The news that matters
CHINA
Google shifts China operation
■ IN DEPTH
Google has ended the most high-profile confrontation between a brand and the Chinese government to date, by redirecting users to its Hong Kong service. In a post on the company’s blog, senior vice president, corporate development David Drummond admitted that the national government could block user access to the service. But he said that the company “hopes the Chinese government respects the decision”. Google aims to continue its research and development work and maintain a sales presence in the country, but the company already lagged significantly behind local search engine Baidu. The Chinese Government described Google’s decision to redirect users as “totally wrong”, but the move has led to plenty of speculation about how brands should approach the market and when compromise is appropriate. ○
PUBLISHERS HIGHLIGHT PRINT’S POWER
US
Five major magazine publishers joined
forces for one of the largest print advertising campaigns ever to promote the power of magazines as a medium. Condé Nast, Hearst Magazines, Meredith Corporation, Time Inc and Wenner Media will roll out the ‘Magazines, The Power of Print’ campaign in the May issue of nearly 100 titles. It is expected to run for seven months and will be accompanied by online elements. The campaign, which was created by Y&R NY, is targeted towards advertisers, shareholders and industry influencers with the aim of challenging misperceptions about the medium’s relevancy and longevity in the modern world. ‘The Power of Print’ expected to reach around 112 million readers per month. ○
GLOBAL
Revenue Round –up
The major holding companies posted weak results for the year ending 2009. WPP posted an 8.1% drop in like-for-like revenues to £8.7bn ($13bn) for the year ending 2009. Omnicom reported a 20.7% decline in net income, compared to Havas’ reported 11.5% drop in like-for-like profits. Interpublic Group suffered with a 5.3% year-on-year drop in revenue. Aegis reported an 8.7% drop, while Publicis Groupe was down 7.6%. All the groups were confident for stronger levels of recovery from mid 2010. ○
BELGIUM
Agencies go on strike
Belgium ad agencies
carried out a virtual protest over the way that clients are conducting pitches in the country. More than 20 agencies, including JWT, Ogilvy, BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi and McCann, replaced their website homepages with an open letter to clients explaining their discontent over the way clients have been disregarding a charter set up in the 1980s. ○
GLOBAL
Publicis board waives
annual bonuses
Publicis Groupe’s board of directors, including chief executive
UAE
FOX SEALS ABU DHABI TIE-UP
Fox International Channels (FIC) has struck a partnership with
Abu Dhabi’s twofour54 to collaborate on three projects in the Middle East. The first part of the agreement will see FIC’s .Fox network work with the UAE government to help develop the Arabic media industry. FIC’s documentary production arm NHNZ is also to make a HD and 3D documentary. The final element will see FIC move operations and playout of its channels from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi ○
11.5%
The amount that adspend dropped in Japan last year, according to figures from Dentsu
www.mandmglobal.com
€143m
The value of the pensions deficit that forced Reader’s Digest UK into administration
89%
Maurice Lévy, decided to waive its right to annual bonuses for 2009. The move was made as a sign of solidarity with the company’s employees after the supervisory board, which is chaired by Madam Elisabeth Badinter, had finalised the amount to be offered. Publicis’ board of directors, which consists of Lévy, David Kenney, Jack Klues, Jean-Yves Naouri and Kevin Roberts, is hoping the decision will help improve the company’s performance during the coming year. Elsewhere during the quarter, Publicis strengthened its presence in the Latin America market by acquiring a 5% stake in the Brazil-based agency Taterka. The news came after the company released its financial results for 2009 in February. During the year, revenue fell by 7.6% to €4,524m while net income also suffered a drop of around 9.4% (€403m). ○
The rate that the Middle East’s annual travel and tourism revenues are expected to grow by 2020
70%
The number of users that access Facebook from outside of the US
M&M PREVIEW 2010 5
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