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WCRS, the agency that devised the high-profile 118 118 directory services campaign, is reported to be on the verge of agreeing a £20 million management buyout from French advertising network Havas. It is understood that WCRS managers, who have been in talks to gain independence from Havas for some time, will buy a majority stake… Continue reading WCRS Close To Finalising £20 Million Buyout From Havas

More voices were added to the cry of ‘recovery’ during February as a number of global advertising agencies posted upbeat figures and trading outlooks. Omnicom, which owns BBDO Worldwide and TBWA, said that its worldwide revenues rose by 18.3% during Q4 2003. Across the full year they were up by 14.4%. Omnicom says that the… Continue reading INSIGHTanalysis: Media Healthcheck – February 2004

UK cable operator, Telewest Communications, dramatically reduced its losses during 2003 as the benefits of its financial restructure and a return to focus on customer relationship have begun to bear fruit. Losses at the company were down from £2.2 billion in 2002 to just £272 million last year. Group operating loss was reduced from £1.9… Continue reading Telewest Turns The Corner As Loss Declines

Advertising account activity increased again in February, with further reviews in the pipeline, according to the latest edition of Lehman Brothers‘ New Business Scorecard. The broker says that WPP came top of the pile, whilst Omnicom and Publicis were ‘solid’ and Interpublic showed further deterioration in the form a number of major account reviews. Overall,… Continue reading Advertising Account Activity On The Up, Says Lehman

International magazine publisher, Future Network, is to issue its first dividend to shareholders after reporting a strong set of financial results for the full year 2003. The group said that turnover was up by 11% to £182.7 million, whilst operating profit rose by 24% to £22.5 million. Earnings per share rose from 4.4p in 2002… Continue reading Future Sets Maiden Dividend As Revenue Rises 11%

Profits at global advertising network, Publicis Groupe, rose by 21.8% to €263 million in 2003. This follows the integration of Bcom3 (see Publicis Confirms BCom3 Merger Details) and a return to sustainable organic growth, the company said this morning. Organic growth at the network was 2.0%, within which there was a 3.7% rise during the… Continue reading Publicis Looks Strong, Whilst Interpublic Slumps

The advertising recovery is gaining momentum according to SMG, but this could not prevent the Glasgow-based media group from posting poorer than expected profits for the full year 2003. The group this morning reported pre-tax profits down by 27.7% from £24.2 million in 2002 to £17.5 million last year. Analysts had expected profits to be… Continue reading SMG’s Profits Tumble 28% As Advertising Decline Bites

The next generation of video games consoles will sell 47 million units between their expected launch in late 2005 and the end of 2010, according to a new executive briefing from Informa Media. The European Games Consoles To 2010 report predicts that Sony’s PlayStation brand will again be the winner, with the PS3 expected to… Continue reading Online Gaming Will Be Key In Next Generation Consoles

Aegis Group, the global media network which owns the Carat agency, today posted a 12.7% rise in underlying pre-tax profits for 2003, with media turnover rising by 15.0% £6.9 billion. Aegis chief executive Doug Flynn says that the results have been achieved despite challenging market conditions thanks to action taken by the company over the… Continue reading Aegis Profits Jump 12.7% As Ad Recovery Builds

Lord Conrad Black was dealt a further blow yesterday when he was forced to step down as chairman of the Telegraph Group, after almost twenty years at the newspaper company’s helm. It emerged last night that Black, who took control of the Daily Telegraph in 1985, had been removed as both chairman and director of… Continue reading Crisis Deepens As Black Ousted From Telegraph Group