Blossoming Sunflower

The Sunflower Group, Overland Park, KS, expanded its operations in August with the acquisition of New York City-based News America Marketing’s sampling division. Terms were not disclosed.

The News America operation gives Sunflower a strong entry into “non-grocery and non-packaged goods [channels],” says Sunflower president Dennis Garberg. The News America business offered co-op and customized programs in grocery, mass merchandise, and specialty retail stores.

The sampling program was just a small part of the News America Marketing operation, which includes a variety of in-store advertising and promotion technologies and merchandising services marketed under the SmartSource brand name. The company, which is part of Australia-based News Corp.’s billion dollar magazine and insert division, also runs a newspaper FSI program called SmartSource Magazine.

The deal could give Sunflower a network of program recruitment and training specialists, work that it has previously outsourced, says Garberg. Sunflower is offering positions in Overland Park to all 40-odd News America employees.

Valassis Communications, Livonia, MI, purchased an 80-percent stake in Lincoln, MA-based PreVision Marketing, a provider of technology-driven customer relationship management services with such clients as Toys “R” Us, US West, and Gap, Inc. PreVision, which had revenues of $14 million in 1999, will enhance the capabilities of Valassis’ Relationship Marketing Group.

Elsewhere, Valassis signed a deal with VNU Marketing Information, New York City, to combine its Relationship Marketing Group with VNU’s Retail Marketing Systems for a new venture called Valassis Relationship Marketing Systems. The service will offer targeted direct-mail and e-mail programs (from Valassis) and loyalty marketing software (from VNU) to grocery retailers.

Also, Valassis and sensory-system specialist Arcade Marketing, New York City, said they would pool resources to design customized promotions. To announce the partnership, the companies created a postcard mailing featuring a rub-off and a lemon-scented scratch-and-sniff sample.

Golin/Harris International, Chicago, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, purchased Atlanta-based corporate event planner Creative Event Marketing. The unit will be renamed CrossMedia-CEM and operate as a unit of CrossMedia Golin/Harris.

PepsiCo, Purchase, NY, signed a deal to use Dallas-based ViaLink Co.’s e-commerce supply chain systems. The company’s Frito-Lay division will be the first to use Vialink services to synchronize item, price, and promotion information with trading partners.

Yahoo, Santa Clara, CA, teamed with 7-Eleven, Dallas, to distribute a co-branded Slurpee cup promoting the online portal’s greeting-card service in stores. The effort began Oct. 1 supported by a sweepstakes offering a grand prize of two United Airlines tickets and $200 in cash.

Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, broadened its $15 million partnership with Women.com Networks, San Mateo, CA, to include development of marketing programs for P&G’s beauty care and home care units. P&G’s ParenTime.com will now link directly to Women.com.

Kellogg USA, Minneapolis, signed a year-long contract to use Plymouth, MN-based Insignia Systems’ POPS in-store shelf signs. The two-year-old POPS program is now in 4,000 supermarkets and has more than 100 CPG clients. In-store giant News America Marketing, New York City, in August filed a lawsuit against Insignia, alleging the POPS system violates exclusive promotional agreements it has with several supermarket chains.

Eddie Bauer, Inc., Seattle, this month begins offering National Geographic-branded merchandise at retail outlets in North America and on eddiebauer.com. The deal furthers a partnership that began with Bauer’s agreement to sponsor Washington, DC-based National Geographic Society’s Lewis & Clark film, which is scheduled for a spring 2002 release. National Geographic will consult on the development of branded merchandise.

Sears Roebuck and Co., Hoffman Estates, IL, extended the NASCAR sponsorship agreement for its Craftsman tool brand through 2005. The deal with Daytona Beach, FL-based NASCAR makes Craftsman the “Official Tools” of the racing circuit and presenting sponsor of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

MasterCard International, Purchase, NY, is featuring popular children’s storybook character Curious George in a new TV flight for its “Priceless” campaign. An animated Curious George recreates scenes from the book, Curious George Takes a Job. The 30-second spot debuted Aug. 14 during ABC’s Monday Night Football and showcases automatic and recurring payments billed to MasterCard. The spot ends with a voice-over that states, “Trading a check book for a story book…priceless.” A print ad debuts in national consumer magazines this month featuring a black-and-white photograph of a son sitting in his father’s lap in a backyard hammock as they read a Curious George book together.

Pittsburgh-based Eat’n Park awarded a $2.1 million point-of-sale contract to NCR Corp., Atlanta, to install Web-enabled, multi-media workstations in its restaurants.

Promotions.com, New York City, struck a seven-figure direct-marketing deal with promotional games operator WinDough.com, the “Instant Prize Window.” The one-year pact calls for WinDough games to be featured on Webstakes.com, Promotions.com’s consumer destination site. WinDough gets a guaranteed amount of traffic from Webstakes.com that will be driven through banners, buttons, and text links, as well as advertising in Webstakes.com Update, a weekly newsletter sent to 2.5 million members. Promotions.com recently signed deals with two other Internet sites, speedyclick.com and freeshop.com.

Cruise line company Carnival, Miami, named Marathon Projects, Midland Park, NJ, as its licensing agent to help enhance the brand through licensing deals for apparel, swimwear, footwear, luggage, and suntan lotion. All licensees will have access to Carnival’s tagline, “The Most Popular Cruise Line in the World.”

Equity Marketing, Los Angeles, renewed its licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products for Scooby-Doo products through 2003. The character has yielded a number of retail successes for Equity. The agency recently launched Pogo-Jumping Scooby-Doo, and breaks a TV ad campaign to support the product this month.

Procter & Gamble’s Pampers, Cincinnati, teamed with Sesame Workshop, New York City, to launch Pampers Premium Diapers featuring Sesame Street characters. Product packaging boasts 16 different designs featuring Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Elmo in activities that progress as the child grows older. The line hits retail this month.

Quaker Oats Co., Chicago, and Veryfine Products, Westford, MA, signed on as the first clients for AdBricks, an online couponing service from Coupons.com that runs from a brand’s own Web site. The service lets visitors click on an offer that is then sent directly to printers for redemption at retail. The company handles all redemption and can track usage and demographic and geographic data via “Aztec” bar codes printed on coupons. Valassis Communications, Livonia, MI, which owns the Aztec technology, is a minority owner of Coupons.com.

Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, signed a two-year deal with LaserTainment, Minneapolis, to display laser-light ads featuring the Bud Light logo at music events and other outdoor venues. The effort will include a custom-built truck with performance equipment and screens that hits the road this month.

Kraft Foods, Glenview, IL, made an investment in EthnicGrocer.com to broaden its distribution and retailing options. Kraft will get to see how the Internet-based food company works, while EthnicGrocer will be able to take advantage of Kraft’s supply chain expertise. Kraft is shopping for other online alliances, says Paula Sneed, president of the company’s e-commerce division.

ACQUISITIONS Vroom to Grow SFX, Inc., New York City, purchased the Cotter Group, Charlotte, NC, a motorsports marketing and p.r. firm. The deal expand SFX’s reach in the general motorsports arena (September PROMO). Cotter manages licensing, merchandising, and corporate hospitality programs for such clients as McDonald’s, Mercedes-Benz USA, Lowe’s Companies, and Motorola.

LIPPE SERVICE New York City-based marketing communications agency Lippe Taylor acquired Shop PR, also New York City. Shop PR specializes in beauty, fashion, fitness, accessories, and fine food accounts. It will operate as a separate business unit.

UPSHOT IN THE ARM Ha-Lo Industries, Niles, IL, signed a definitive agreement to buy Westminster International Computers, a Toronto-based company with patented technology for building customized Web pages and delivering personalized e-mails. The service will become part of Upshot, Ha-Lo’s promotion agency. Financial terms were declared “immaterial.”

BUYING THE ANSWERS Catalina Marketing Corp., St. Petersburg, FL., acquired Market Intelligence, Inc., Chicago, an attitudinal research company. The transaction includes an up-front price of $1 million cash and an additional $1 million in earn-out payments depending on future performance. Market Intelligence brings approximately $1.2 million in new revenue to Catalina.

STRATEGIC BUY Minneapolis-based Colle & McVoy, an affiliate of MDC Corp., acquired neighbor Mackenzie Marketing, which specializes in strategic-marketing services. Mackenzie had an estimated $8.5 million in revenues in 1999. It’s principles, president Andrew Mackenzie and coo Julie Mackenzie, will remain with the company.

VROOM TO GROW SFX, Inc., New York City, purchased the Cotter Group, Charlotte, NC, a motorsports marketing and p.r. firm. The deal expand SFX’s reach in the general motorsports arena (September PROMO). Cotter manages licensing, merchandising, and corporate hospitality programs for such clients as McDonald’s, Mercedes-Benz USA, Lowe’s Companies, and Motorola.

LIPPE SERVICE New York City-based marketing communications agency Lippe Taylor acquired Shop PR, also New York City. Shop PR specializes in beauty, fashion, fitness, accessories, and fine food accounts. It will operate as a separate business unit.

UPSHOT IN THE ARM Ha-Lo Industries, Niles, IL, signed a definitive agreement to buy Westminster International Computers, a Toronto-based company with patented technology for building customized Web pages and delivering personalized e-mails. The service will become part of Upshot, Ha-Lo’s promotion agency. Financial terms were declared “immaterial.”

BUYING THE ANSWERS Catalina Marketing Corp., St. Petersburg, FL, acquired Market Intelligence, Inc., Chicago, an attitudinal research company. The transaction includes an up-front payment of $1 million and an additional $1 million in earn-out payments depending on future performance. Market Intelligence brings approximately $1.2 million in new revenue to Catalina.

STRATEGIC BUY Minneapolis-based Colle & McVoy, an affiliate of MDC Corp., acquired neighbor Mackenzie Marketing, which specializes in strategic-marketing services. Mackenzie had an estimated $8.5 million in revenues in 1999. Its principles, president Andrew Mackenzie and coo Julie Mackenzie, will remain with the company.