Chief Marketer Staff

• Agencies

  Thrifty Giving Away Free Car Rentals

  To drive traffic to its Web site, Thrifty Car Rental is giving away free car rentals. Thrifty is giving away a car rental a day through May 31 Consumers enter by filling out a short survey at Thrifty.com, and can opt in to receive e-mail offers from …

• Source Marketing Wins Staples Event Work

  Staples, Inc. has named Source Marketing as its agency of record for its grand opening events this year. The Westport, CT-based agency will plan and execute an initial set of 12 in-store-opening events. Beginning this spring, nine events will be held in …

• News Briefs

  1UP.COM: is giving away one Sony PSP portable gaming unit a day during the month of March. Consumers must register at 1up.com to enter the sweepstakes. The sweeps is being promoted at 1up.com and other Web sites owned by parent company Ziff-Davis. …

• Ecometry Parent in Deal to Acquire Blue Martini

  Blue Martini Software Inc., which develops sales optimization software, will be acquired by private equity firm Multi-Channel Holdings Inc., parent company of Ecometry Corp., for about $54 million.

• Aspen Marketing Services Acquires SRI Analytics

  Aspen Marketing Services, a marketing services agency, has acquired SRI Analytics for an undisclosed sum.

• Overstock.com May Purchase Eziba: Report

  Overstock.com has made a $500,000 offer through a trustee to buy bankrupt direct marketer Eziba, according to the North Adams, MA Transcript.

• FTC Charges Canadians in Directory Scheme

  The Federal Trade Commission has charged several Canadian-based companies and their principals with fraudulently telemarketing U.S. consumers by tricking them into paying for unordered business directories and listings in them.

• E*Trade Taps Atmosphere BBDO

   

• Discovery Commerce Names Gates EVP

  Discovery Commerce, the direct marketing arm of Discovery Communications Inc., has named Patrick Gates executive vice president of consumer direct, a new business unit within the division.

• Scholastic Names Bayer Vice President

  Scholastic Book Clubs has appointed Hally Bayer vice president, promotion. In her new role, she will oversee the development and implementation of promotional programs and strategies for Scholastic Book Clubs’ monthly catalogs. Bayer was most recently …