Chief Marketer Staff

• Standard Mail Eligibility Deal Lauded

  Mailer groups — especially nonprofits — are pleased with just-released clarifications of the U.S Postal Service’s Standard Mail eligibility rules, which came about after negotiations between the USPS and nonprofit mailers.

• Neiman Marcus Agrees to Sale; Two Investment Firms to Pay $5.1 Billion

  (Catalog Age) Dallas-based cataloger/retailer The Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE: NMG.A) on May 2 agreed to be acquired by Texas Pacific Group and c for $100 per share in cash, or $5.1 billion. Texas Pacific and Warburg Pincus will own an equal stake in the company upon the transaction’s close, which is expected to be Nov. 1.

• Claritas Expands Segmentation System

  San Diego-based Claritas Inc. has redesigned and updated a market segmentation system used in the financial services industry for targeting prospects and customers. The latest version allows marketers to integrate their own research data with financial information from Claritas’ product.

• Mail Still Key to Selling New Cars

  Direct mail continues to play key roles in generating traffic for new car dealerships and financing new car purchases, according new study findings released by Vertis, a Baltimore-based marketing services agency.

• Multi-Channel Marketing Firm Launched

  Directive Corp., a new firm that plans to specialize in multi-channel marketing, including direct marketing and retailing has opened in Dallas.

• People in the News

  The Cornerstone Group of Companies has promoted three senior vice presidents of operating divisions to newly created corporate-level positions as part of restructuring of the Toronto-based list services and marketing firm, which anticipates significant growth this year.

• Short Cuts

  Santa Barbara, CA-based Fastclick Inc. has introduced a new online display advertising format that it’s calling text ads. The online direct marketing services agency now offers 11 advertising formats to clients.

• List and Database News

  MKTG Services has been appointed to represent five lists for the Musical Heritage Society. The Sound Music Buyers from Musical Heritage Society file with more than 1.1 million records is the largest.

• Neiman Marcus Sold for $5.1 Billion

  The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. has agreed to sell the company to an investment group consisting of Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus LLC for $5.1 billion. Each of the investors will own equal stakes in the company once the transaction has been …

• Wal-Mart Names Fleming CMO

  Wal-Mart Stores has tapped John Fleming, the president-CEO of WalMart.com, to replace chief marketing officer Bob Connolly. Fleming began as executive VP-CMO on May 2, keeping responsibility for WalMart.com. He will also oversee all marketing …