Publicis Groupe SA — M&A Activity 2013

Sep 19, 2013

Press release 09/19/13

PUBLICIS GROUPE ACQUIRES LEADING DIGITAL AGENCY POKE IN THE UK

Jean-Yves Naouri, Publicis Worldwide Executive Chairman and Publicis Groupe COO, said: "POKE is a company that we have admired for some time. This acquisition will further strengthen our Publicis UK offering by adding a new level of digital expertise, creativity and innovation to the Publicis UK group of agencies."

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] today announced the acquisition of POKE, a UK leading specialist digital agency, from its four founding shareholders and Mother Holdings Ltd.

The agency, which was founded in 2001, is highly regarded for its awardwinning work for clients that include Everything Everywhere, Mulberry, Ted Baker, RNLI, iCity, SkyBet and the BBC.

POKE's expertise across service design, UX, digital architecture, social, e-commerce, mobile and product development complement and enhance Publicis' considerable existing capabilities across advertising, CRM, content solutions and digital communications.

Nick Farnhill, POKE founding partner and CEO, said "We've had very successful and rewarding working relationships with Publicis Conseil in France and Publicis Chemistry in the UK for some time working across Orange and Everything Everywhere and the new partnership is simply a natural and positive evolution of these relationships. Particularly appealing is the opportunity to develop digital communication solutions beyond advertising with our new UK partners, the capacity to operate more effectively internationally and the potential of exciting career opportunities for our team. Digital isn't one thing. It's everything. So you can't get far without productive partnerships."

Jean-Yves Naouri, Publicis Worldwide Executive Chairman and Publicis Groupe COO, said: "POKE is a company that we have admired for some time. This acquisition will further strengthen our Publicis UK offering by adding a new level of digital expertise, creativity and innovation to the Publicis UK group of agencies."

Karen Buchanan, CEO of Publicis London, said: "POKE is an incredible brand with a heritage of producing award-winning creative work and an open and collaborative culture. Its skillset and values very much complement those of Publicis London and the wider UK group and can only help us continue delivering best-in-class for all our clients."

POKE will join Publicis Group UK, sitting alongside Publicis London, Publicis Chemistry and Publicis Blueprint, and further strengthens the group's rapidly-expanding digital offering.

There are now four independent agencies within the UK Group, each equipped to deliver digital solutions for their own clients, but also able to work with and draw upon the specialist expertise of the other agencies within the network both in the UK and globally.

Prior to the acquisition, POKE New York completed a management buyout of the company, relaunching as the new, independent digital innovation company Makeable.

About Publicis Groupe

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is one of the world's leading communications groups. We offer the full range of services and skills: digital (DigitasLBi, Razorfish, Rosetta, VivaKi), creative services (BBH, Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi), public affairs, corporate communications and events (MSLGROUP), media strategy, planning and buying (Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia) and healthcare communications, with Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG). Present in 108 countries, the Groupe employs 60,000 professionals.

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Viva la Difference !

About Publicis Worldwide

Publicis Worldwide ranks among the largest global marketing communications companies. The network spans 82 countries with approximately 10,000 employees. Its total offering includes advertising; interactive and digital marketing; CRM and direct marketing. Publicis' blue-chip client portfolio includes some of the world's best known companies: Airbus, Coca-Cola, HP, LG, L'Oréal, Luxottica, Nestlé, Orange, P&G, PayPal, Renault, Siemens, Pernod-Ricard, sanofi-aventis, UBS, Teléfonica.

Contacts

Publicis Groupe Peggy Nahmany Martine Hue Stéphanie Constand-Atellian	Communication corporate Investor Relations Investor Relations		+ 33 (0)1 44 43 72 83 + 33 (0)1 44 43 65 00 + 33 (0)1 44 43 74 44
Publicis London Karen Buchanan	CEO	karen.buchanan@publicisgroupe.com
Poke Nick Farnhill	Founder and Partner	nick@pokelondon.com
Mother Holdings Ltd. Robert Saville	Director of Mother Holding Ltd.	robert@motherlondon.com