Aegis, the media buying and market research group, has reported 17.6% growth in pre-tax profit to £133.5 million for 2007. Aegis’ media division, made up of agencies Carat and Vizeum, won $1.67 billion of net new business last year and increased revenues by 13% to £673.4 million. Synovate, Aegis’ market research business, increased its revenues… Continue reading Aegis Reports 17.6% Profit Growth

The IPA has released a report which warns that if businesses cut their marketing budgets in the event of an economic downturn, they risk significantly damaging their brands.Advertising in a Downturn says that budget reductions could lead to a loss of market share, a decline in brand image and long-term sales damage.It was based on… Continue reading IPA Warns Against Cutting Marketing Budgets In Tough Economic Climate

Sky has won the TV, mobile and online rights for most of the Champions League games between 2009 and 2012 for an estimated £240 million.The satellite broadcaster has also gained rights to show highlights on a Tuesday and all games on a Wednesday, apart from the first-choice fixture.Sky outbid three rivals to secure the rights,… Continue reading Sky Scores Big Champions League Win

Last night’s MRG evening meeting featured two presentations on international audiences: the first looked at changing news consumption in the digital age, the second examined how European consumers navigate complex decision making processes.The first presentation featured a study carried out by Essential Research for the BBC, and was presented by Jeremy Nye, head of audience… Continue reading MRG Evening Meeting: International Audiences

More than 120 MPs have backed a plan to introduce a UK-wide local channel on the Freeview digital platform.The proposed local television network, Channel 6, put forward by a coalition of local TV operators and campaigners called United for Local Television, could carry local news, programming and advertising. It would also run ‘networked’ public service… Continue reading MPs Back Local Freeview Channel

The results of a new study from comScore show that non-newspaper readers in the US are likely to be younger than average online news consumers, while heavy newspaper readers are more likely than average to engage with traditional print news brands online. Heavy print newspaper readers show a strong skew towards older age segments, while… Continue reading Heavy Online News Consumers Are Not Newspaper Readers

A new forecast from Carat predicts that 2009 will see advertising growth of 4.9% worldwide, with the fastest-growing regions set to be Asia Pacific and Latin America. 2008’s global advertising forecasts have been revised marginally downwards to 6.0% from 6.2% forecast in September last year. Segment-wise, the strongest growth remains in digital, at 23.3% for… Continue reading Global Adspend Forecast To Grow 4.9% in 2009

Ben Gale, the current BBC commissioner for features and factual entertainment, is said to be moving to Five as the channel’s new director of programmes.The position became available after incumbent director of programmes Jay Hunt agreed to become the new controller of BBC One just months after joining Five (see Jay Hunt Appointed BBC One… Continue reading BBC’s Gale Poised To Join Five

GCap Media has acquired a majority stake in local social networking website welovelocal.com for £450,000.The deal will also see GCap pay for the existing cash in the company and will make further staged payments of £150,000 in total to the vendors as deliverables are met over the coming weeks.The welovelocal.com site helps people find the… Continue reading GCap Acquires Majority Stake In Local Social Networking Site

More than half of online social networkers between the ages of 13 and 49 never trust marketing material they receive and almost half say that internet advertising is driving them “insane”, according to a poll conducted by Facebook on behalf of Kyp Systems.Pop-ups are a particular source of irritation and 90% of the 800 people… Continue reading Social Networkers Don’t Trust Internet Advertising