s development and its investment in client needs.”

Sales Power CEO Simon Ho noted, “Omnicom’s 100% ownership of Sales Power will enable us to fully control our growth plans. We look forward to helping Unilever grow all of its brands through best-in-class retail activation.”

USa, New York, NY & China, Shanghai

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Asia, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Ketchum acquires Maslov PR; Firm will be known as Ketchum Maslov

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Global marketing and corporate communication consultancy Ketchum has taken a majority position in Maslov PR, the Moscow-based, full-service Russian public relations company. The firm, to be called Ketchum Maslov, will be led by Michael Maslov, managing director and founder of Maslov PR, and Serguey Chumin, his business partner of several years. Maslov will report to Jon Higgins, Ketchum senior partner and CEO, international.

The acquisition builds on a successful 15-year exclusive affiliate relationship between the two firms. In 2006, Maslov PR introduced to Ketchum the opportunity to support the Russian Presidency of the G8. Today Maslov PR and Ketchum continue to partner on high-profile work with the Russian Federation, for which the combined team was awarded both the PRWeek Award and the Public Relations Society of America Silver Anvil award for Global Campaign of the Year in 2007.

This acquisition builds on other geographic client service moves made by Ketchum earlier this year, including finalizing its merger with Pleon in Europe to form Ketchum Pleon, the industry’s largest, most diversified consultancy in the region; forming a joint venture in the Middle East and North Africa called Ketchum Raad Middle East; and establishing a new exclusive affiliate relationship in South Korea with local market leader Prain.

USA, New York, NY & Russia, Moscow

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

UBM acquires Hors Antenne for up to €9m

October 20, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

United Business Media has acquired Hors Antenne on behalf of its wholly-owned subsidiary PR Newswire to further strengthen its position as the global leader in corporate and investor targeting.

Founded in 1997, Hors Antenne is the leading provider of media targeting information to the European French-speaking markets. The acquisition consideration comprises an initial cash payment of €6m with a further performance-related element of up to €3m payable over the next two years.

Hors Antenne provides its clients with access to data on more than 500,000 opinion formers, including journalists and media organisations, bloggers, key political and financial stakeholders, analysts and business contacts in France and in French-speaking Belgium and Switzerland. The business’ client base numbers over 16,000 and includes 90% of the largest 1,000 companies in France.

Hors Antenne employs 45 staff at its Paris headquarters and generated revenues of €3.6m in the year to 31 March 2010. Hors Antenne’s management – including its founder and CEO Marylise Fortin – will remain with the business, which will continue to operate as a separate entity. The acquisition is anticipated to exceed UBM’s cost of capital criterion in its first full year of ownership.

In addition to adding profitable revenue to PR Newswire’s successful European targeting business, the acquisition will enhance and expand the range of targeting and monitoring services Hors Antenne is able to offer its customers.

Lisa Ashworth, CEO of PR Newswire Europe said:

“The acquisition of Hors Antenne strengthens our position globally as a leader in the targeting field but more specifically in both France and in European French-speaking markets. The combination of Hors Antenne’s services with our own capabilities significantly enriches our data product services and reach. This continues our vision to develop PR Newswire in Europe and beyond, both organically and through best of breed acquisitions.”

France, Paris

Related articles:

Posted in Content Media, Marketing/Advertising, Publishers, ~Europe. Leave a Comment »

Marketron Acquires mSnap

September 30, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Marketron, a provider of business software solutions and services for the media industry, has acquired mSnap, the largest broadcast-based mobile advertising network in the U.S. and a leading provider of mobile advertising solutions. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Mobile is one of the fastest growing advertising segments in our industry and mSnap has established itself as an innovative leader in the category,” said Mike Pallad, Executive Vice President of Sales for Citadel Broadcasting. “The acquisition of the company by Marketron, which offers a host of cross-channel solutions for media companies, will increase mSnap’s capabilities and development. We’re proud of our partnerships with Marketron and mSnap and look forward to the benefits this merger will offer our stations and advertisers.”

“We are excited to join Marketron, as the company provides the technology and services integral to the success of thousands of media organizations around the world,” said Tim Favia, CEO of mSnap. “By combining our expertise in mobile advertising technology with Marketron’s software, services and distribution, we will enable media companies to leverage the mobile ad medium, and for the first time be able to sell, fulfill and account for it. This combination also provides significant scale to our network, increasing our leadership position and making us more relevant to advertisers as they move to the mobile medium.”

This acquisition enables Marketron to accelerate the growth of the already largest broadcast-based mobile network, consisting of 30 million unique subscribers and 1,400 premium publishers and serving 250 million advertising messages per month. The acquisition helps Marketron solidify mobile’s position as a growing advertising channel in the digital space, offering benefits to media companies and advertisers alike. 

USA, Hailey, ID

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Marketing/Advertising, Publishers, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

VideoEgg to acquire Six Apart and create SAY Media

September 27, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

VideoEgg, a privately held advertising network, has agreed to acquire blogging and conversational media company Six Apart, to form SAY Media.

The new entity combines VideoEgg’s engagement technologies with Six Apart’s social publishing platform to power advertising campaigns that are more conversational and interactive, with the combined company reaching 345 million global unique visitors.

Mena Trott, Six Apart co-founder: “SAY Media continues Six Apart’s mission to make passionate creators successful. Whether on TypePad or another platform, developing a game or an application, the company will empower people to create great content and make money doing it. This acquisition marks a new beginning as we launch a modern media company centered on the creators, the content, and the audiences that are redefining media.”

Link to the Launch Video

USA, San Francisco, CA

Posted in Content Media, Internet Media, Marketing/Advertising, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Independent digital and direct interactive agency Rosetta acquires LEVEL Studios

September 22, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Independent digital and direct interactive agency Rosetta has acquired LEVEL Studios. A California-based integrated marketing and product development agency.  Purchase price and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The combination, places Rosetta among the top five digital advertising agencies in the U.S. The addition of LEVEL’s three California locations gives Rosetta a significant West Coast presence.

LEVEL is forecasting $45 million revenues in 2010.  It has 215 staff across its San Luis Obispo (headquarters), San Jose and Los Angeles, CA studios.

LEVEL will retain its current management team and through 2011 will operate as “LEVEL, a Rosetta Company” as a separate group within Rosetta’s overall business.  The two agencies will soon begin to work through how to leverage each other’s expertise and team members across agencies to provide additional capabilities to existing and prospective clients.

With the acquisition, Rosetta will have estimated 2010 revenues of $215 million, more than 1,000 team members, 10 offices in the US and Canada, and unsurpassed expertise across all digital and direct touch points.  Prior to the acquisition of LEVEL, Rosetta ranked as the nation’s largest independent interactive agency and one of the 10 largest overall, according to Advertising Age. 

Rosetta’s revenues were $152.5 million in 2009.  Prior to this acquisition, Rosetta employed 850 staff in seven offices throughout the U.S. and Canada.  Some of their leading clients include Allergan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bristol Myers Squibb, Coach, Johnson & Johnson, Jos. A. Bank, M&T Bank, Marriott, Microsoft, Nationwide, OfficeMax, Rogers Communications, T-Mobile and Valvoline. 

New York-based mergers and acquisition firm AdMedia Partners acted as financial advisor to LEVEL in the transaction.

USA, Princeton, NJ & San Luis Obispo, CA

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~North America. Leave a Comment »

Schawk acquires boutique digital agency Untitled London Limited

September 22, 2010 — Fusion DigiNet

Schawk, a brand point management services, has acquired the boutique digital agency Untitled London Limited, which is based in London, UK.

Untitled London Limited, with annual revenues of approximately $0.7 million, provides strategic, creative and technical services for digital marketing across web, mobile and social touch points.

President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Schawk commented, “With the acquisition of Untitled London Limited, we will be able to offer our clients a broader array of digital marketing services, enabling them to integrate their digital marketing programs more holistically with the balance of their marketing activities. On a broader level, this acquisition reflects our continued commitment to strategically enhance our brand point management capabilities.”

According to Rob Hollands, managing director of Untitled London Limited, “Schawk presented our agency with an opportunity to extend our creative reach across its extensive client base. Enhancing and expanding the offering that Schawk provides to an enormous wealth of brands means that we have an established platform to grow our business globally. We are proud of our body of creative work and look forward to using our talent and skills to complement Schawk’s approach to brand owners.”

UK, London & USA, Des Plaines, IL

Posted in Marketing/Advertising, ~Europe, ~North America. Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »