Mediaweek - Media Agencies and Research

Grubbs Leaving Omnicom

Steve McClellan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:03:00 EST

Omnicom Group veteran Steve Grubbs, currently CEO of the holding company's sports and entertainment division, is leaving the firm at the end of the year. The news was disclosed to company employees in a recent e-mail from Omnicom Media Group CEO Daryl Simm.

Nielsen to Add Local Live-Plus-Same-Day Metric

Katy Bachman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:09:00 EST

Nielsen will add a new live-plus-same-day metric to its local people meter and set meter markets beginning January 2010, the ratings firm told its clients Monday (Nov. 9). The decision to drop the live metric in favor of the live-plus-same-day metric followed a month-long communication with clients.

Mediabrands Latest to Tinker with Local Buying Unit

Steve McClellan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:05:00 EST

Media agency network taking steps to reinvent its handling of the $5.5 billion local buying process, seeking better leverage and efficiencies

CIMM to Meet With Set-Top Box Research Firms

Katy Bachman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:12:00 EST

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement said Monday (Nov. 2) it would meet with five of the research firms currently providing set-top box data as a first step towards figuring out how the data could be used to measure TV audiences.

Nielsen, DataLogix Partner for Better Online Ad Targeting

Mike Shields — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:01:00 EST

The Nielsen Co. has joined forces with the Westminster, CO–based direct marketing firm DataLogix in a partnership that the research giant believes will go a long way toward fulfilling the promise of online ad targeting.

TRA Names Bob Meyers President, COO

Katy Bachman — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:32:00 EDT

Expanding its executive management team, TRA announced Thursday (Oct. 29) the appointment of Bob Meyers to the newly created position of president and chief operating officer.

FCC to Study 'State of Media'

Katy Bachman — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:26:00 EDT

Media policy is going under the microscope at the Federal Communications Commission, which Wednesday (Oct. 28) named Internet entrepreneur and journalist Steven Waldman to “assess the state of the media.”

Media Companies Following OVAB Guidelines

Katy Bachman — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:19:00 EDT

Moving one step closer to a common ratings currency for the buying and selling of video advertising networks, 11 media companies, representing 22 networks, have published disclosure forms for audience research studies conducted by third-party research firms.

Razorfish's Colin Kinsella Moves to Digitas

Brian Morrissey — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:21:00 EDT

Publicis Groupe has begun sorting out management chores at its digital agencies Razorfish and Digitas, with Razorfish chief innovation officer Colin Kinsella moving to Digitas as president of North American operations.

Analysis: Prime Network TV Ad Cost Dives in Q3

Steve McClellan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:17:00 EDT

The average cost of a 30-second prime-time ad on network TV dropped 16 percent to just under $84,000 in the third quarter compared to Q3 2008. Meanwhile, boosted by higher ratings, cable showed a slight pricing increase during the same period.

Barbara Cipolla Joins OMD as CMO

Steve McClellan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:50:00 EDT

Barbara Cipolla, former U.S. president at WPP Group's MediaCom, has joined Omnicom's OMD Worldwide as chief marketing officer, the agency has confirmed. The position is a new one at the shop.

Updated: CIMM Posts Research RFPs on Site

Katy Bachman — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:01:00 EDT

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement quietly posted its request for proposal for two research projects on an “under construction” Web site.

Nielsen's Whiting Joins MarkMonitor Board

Kenneth Hein — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:22:00 EDT

Brand protection company MarkMonitor has named Nielsen Co. vice chair Susan Whiting to its board of directors. MarkMonitor offers services that help protect companies from online fraud, brand abuse and cybersquatting. Its "Brandjacking Index" also provides an in-depth review of online risks.

Initiative to Launch Biz Intelligence, Analytics Process

Steve McClellan — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:03:00 EDT

Interpublic Group's Initiative is launching a new global business intelligence and analytics process designed to drive and assess performance through every phase of client media and marketing campaigns. The company has appointed Jeffrey Graham to the new position of worldwide director of performance to oversee its introduction to clients.

Razorfish's Jeff Lanctot Jumps to Microsoft

Brian Morrissey — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:25:00 EDT

Longtime Razorfish executive Jeff Lanctot is leaving the agency to join Microsoft.

TV Viewing Among Kids at Eight-Year High

Patricia McDonough, Nielsen Co. — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:08:00 EDT

American children aged 2-11 are watching more and more television than they have in years.

Cross-Platform Ratings Debate

Steve McClellan — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:03:00 EDT

Nielsen's recently announced plans for a cross-platform ratings system has sparked debate about both the rollout's timing and exactly what online programs should be included.

VW Picks Deutsch/LA

Andrew McMains and Eleftheria Parpis — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:31:00 EDT

Volkswagen of America has selected IPG's Deutsch/LA in Marina del Rey, Calif., to handle creative duties on its ad account, the client has confirmed. Account revenue is estimated at more than $15 million.

Nielsen Pumps More Dollars Into Council for Research Excellence

Katy Bachman — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:09:00 EDT

Nielsen pulled out its checkbook Friday (Oct. 23) and deposited $2.5 million into the Council for Research Excellence, dwarfing the financial coffers of the recently formed Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement. The new grant to the CRE, formed in 2005 to conduct methodological research for improving media measurement, brings Nielsen’s total investment to $10 million.

FCC Looking to Ensure 'Network Neutrality'

Georg Szalai — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:41:00 EDT

After years of debate between telecom, cable and Internet companies, the FCC is looking to start crafting rules to ensure "network neutrality," or restricting Internet network operators from favoring some content and data over other types.

Omnicom Endures Rough Third Quarter

Noreen O'Leary — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:10:00 EDT

Omnicom Group, hit with steep revenue declines in the automotive category, sports and event marketing, recruitment and branding/design, said net income dropped 22 percent in the third quarter. Those four areas accounted for just over half of the 10.7 percent decline in organic revenue during Q3.

Report: Political Ad Spend to Increase 11% in 2010

Katy Bachman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EDT

Political advertising will hit $3.3 billion in 2010, an 11 percent increase over 2008, according to a Wells Fargo Securities report released Wednesday (Oct. 21).

Report: In-Store Marketing Beats Out Traditional Ads

Kenneth Hein — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:59:00 EDT

In-store marketing is more effective than traditional ads, according to “The Elements Report” released today (Oct. 20).

Cinelatino Inks VOD Measurement Deal With Rentrak

Katy Bachman — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:34:00 EDT

Rentrak has signed a multi-year deal with Cinelatino, a Spanish-language premium film channel, for detailed video-on-demand audience estimates.

Zenith Downgrades Ad Forecast, Yet Again

Steve McClellan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:59:00 EDT

As global economic volatility persists, Publicis Groupe media agency network Zenith Optimedia has downgraded for a third time its 2009 global and North American ad spending forecasts. It also reduced its global growth forecast for 2010 by a full percentage point to just 0.5 percent (to $447 billion).

IPG Combines Deutsch, Lowe

Andrew McMains — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:21:00 EDT

Interpublic Group today confirmed that it is combining Deutsch with Lowe Worldwide, with the domestic-only Deutsch becoming the North American "hub" of the global agency network.

Nielsen Taps Steve Hasker

Steve McClellan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:40:00 EDT

The Nielsen Co. has hired McKinsey & Co. partner Steve Hasker to fill the newly created position of president, Media Product Leadership and Advertiser Solutions.

Magna Tempers Ad Forecast

Anthony Crupi — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:49:00 EDT

Citing improvement on the industrial production front, Magna improved its forecast slightly, reporting that it now anticipates normalized advertising revenues to decline 1.3 percent next year

IPG in Talks to Merge Lowe and Deutsch

Andrew McMains — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:48:00 EDT

Interpublic Group is in advanced talks to merge Deutsch and Lowe, sources said. The agencies and IPG declined to comment but sources said the talks have heated up in recent weeks and a decision could be coming soon.

Commercial Verification Systems Fights Off Flaws

Steve McClellan — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:14:00 EDT

Back in August, after Fox News host Glenn Beck called President Obama a racist, dozens of advertisers bailed from Beck's program. Some big marketers, including Procter & Gamble and Progressive Insurance, claimed they were unaware they even advertised in the show and said that any of their ads appearing in it were mistakes.