Breaking: Publicis buys Razorfish

Paris-based advertising group Publicis has confirmed 1 hour ago that it has purchased Razorfish, the digital agencies network, from Microsoft for 530 million dollars, in cash and shares (this makes Microsoft the owner of about 3% of the Groupe by the way...), with an agreement to purchase ad inventory from Microsoft online properties in the years to come.

Publicis Groupe now owns the #1 (Digitas) et #2 (Razorfish) digital agency networks in the world. It is in line to generate 25% of this year's revenue from digital communications.

Razorfish will be included in the VivaKi agency line-up.

Official press release here.

Latest e-commerce launches by Digitas

Time for shameless self-promotion... Here's a list of the latest e-commerce websites that went live in the last weeks, made with love (and sweat) by Digitas:

www.thekooples.com - The newest high-end Fashion brand
www.vin-malin.fr - Wine retail pure play
www.cultura.com - Major retail stores chain in France for Music, Video, Books and creative DIY
www.wesco-group.com - European leader in childcare equipment for professionals

Publicis Groupe acquires Performics

Another digital grab for Maurice: Google has announced that it will sell its Performics search marketing business (acquired with DoubleClick earlier this year) to Paris-based Publicis Groupe. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2008. Performics will join the ViVaki network.

Check out the official Google/Publicis Groupe press release here.

Digitas France 2008 Showreel

Digitas France 2008 Showreel from Michael S. Levy on Vimeo.

Digitas is the # 1 Digital Agency

According to Advertising Age, Digitas is the #1 digital agency for 2007 in revenue, in front of Avenue A/Razorfish and Rapp Collins.

Digitas US Portfolio Highlight Reel

Here's a video reel of a few 2007 projects from Digitas US.
You can also check out Digitas France's portfolio at www.digitas.fr.


Digitas US 2007 Highlight Reel from Michael S. Levy on Vimeo.

Google Will Not Kill the Agency Star, Says Publicis CEO [SearchEngineWatch]

While the business model for advertising agencies needs change, Publicis CEO Maurice Levy says that agencies will adapt and not become obsolete.

Levy says that agencies are the ones who develop the creative, something that companies like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo do not provide.

"Agencies do need to gain a better understanding of new media in order to develop better creatives for channels such as video games and cell phones", according to Levy.

Publicis may be well on its way to doing just that, having acquired digital agency Digitas for $1.3 billion last year.

Google Will Not Kill the Agency Star, Says Publicis CEO [SearchEngineWatch]

Lipdub : Digitas France featuring Partenaire Particulier

Lipdub : Digitas France featuring Partenaire Particulier
by Babounet23