Publicis Groupe SA released full year results yesterday which bucked the industry-wide trend of loss, loss and more loss with profits leaping by 18% for 2001. Publicis is the world’s sixth largest advertising group and controls 75% of the Zenith Optimedia Group which is the world’s third largest buying agency.
Publicis won new accounts totalling E2.3 billion in 2001, CEO Maurice Lévy commented: “There is no doubt that 2001 was one of the most difficult years in recent history. Despite initial projections calling for a steep rise in business (+4.5-5.5%), by year-end there had been a decline of around 4.5% Â- a gap of 9 to 10%.”
“Contributing factors included a worsening recession in the US, the bursting of the dot.com bubble, and fallout from the tragic attacks of September 11. Against this backdrop, it is no exaggeration to say that Publicis turned in an exceptional performance. Not only did we successfully integrate the operations of Saatchi & Saatchi (with no loss of clients or staff) and other acquisitions, we also kept the financial impact of these operations well in hand. Publicis also won major new market share, both by consolidating relationships with existing clients and by winning new clients.”
He concluded with an upbeat look forward to 2002: “Our Group is currently prepared to expand further and we are well positioned as 2002 gets under way. We believe that we will be able to outperform the world market once again this year. And we expect earnings to rise further in 2002.”
