Chief Marketer Staff

• Amazon Has Banner Year Through Increased Sales And Cost Containment

  Amazon.com generated net sales of $1.95 billion, during fourth quarter 2003, up from $1.43 billion a year ago. Full-year sales were $5.26 billion, up

• Consumers Slow to Trust Businesses with Personal Data: Survey

  Consumers and businesses differ over how to treat personal information, according to a new survey of both individuals and privacy and marketing executives.

• Kimberly-Clark Forms Global Units

  Kimberly-Clark Corp. last week reorganized global management, merging its North American and European business units and forming a separate division for

• Nintendo, Burton Hop on SI For Kids’ Competition

  Nintendo of America and Burton Snowboards will sponsor Sports Illustrated For Kids’ “nextXsnow SEARCH” snowboarding and skiing competition this spring.

• Reader’s Digest Headquarters Up for Sale

  The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc. plans to sell the Chappaqua, NY, headquarters facility its founders built 65 years ago. The company plans to lease

• Short Cuts

  CrossMedia Services Inc., Chicago, has acquired DS Retail Technologies Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. CrossMedia offers a variety of

• USOC Sponsorships Total $405 Million: Nike Signs On

  Nike, Inc. has signed on as an official sponsor of the 2006 and 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, replacing rival Adidas-Solomon. Nike joins 60

• USPS Ruling May Affect Financial Services Mailing Costs

  The United States Postal Service has denied an appeal by Strategic Direct Marketing Inc. Had the appeal been accepted, Nashville, TN-based firm would

• Burger King Ousts Young & Rubicam

  In an abrupt change, Burger King Corp. named Crispin Porter & Bogusky to replace Young & Rubicam as its lead creative advertising agency, effective immediately.

• Identity Theft No. 1 Fraud Complaint: FTC

  Identity theft topped the Federal Trade Commission’s 2003 list of consumer fraud complaints for the fourth consecutive year. Some 42% of the complaints