• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, July 19, 2012

Macy's Spikes MSLO Deal

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia has encountered a setback in its strategy to increase revenues through merchandising and retail deals. A court has -- temporarily, at least -- ordered a halt to its wide-ranging partnership with JCPenney. New York State Supreme Court judge Jeffrey K. Oing granted a preliminary injunction ordering MSLO to pause its work with JCPenney at the request of Macy’s, which has filed a lawsuit against MSLO, claiming that the JCPenney deal violates the terms of Macy’s own deal with MSLO.

Specifically, Macy’s claims an exclusive right to sell Martha Stewart-branded goods in categories including bedding, cookware and tableware. The injunction, if it stands, would prevent MSLO and JCPenney from moving ahead with their own merchandising and retail partnership until the Macy’s lawsuit is concluded.

IPG, Orion Form Print Unit

As if the magazine business didn’t have enough to worry about, now one of the world’s largest advertising holding companies is forming a special unit to, essentially, help clients spend less on print advertising.
 
Orion Printing, a new division launched by Interpublic Group’s Orion Holdings in partnership with Pitney Bowes, according to IPG, will “focus on supplying print management solutions… to create savings and increased value for clients” by leveraging the scale and breadth of IPG’s print investments.
 
The cost efficiencies resulting from this kind of coordination across advertising holding companies could be a boon for their clients, but it’s harder to see what benefits -- if any -- it will produce for print publishers. Although marketers could theoretically shift savings to spending on other print properties, there is growing pressure to make use of digital channels, due to their supposedly greater measurability and transparency.

AMI Names Digital Officer
 
American Media Inc. -- which publishes Star, Shape and the National Enquirer among other consumer titles -- has appointed Joe Bilman to the new role of chief digital officer. Bilman had previously served as a consultant for Isis Mobile Commerce; he also held executive roles at Fox Mobile and Rodale. AMI hopes to boost digital revenues from 3% to 10% of its total revenues in coming years, in part by hiring 60 new digital media employees and boosting investment in digital media by $30 million, according to Ad Age.
 
Cook To EIC, Motorcyclist
 
Marc Cook has been named editor in chief of Motorcyclist, according to publisher Source Interlink Media. Previously, Cook served as editor in chief of Kitplanes, a journal devoted to amateur airplane building, from 2004-2012. He has also worked at Motorcyclist before, serving as senior editor and then executive editor from 1999-2002. After leaving the company, he continued to contribute to Motorcyclist, as well as sister pubs Motorcycle Cruiser, Sport Rider and Motorcycle Escape.