GlobalWide Media completes $40M acquisition of Neverblue Media Company

September 7, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

GlobalWide Media Inc. has closed its acquisition of Neverblue Media Company and AKMG.

Neverblue, based in Victoria, British Columbia with offices in Los Angeles, Europe and Asia, is a performance-based online marketing company with capabilities across all major media channels, including mobile, search, email, social media and display. AKMG is a performance based affiliate network comprised of premium publishers worldwide. While Neverblue will continue to operate under the Neverblue Media name, AKMG and its entire team will operate as GlobalWide Media going forward.

“We are delighted to formally welcome the Neverblue team, as their footprint into international markets together with their expertise and scale in mobile advertising complements our strengths in becoming the premier ‘One-stop’ solution for advertisers and publishers,” said Farshad Fardad, Chief Executive Officer of GlobalWide Media. “Our ultimate goal is to deliver highly targeted profitable customers to our advertisers while broadening the availability of additional branded campaigns to our publishing partners.”

USA, Westlake Village, CA & Canada, British Columbia, Victoria

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DMGT sells remaining interest in DMG Radio Australia

September 5, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

DMGT has sold its remaining 50% in DMG Radio Australia (DMGRA) to Illyria, the private investment vehicle of Mr Lachlan Murdoch, which first acquired a 50% interest in November 2009.

DMGT has received A$100m (£65 m) in cash and, later in the year, will receive a further sum equivalent to 50% of the final DMGRA dividend for the year ending 30 September, 2012. DMGT will use the proceeds of the sale to reduce debt.

Martin Morgan, Chief Executive of DMGT, said: “Our partnership with Illyria over three years has been a success. Following an approach from Illyria, we decided now was an appropriate time to realise the value created by DMGRA’s improved performance. The transaction represents another step forward for our strategy to concentrate resources on a more focused portfolio of businesses”.

UK, London & Australia, Sydney, Pyrmont

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Gannett acquires social media marketing solutions company BLiNQ Media

August 26, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Gannett Co., Inc. has acquired BLiNQ Media LLC, a global innovator of Social Engagement AdvertisingSM solutions for agencies and brands. Since 2008, BLiNQ has managed social media marketing campaigns for more than 600 of the world’s largest advertisers.

“With demand for social media marketing solutions continuing to grow at a rapid pace, this acquisition is part of our ongoing transformation at Gannett and positions us to be a leader in both local and global social media marketing. BLiNQ will enhance Gannett Digital Marketing Services’ ability to deliver a one-stop shop for all marketing needs, including social marketing,” said Gracia Martore, president and CEO at Gannett.

BLiNQ will continue to operate its core business as part of Gannett’s portfolio of brands, providing technology and media solutions for social advertising and engagement to agencies and brands. As part of Gannett’s Digital Marketing Services organization, BLiNQ will help develop innovative social marketing solutions for businesses that want to reach local consumers. Gannett Digital Marketing Services will fully leverage BLiNQ’s BAM 2.0 technology platform, which facilitates social media campaign planning, set-up, management, optimization and insights. BLiNQ will have a strong focus on delivering robust solutions for local social engagement at scale, including working closely with ShopLocal to help shape best practices and results in reaching, engaging and building loyalty with retail consumers via social media. Dave Williams, BLiNQ’s CEO, will report to Vikram Sharma, president and CEO at Gannett Digital Marketing Services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

BLiNQ’s headquarters will remain at TechSpace in New York City and its technology, finance and marketing groups will remain based in Atlanta. BLiNQ’s sales and support offices will continue in London, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

USA, McLean, VA & New York, NY

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The New York Times Company agrees to sell its About Group to IAC

August 26, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

The New York Times Company is to sell its About Group, which includes the websites of About.com, ConsumerSearch.com and CalorieCount.com, to IAC for $300 million in cash. The Company intends to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes.

“About.com has been a strong contributor to our company since its acquisition in 2005,” said Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., chairman, The New York Times Company. “About’s early expertise in search engine optimization, expert content and revenues from cost-per-click and display advertising made it a valuable component of our portfolio for the past seven years. This sale will allow the Times Company to focus on the development and growth of our core brands locally, nationally and on a global scale.”

USA, New York, NY

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Aegis acquires C2 in India

August 23, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Aegis Group plc, the media and digital communications group,  has entered into an agreement to acquire Communicate 2 (“C2”), a performance marketing and search agency in India. C2’s gross assets as at 31 March 2012 were INR 129.9 million (£1.5) million.

C2 is a specialist performance marketing agency which focuses on search engine optimisation, search engine marketing, contextual advertising, search strategies around social media and lead generation. Originally established in 1997, C2 has built a strong client list of both local corporates, including Tata Consultancy Services, Cleartrip, ICICI Lombard and HDFC Bank, and international businesses, including Travelocity, Aviva Insurance and American Express.  C2 has offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Pune and employs over 130 employees.

C2 will be merged into iProspect India’s existing operations, strengthening its network in key cities across India and providing additional service capabilities for its clients.

UK, London &  India (Mumbai, Delhi and Pune)

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Revenue and profit fall at Haynes

August 23, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Haynes Publishing Group P.L.C has announced reduced revenue and profit in its preliminary unaudited results for the full financial year to May 2012.

  • Group revenue down 9% at £29.8 million (2011: £32.7 million)
  • Group operating profit of £5.1 million (2011: £7.7 million)
  • Group profit before tax of £4.7 million (2011: £7.2 million)

The Haynes Group comprises two geographical business segments UK & Europe and North America & Australia.

The UK & European business has headquarters in Somerset, UK and subsidiaries in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Romania and Sweden. The core business of the European operations is the publication and supply of automotive repair and technical information to the professional automotive markets as well as to the DIY aftermarkets in both a printed and digital format.

The North American & Australian business has headquarters near Los Angeles, California and publishes DIY repair manuals for cars and motorcycles in both a printed and digital format.

Read the full announcement here

 

UK, Somerset & USA, Los Angeles, CA

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CRU Group acquires Ryan’s Notes

August 22, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

CRU Group, the global metals, mining and fertilizer analysis, consultancy and conference business, has acquired Ryan’s Notes. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ryan’s Notes comprises the Ryan’s Notes news and price assessments newsletter, which is also available online, and three conferences: the Ryan’s Notes Ferroalloys Conference, the Ryan’s Notes Metallics Meeting and the recently launched Ryan’s Notes European Ferroalloys Conference.

Ryan’s Notes was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Pelham, NY. Both of Ryan’s Notes’ founders, Patrick Ryan and Alice Agoos, will continue working on the newsletter and the conferences as part of the expanded CRU Group.

Patrick Ryan said: “After more than 17 years creating, growing and developing Ryan’s Notes, I am delighted that we have found a new home with CRU. Both Alice and I are also pleased that we will continue to work on the newsletter and conferences with CRU into the future.”

CRU Chairman Robert Perlman said: “This acquisition enables CRU to take a pre-eminent position in ferroalloys and metallics worldwide, both in price assessments and in conferences. There is an excellent fit between our two businesses which will allow us to offer even more value to our customers around the world.”

CRU Chief Executive Nick Morgan said: “We have always admired the Ryan’s Notes business and were not surprised when it researched very well in our pre-acquisition work. I am pleased to welcome Patrick, Alice and their team to CRU.”

UK, London & USA, Pelham, NY

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Axel Springer Digital Classifieds to acquire local portal meinestadt.de

August 21, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Axel Springer Digital Classifieds, a strategic partnership between Axel Springer and the global growth investor General Atlantic founded in the spring of 2012, is to acquire allesklar.com AG, which operates Germany’s leading local portal meinestadt.de. The company is being sold by the founding Stegger family (56.1 percent) and by Holtzbrinck Digital Strategy (43.9 percent).

Founded in 1996, the Siegburg-based company currently employs a staff of about 300 people. Its most important asset is the local portal meinestadt.de, which attracts more than 8 million unique monthly users (AGOF). Users turn to meinestadt.de for a variety of local and regional content, including job and apprenticeship offers, real estate and automotive ads and general classifieds for some 11,337 German cities and towns, at the present time. The regionally specific portal sites also offer city information and leisure time recommendations, as well as local news, information on events, movie schedules, and a business directory.

Dr. Jens Müffelmann, Head of the Electronic Media Division at Axel Springer AG: “meinestadt.de offers sustained profitable growth, a very wide reach and strong brand familiarity, as well as tremendous growth prospects, due to its focus on regional and local content. As a leader among regional portals, moreover, meinestadt.de makes an excellent fit with our portfolio of national classified marketplaces.”

Following the acquisition, the founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Manfred Stegger, 61, will leave the company. Georg Konjovic, 34, will succeed him by January 1, 2013, at the latest. Appointed Director Premium Content at Axel Springer AG since January 1, 2011, he also served as the Managing Director of hamburg.de, the official city portal of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, from 2007 to 2010. Peter Bettin, 50, Chief Operating Officer of allesklar.com, will continue as a Management Board member.

The transaction is still pending, subject to the approval of the cartel authorities.

Germany, Siegburg

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Schneider Publishing Company acquires Meetings Quest

August 20, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

Schneider Publishing Company has acquired Meetings Quest, a series of one-day trade shows for meeting and event planners, owned by James T. Dunn Enterprises. Beginning in 2013, Meetings Quest will join Schneider Publishing’s suite of media properties that serve the meeting and event industries: Association News, SportsTravel and the TEAMS Conference & Expo.

“We’re excited to be adding a live-show component that will be marketed alongside Association News magazine,” said Timothy Schneider, president and CEO of Los Angeles-based Schneider Publishing. “Meetings Quest is a brand with a long and proud history. We look forward to introducing several enhancements to this series of shows that will make it the best way for hotels, venues, convention bureaus and meetings-industry suppliers to reach key association and corporate meeting planners.”

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Meetings Quest was founded in 1984 by the late Jimmy Dunn. Dunn’s wife, Barbara Cox-Dunn, has owned and operated the shows since Dunn passed away in 2000. She will continue managing the shows for the 2012 show season, after which Schneider Publishing will assume management and marketing for Meetings Quest. Under Schneider Publishing’s ownership, Dunn will continue in her marketing role for Meetings Quest and, effective immediately, will also be responsible for print and online advertising sales in Association News in the Northeastern United States.

USA, Los Angeles, CA & Washington, D.C.

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Possible Worldwide acquires majority stake in digital marketing services agency, Fortune Cookie

August 18, 2012 — Fusion DigiNet

WPP’s global operating network Possible Worldwide, the interactive marketing agency, has acquired a majority stake in Fortune Cookie (UK) Limited, a full service digital marketing services agency. The agency specialises in providing design and build, mobile and tablet apps and site development, online marketing services and digital strategy. Fortune Cookie will combine its business with that of Possible Worldwide Limited in the UK to provide an enhanced service offering to its global clients.

Founded in 1997 by Justin Cooke, the current Chair of the British Interactive Media Association, Fortune Cookie is headquartered in London with operations in Poland, the Netherlands, US and Australia. The agency employs over 190 people and clients include Canon, AEGON, NetJets, BP and Legal & General.

Fortune Cookie’s consolidated revenues for the year ended 31 August 2011 were approximately £9.4 million with gross assets as at the same date of approximately £2.8 million.

UK, London

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