Pernod Puts Its Buying Spree on Ice†

Wall Street Journal, July 24, 2008 — Ahead of the release of its fiscal-year sales Thursday, drinks maker Pernod Ricard SA signaled a change in its growth strategy.

The French company, which has been on an acquisition binge, said it plans to sit tight for the next few years and nurture the labels it already owns.

"Organic growth is a must," Pernod Managing Director Pierre Pringuet said in an interview.

Microsoft Acquires TV-Targeting Tech Firm†

Navic Networks Available on 35 Million Set-Top Boxes

Advertising Age, June 18, 2008 — The Microsoft-Google war has moved from the web to the TV. Microsoft today announced it will buy Navic Networks, an addressable advertising technology provider that enables marketers to dynamically target and measure audiences based on patented technology available in 35 million set-top boxes nationwide.

Smucker Brews Up Deal to Buy Folgers†

Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2008 — J.M. Smucker Co. soon will be serving Folgers coffee along with its namesake jellies and Hungry Jack pancakes.

Smucker is expected this week to seal a deal to buy the Folgers coffee business from Procter & Gamble Co. in an all-stock deal, according to people familiar with the matter. Details aren't known but given Folgers's annual sales of $1.6 billion, the business could fetch a price tag of $2 billion or more.

Brazilian Takeover Bid Imperils Bud Brand†

Foreign Ownership Could Be Problem for Brewer's All-American Reputation

Advertising Age, June 2, 2008 — As Anheuser-Busch frets over how to ward off a takeover attempt from Brazilian-run InBev, the positioning of its flagship brand might just be the closest thing the No. 1 U.S. brewer has to a poison pill.

In fact, A-B distributors and agency executives who have worked on Bud and its sibling brands have grave doubts that a brand as overtly red, white and blue as Budweiser — and, by connection, its siblings — would remain credible with consumers under a Belgian owner operated by Brazilians.

Niche candymakers fall in shadow of Wrigley-Mars deal

Chicago Tribune, April 29, 2008 — Henry Rich kept a low profile Monday as he passed out samples of his top-selling mint mojito breath lozenges at the Global Food & Style Expo trade show in McCormick Place, but he knows Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. is on the trail of his tiny business.

Reversing Field, Macy's Goes Local†

Wall Street Journal, April 21, 2008 — The sprawling Macy's on State Street building here was once the home to the premier name in Chicago retailing, Marshall Field's. But about a year and a half ago, Macy's forged one chain with one name and one much-ballyhooed national strategy out of Marshall Field's, Robinsons-May, Kaufmann's and other local icons it owned across the country.

Now, after Macy Inc.'s same-store sales dropped 1.3% in 2007 from the previous year, Chief Executive Officer Terry Lundgren is changing course. He is ditching the nationwide cookie-cutter approach in favor of tailoring merchandise at the world's largest department-store chain by sales to local tastes.

Discover to buy Diners Club for $165 mil.

Crain's Chicago Business, April 7, 2008 — Credit card issuer Discover Financial Services said Monday it will buy Diners Club International from Citigroup Inc. for $165 million.

The acquisition is a move to increase Discover's global acceptance and electronic payments network.

"We expect this acquisition to significantly improve our competitive position by giving us global reach and accelerating growth in our payments network revenues," David Nelms, Discover's chief executive, said in a statement.

Nielsen to Buy IAG Research for $225 Million†

Adds Qualitative Measurement to Quantitative Expertise

Advertising Age, April 7, 2008 — If Nielsen can't measure its way to continued dominance of an ever-shifting advertising world, perhaps it can buy its way into it. The media-measurement company today said it had agreed to purchase IAG Research, a company that measures viewer response to ads, TV shows and product placements, for $225 million.

Push in Online Car Shopping†

NBCU Is Hoping Stake in DriverTV Snags Ad Dollars

Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2008 — In an effort to snare more of the automotive advertising dollars migrating online, NBC Universal is buying a sizable stake in DriverTV, a Web site and video-on-demand channel that specializes in videos aimed at car shoppers.

NBCU is paying about $6 million for a 35% stake in DriverTV, which has about $8 million in annual revenue, according to people familiar with the matter. Currently all DriverTV's ad revenue comes from car makers, but the company, which is partly owned by the TV- and ad-production firm Radical Media, is hoping eventually to attract advertisers from other auto-related industries such as insurance.

Clorox: Bleach, Charcoal and ... Burt's Bees†

Company Pays $950 Million for Leading Natural Personal-Care Brand

Advertising Age, November 1, 2007 — Try this on for size: "Burt's Bees, a division of Clorox Co."

In a high-priced and highly unexpected deal, the maker of Clorox bleach, Kingsford charcoal and Brita water filters has added the leading natural personal-care brand to its portfolio in a $950 million cash acquisition.