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Online retail sales in the US reached $53.1 billion for the whole of 2001, according to data released by Comscore this week. Excluding online travel sales, which were negatively affected by the World Trade Centre attacks, the total grew 20% year on year to reach $33.7 billion. Online consumer sales at US sites (excluding auctions) … Continue reading US Ecommerce Sales Reach $53bn In 2001, Travel Sector Struggling

French media and advertising group Havas is expecting 2002 to be another year of negative growth in the worldwide ad market, with CEO Alain de Pouzilhac forecasting a 0-2% decline. The US is forecast to fall by 1.5% and Europe by 2.0%, de Pouzilhac told an analysts’ meeting. Nevertheless, Havas expects that its top 25… Continue reading Havas Sees Worldwide Ad Decline Of 2% In 2002

Liberty Media has withdrawn its application to the German Cartel Office to acquire a stake in Kirch Group’s pay-TV operation from News Corporation (see Murdoch In Talks To Sell Stake In Kirch To Liberty Media) in a bid to become the country’s largest cable operator. The withdrawal makes approval of Liberty’s £3.5bn acquisition from Deutsche… Continue reading Liberty Media Withdraws From Kirch Bid

WPP has made an offer for German internet agency Concept! AG. WPP has an existing 20% stake in the company and intends to acquire the remaining shares at a price of Euro 6.80 per share. The offer is subject to approval by the German Federal Cartel Office. In a statement yesterday, WPP said that the… Continue reading WPP Extends German Internet Marketing Interests

Guardian Newspapers (GNL), publisher of the Guardian, Observer and the Guardian Unlimited websites, is cutting 35 jobs across the group as a result of the deterioration in the advertising market, set to cost GNL £30 million this year. The company plans to cut commercial and editorial posts across the group, including five journalists from the… Continue reading Jobs Go At Guardian As Ad Downturn Costs

The current economic downturn in the US is leading consumers to cut back on their spending, as they don’t see the economy returning to normal until the second half of this year, according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch. Not surprisingly, consumer behaviour has changed somewhat in the States since the attacks there. “It certainly… Continue reading US Consumers Cautious On Spending, But Figures Show Positive Signs

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

European advertisers and marketers are more upbeat about the economic prospects for 2002 than are consumers, according to a survey from agency network OMD Europe released this month. Just 5% of marketers intend to cut their budgets this year, whilst a third of the 500 working consumers questioned, said that they will be reigning in… Continue reading European Advertisers Confident On 2002 Budgets

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