Chief Marketer Staff

• NBTY Acquires Rexall for $250 Million

  NBTY Inc., a vitamin direct marketer and manufacturer, will acquire competitor Rexall Sundown Inc. for $250 million in cash. Bohemia, NY-based NBTY said

• List and Database News

  American Association of Diabetes Educators This new file identifies 100% direct mail buyers of an AADE membership. They reported information about themselves

• Agencies

  MegaMan Gets Anniversary Blitz

  Videogame hero MegaMan turns 15 this year, and Kraft Foods, J&J Snacks, Pik Nik Foods and Cinemark Theatres are among six marketing partners on board

• Aurora Strikes Licensing Deal; Debuts Gumby as Plush Toy

  Plush toy manufacturer Aurora World, Inc. has formed a licensing deal with Heat Licensing to release a wide range of products based on the malleable clay

• Mini Mania

  You could say I’ve had my share of exposure to BMW’s Mini Cooper. PROUD OWNER: Don MacMillan with his 1966 Mini Cooper A few years ago, before the relaunch

• Mail Stream: A Report on Incoming Direct Mail

  This week’s Mail Stream features a fundraising magalog from the Dream Foundation, which makes dreams come true for terminally ill adults. Also, Wine.com uncorks a new wine club and Roadrunner Sports rolls out a catalog.

• Loose Cannon: A “Palindromic” Marketing Campaign Gets it Backward

• GTSI Monthly Sales Dip 1%

  GTSI Corp. reported sales of $60.4 million, for May, up 1.6% from representing a decrease of 1.6% from $61.4 million last year. The Chantilly, VA computer

• J. Crew Revenue up Slightly in May

  J. Crew Group, Inc. reported revenue of $57.4 million for the four weeks ended May 31, up 1% from $56.6 million last year. Catalog sales were $5.2 million

• Web Site Operator Agrees to Stop Marketing “Gold-Card” Lists

  The operator of a Web site that markets health related lists has agreed to remove from his site any lists affiliated with vitamin direct marketer/retailer