Bryan, Garnier & Co announces the acquisition by Publicis Group of Mediagong, one of France’s most innovative digital agencies

Paris, January 19th 2012 – Bryan, Garnier & Co, the independent pan-European Investment bank focusing on growth companies, announces the completion of the acquisition of Mediagong, a leading independent French digital agency, by Publicis Group. Mediagong will be aligned with Leo Burnett France, a subsidiary of Publicis Groupe, and will reinforce its digital marketing expertise.

Bryan, Garnier & Co acted as exclusive financial advisor to the sellers.

Founded in 2002, Mediagong employs some 50 communications professionals on the conception and development of innovative digital tools and interactive campaigns. The company has demonstrated strong growth (more than 25% in 2011) and is particularly noted for its creation of vivid, playful and highly interactive narrative campaigns.

Its many core sectors include digital and community strategizing, social media, the development of brand content, advergaming and mobile. Mediagong’s client list is particularly strong in the food, beauty and luxury industries, as well as financial services and retail, and includes market leaders Accor hotels, Bel, Crédit Agricole, Danone, Dessange International and Lindt.

Mediagong will be aligned with Leo Burnett France, one of the top ten full-service agencies in the country, which has experienced very high growth over the past two years. Mediagong will retain its current name and will continue to operate under the leadership of its founding partners Guillaume De La Brosse, David Oks and Olivier Zetlers.

Guillaume de la Brosse, David Oks and Olivier Zetlers, Mediagong’s founders said: “Our discussions with the Leo Burnett team showed us clearly that there would be huge advantages to pooling our expertise, whether TV, shopper marketing or digital. Uniting our skills — in the sectors of food, beauty, banking and luxury, in particular — will further strengthen the pertinence of our recommendations to clients. Moreover, this bond with one of the world’s most creative networks will open up stimulating perspectives for our internal talent pool, within an ecosystem that is focused on the observation and understanding of human behavior.”

Thibaut De Smedt, Managing Partner at Bryan Garnier, said: “This new transaction completed by Bryan Garnier demonstrates our capacity to structure tailor made deals and solutions for our clients, as well as our expertise in the Advertising and Marketing Services sector.”

Jean-Paul Brunier, President of Leo Burnett France, added: “Digital has become key to our clients, and the French market has the potential for strong growth. This strategic acquisition means Leo Burnett will be among the very few full-service agencies with such a strong grounding in digital expertise.”

For more information, please contact:

• Thibaut De Smedt / Managing Partner / +33 1 56 68 75 75 / tdesmedt@bryangarnier.com
• Mathieu Daouphars / Director / +33 1 56 68 75 62 / mdaouphars@bryangarnier.com
• Jonathan Foiret-Hurbin / Senior Analyst – Corporate Finance / +33 1 56 68 75 52 / jfoirethurbin@bryangarnier.com

Mediagong

Mediagong is an independent agency providing strategic consultancy and digital creative services. Founded in 2002, the agency internalizes every aspect of the digital business in order to develop comprehensive strategies that best meet the specific needs of individual brands. With a team of over fifty people, Mediagong now works with around twenty brands, on both their local and global issues.

www.mediagong.tv

Publicis Group

Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, part of the CAC 40 index] is the third largest communications group in the world, offering the full range of services and skills: digital and traditional advertising, public affairs and events, media buying and specialized communication. Its major networks are Leo Burnett, MSLGROUP, PHCG (Publicis Healthcare Communications Group), Publicis Worldwide, Rosetta and Saatchi & Saatchi. VivaKi, the Groupe’s media and digital accelerator, includes Digitas, Razorfish, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia. Present in 104 countries, the Groupe employs 50,000 professionals.

Leo Burnett France

Leo Burnett is one of the largest agency networks in the world, and is part of Publicis Groupe, the third largest communication group world-wide. Leo Burnett’s HumanKind