Publicis Groupe SA

After witnessing ad networks and exchanges capture more revenue from major marketers these last few years, traditional media agencies are starting to play catch up. Interpublic Group's buying and planning shop Mediabrands is working on a digital marketplace tool for clients that will include behavioral targeting. IPG's major ad holding company rivals are not far behind either, WSJ says, noting that WPP Group, Publicis Groupe and Havas are also trying to come up with similar programs.

Looking back at the growing strains on the traditional ad business over the last year, Publicis Groupe CEO Maurice Lévy expresses his continued enthusiasm to the NYT that the rise of digital media will save the industry. Lévy, who spends most of the article professing his ardor for Barack Obama, says that despite the global economic downturn, online growth will remain solid.

OMMA's 2008 Agency of the Year Awards celebrate the agencies that were able to rise above the rest over the past year, the shops that represented the best of class in the online advertising community. At the top of the list and the Gold Agency of the Year is former indie darling Digitas, which has expanded with zeal in the two years since its acquisition by Publicis. The company saw 100% new business growth year-on-year; 2007 was its previous best new business year ever.

Digitas, the digital unit of Publicis Groupe is laying off 2% of its approximately 2,100 employees in the U.S., the company confirmed Thursday. The agency cited the recession's impact on client budgets in making the cuts. A Digitas spokesperson said the agency's 900 employees outside the U.S. would not be affected by the cutbacks. Acquired by Publicis in 2006 for $1.3 billion, the digital unit has been expanding its network internationally, most recently through Publicis' acquisition of Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Tribal in November.

Publicis Groupe's Digitas is reorganizing its U.S. group and has decided to shed about 70 jobs in the process, including 25 in New YorkSAI reports, citing unidentified sources. A company rep declined to address the numbers, but did confirm to paidContent that there were layoffs.

The recession's squeeze has pushed ZenithOptimedia's bullish outlook for online ad spending downward a bit, as the Publicis Groupe media shop is predicting global online ad revenues to rise 21.2 percent this year and about 18 percent in 2009. The company will present its forecast on a panel at the UBS Global Media and Communications (PDF) conference in New York this morning, on a panel with Interpublic Group's Magna and WPP's GroupM.

Angela Steele, who formerly led mobile efforts for Publicis Groupe's Starcom USA unit, has been named senior vice president and global strategist of Los Angeles-based mobile marketing agency The Hyperfactory. Based out of the company's Chicago office, Steele will help clients develop long-term mobile strategy and The Hyperfactory create new mobile marketing programs.

Paris-based global ad giant Publicis Groupe this morning announced the acquisition of one of the leading digital agencies in a key emerging market - Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Tribal - which will become part of the burgeoning global network of Publicis' Digitas unit.

Big Four ad agency Publicis is now buying in to Latin American digital advertising, acquiring Sao Paulo-based Tribal to add to its Digitas online ad group. Digitas CEO Laura Lang said Tribal is "fundamental" to expanding in the growing region. Publicis bought Digitas back in 2006 and has grafted on various international digital acquisitions in the UK, India, Singapore, China and its native France, so this will be a foothold across the Atlantic.

Last year, with an infusion of $20 million in seed money, Publicis Groupe, Droga5 and Digitas launched Honeyshed, a quirky online outlet for branded entertainment.
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