While consumers say they still love their supermarkets, a new study shows they are spending less money there, with grocery stores now accounting for about 51% of food dollars. The report, from AlixPartners, a leading global business advisory firm, found that while shoppers are value-conscious, they still say food quality, especially perishables, and store atmosphere are just as important to them as prices. About 70% of consumers are making trips to buy groceries once a week, with 50% planning to spend more on food in the year ahead, and 39% expecting to spend roughly the same as they did ...

Ad network Audience Science revised its privacy policy on Thursday to address how it handles the type of information that Web users might be touchy about. While the company says it doesn't use “sensitive” data for ad targeting, it also acknowledges that “consumers may have differing opinions regarding which data segments are sensitive.” Audience Science goes on to say that it “may use health related segments such as Cholesterol and Dental, Oral Care.” The self-regulatory group Network Advertising Initiative requires users' opt-in consent for health-related targeting but only when it's based on “precise information” about health or ...

AOL has retained two big M&A specialists -- investment banker Allen & Co, and law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz -- reports Adweek magazine. AOL CEO Tim Armstrong confirmed the Adweek news, adding that there are no deals on the table and that AOL's strategy has not changed. http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/aol-huddles-top-ma-team-134460

Interpublic's UM unit has named Barbara Pelham executive vice president-global manager partner for the MasterCard business. She joins from WPP's OgilvyOne, where she was executive group director.

Two of the best media reporters in the biz are moving on from their longtime posts: Jim Romenesko announced his "semi-retirement," wrapping up his blog at Poynter.org, and Slate has laid off media critic Jack Shafer, who tells the American Journalism Review, "Everybody is replaceable."

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, marketers like the Home Depot, General Motors and American Express are struggling with the best way to connect with the tens of millions of consumers who will observe the day, without appearing to be either exploitive or insensitive. The Home Depot is the latest, just announcing that its foundation is working with The Mission Continues and rock band 3 Doors Down to introduce a "Celebration of Service" campaign, an effort to enhance the lives of U.S. military veterans. The campaign kicks off on Sept. 11, and is scheduled to run through Veterans ...

Havas Sports & Entertainment (HS&E), a unit of the Paris-based Havas is developing the sports part of its offering in the U.S. with the hiring of Mark Rothenberg to the new post of senior vice president for sports. Up to now, HS&E's emphasis in the U.S. has been on the entertainment side through a Miami-based office headed by Manuel Reis, and Cake, HS&E's social media arm. Now Rothenberg, based in New York, is tasked with developing the unit's sports expertise. Rotherberg will work with several U.S.-based Havas agencies including media shop MPG, Havas Digital, and creative shops Euro RSCG and ...

Search marketing is expected to contribute $33.3 billion to the overall $77 billion in interactive ad spend by 2016, according to a report from Forrester Research released Thursday. The report, "U.S. Interactive Marketing Forecasts, 2011 to 2016," put search marketing at $18.8 billion this year, followed by $21.5 billion in 2012, $24.6 billion in 2013, $27.5 billion in 2014, and $30.4 billion in 2015. While search marketing commands the largest piece of interactive marketing, it will lose share from 55% today to 44% of all interactive spend in 2016, as marketers refocus their search marketing strategies or 'getting found' ...

Advertisers will spend $77 billion on interactive marketing by 2016 - as much as is spent on TV today, according to a new Forrester five year interactive marketing forecast. Search marketing, display advertising, mobile marketing, email marketing, and social media will grow to 35% of all advertising spend, notes Analyst Shar VanBoskirk in her new blog post (http://t.co/sl0YlTb), amounting to a 17% total compound annual growth rate over the next five years. Additional forecast details include: • Search Marketing: Search will continue as the largest piece of the interactive marketing pie, growing to more than $33 billion over the ...

Aegis Group reported a 14.5% revenue gain for the first half of 2011 to $1.24 billion, with profits of $90 million, up 45%. The London-based media agency holding company said organic revenue growth, which is considered a key metric in the industry and excludes acquisitions, divestitures and currency fluctuations was 7.3% for the first six months of the year. That was at the high end of the organic growth range of other holding company competitors for the same period. Publicis Groupe, for example, reported 7.1% organic growth for the first half. The comparable figures for Interpublic Group and Omnicom were ...