Giant Footsteps: Publicis agrees to acquire Saatchi & Saatchi for $1.92 billion, creating the world's fifth largest advertising/marketing/PR conglomerate. Saatchi
will sell off several of its Rowland PR offices to Edelman.
The agency formerly known as CDB (Creamer Dickson Basford) acquires the PR firms Kratz & Jensen and Capstone Communications, and merges with the interactive shop ACG
Communications to form a new entity known as Magnet Communications.
Golin Harris International merges with the New York, London and Frankfurt offices of the I/R firm Ludgate Communications. Both firms are Interpublic Group companies.
BSMG Worldwide (a True North company) strengthens its position in Asia with the acquisition of Scotchbrook Communications Group, a PR firm with bases in Hong Kong, Singapore
and Malaysia. BSMG also brings the London-based firm Lyons Waddell into its fold.
The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and IABC forge a reciprocity agreement calling for mutual recognition of each organization's respective accreditation programs.
The deal gives ABC and APR credentials equal standing. Association leaders are now debating whether an accredited member of one organization should be auto-accredited with the
other.
