PUBLICIS GROUPE has agreed to buy legendary advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty in an attempt to attract creative talent and bolster its market share in Europe and emerging markets.
In the deal, announced yesterday, the French advertising group will buy the 51 per cent stake in the agency it doesn’t already own in BBH. Publicis is also acquiring Neogama/BBH, a Brazilian advertising agency in which BBH had a 34 per cent stake. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
BBH is lauded for its creativity in traditional and digital media. Founded in London in 1982 by British ad men John Bartle, Nigel Bogle and Sir John Hegarty, it has created memorable campaigns for brands including Audi, Johnnie Walker, British Airways and Google in the past three decades.
Revenues at BBH, which has about 1,000 employees across the globe, were €112.2 million in 2011, excluding Brazil. Revenues for São Paulo-based Neogama/BBH, which has about 270 employees, were €42.2 million in 2011.
Publicis has held a 49 per cent stake in BBH since 2002, as part of its $3 billion deal for advertising company Bcom3.
