Omnicom Acquires Interest in Shift
TOKYO, Feb. 12 -- Omnicom Group Inc. ("Omnicom") (NYSE:OMC), the leading global advertising and marketing services group, has acquired a majority interest in Shift, a major digital consultancy in New Zealand.
Arguably New Zealand's preeminent design studio specializing in web-based communications and multimedia, Shift has a record of developing international award-winning websites. With an array of leading clients and offices in Wellington and Auckland, Shift has a stellar lineup of talent.
"The investment in Shift is an exciting addition to our fast growing digital capabilities in the Asia Pacific region," said Michael Birkin, Omnicom's Vice Chairman and Chairman and CEO of Asia Pacific. "We are enormously impressed with the quality of their work and the diverse range of their clients."
Selwyn Feary, Shift's founder, is equally enthusiastic about the development. "Our decision to partner with Omnicom opens up unlimited international opportunities for Shift. Our strategic goal was always to introduce our specialist solutions to the world, and Omnicom agencies are a global powerhouse of creativity and strategic acumen that will see us deliver our vision. We are confident that Omnicom will benefit from our kiwi flair and ingenuity, and the new relationship will also enhance the Shift team's ability to learn and pitch their best ideas to the global digital market."
Shift will work closely with TBWA, TEQUILA and Agency.com Worldwide, helping to enhance the TBWAGroup's digital offering on a global basis.
"We are very excited to be working with Shift as we have admired them for a long time. We hope that we will be able to export some of the 'kiwi know-how' to the rest of the world at the same time as we make our digital offering even stronger," said Keith Smith, President - International, TBWAWorldwide.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global advertising, 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.
About Shift:
Shift (www.shift.co.nz) is a privately owned New Zealand company with offices in Auckland and Wellington.
Widely acknowledged as one of New Zealand's leading web communication and design agencies, it has received numerous national and international accolades. They include the Webby (the equivalent of an Oscar for websites) for the www.newzealand.com site in 2005 and 2006, for which it was again nominated in 2007.
Shift's core competencies are web strategy, creative visual design and technical design, focusing on communication values and the end-user experience.
Source: Omnicom Group Inc.
CONTACT: Pat Sloan, +1-212-415-2109, or Velvet Yoshinami, +81-90-8561-0978, both of Omnicom Group Inc.
Web site: http://www.omnicomgroup.com/
http://www.shift.co.nz/
