September 6, 2007 – Publicis Groupe in Strategic Mobile Marketing Move:
Acquired Phonevalley, one of Europe’s Leading Mobile Agencies
Phonevalley to Become Mobile Communication Platform
for Publicis Groupe Media Networks
(Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia)
Publicis Groupe today announced the acquisition of Paris-based
Phonevalley, leading European agency in mobile marketing and communications.
Phonevalley will
become the mobile marketing arm of Publicis Groupe Media (PGM), comprising the two global
media networks Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG) and ZenithOptimedia (ZO). Already present in
five European countries (France, UK, Spain, Germany, and Italy), Phonevalley will continue to
implement its offering in Europe throughout the PGM networks, and will service the respective
clients of SMG and ZO. This acquisition makes Publicis Groupe the first global marketing group
with a network committed exclusively to mobile communications.
Mobile communications are rapidly taking an increasingly important share of adspend, as is the
case with other forms of digital and interactive advertising. According to ZenithOptimedia
forecasts, mobile adspend reached $871M worldwide in 2006, and is expected to reach $1.4 billion
in 2007. Interactive and mobile advertising and communications is in rapid development, taking
advantage of all of the technological potential of digital communications and lying right at the heart
of media convergence. With 2.6 billion mobile phone subscribers in the world1, mobile marketing is
particularly attractive given the immediate and valuable measurement it provides to advertisers.
Founded in 2000 by Alexandre Mars, Phonevalley today employs more than 60 mobile
communication experts. The agency develops and provides a wide range of mobile solutions
including SMS, MMS, WAP and also manages purchases of banner ads and key words on
mobiles. Its close contacts with the main European mobile carriers allow it to bring the most up-todate
available innovations and services to clients. In 2006, Phonevalley managed over 1000
campaigns for clients, such as Paramount, SNCF, T-online, Virgin, Mondadori, The PhoneHouse,
Air France, Colgate Palmolive, Sony, Canal+, and Universal. Phonevalley has already been
working with different networks within Publicis Groupe for several years, and this acquisition
extends and solidifies this fruitful collaboration. The international deployment of Phonevalley will
allow Publicis Groupe clients to have the most extensive offer in mobile communications and to
benefit from the renowned know-how of leaders in this field.
Alexandre Mars, 32 years old, will become Head of Mobile, Publicis Groupe Media EMEA and will
continue to manage Phonevalley. PGM management board members, Nick Pahade and Adrian
Sayliss, have been appointed to the Phonevalley board.
Jack Klues, Chairman, Publicis Groupe Media, declared “Mobile communications play an
increasingly critical role in the lives of consumers, particularly in the ‘my media’ world of individual
choice and control. The opportunities to build meaningful consumer connections through mobile
marketing and advertising potentially have no limit, and thanks to the expertise of Alexandre Mars
and Phonevalley, we will give our clients a leading advantage in this area. This acquisition gives
ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group an unprecedented scope of services in this rapidly
evolving medium.”
Nick Pahade, Executive Director of Digital Development, Publicis Groupe Media, and President of
Denuo, added “We are looking forward to taking Phonevalley’s expertise and applying it globally in
developing the mobile strategy for Publicis Groupe Media. We welcome Alexandre and his teams
on board.”
Alexandre Mars, Founder of Phonevalley concluded “We are very excited to become part of
Publicis Groupe so that our expertise can benefit from its international dimension. We need to
reach a critical size to better answer to our client needs, and this move will give us the global reach
we need for our international development.”
About Publicis Groupe
Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577 and NYSE: PUB) is the world’s fourth largest communications group, as well as
world’s second largest media counsel and buying group. With activities spanning 104 countries on five continents, the Groupe employs
approximately 42,000 professionals.
The Groupe’s communication activities cover advertising, through three autonomous global advertising networks: Leo Burnett, Publicis,
Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as through its two multi-hub networks Fallon Worldwide and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; media
consultancy and buying through two worldwide networks ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group; interactive and digital
marketing, marketing services and specialized communications including direct marketing, public relations, corporate and financial
communications, event communications, multicultural and with a worldwide leadership in healthcare communications.
Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com
About Publicis Groupe Media
Publicis Groupe Media (PGM) is comprised of Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia, and is the world’s second largest media
counsel and buying organizations. PGM employs more than 10,200 specialists delivering media management services, internet and
digital communications, response media, entertainment marketing, sports sponsorships, event marketing and multicultural media.
The Starcom MediaVest Group (www.smvgroup.com) network extends across 110 offices in 67 countries. SMG emphasizes contact
innovation and the delivery of Connections that Captivate, evaluated and measured through a suite of ownable approaches, tools,
practices and partnerships.
ZenithOptimedia (www.zenithoptimedia.com) is a media agency network with 175 offices in 69 countries. Its focus is delivering client
return on advertising investment, an approach delivered through a unique system for strategy development and implementation, The
ROI Blueprint.
Contacts
Publicis Groupe
Eve Magnant, Corporate Communications + 33 (0)1 44 43 70 25
Martine Hue, Relations Investisseurs + 33 (0)1 44 43 65 00
Publicis Groupe Media
Cheri Carpenter 1 312 220 6218
Phonevalley
Severine Oger + 33 (0)1 44 94 95 71
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