WPP Digital Picks Up Rockfish Interactive

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2103153/wpp-digital-picks-rockfish-interactive

WPP Digital has acquired Rockfish Interactive, a rapidly expanding digital shop based in Rogers, AR. ClickZ reported on the potential deal in July.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though according to a source close to the negotiations, WPP's initial offer was about $40 million.

Rockfish was founded in 2006 and employs about 150 people. The shop has opened four new offices since 2009, including ones in Dallas and Cincinnati. Its clients include EA Sports, Cisco, Sam's Club, Walmart, White Cloud and Tyson Foods.

Mark Read, CEO of WPP Digital, praised Rockfish as "a smart company that understands how technology is changing communications and business" in a written release. He also indicated that WPP plans to maintain the Rockfish brand.

Webtrends acquires analytics company Reinvigorate

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20110808/WEB08/308089995/webtrends-acquires-analytics-company-reinvigorate?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=editorial&utm_campaign=dailyclickthroughs
Webtrends, a provider of Web analytics, has acquired real-time analytics company Reinvigorate from Media Temple Ventures. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Webtrends said the acquisition enables it to offer real-time as well as historical analytics for mobile, social and Web channels. Among the capabilities offered by Reinvigorate are data visualization technologies, such as heat maps, link maps and visitor path analysis.

Nielsen Acquires Marketing Analytics, Inc.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Nielsen-Acquires-Marketing-bw-2128489161.html?x=0&.v=2

Nielsen Holdings N.V. (NYSE:NLSN - News), a leading global provider of information and analytics around what consumers watch and buy, announced today that it has acquired Marketing Analytics, Inc., one of the pioneers of marketing mix modeling and a recognized leader in analytics and advanced planning software. Marketing Analytics’ 52 employees will join the Nielsen team, and Nielsen will acquire all other assets including software and ongoing client projects

Headquartered in Evanston, Ill. and founded in 1991, Marketing Analytics, Inc. helps companies measure the impact of their marketing plans on sales by combining deep modeling expertise with robust software applications. Link, a long-time innovator in marketing modeling, will continue to lead the group and work to integrate these capabilities into Nielsen offerings.

ComScore to acquire AdXpose

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20110805/STRATEGY10/308059999/comscore-to-acquire-adxpose?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=editorial&utm_campaign=dailyclickthroughs
ComScore has agreed to acquire Seattle-based AdXpose, a company that enables advertisers to verify online ad campaign data points in real time. The primarily stock-based transaction was valued at $22 million.
“In just a few short years, AdXpose has demonstrated clear technology leadership with their leading ad verification and optimization analytics solutions, which are highly complementary to comScore's existing ad effectiveness product suite,” said Magid Abraham, comScore president-CEO, in a statement. “Through the integration of these capabilities, comScore will be able to further its mission to develop the most comprehensive end-to-end suite of digital advertising analytics.”

Sandow acquires Seesaw digital agency

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20110712/AGENCIES03/307129992/sandow-acquires-seesaw-digital-agency?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=editorial&utm_campaign=dailyclickthroughs

Sandow, a full-service agency based in New York, has acquired Seesaw, New York, a digital strategy and media agency. Financial terms were undisclosed. Under the acquisition, Seesaw will be renamed Wonder, and will operate as an independent agency. Wonder will provide brand development, graphic and industrial design, website development and other services to clients.

Study: Marketing automation spend to hit $325 million

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20110721/DIRECT10/307219999/study-marketing-automation-spend-to-hit-325-million?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=editorial&utm_campaign=dailyclickthroughs

B2b marketers will spend $325 million on marketing automation solutions this year, a 50% increase in marketing automation spending over last year, according to a study by marketing consultancy Raab Associates.
According to Raab's “B2B Marketing Automation Vendor Selection Toolkit,” which also offers product comparisons and recommendations, midsize businesses (those with sales of $20 million to $500 million) command the bulk of the dollars spent, projected to hit $145 million, or 45% of the total.
However, “microbusinesses” (defined by Raab as companies with less than $5 million in revenue) lead in the number of marketing automation installations, forecast to total 12,000, or 61% of all system installations. Raab's marketing automation spending estimates are based on information provided by vendors in May and June, according to the company.

ValueClick to Acquire Dotomi

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ValueClick-to-Acquire-bw-4182136640.html?x=0&.v=1

ValueClick (Nasdaq:VCLK - News) and Dotomi announced today that they have signed a definitive merger agreement whereby Dotomi will become a wholly owned subsidiary of ValueClick. Privately held Dotomi is the leading provider of data-driven, intelligent display media for major retailers.

Dotomi creates and delivers display advertising where the ad creatives and media placements are dynamically adapted in real time at the user and impression level. The Company works directly with clients to integrate anonymous data and then surrounds each client with technology enabled marketing services. Dotomi manages everything from brand strategy and dynamic creative development to message delivery and decisioning. This data-driven, end-to-end approach results in display advertising that improves consumer brand engagement and generates measurable sales lift both online and offline for its clients.

ValueClick will acquire all outstanding equity interests in Dotomi for a total up-front consideration of approximately $295 million, consisting of approximately 55 percent in cash and 45 percent in ValueClick common stock.

For calendar year 2011, Dotomi expects to generate over $80 million in revenue.

DDB Worldwide Announces the Acquisition of Synergy

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/DDB-Worldwide-Announces-the-prnews-2107788055.html?x=0&.v=1
DDB Worldwide President and CEO Chuck Brymer announced today the acquisition of Synergy, a global player in medical and scientific communications that will be part of DDB Worldwide's growing DDB Health group.

Ipsos buys Synovate

http://adage.com/article/global-news/selling-synovate-ipsos-aegis-play/228948/

Aegis Group has sold its market research arm Synovate to French group Ipsos for $862 million, concluding talks that began in June and prompting immediate speculation that Aegis itself will go into play and could be a good fit for one of the big agency-holding companies.

The sale leaves Aegis Group focused entirely on media buying and digital marketing. The group's main businesses now are media-buying networks Carat and Vizeum, digital network Isobar, out-of-home specialist Posterscope and digital search company iProspect.

Synovate accounted for $885.4 million of Aegis Group's total revenue in 2010, according to Ad Age's DataCenter,

Ipsos will jump from being the world's fifth-largest market research company to No. 3, said Didier Truchot, Ipsos co-president, in a statement: "This deal will meet our goals to make Ipsos a worldwide brand, synonymous with excellence in each of its fields of specialization and better able to attract and keep clients."

Fathom Online acquires Webbed Marketing

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20110729/STRATEGY10/307299997/fathom-online-acquires-webbed-marketing?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=editorial&utm_campaign=dailyclickthroughs

Fathom said the acquisition will expand its social media and search services. Webbed Marketing serves clients in industries including government, healthcare and IT.