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Dear ${token1} ${token2}
In the news this fortnight: Advertisers
After months of negotiations, Time Warner
chose Google over Microsoft
in a deal to bolster its
AOL subsidiary. The
search engine giant will pay $1bn for a 5% shareholding in AOL, and
the two companies agreed a number of revenue-sharing deals. Google retains its position as the supplier of
paid and unpaid search results to AOL users, while AOL will get the exclusive right to sell search and other types of
advertising, including banners, across the Google network. The partners
will also work together to develop video search technology.
As expected, Vivendi Universal's Canal+ agreed the outline of a deal
to absorb rival digital pay TV platform TPS. Under the plan, Vivendi will
end up with an 85% stake in the merged group, while TPS co-owners TF1 (a
unit of Bouygues) and M6 (a unit of RTL), will split the remaining shares. In the
first step towards that merger, VU acquired an 18% stake in TPS for
E150m.
Japanese packaged goods giant Kao Corporation
will acquire
prestige beauty manufacturer Kanebo Cosmetics for Y425bn
($3.6bn). The deal will create a formidable rival in Japan to leading cosmetics
firm Shisiedo, and will greatly enhance Kao's international
profile. Kao has already experienced some success outside Asia with
personal care products such as John Frieda haircare, Jergens skincare and
Ban deodorants.
Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse has unveiled a strategy to
become the main UK challenger to telecoms giant BT. It already supplies
more than 1m customers with low cost fixed line services under the Talk
Talk banner, and in two deals announced at the end of December more than
doubled its customer base. The group will purchase the OneTel telecoms
service from Centrica for up to £154m, as well as the UK and Irish
fixed-line operations of pan-European operator Tele2.
Morgan Stanley boosted the operations of its UK credit card business
with the acquisition of Goldfish, the credit card and savings brand
originally launched as a joint venture between Lloyds TSB and Centrica.
Lloyds TSB took full control of the business in 2004 but was unable to
grow its customerbase significantly, and will now concentrate on own-brand
credit cards.
Nestle is seeking further reinforcements in its battle with
Danone within
the chilled dairy sector. The Swiss food giant is to transfer its chilled
yogurt and dessert products, including those under the Sveltesse, Munch Bunch, Ski,
Yoco and La Laitiere brands, into a new joint venture which will be 60%
controlled by French dairy group Lactalis (whose international brands
include President butter and cheese). Meanwhile Nestle also expanded its ice cream
business with the acquisition of Greece's leading manufacturer, Delta.
In the news this week: Agencies
Havas chairman Vincent Bolloré was widely reported to have
offered the
role of group CEO to Fernando Rodes Vila, chairman of MPG, as a
replacement for former banker Philippe Wahl, appointed six months ago.
Havas denies the story.
WPP is to dismantle mOne Worldwide, the specialist media buying agency formed in 2003
from the interactive and direct marketing media operations of
MindShare and OgilvyOne. The two partners
will take back control of their respective clients.
There were numerous account changes in the last few days of 2005.
Among the more significant: BMW moved its US media to creative agency GSD&M;
Starwood Hotels appointed MediaVest New York; Office Depot's creative
account went to Kaplan Thaler; Lee
Jeans moved its global advertising to Arnold
Worldwide; Burger King dropped
DLKW in the UK in favour of its US agency Crispin
Porter Bogusky; Kraft moved its
branded mayonnaise and salad dressings out of JWT
and FCB and into indie agency Mcgarrybowen;
Washington Mutual appointed Leo Burnett
Chicago; Kellogg's reappointed Starcom
for its US media; and Bacardi gave its
global rum account to Y&R.
Regards
Simon Tesler
Managing Director, Adbrands
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