Publicis to launch digital network in Australia

Posted by Leah McBride Mensching on June 25, 2008 at 12:37 AM

Global advertising group Publicis Groupe will launch its digital agency network Digitas in Australia in 2009, the France-based group's global chairman and chief executive announced, The Australian reported Tuesday.

Kenny confirmed the Australian launch in an interview at the International Advertising Festival at Cannes.

“If you want to be at the forefront of growth, because the growth will be coming from digital, you have to think differently,” said Maurice Levy, president of Publicis. He said his group is making strides in the digital realm, and is quickly rolling out Digitas as a stand-alone global operation, The Australian reported.

Publicis bought Digitas in March 2007 for US$1.3 billion.

Publicis saw its digital revenues increase to about 15 percent of overall revenues last year, up from eight percent of total revenues in 2006. In the first quarter of this year, Publicis made 18.4 percent of the group's revenues from digital, according to The Australian.