Groupe Aeroplan to buy Carlson Marketing
By Adnews Staff
Loyalty program operator Groupe Aeroplan of Montreal has entered into an agreement to purchase Carlson Marketing from Minneapolis-based Carlson Companies for US$175.3 million. Carlson Marketing is also loyalty marketing services provider. The transaction is expected to close by early December. The purchase is intended to secure a US presence for Groupe Aeroplan as part of an overall strategy to expand into the G20 countries. The two companies will continue to operate independently. In addition, Carlson's existing management will remain in place. "This acquisition is a logical extension for our company as we diversify our business model to include a broader range of services within the loyalty management space in the US and internationally," said Rupert Duchesne, president and CEO of Groupe Aeroplan. "Acquiring a proven leader in the loyalty marketing space is the most cost effective and timeliest route to broadening our loyalty services offering. Carlson Marketing is widely recognized for their innovative thinking when it comes to understanding consumer behaviour, rewards and data analytics, areas that are pivotal to driving future growth in the global loyalty arena."