Publicis Groupe: ZenithOptimedia Acquires Czech & Slovak Performance Agency B2B Group

Regulatory News:

Publicis Groupe (Paris:PUB):

Global media communications group ZenithOptimedia, a part of Publicis Groupe, announced today the acquisition of Czech-Slovak performance marketing agency B2B Group. The agency will be aligned with Performics, ZenithOptmedia’s global performance marketing network.

Based in Prague and Bratislava, the B2B Group was founded in 2000 and has specialised in online marketing since 2006. During that time the agency has worked with an impressive array of brands, including: o2, Raiffeisenbank, Parfums, Pixmania and Annonce. B2B Group has become one of the most respected digital performance agencies in Czech and Slovakia and is one of only five certified partners of leading Czech portal Seznam. B2B Group has a staff of more than 30 specialists, and offers a full range of performance marketing services, including: online strategy, SEM, SEO and programmatic buying.

Tomáš Varga, CEO of ZenithOptimedia Czech, said: "B2B Group has developed a fantastic reputation in the Czech-Slovak market for driving return on investment for clients through performance marketing. The agency’s talent and expertise is a perfect fit with ZenithOptimedia in the Czech market as we develop our communications services around three pillars: media, through ZenithOptimedia; performance marketing, with Performics; and content services from Newcast, which we launched in the Czech market last year."

Nicole Prüsse, CEO Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, ZenithOptimedia, said: "The acquisition of B2B is part of our strategy to build ZenithOptimedia Czech into a full service communications planning agency. Our recent Nestlé win is a testament to this approach.”

Tomáš Potešil, managing director of B2B Group, said: "Over the past few years, we have enjoyed considerable growth in the Czech and Slovak markets. We are now working with a range of online brands and also many corporate clients. Our suite of services have expanded from search into other areas of performance marketing and this makes us a perfect match with ZenithOptimedia."

About ZenithOptimedia

ZenithOptimedia - www.zenithoptimedia.com - is a leading global media services network with over 7,500 people working in 262 offices across 74 countries. We are part of Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40], a global leader in marketing, communication, and business transformation. As the first agency to apply a rigorous and objective approach to improving the effectiveness of marketing spend, ZenithOptimedia delivers to clients the best possible return on their communications investment. This philosophy is supported by a unique approach to strategy development and implementation across the full spectrum of paid, owned and earned contact points – the Live ROI planning process. The ZenithOptimedia Group of companies equips our clients with a full range of integrated skills across communications planning, value optimisation, performance media and content creation. Our key clients include Aviva, Clarins, Kering, Lactalis, L’Oréal, LVMH, Nestlé, Oracle, Reckitt Benckiser, Richemont Groupe, SCA, Sanofi, Toyota and 21^st Century Fox.

About Performics

Performics is a full-service performance marketing network operating in 37 countries worldwide. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Chicago, Performics creates connected and personalized digital experiences across paid, earned and owned media. RECMA recognized Performics as one of their Top 30 Digital Agency Networks of 2014. Performics is a ZenithOptimedia company and the performance marketing specialist within Publicis Groupe. To learn more, visit www.performics.com.