• by Wayne Friedman , April 1, 2015

The number of marketing and media deals in the first quarter of 2015 was about the same versus the same time period of a year ago.

Some 768 transactions totaling $23.6 billion in dollar value were announced for the first three months of 2015, according to investment banker Petsky Prunier. This was virtually the same number of deals as a year ago, at 765.

Taking out three major deals that were announced in the first quarter of 2014 -- Facebook/Whats App; Ono S.A./Vodafone; and Comcast/Time Warner Cable -- dollar volume was virtually the same. Adding in those deals for the first three months of 2014, deals amounted to $102.3 billion.

Digital media/commerce deals were the most active segment -- 321 deals, valued at $12.6 billion. There were 15% more deals and an increase in value of 3% versus a year ago. A major 2015 deal in this segment was Expedia’s $1.3 billion announced purchase of online travel company Orbitz.

Marketing technology deals amounted to 225, with a value of $4.8 billion. This was down 9% versus a year ago, but up 58% in total value. One major deal in this segment was Hitachi Data Systems’ $500 million acquisition open-source solutions provider Pentaho.

Digital advertising deals totaled 113, and $1.9 billion. Two major deals here: Zomato’s $52 million buy of online reservation services provider Urbanspoon and Nexstar Broadcasting Group’s $33 million purchase of programmatic online video advertising company Yashi.

There were 43 traditional media deals amounting to $2.6 billion, including ITV’s $1.2 billion announced deal for Netherlands-based reality TV production company Talpa Media.

Agency/marketing services deals numbered 66, with a value of $1.7 million.