Grey's Specialized Marketing Capabilities Align Under G2 Brand

Grey's Specialized Marketing Capabilities Align Under G2 Brand

July 13, 2006

Direct, Branding & Design, Interactive, Promotional Marketing, Trade & Shopper Marketing Services Unified in Global Network

    SHANGHAI, China, July 13 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Grey's
network of global specialized marketing services in direct
marketing, branding and design, interactive, promotional,
trade, and shopper marketing has aligned under the G2
brand, it was announced today.  With 86 offices extending
across 42 countries, G2 will be headquartered in New York
under the management of Global Chairman & CEO, Joe
Celia. 

    (Photo:
http://xprnnews.xfn.info/Grey/20060713/mikeamour.htm )

    Celia said, "This is the next phase in our
continuing strategy for building global, best-in-class
specialized marketing capabilities.  We've been developing
our expertise in these disciplines for over 20 years, and
in 2002 we established a global management structure for
this group to provide a more synchronized offer to clients.
 Today we are taking the next step and aligning our
portfolio of leading agencies under the G2 brand." 
Celia added, "Bringing this group under a unified
global brand enables us to field a combined offer, unique
to our range of capabilities."

     "While mass media advertising remains the most
powerful way to generate consumer awareness and brand
consideration, we are finding that in today's increasingly
competitive marketplace clients are seeking deeper, more
interactive communication solutions for their brands,"
said Celia.  "The G2 group of companies is dedicated to
what we call 'Activation Marketing.'  Every communication
solution that we deliver is designed to create some level
of action or interaction with the consumer.  That is the
thread that holds us together and that is our single
focus." 

     "In addition, a unified G2 network means we are
better positioned for seamless integration with our sister
company, Grey Worldwide, and their best-in-class
advertising practice when clients are looking for a total
communication solution, but can also work independently
with clients when necessary," Celia said.  "This
alignment helps our network collaborate more closely --
both regionally and globally -- to develop
multidisciplinary brand communication solutions for
clients, enabling us to share innovative resources and
tools, and leverage our collective expertise more
effectively." 

    The G2 branding transition is expected to be completed
by the end of summer 2006.  In North America this will
include such renowned agencies as Grey Direct and Grey
Interactive.  Outside of the United States this includes
leading agencies as Joshua in the UK, argonauten360¢X in
Germany, Grrrey! in France, Grey Zest in Brazil, Grey
Relationship Marketing in China and Grey3 in Australia,
representing an array of global market-leaders across the
full spectrum of brand communications beyond advertising.

    G2 recently added Ramada, Shell and Bristol-Myers
Squibb in North America, Mercedes-Benz, Levi's and 3M in
Latin America, and Research in Motion (RIM) in the Pacific
Rim to its client roster, and has been awarded significant
additional business from existing global clients Mars, The
Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, The Absolut
Spirits Company, Nokia and Adobe.

    Mike Amour, Chairman and CEO/Asia Pacific Grey Global
Group said, "This rebranding helps us more powerfully
convey the force of 24 specialist activation marketing
companies we have in 19 cities across 16 Asian countries. 
Together, they provide deep and wide services to brand
owners such as BAT, P&G, Volkswagen, Microsoft, AXA and
Nokia among others.  With our advertising company Grey
Worldwide, and consumer insights through our proprietary
research such as Eye on Asia(TM), we provide original,
integrated solutions for our clients that communicate with
consumers in fresh, effective ways."  The G2
operations in Asia Pacific will report to Amour as part of
Grey's overall group offer.

    About G2     

    G2 is a leading global network of specialist marketing
services companies dedicated to activation marketing and
brand communications beyond advertising.  Using deep
marketplace and consumer insights and analytics, innovative
marketing techniques and emerging media and technologies, G2
elevates a brand's communications across multiple
touchpoints to achieve relevancy and impact.  G2 provides
direct marketing, branding and design, interactive,
promotional marketing, trade and shopper marketing and data
analytics to build our clients' brands and businesses.  With
86 offices in 42 countries around the world, clients
include: Adobe, The Coca-Cola Company, Procter &
Gamble, The Absolut Spirits Company, Kodak, Nokia,
GlaxoSmithKline, Mars, Kraft, Pfizer and Volkswagen.  G2 is
a partner company of Grey Global Group and part of the WPP
Group (Nasdaq: WPPGY).

    About G2 Asia 

    G2 companies are located in 19 cities across 16
countries in the Asia Pacific region: Sydney, Melbourne,
Dhaka, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangalore, New Delhi,
Jakarta, Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Auckland, Karachi,
Singapore, Colombo, Taipei and Bangkok. The companies'
clients include BAT, Volkswagen Audi, GE Money, Diageo
Guinness, Procter & Gamble, Amway, Microsoft, AXA and
Nokia.  The caliber of these companies' work has been
widely recognized, most recently taking top prizes at the
Promotional Marketing Awards of Asia, Greater China CRM and
the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Awards. 

    Attachments (
http://xprnnews.xfn.info/Grey/20060713/mikeamour.htm ):
    -- Photo, Mike Amour, Chairman & CEO/Asia Pacific,
Grey Global Group
    -- The new G2 logo

    For more information, please contact:

     Li Jian Hong 
     Grey Worldwide Beijing
     Tel:   [phone] x140
     Email: [e-mail]

     Susan Reingold 
     Grey Global Group Asia Pacific
     Direct tel: [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

SOURCE  Grey Global Group