Marketplace Round-Up

In N.Y., Stuart Elliott writes Interpublic Group is "being made over" in what "may be the largest reorganization on Madison Avenue," as it becomes the world's largest agency company. The changes "are centered on a realignment of Interpublic into four principal worldwide divisions." One of the units, called the Partnership, will be formed "primarily from" the Lowe Group, previously one of Interpublic's three operating units, and includes Octagon. The Partnership "will be overseen by a management committee headed by" Interpublic Vice Chair David Bell (N.Y. TIMES, 7/11). Interpublic CEO John Dooner said that the reorganization is part of an effort to "cut costs and strengthen its offerings in such major areas" as PR and direct marketing (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 7/11).

NOTES: The Univ. of VA (UVA) issued a release stating last Friday's Richmond Times-Dispatch report that the UVA football team reached a deal with Nike, which ran in Friday's issue of THE DAILY, was incorrect. UVA said it has not signed a contract for football apparel (UVA)....A multiyear deal between Bank of America and AOL Time Warner includes BofA ads across various AOL Time Warner properties and "exclusive sponsorships on CNN and CNNfn, such as a 'shot of the day' feature on" CNN's "Sports Tonight (AD AGE, 7/10)....MSNBC's Brian Williams reported a "public high school in suburban Atlanta wants to sell the right to name parts of the school to corporations the same way more and more sports stadiums are doing. Perhaps Coca-Cola High School." The high school "would charge prices ranging from $100 for an outdoor bench to $10,000 for the auditorium" ("The News With Brian Williams," MSNBC, 7/10).