Publicis Groupe has conditionally agreed to buy independent digital shop LBi for $540 million, the companies have confirmed. LBi, based in Amsterdam confirmed talking to unnamed parties this summer about a potential sale. However it was Omnicom that surfaced in press reports as the likely buyer not Publicis. LBi clients include Lloyds TSB, Volvo, Johnson & Johnson, Coca Cola, Carlsberg and Ikea. The proposed purchase extends the latest round of agency consolidation as the holding companies continue to bulk up their digital offerings. Earlier this year WPP purchased digital agency AKQA. "The acquisition of LBi is another step forward in …

Brandon Copple, formerly managing editor at Groupon has joined Wrapports, owner of the Chicago Sun-Times and other media properties, to oversee a new venture that will create sports and business media products, the company said today. In his new role as general manager at Wrapports, the company Copple will also lead development of a new Web video initiative to be carried on multiple company platforms including suntimes.com. Prior to joining Groupon in 2010, Copple was managing editor of Crain’s Chicago Business, and has also held writing positions at Forbes and The Wall Street Journal.

On the eve of the iPhone 5’s launch, mobile ad firm Mojiva released the results of a study showing that 70% current iPhone owners plan to upgrade to the latest model. The Sept. 6-10 survey of about 1,000 iPhone users in the U.S and U.K. each, also found 42% here have owned their current device for less than six months, compared to 52% in the U.K. Among other study findings: --More than two out of five U.S. and U.K. respondents (43 percent and 41 percent, respectively) currently own an iPad. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. respondents (6%) will own …

Underscoring its quest to generate more ad revenue, Facebook said today that companies running Facebook Offers will now have to create ads to promote their Offers. “Businesses will still be able to run Offers for a minimal budget, but ads must be created in order for people to see Offers in their news feeds,” Facebook announced today. The step comes as Facebook rolls out its Offers service globally (Japan will launch next week) to all Facebook pages with more than 400 fans. The social network also added the ability for companies to include a barcode or unique code in an …

Next Issue Media, the consortium formed by five major U.S. publishers, on Wednesday announced the addition of 31 titles offered through its iPad app, bringing the total to 72. New titles include Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Golf World, Harper’s Bazaar, House Beautiful, Marie Claire, Redbook, Road & Track, Teen Vogue, W, and Woman’s Day. Pricing for unlimited access to Next Issue content remains unchanged at $14.99 for all 72 titles in the catalog, including weekly titles, and $9.99 a month for all monthly and bi-weekly titles. Next Issue launched the iPad app in July with titles including Better Homes and …

Nearly half (49%) of smartphone and tablet owners aged 18 to 34 are using apps more to follow the presidential election than four years ago, according to a new survey. Forty-one percent of device owners are getting more information about the election via apps, browsing blogs, and social media than in 2008. What’s more, 60% said they would cast their vote via mobile app or text message if they could do so without concern about fraud. There’s not an app for that. The study, commissioned by mobile news and entertainment app Stitcher and conducted by Harris Interactive, also found …

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of small and medium businesses (SMBs) will increase or keep the same mobile ad spend in the next twelve months. Of those increasing spend, 65% of SMBs expect to increase spend by up to 30% in the next twelve months, according to a new study by Borrell Associates. The survey, conducted on behalf of mobile lead gen firm Pontiflex, found 26% would prefer to pay for signups (the email addresses and social networking handles of consumers interested in their businesses) as compared to clicks (19%) or impressions (6%). In addition, 75% of SMBs said that the …

Brands on Facebook now have the ability to buy promoted posts via mobile as well as on the desktop. Introduced in May, the ad option allows Facebook page administrators to boost exposure for their posts beyond the normal reach they get in fans’ news feeds -- and without having to go through a separate ad dashboard. Promoted posts are available to any page with more than 400 fans and any kind of post can be promoted including status updates, photos, offers, videos and questions. A new version of Facebook’s Pages Manager app that will let businesses buy promoted posts on-the-go …

Yahoo on Tuesday announced closing the sale of half its 40% stake in China-based Alibaba Group, generating proceeds of about $7.6 billion--$6.3 billion in cash and $800 million in preferred shares. Yahoo also received a payment of $550 million for a technology and intellectual property license agreement with Alibaba. The companies reached an agreement in principle on the deal in May. "The completion of the first stage of the Alibaba share repurchase represents a significant milestone for both Alibaba and Yahoo,” said Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer, in a statement. “The execution of the deal was excellent, and we are …

Adam Shlachter has joined Publicis' Digitas unit as senior vice president-media. Based in New York, Shlachter will lead media for the American Express Global Advertising & Brand Management team as the New York Media Capability Lead, and in addition lead digital video media work for North America. He reports to Carl Fremont, executive vice president-global media director.