Comag Marketing Group

Over the next 5 years in Canada, Internet advertising is expected to develop into a $3.4 Billion Dollar business.
The Toronto Star

Paul Wells, of Canada’s Maclean’s magazine, complains about the tardy release of magazines in the Canadian marketplace.
Macleans

Canadian consumers, despite the increased value of the Canadian Dollar (Loonie), are still paying approximately 18% more than Americans. The Globe & Mail, Toronto (June 11, 2008)

Canadian WALMART stores carry three times the inventory of the British ASDA outlets.  WIth longer distances, in Canada, from warehouse to retail, Walmart needs more time to bring the product to market. David Cheesewright is focusing on reducing these challenges.
The Globe and Mail, Toronto

Glenn Brillinger has transferred from The News Group Canada to The New Group USA, where he will serve as vice president of category management. Robert Smith will fill Brillinger’s vacated position as vice president of sales and marketing for The News Group Canada. Full text of the announcement from The New Group Canada [...]

Quebecor World has agreed to sell its European operations to the Hombergh/De Pundert Group, a Netherlands-based group of investors for a price of over $200 million dollars. CEO of Quebecor World, Jacques Mallette says the sale is “an important step in our restructuring activities that we believe should enable us to exit creditor protection [...]

Coca-Cola Enterprises, the world’s largest bottler of Coca-Cola, forcast a 10% drop in second quarter profits, largely as a result of the weak North American economy. Especially hurt: C-stores sales of 20-oz. bottles. The New York Times (May 29, 2008)

Rogers Publishing Ltd has put a four page section on magazine retailing in each of their latest issues of Canadian Grocer and Pharmacy Post. These supplements are presented as feature reports and offer insight on the importance of magazines in these types of stores, in addition to tips on how to maximize sales. [...]

Despite its continued financial restructuring, Quebecor has been successful at renewing printing contracts, the most recent a $60 million agreement with Bauer Publishing.  The contract represents approximately 250 million copies per year.   Folio (May 21, 2008)

Marketing giant Proctor & Gamble for years has sent signals that a big shift in its marketing budgets — from traditional to “new” or “experimental” media — was imminent, but the company has been slow to flip the switch.  Last year, P&G’s measured internet media amounted to just 2.2% of its $3.5 billion U.S. media [...]