Publicis Groupe Creates First Open-Source Audience on Demand Network

PARIS, June 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Publicis Groupe, today announced
the creation of a new technology platform as part of its just launched VivaKi
Nerve Center that will deliver the largest Audience on Demand Network in the
digital advertising industry. The Audience on Demand Network will build upon
Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! and Platform - A tools to enable clients to connect
with precisely defined global audiences - e.g. moms, travellers, dog owners -
in a single campaign buy across the multiple networks. To date, agencies and
clients have had to work through a highly fragmented media environment of ad
networks, exchanges and direct publisher relationships.
"Our Nerve Center has orchestrated an open source solution across the
world's largest digital media companies to integrate global audiences while
also providing diversity, liquidity and transparency of content. We don't
believe that digital media companies are aiming to disintermediate, we
believe they are providing the industry with the technology to help us, plan
and execute campaigns more efficiently," said David Kenny, managing partner
of Publicis Groupe's VivaKi. "Our intention is to provide access to an
audience of this scale through a single point of entry, with optimized
pricing."
This is a first step in bringing more scale to the overall digital
ecosystem with potential to extend to other platforms.
Using the DoubleClick adserving platform, Publicis Groupe will now extend
a custom technology layer across all clients that will make it easier to
connect to other publishers, networks and exchanges through a single
interface. It will also allow clients to leverage their data to find
additional audience across the partners collaborating in this initiative. As
part of the VivaKi Nerve Center, the partnership will deliver additional
audience trough the DoubleClick exchange. DoubleClick will also extend its
Studio product to facilitate easier creative versioning to match messages to
audiences across the multiple platforms.
The VivaKi Nerve Center will also work to integrate with Yahoo!'s Right
Media Exchange, the first and largest open exchange platform featuring over
50,000 buyers and sellers, including advertisers, agencies, publishers and
networks, that trade over six billion impressions a day. Yahoo! will enable
Publicis Groupe clients to apply deep insights to their Exchange buys for
precision targeting. Publicis Groupe also intends to leverage the
capabilities of AMP! from Yahoo!, the company's forthcoming advertising
management platform designed to significantly simplify the process of buying
and selling ads online.
"The VivaKi Nerve Center believes that creating open technology solutions
in the marketplace will make it easier for clients to scale digital
marketing, reaching vast but keenly defined audiences through a simple,
one-stop buying process," said Curt Hecht, President of VivaKi's Nerve
Center. "The development of this new capability will allow our clients to
connect with specific audiences using one core ad-serving platform,
DoubleClick, across the world's four largest audience networks. This will
ultimately improve ROI for our clients and enhance the overall workflow
process and bring greater innovation to the industry."
"Yahoo! believes that the industry's next phase of growth will be driven
by collaboration and through platforms that enable a more open approach to
the way online advertising is bought and sold online," said Hilary Schneider,
Executive Vice President, Global Partner Solutions, Yahoo!. "Publicis'
Audience On Demand Network is a logical extension of what we will enable with
AMP! from Yahoo! so that advertisers can find the audiences they most want to
reach in the most efficient, effective and creative way possible."
The VivaKi Nerve Center will work with Platform-A, connecting audiences
across AOL's leading media properties and the thousands of websites
participating in the Advertising.com network. "We're delighted that
Platform-A will be a part of the Publicis Groupe solution that lets clients
easily purchase audience on demand in an open architecture," said Platform-A
President Lynda Clarizio. "Platform-A is the industry's largest ad platform,
with a comprehensive suite of global marketing solutions powered by the Web's
best advertising technologies. The reach and global audience that we can
offer through Platform-A will be valuable to marketers and ultimately
consumers, who will receive advertising that is more relevant to their needs
and interests."
Microsoft will also work with VivaKi Nerve Center to help Publicis Groupe
clients reach one of the largest and highest converting consumer audiences on
the internet, through its online network of sites, including MSN, Windows
Live, Microsoft Office Live, Xbox LIVE and more than 500 publisher sites via
DRIVEpm, its premium ad network. DRIVEpm has been a leader in adding value to
publisher inventory to precisely target ads using demographic, geographic and
contextual information to help reduce the amount of under-performing ad
inventory. This partnership is a natural fit in that Publicis Groupe works
with some of the most well-known advertising brands in the world and MSN and
DRIVEpm have some of the most desirable audience segments on the internet -
this combined network will ultimately benefit consumers who are looking to
engage with more relevant and meaningful advertising.
About Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577)
Publicis Groupe is the world's fourth largest communications group. In
addition, it is ranked as the world's second largest media counsel and buying
group, and is a global leader in digital and healthcare communications. With
activities spanning 104 countries on five continents, the Groupe employs
approximately 44,000 professionals.
The Groupe offers local and international clients a complete range of
communication services, through three autonomous global advertising networks,
Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi and two multi-hub networks, Fallon
and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; to media consultancy and buying, through
two worldwide networks, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia;
interactive and digital marketing led by Digitas; Specialized Agencies and
Marketing Services offering healthcare communications, corporate and
financial communications, sustainability communications, shopper marketing,
public relations, CRM and direct marketing, event and sports marketing, and
multicultural communications.
Web Site: http://www.publicisgroupe.com
SOURCE Publicis Groupe Services

Media Contacts: Publicis Groupe: Peggy Nahmany, External Communications:
+33(0)1-44-43-72-83, peggy.nahmany@publicisgroupe.com; Martine Hue, Investors
Relations: +33(0)1-44-43-65-00, martine.hue@publicisgroupe.com; VivaKi: Cheri
Carpenter +312-446-9276, cheri.carpenter@smvgroup.com; AOL Platform-A PR
contact: Anne Bentley +1-703-265-2825, Senior Vice President, Corporate
Communications anne.bentley@corp.aol.com; Microsoft PR contact: The Red
Consultancy +1-212-529-77-00, aps@redconsultancy.com; Yahoo! PR contact:
Brigida Bergkamp +1-408-336-0524, brigida@yahoo-inc.com