TOKYO, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Omnicom Group Inc. ("Omnicom")
(NYSE: OMC), the leading global advertising and marketing services group, has
acquired a majority interest in Shift, a major digital consultancy in New
Zealand.
Arguably New Zealand's preeminent design studio specializing in web-based
communications and multimedia, Shift has a record of developing international
award-winning websites. With an array of leading clients and offices in
Wellington and Auckland, Shift has a stellar lineup of talent.
"The investment in Shift is an exciting addition to our fast growing
digital capabilities in the Asia Pacific region," said Michael Birkin,
Omnicom's Vice Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Asia Pacific. "We are
enormously impressed with the quality of their work and the diverse range of
their clients."
Selwyn Feary, Shift's founder, is equally enthusiastic about the
development. "Our decision to partner with Omnicom opens up unlimited
international opportunities for Shift. Our strategic goal was always to
introduce our specialist solutions to the world, and Omnicom agencies are a
global powerhouse of creativity and strategic acumen that will see us deliver
our vision. We are confident that Omnicom will benefit from our kiwi flair and
ingenuity, and the new relationship will also enhance the Shift team's ability
to learn and pitch their best ideas to the global digital market."
Shift will work closely with TBWA, TEQUILA and Agency.com Worldwide,
helping to enhance the TBWA\Group's digital offering on a global basis.
"We are very excited to be working with Shift as we have admired them for
a long time. We hope that we will be able to export some of the 'kiwi
know-how' to the rest of the world at the same time as we make our digital
offering even stronger," said Keith Smith, President - International,
TBWA\Worldwide.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global
advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded
networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media
planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional
marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to
over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
About Shift:
Shift (www.shift.co.nz) is a privately owned New Zealand company with
offices in Auckland and Wellington.
Widely acknowledged as one of New Zealand's leading web communication and
design agencies, it has received numerous national and international
accolades. They include the Webby (the equivalent of an Oscar for websites)
for the www.newzealand.com site in 2005 and 2006, for which it was again
nominated in 2007.
Shift's core competencies are web strategy, creative visual design and
technical design, focusing on communication values and the end-user
experience.
SOURCE Omnicom Group Inc.
Pat Sloan, +1-212-415-2109, or Velvet Yoshinami, +81-90-8561-0978, both of
Omnicom Group Inc.
