Disney backs streaming
Walt Disney has agreed to acquire a one-third stake in the video-streaming unit of Major League Baseball (MLB) Advanced Media. According to Bloomberg News, the deal values the business at about $3.5 billion and Disney, the owner of ESPN and ABC, will also obtain a four-year option to buy an additional 33% stake in the digital arm of MLB. The deal underscores the importance of the video-streaming business to the future of ESPN, which has been losing viewers and advertising dollars to online media.
Publicis inks deal with WeChat owner
Publicis has entered into strategic partnership with Tencent, the internet giant that operates the most popular social and media platforms in China, WeChat. The deal is the first-of-its-kind collaboration across a global advertising group and all 11 products of Tencent, China’s largest internet company. It is also the first partnership that transcends the Publicis Groupe’s three solution hubs of Publicis Media, Publicis Communications and Publicis.Sapient. The joint agreement was signed by Maurice Levy, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe and SY Lau, senior executive vice president of Tencent and president of Online Media Group, who marked the event with the scanning of a WeChat QR code, an action familiar to the 762 million users of WeChat.
CGU sponsors Tropfest for another three years
CGU has partnered with Tropfest, signing a three year sponorshop deal with the short film festival. CGU Insurance, which is backed by Australia’s largest insurer IAG, provided the financial lifeline that saw Tropfest make a return this February following its shock cancellation in November 2015, has again stepped up to ensure the future of the iconic festival.
Kojo appointed to Racing Victoria for Spring Racing
Racing Victoria has appointed creative services agency Kojo for the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival, to take charge of creative strategy and execution across all channels.
It follows a 12 month partnership which saw Kojo develop an integrated content and social strategy for the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and the 2016 Relaxed Racing campaign.
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