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WPP Groups Wunderman announces acquisition of Bridge Worldwide, an
award-winning interactive relationship marketing agency, serving clients
such as Procter and Gamble.
NEW YORK, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- WPP Groups Wunderman, a leading global
relationship marketing agency, today announced the acquisition of Bridge
Worldwide, a Cincinnati-based interactive relationship marketing agency
specializing in Fortune 100 consumer packaged goods and healthcare. AdMedia
Partners ( http://www.AdMediaPartners.com ), a New York investment bank
specializing in mergers and acquisitions advisory services to the advertising
and marketing, media, and related online and information services businesses,
represented Bridge Worldwide in the acquisition.
"Bridge pioneered the use of the internet to establish active ongoing
relationships between major consumer brands and their customers," said Seth
Alpert, one of the investment bankers who led Bridges deal team. "The
acquisition reflects Wundermans understanding of the importance of this new
way to serve CPG clients."
Leveraging the Internet as the hub of many of its programs, Bridge
Worldwides results-driven creative has built consumer relationships for some
of the worlds best known brands, including the CPG leader Procter & Gamble.
Bridge Worldwide will have access to the diverse resources of Wundermans
global network; however, it will operate as an independent unit of Wunderman.
Terms of the financial agreement were not disclosed.
"Bridge Worldwides depth of online and healthcare experience complements
Wundermans, and we both share the same philosophies about the power of
customer relationships and online dialog," said Wunderman chairman and CEO
Daniel Morel.
Bridge Worldwide, headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, employs more than 120
people and was named as one of the fastest growing companies in the city.
Jay Woffington, president and CEO of Bridge Worldwide said, "We are very
excited to join WPP and be affiliated with a world-class organization such as
Wunderman. This move allows us to tap into the expertise and the global scale
of the network while maintaining our entrepreneurial culture and our flexible
creative and strategic approach for our clients."
About Bridge Worldwide
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Bridge Worldwide (http://www.bridgeworldwide.com) is
an award-winning relationship marketing firm, serving clients such as Procter
& Gamble. Bridge is a top-40 interactive agency and a top 100 marketing
services company in the US. With the internet as the hub, Bridge creates
marketing programs that engage customers in the brand, sustain the dialogue
over time, and drive loyalty and advocacy -- all with a focus on measurable
return on investment.
About Wunderman
Wunderman is one of the largest, most experienced customer-focused
marketing communications companies in the world, with 76 offices in 36
countries. Our focus is simple: acquire, keep and offer value to consumers in
the most creative ways possible. Last year, Wunderman was recognized for
creative excellence with 180 awards and citations. Since 2002, Wunderman has
won 19 Lions at the prestigious Cannes Lions Advertising Festival, including
the coveted Direct Grand Prix two years in a row. Wunderman is part of Young &
Rubicam Brands and a member of the WPP Group.
About AdMedia Partners
AdMedia Partners ( http://www.AdMediaPartners.com ) is a leading boutique
investment bank that provides middle market mergers and acquisitions advisory
services to advertising and marketing services, media and publishing, and
related internet businesses. Founded in 1990 and located in New York City, the
firm has completed over 100 transactions since 1999.
Selected transactions completed by AdMedia Partners in the last six months
include:
-- Representing Creative Domain in its merger with Trailer Park to form
one of the largest providers of diverse entertainment marketing
services in Hollywood. The transaction was backed by a financial
commitment from Lake Capital.
-- Representing Dittus Communications, a Washington, DC based public
affairs firm with legislative and regulatory expertise, in its
acquisition by Financial Dynamics.
-- Representing Federalist Group, a Washington, DC based government
relations firm, in its acquisition by Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide, a unit of WPP Group.
-- Representing Grupo Editorial Expansion, Mexicos second largest
magazine publisher, in its acquisition by Time Inc., a subsidiary of
Time Warner.
-- Representing Gruner+Jahr USA in its sale of Inc. magazine and Fast
Company magazines to Mansueto Ventures LLC.
-- Representing Dynamic Logic, the leading independent marketing research
company, in its acquisition by Millward Brown, a unit of WPP Group.
-- Representing Taylor Rafferty, an independent global investor relations
and financial communications advisor, in its sale to Xinhua Finance,
Chinas premier financial services and media company.
-- Representing Interweave Press in its acquisition by Aspire Media, a
newly formed magazine entity backed by private equity firms Frontenac
Company and Catalyst Investors LP.
This press release distributed by PRWEB ( http://www.prwebdirect.com/ ), a
service of eMediaWire.
Media Contact:
Seth Alpert
AdMedia Partners
212-759-1870
salpert@admediapartners.com
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