Ford Motor Company has finalized an advertising deal with Specific Media for the automobile company's 2007-2008 Lincoln Mercury online advertising. The forthcoming campaign will help the company build brand recognition for new Lincoln Mercury models. Specific Media, headquartered in Irvine, CA, is one of the fastest-growing interactive-media companies. The company deals with a number of Fortune 500 brands, including seven of the top 10 companies. Ford's assessment of Specific Media's potential in online marketing led the company to sign a 12-month media agreement. Ford Motor Company is a global automotive-industry leader manufacturing automobiles for 200 markets across six continents.
Armstrong is new CEO of AdOn Network
AdOn Network has promoted Steve Armstrong to the position of president and CEO. Armstrong takes over the prestigious post after having served AdOn Network as vice president of operations and finance since 2003. He is an expert in the high-tech industry and has more than 13 years' experience in senior-level management. Armstrong will succeed Chad Little, who has been AdOn Network's president and CEO since 1999. Little is one of the company's co-founders and will continue to serve AdOn Network as a member of the board of directors. AdOn Network was established in 1999 and is one of the leading providers of innovative keyword-targeted advertising solutions for advertisers and publishers. Based in Phoenix, AZ, the company reaches 115 million unique users every month.
Microsoft acquires aQuantive for $6 billion
Microsoft Corporation has willingly agreed to pay $6 billion in cash to acquire aQuantive. The deal could result in a big leap in the software giant's online-advertising business, which is far behind that of Yahoo and Google in terms of Internet traffic on its website, MSN. aQuantive is a leading Internet-advertising agency, and it has an interactive-advertising agency, Avenue A | Razorfish, which buys, sells, and creates online advertising. Microsoft reported it had $28 billion in cash last quarter, and this acquisition is the largest in the company's history. It now hopes to sell and deliver advertising on the Internet. Microsoft's business segment is expected to grow by nearly 30% in 2007.
GM's top ad executive to step down
GM Corporation's advertising head, Mike Jackson, will be leaving the company "to pursue other business opportunities." The departure brings to an end a career with GM in which he led the automaker's multibillion-dollar advertising efforts. During his tenure, Jackson played a vital role in changing GM's list of advertising clients and agencies. He was known for his connections with Los Angeles and Hollywood and adopted revolutionary methods for utilizing GM's massive ad budget, taking GM's advertising to the next level by emphasizing online and other non-traditional media.
Verizon combines advertising and media business
Verizon Communications, Inc., is merging the extensive advertising and media business of its corporate and business-to-business divisions. The move will result in a marketing plan serving both Verizon Wireless and Verizon's other business terminals, reduce the company's number of media-buying agencies to 10, and create a common experience across varying segments of the organization. McCann Erickson, the creative agency for Verizon Wireless, will now be responsible for the combined creative duties of the company. Universal McCann, which previously used to handle planning and buying for Verizon Wireless, has been assigned to all media buying for both parties. Verizon's advertising expenditures will total approximately $1.9 billion.
