Publicis Groupe Acquires Integrated Strategic Communications Agency, Epic Communications

Regulatory News:

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC40] (Paris:PUB) announced today the acquisition of the South Africa-based company Epic Communications, the country’s leading independent integrated strategic communications agency.

With 50 consultants across its Johannesburg and Cape Town offices, Epic is an established leader in the South Africa market, and a company with growing influence in the rest of Africa. Epic services over 40 retainer clients, including Samsung, Nedbank, DHL, Cipla and Old Mutual and has delivered average annualized growth of over 40% since it was founded. Recently, the agency was awarded African Consultancy of the Year at the 2014 EMEA Sabre awards.

The success of the agency is fuelled by its ability to offer clients an integrated strategic communications solution across multiple disciplines to aid clients achieve their business objectives, including traditional media and investor relations, reputation management, activations, e-PR and digital expertise.

Epic Communications will be aligned with Publicis Groupe’s strategic communications network, MSLGROUP. The agency will operate under the name ‘Epic MSLGROUP’, with Elian Wiener remaining as CEO.

Anders Kempe, president, EMEA at MSLGROUP, commented, "We’re delighted to welcome Epic Communications to the MSLGROUP family. They are a consistently strong player in their market, with a client list that both strengthens and complements our EMEA offering, with many opportunities for collaboration. This first step, building upon Publicis Groupe’s open door policy across Africa, underlines our commitment to the African market.”

Elian Wiener, founder and CEO of Epic Communications, added, "As we have grown we have seen that our clients’ needs are also evolving, requiring a more extensive range of skills, knowledge and global best practices. The team at Epic Communications is incredibly excited about the added value that our clients will derive as a result of this acquisition. We look forward to making the full suite of MSLGROUP tools and proprietary processes available to clients and believe that the combination of these global best practices, technologies and services, along with a strong global presence, will enable us to deliver an even more effective, strategic and integrated communications and public relations solution.”

This acquisition follows those of BrandsRock (Saatchi & Saatchi), Liquorice (DigitasLBi), MACHINE (Publicis Worldwide), Prima Integrated Marketing (Publicis Worldwide), OwenKessel (Publicis Worldwide) and Lighthouse Digital (Starcom MediaVest Group) in South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa in 2014, showing Publicis Groupe’s continued expansion of scope in this important market.

About Publicis Groupe

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and business transformation. In a world marked by increased convergence and consumer empowerment, Publicis Groupe offers a full range of services and skills: digital, technology & consulting with Publicis.Sapient (SapientNitro, Sapient Global Markets, Sapient Government Services, Razorfish Global, DigitasLBi, Rosetta) - the world’s largest most forward-thinking digitally centered platform focused exclusively on digital transformation in an always-on world - as well as creative networks such as BBH, Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, public affairs, corporate communications and events with MSLGROUP, ad tech solutions with VivaKi, media strategy, planning and buying through Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia, healthcare communications, with Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG), and finally, brand asset production with Prodigious. Present in 108 countries, the Groupe employs more than 75,000 professionals.

www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter: @PublicisGroupe | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe | LinkedIn: Publicis Groupe | http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe | Viva la Difference !

About MSLGROUP

MSLGROUP is Publicis Groupe’s strategic communications and engagement group, advisors in all aspects of communication strategy: from consumer PR to financial communications, from public affairs to reputation management and from crisis communications to experiential marketing and events. With more than 3,500 people across close to 100 offices worldwide, MSLGROUP is also the largest PR network in fast-growing China and India, as well as Europe. The group offers strategic planning and counsel, insight-guided thinking and big, compelling ideas – followed by thorough execution.

www.mslgroup.com | Twitter: @msl_group | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/mslgroup | Facebook: www.facebook.com/MSLGROUP