M&A Activity Expected to Rise
Better brush up on your M&A communications skills. More than 60 percent of senior executives polled by The Conference Board expect the number of M&As in their own firms to increase in the next six months. In their industries, 70 percent anticipate cranked up M&A activity by year's end. The annual Pulse Survey of senior execs attending the 1999 Post-Merger Integration Conference included those in virtually every major area of business. Research associate Michele Paige attributed a robust stock market and abundant capital as the financial incentives driving the frenzy.
Among other survey findings: 77 percent of executives expect the number of international cross-border mergers to increase, and 72 percent expect the number of economy-wide divestitures and spin-offs to rise. (Conference Board, 212/339-0232)
Paying for Ink?
Tired of pitching? No problem. If you wanted favorable coverage from a Fox affiliate in Chattanooga, Tenn., last week, all you had to do was show them $15,000 and your company would get repeated news segments plus promotional spots.
Or at least that's what was offered from a one-page circular distributed by the station, according to a wire story from Tuesdays Associated Press. Fortunately, the solicitations made by the guilty salesperson at WDSI Fox-61, who has not yet been named, were revoked before any of the offers were accepted. David Janecek, vice president for news at Pegasus Broadcast Television, which owns Fox-61, told the AP that the incident, which happened out of ignorance and a lack of the understanding of journalistic ethics, is not going to help the station's credibility.
Jack Still on the Outs
The Public Relations Society of America board of directors isn't forgiving Jack O'Dwyer. The board unanimously reaffirmed its controversial April 9 decision to cease contact with the newsletter publisher. PRSA cited "the personal and professional indignities, abuse, beratement, denigration and other incivilities...heaped by Mr. O'Dwyer" on PRSA members and staff. In a letter defending O'Dwyer's right to speak his mind, PRSA CEO and Chairman Samuel L. Waltz Jr. also asserted PRSA's right to refuse to be part of the conversation. PRSA did not publicize its April decision until O'Dwyer issued a statement to PRSA members and the media. (PRSA, 212/995-2230)
New Clients, Ventures, Awards
- BSMG Worldwide, a subsidiary of True North Communications, plans to acquire California-based high-tech PR firm The Benjamin Group, which will be renamed Benjamin Group/BSMG Worldwide. Under new ownership, the firm will maintain its present structure and staff of 73 with Sheri Benjamin remaining president and CEO. Founded in 1988 with offices in Orange County, Calif., and the Silicon Valley, the firm will lead BSMG's U.S. technology practice. (BSMG Worldwide, 212/445-8102)
- The Institute for Public Relations elected current VP of communications at Northwestern Mutual Life, W. Ward White, as its new chairman. Frank E. Oviatt, Jr., managing director of Crossover International Inc., becomes VP /treasurer. (IPR, 352/392-0280)
- Washington, D.C.-based PR firm Strat@comm has launched a new lobbying arm, the Strat@comm Lobbying Coalition Group (Strat@comm LCG) to collaborate on lobbying efforts. Participants, who also have their own firms, are Jack Flynn of Flynn & Associates, Ken Thompson of Thompson & Naughton Inc., Joan LaRock of LaRock Associates, Inc., and John Flatley of Strat@comm. (Strat@comm, 202/289-2001)
- Brand development and awareness agency Strategies took home three Protos Awards from the Orange County Chapter of PRSA for high-tech, industrial and medical/healthcare campaigns. (Strategies, 714/957-8880)
- Morristown, N.J.-based Berry Associates Public Relations, Inc. was honored with a Pyramid Award by the New Jersey Chapter of PRSA for its Community Partnership Day for client Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. (BA, 973/984-3100)
- Work for Uniroyal Tire earned Trone Public Relations the Gold Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators. The award honored Trone's innovative campaign supporting the launch of Uniroyal's self-sealing tire designed to prevent flats. (Trone, 336/886-1622)
- Phoenix-based PR West Group took bronze at the 1999 Summit Awards for its cataract surgery campaign for client Hand, M.D., Ophthalmology. PR West shared a Telly Award with Arlington Multimedia for a home and garden TV show produced for the Arizona Masonry Guild. (PR West, 602/448-7419)
- Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, Atlanta, will manage national PR for the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. three-year "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign." Firm President and CEO Richard Edelman has been named to campaign committee. (Edelman PR, 770/431-6200)