• Maxus Wins SC Johnson's Global Buying Duties
    WPP’s GroupM has won global buying duties for household products maker S.C. Johnson after a review. The account, with total spending approaching $1 billion, will be parked at Maxus, which also was awarded half of the client’s media planning account as well. SCJ’s domestic spending is estimated at between $300 million and $400 million. It’s been an excellent couple of weeks for WPP’s Maxus, which won a huge piece of the Comcast-NBC media assignment (about $500 million) last week, including the NBC TV properties and Universal Studio work. SCJ confirmed today that it completed its review, but made no mention …
  • IDC: iPhone Shipments Up 141% In Q2
    Apple maintained its rank as the world's No. 4 phone maker in the second quarter, nearly tripling shipments to 20. 3 million from 8.4 million a year ago, according to new data from IDC. That gave Apple a 5.6% share of the global handset market, up from 2.6% in the year-earlier period. Nokia, the No. 1 phone manufacturer, by contrast, saw shipments fall by 20% in the quarter to 111 million. It's share dropped to 24.2% from 33.8% a year ago, while No. 2 phone maker Samsung maintained about a 19% share. LG Electronics was the third largest …
  • Parents to Cut Back On Restaurants To Cover Back-to-School Costs
    A new study from American Express reports that while parents say they won't scrimp on what kids need to start the school year, it won't be painless: They'll cut back on restaurant spending, entertaining, and their own clothing. The average family of four expects to spend $800 on back-to-school shopping. But 67% say they will make financial trade-offs to cover it, including dining out less (53%), spending less on entertainment (39%), and buying fewer clothes for themselves (37%). Clothing is expected to be the largest expense, at $290, with another $110 for shoes and $100 for school supplies. …
  • Yahoo, Alibaba Reach Agreement
    Yahoo on Friday announced an agreement with China-based Alibaba Group and Softbank resolving the dispute that erupted over the ownership transfer of Alibaba's online payments unit called Alipay. Yahoo, which holds a 40% stake in Alibaba, said it was caught off guard in May when the company shifted ownership of Alipay to another company controlled by Alibaba CEO Jack Ma. Under the deal, Alibaba is to receive between $2 billion and $6 billion in the case of an Alipay IPO or other "liquidity event.  Alipay will also continue to provide payment processing services to Alibaba Group and its …
  • Kolb Succeeds Landsberg As CEO of MRM
    McCann Worldgroup just announced a reorganization of digital and direct unit MRM, naming Bill Kolb CEO. He succeeds Mark Landsberg, who joined McCann Worldgroup last year as president of corporate development, but retained the dual role of CEO of MRM. Kolb, who had been global president and COO of MRM. Landsberg will gradually transition his remaining MRM responsibilities over to Kolb over the next few months, and will then serve as non-executive chairman of the digital shop.
  • Tablet Sales To Drive Device Shipments
    Tablet sales will power 57.8% growth in shipments of mobile broadband devices this year, according to a new forecast by market research firm IHS. That would match last year's 57.4% growth rate. Shipments are projected to climb to 157.9 million units in 2011, up from 100.1 million units in 2010. That figure is expected to reach 350.7 million units by 2015, but growth will slow over the next few years as the wireless device market becomes more saturated. Read more here.
  • The Lipstick Effect: Luxury Beauty Sales Boom, While Total Luxury Spending Falls
    It seems there is something especially alluring about a fancy lipstick these days: The NPD Group reports that year-to-date dollar sales of prestige cosmetics are up 9% through May, or $1.4 billion. (May sales are up even more, at 11%.) Those gains, however, make quite a contrast to the luxury market in general. Unity Marketing, which tracks consumer confidence among America's most affluent shoppers, is reporting the steepest quarterly plunge since the recession in it Luxury Consumption Index. "Consumer confidence among the affluent--the economy's heavy lifter segment which account for only 20% of households, but over 40% of …
  • Townsend To CEO of GroupM Sports/Ent Consultantcy
    GroupM's Entertainment & Sports Partnerships (ESP) has promoted Bryce Townsend to CEO, the entertainment and sports consultancy unit has confirmed. Townsend succeeds Greg Luckman, who is leaving the company for a senior post at CAA Sports, a unit of the Los Angeles-based talent firm Creative Artists Agency. Previously, Townsend was executive vice president and general manager of ESP's North American operation. He will report to Rob Norman, CEO GroupM North America. "We are fortunate to have an executive of Bryce's experience and standing in the community to take over for Greg at one of our company's fastest-growing …
  • Ehlers Promoted to US President Optimedia
    Dave Ehlers has been named President of Optimedia US, succeeding Antony Young who is joining Mindshare as NA CEO. Ehlers has been with ZenithOptimedia since 1995, most recently serving as EVP, Managing Director of the agency. He oversaw Corporate Development, including new business, as well as human resources, ZO Multicultural and Newcast, the branded entertainment unit of ZO.
  • Antony Young Joins Mindshare
    WPP's Mindshare reshuffled its top North American management team Thursday, naming Antony Young CEO. As North American CEO, Young will oversee the shop's U.S. and Canadian operations. Young's predecessor, Phil Cowdell, was elevated to the new post of North American chairman at the agency. Both executives report to Dominic Proctor, global CEO of Mindshare.
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