WPP takes stake in motorsports marketing company
WPP has taken a stake in Indianapolis-headquartered motorsports marketing company, Just Marketing International (JMI). Founded in 1995, JMI employs more than 120 people between its headquarters and offices in London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Charlotte (North Carolina) and Daytona Beach (Florida). JMI (Just Marketing International), the global leader in motorsports marketing, announces today that WPP, the world’s largest communications services group, has made a strategic investment in the company. The two companies said the investment represents a strategic affiliation by both parties to leverage expertise and elevate client insights and solutions. Spire Capital, which took a majority stake in JMI in 2008, remains the principal shareholder, while Zak Brown, the company’s…
Read MoreUS College scores a first as it becomes ‘grid-positive’
Butte College in California has become the first US college to go ‘grid positive,’ generating more electricity from its solar arrays than it consumes, and deliverering power back to the electric grid. Located 75 miles from Sacramento and located on a 928-acre wildlife refuge, Butte College will see significant cost savings from its solar arrays. The college estimates it will save between US$50m and US$75m million over 15 years, even after accounting for project costs and interest. It says this will be achieved by eliminating its electricity bill, getting paid for excess electricity production, and avoiding future electricity rate increases. “Butte College has had a longstanding commitment to sustainability,” said…
Read MoreGlamour model Lucy Pinder fronts Lynx campaign and stars in interactive games for the brand
Glamour model Lucy Pinder is the new face and body of Unilever’s Lynx anti-perspirant and the star of two new digital interactive games for the brand’s ‘Premature Perspiration’ campaign. According to Lynx, both of the games, which were developed by direct and digital agency TMW, “were specifically created to give men a head start in controlling themselves and helping to alleviate the symptoms of premature perspiration using the legendary Lynx effect”. The first game, ‘Pindering’, allows players to take control of the model and direct her actions by typing in their own commands. According to Lynx, it’s a digital first in Ireland as it debuts YouTube Gadgets, which allows the…
Read MoreFears for 700 jobs at GSK in Waterford
There are fears for up to 700 jobs at pharmaceutical giant GSK’s operation in Waterford today. Employees the Dungarvan plant have been called to a meeting with management at 3pm. There are currently 700 people working in the Dungarvan manufacturing facilities. The British pharma company has been carrying out a review of its operations over the past few months.
Read MoreAIB chief may get paid more than 500k report
The Minister for Finance has said the next chief of AIB may be paid more than 500,000, reports the Irish Times this morning. Although he said it is unlikely, Michael Noonan has not completely ruled out the possibility that the bank may be allowed to exceed its salary cap of €500,000 as it is having difficulties appointing its next chief executive. “As has been stated publicly by the Taoiseach, a compelling case would have to be made for the Government to consider setting aside this cap taking account of the recent decision on the pay ceilings for CEOs of semi-States and senior public sector posts,” Noonan said in response to…
Read MoreGlobal adspend up 8.8pc in Q1 2011, with TV and emerging markets showing strong growth – Nielsen
Photo Credit: nytimes.com Global Adspend Increases by 8.8% YoY in Q1 2011 Global adspend rose by 8.8pc year-on-year in the first quarter of 2011, with advertisers increasing expenditure on television and in the booming Asian and Latin American markets, according to Nielsen. The latest Nielsen Global AdView Pulse report reveals that global advertising was worth US$118bn in Q1 2011, based on published rate cards. Television Advertising Dominates Traditional Media Television advertising was up by 11.9pc year-on-year and increased its share among other traditional media (radio, magazines, and newspapers) from 63.5pc to 65.3pc in both developed and many emerging economies. “With US$6.50 of every ten dollars being spent on television, it’s…
Read MoreMore women should set up businesses Perry
Following his meeting with the Irish Ambassadors for Female Enterpreneurship, Minister for Small Business John Perry TD is encouraging more women to start their own business. Irish Ambassadors for Female Entrepreneurship have been appointed by the European Commission to promote and encourage more women to become entrepreneurs and set up businesses. Following the meeting Minister Perry said: “The recently launched Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report for Ireland for 2010 recognised that fewer women than men are active as entrepreneurs with the rate of early stage entrepreneurship among men at 9.5pc compared to 3.9pc for women. “It is therefore vitally important that we provide the right environment to foster the development…
Read MoreGerman Parliament Approves Motion – Nuclear Free by 2022
Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, has today voted comprehensively to abandon nuclear energy by 2022. Representatives from the Social Democrats and the Green Party voted with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right coalition to support the motion, with the vote splitting 513 in favor and 79 against. The bill will still have to be passed in the Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament, next month. Germany’s decision to scrap nuclear power was prompted by the Fukushima disaster in Japan in March. It represented a significant change in policy for Merkel, who last year approved plans to expand the use of nuclear power. The country currently has 17 nuclear power plants.…
Read MoreClontarf Energy writes off Iran and Mexico projects
Irish oil and gas company, Clontarf Energy has written off its legacy projects in Iran and the Gulf of Mexico so it can focus on developing its assets in Ghana, Peru and Bolivia. In its statement this morning detailing financial results for 2010, the company said the gold venture in Iran had “proven problematic”, while royalties from the Gulf of Mexico have stopped because of the current low gas price and issue with local partners. The firm will now focus its business plan on its 60pc interest in the Tano 2A oil exploration in Ghana. In Peru, the official signing of licences on the onshore blocks 183 and 188 will…
Read MoreState set to take 99pc stake in IL&P
Bank of Ireland will be the only bank in Ireland left on the main Irish market from next month as it looks increasingly likely that the State will take yet another financial institute into its control. Calling an emergency general meeting, Irish Life & Permanent said it had no alternative but to take cash from the Government in exchange for a 99pc stake. The bank needs to raise €3.8bn in capital to meet Central Bank requirements. Shareholders will vote on proposals to issue the Minister for Finance up to €3.4bn in ordinary shares and €400m in contingent capital notes. Once the proposals are passed at the July 20 EGM, the…
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