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TBWA Worldwide Named 2008 Global Agency of the Year by Advertising Age

NEW YORK, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Advertising Age (AdAge) magazine today announced that it has named TBWA Worldwide as its 2008 Global Agency of the Year, recognized TBWA's President and CEO Tom Carroll as Executive of the Year and placed TBWA\Chiat\Day 2nd on its exclusive A-List of top agencies inthe United States.

Tom Carroll, President & CEO TBWA Worldwide said of TBWA's recognition, "Over the last 10 years, under the leadership of Jean-Marie Dru and Lee Clow, we have been delivering both 'Disruptive' and creative ideas in a truly global and inclusive culture. Our objective is to bring out the best in our clients and their brands. Fortunately for us they want and expect TBWA to create work that gets us this kind of recognition. Thanks for noticing."

In its selection of TBWA Worldwide, AdAge noted: "TBWA is our Global Agency of the Year because its uncommon success in marrying global scale with tremendous creativity." AdAge further noted that, "A company that grew up as a confederation of independent states could really behave as a network... Judging by the Visa win; its success in assembling a new agency to win the Adidas' digital business; its respectable revenue growth in a tough climate; and its continued creative excellence in a number of international markets, TBWA has done just that. That's why it's Advertising Age's Global Agency of the Year for 2008."

In recognizing Tom Carroll AdAge noted that, "The person who best embodied the spirit of leadership in the agency business is Tom Carroll." AdAge went on to say that he is "Fit to run a relevant-as-it-gets global network;" and, "What really set Tom apart last year was his commitment to improving the ad business when so many of his peers were afraid to do so."

Carroll said of being recognized as Executive of the Year, "I am fortunate to be part of a company with incredibly talented people in every corner of the world. This recognition is a reflection of the passion that everyone in the network has for the work we do."

TBWA\Chiat\Day was also recognized 2nd in AdAge's Agency A-List noting that, "The shop poured on about a billion dollars in billings in 2008, winning major marketing accounts for such storied brands as Pepsi, Gatorade and Visa, and grew revenue 4% globally and 3% in the U.S., numbers that likely will see Tom Carroll's shop climb the Ad Age tables from its current position as the 10th-largest agency in the U.S. Yet, unlike many of the agencies it now rivals in size, TBWA still appears to breed creativity rather than killing it in the quest for scale."

TBWA Worldwide was also recognized by Adweek magazine as it Global Agency of the Year for 2008.

AdAge first began recognizing agency networks in 1998 previously naming TBWA Worldwide as it Network of the Year in 2004. Network of the Year is judged in four categories: Net growth (business wins and substantial organic account expansion/contraction); agency management (hires, restructures, substantial new initiatives, operational or strategic change); creative quality (both excellence in traditional creative and creative innovation, such as new ways agencies have engaged consumers); marketing effectiveness (achieving substantive measurable results for clients).

TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) creates Disruptive ideas for global clients, including ABSOLUT, adidas, Apple, Beiersdorf, Henkel, Infiniti, Mars, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pioneer, Samsonite, Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore Airlines, Sony PlayStation and Visa. TBWA is one of the fastest-growing Top-Five worldwide advertising agencies, and was named 2008 Global Agency of the Year by Advertising Age and Adweek magazines. TBWA has 267 offices in 77 countries, and approximately 12,000 employees worldwide.

TBWA is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

SOURCE TBWA Worldwide