European e-commerce is forecast to be valued at $1,518 billion (£1,049 million) by 2005, a huge rise on the $154 billion of last year, according to a report released by IDC last week. IDC’s Internet Commerce Market Model (ICMM) found that the effect of the current economic slowdown on B2C commerce has been countered by… Continue reading European Ecommerce To Reach $1,518bn By 2005, Says IDC

Media communications and market research company, Aegis Group, announced today that it has acquired two US interactive media agencies, San Francisco-based Lot 21 and Framingham, Massachusetts-based Vizium. The two companies will be integrated into Aegis’ existing interactive media business, Carat Interactive. Aegis is paying approximately £1.85 million for the two businesses – £1.4 million for… Continue reading Aegis Acquires US Interactive Agencies

Media communications and market research company, Aegis Group, this morning announced that it has acquired an interest in a joint venture with Japanese agency Chuo Senko – a mid-sized Japanese agency network. Chuo Senko recently set up its own media buying business called Chusen Media K.K. Aegis has taken a 49% stake in this and… Continue reading Aegis Builds Presence In Key Japanese Market

Troubled advertising agency network, Cordiant Communications, is understood to be seeking a refinancing of its £276.4 million overdraft facility after tough trading conditions and negative newsflow have hit the company hard. Cordiant is reported to be in talks with its bankers about its extending its overdraft, following a period of weak advertising sales and acquisitions… Continue reading Cordiant Looks To Refinance Overdraft After Tough Year

Market research and information group, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), this morning said that it expects its underlying improvement in turnover in 2001 to be slightly ahead of market growth – generally estimated to be 5%. This performance is being driven by an above market growth in the company’s European business, although the UK and France… Continue reading Taylor Nelson Sees Turnover Growth Ahead Of Market

Shares in ITV company Granada fell heavily in trading today after the company failed to offer new details of the restructure of ITV Digital at its AGM this morning (see ITV Revenues Down 12% In H1, Visibility Still Limited). Following the announcement, stock fell by 3.6% to 139p, but had recovered to 142žp by 4.00pm.… Continue reading Granada Shares Dip As Future Of ITV Digital Remains Unclear

This year will be a disappointing one for the European cellular handset industry, according to a report released by the Yankee Group this month, which claims that saturating markets, infrastructure delays and other external events during 2001 “have all conspired to abruptly turn booming sales into the first ever year of market contraction.” Nevertheless the… Continue reading Mobile Handset Sales Will Contract This Year, But Return To Growth With 3G Takeup, Says Yankee Group

Total viewing to UK television fell last year for the first time since 1994, according to a new report from Carat, the media buying agency of Aegis Group. The report shows that average viewing per household fell to 213 minutes per day in 2001, down from 216 minutes a year earlier. The downward trend is… Continue reading 2001 UK TV Viewing Fell For First Time Since 1994, Says Carat Report

US magazine adspend continued to decline in December according to the latest figures from the Publishers Information Bureau. Following continued decline in November (see Forecasts), revenues for December are down 11.2% on the same period last year. For the period January to December 2001, revenues fell by 19.4% on last years total. Ad pages were… Continue reading US Magazine Adspend Decline Continues In December

Pace Technology has unveiled a new low-cost digital receiver that will allow viewers to receive free-to-air channels without subscribing to digital platforms such as Sky or ITV Digital. Pace have launched the no-frills set top box, which can also be upgraded to receive pay-TV, interactive and internet services, in an attempt to increase the take-up… Continue reading Pace To Speed Digital Take-Up