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Thomson Intermedia To Buy Billetts
Thomson Intermedia, a UK-based media intelligence company, has announced plans to buy UK media and marketing performance consulting firm Billetts for £13.1 million.
Billetts has two core divisions - Billetts Marketing Sciences and Billetts Media Consulting - as well as Billetts America, a majority-owned subsidiary based in New York. It works to 'enhance media and marketing effectiveness through performance monitoring, research and marketing-mix optimisation'. After the takeover, the company will continue to operate under the same name.
Thomson Intermedia hopes the combined companies will be able to provide a 'complete one-stop suite of advertising, media and marketing accountability products (vouching, competitive monitoring, media performance management and ROI analysis) delivered directly to the desktop and in person by media experts'.
Payment will be made in two parts - £7.5 million initially (£6.7 million in cash and £0.8 million in new shares) plus up to £5.6 million subject to profit targets being met in 2006 and 2007.
Sarah Jane Thomson, Joint CEO of Thomson Intermedia, describes the move as a 'major step forward in the implementation of our strategy to provide transparency to the advertising and media markets. Our aim is to establish our systems as a fundamental analysis tool in all marketing departments.'
John Billett, Chair of Billetts, says his company is looking forward to being able to provide a wider range of products and services, and states that, as part of a larger group, Billetts will have access to the necessary resources to grow the business more quickly.
Thomson Intermedia is online at www.thomson-intermedia.com , while Billetts' web site is at www.billetts.com .
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