CORRECT: Publicis,Havas Get Reckitt Benckiser GBP800 Million Ad
Account
("Publicis,Havas Get Reckitt Benckiser GBP800M Ad Account," at 1808 GMT,
misstated the contract split in the third paragraph. The correct version
follows:)
PARIS -(Dow Jones)- Consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC (RB.LN)
said Tuesday it has given its GBP800 million annual global media buying account
to French advertising companies Publicis Groupe SA (PUB.FR) and Havas SA (
HAV.FR).
Publicis and Havas, which both previously worked with the U.K.-based company,
competed against WPP PLC (WPP.LN) and Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC) for the contracts
to manage media buying for Reckitt's 17 Powerbrands.
Publicis and Havas have each secured 50% of the contracts, a representative
for Reckitt Benckiser said.
Publicis will be in charge of media buying in the U.K., the U.S., Asia,
Germany and Northern Europe, a person familiar with the situation said. The U.S.
account was previously held by Havas' MPG agency.
Publicis and Havas both confirmed they secured the contract with Reckitt. A
Havas spokeswoman confirmed the U.S. account went to Publicis but said that the
overall volume remains the same for Havas.
"The consolidation will bring economies of scale, enhance media capabilities
and ensure a fully-integrated approach across the brands," Reckitt said in a
statement.
The company said it currently spends 12.4% of its global net revenue on buying
advertising space.
-By Ruth Bender, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 40 17 17 54; ruth.bender@
dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
11-24-091945ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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