Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., Announces Advertising & Media Buying Agency Realignment

    SUMMIT, N.J., June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. (NCH)
 announced today the realignment of its advertising agency accounts from eight
 to five.  It also announced that it has selected Ogilvy & Mather to handle its
 media buying activities.  The announcement concludes a five-month account
 review that was triggered by NCH's recent merger.
     NCH previously worked with eight advertising firms.  These agencies were
 streamlined to four and a new agency was added.  As a result, the five new
 agencies of record are:  Grey Advertising & Healthcare; Jordan, McGrath, Case
 & Taylor; NCI Masterson; The Seiden Group and TBWA/Chiat Day.  Robert Becker,
 NCI Advertising, Publicis/Bloom and The Sawtooth Group will no longer handle
 NCH accounts.  (See chart for details).
     NCH selected Ogilvy & Mather for the media buying account over The
 Woodbridge Group, a subsidiary of Jordan, McGrath, Case & Taylor.  The account
 is expected to exceed $125 million.  Both Ogilvy & Mather and The Woodbridge
 Group had previously worked with NCH's predecessor businesses.  The media
 buying assignment will become effective June 30th.
     Fred Huser, president of Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., stated, "Our two
 previous companies maintained very strong and effective agency relationships.
 However, Novartis Consumer Health is a new company with new needs and
 expectations.  We needed to realign our agency support to allow each agency to
 grow with us and focus on our unique needs.  With this action we have
 accomplished two overarching goals.  One, we achieved significant cost savings
 from commission billings, and two, we selected agencies that have demonstrated
 a core capability in creating superior advertising and media plans."
     Except for the transition of the Gas-X(R) account, all advertising
 assignments are effective immediately.  The Gas-X(R) account is expected to be
 switched by the close of the fourth quarter.
     Novartis Consumer Health, Inc., headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is a
 leading consumer pharmaceutical business that produces and markets superior
 brands for self-diagnosis, treatment and prevention of medical conditions to
 enhance overall health.  It holds strong positions in several important
 therapeutic categories:  cardiovascular; cough, cold, allergy and sinus;
 dermatology; analgesics; and gastrointestinal.  It markets such well known
 brands as Ascriptin(R), Desenex(R), Doan's(R), Ex-Lax(R), Gas-X(R),
 Habitrol(R) (nicotine transdermal system), Maalox(R), Tavist(R), Theraflu(R)
 and Triaminic(R).
     On December 20, 1996, Ciba-Geigy Ltd. and Sandoz Ltd. merged to form
 Novartis AG, a global leader in the life sciences with core businesses in
 Healthcare, Agribusiness and Nutrition.  Ciba Self-Medication and Sandoz
 Consumer Pharmaceuticals, the respective consumer pharmaceutical businesses,
 joined together to form Novartis Consumer Health, Inc.
                            NOVARTIS CONSUMER HEALTH
                         ADVERTISING AGENCY ASSIGNMENTS
 
     AGENCY                PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENT      NEW ASSIGNMENT    TIMING
     Robert Becker, Inc.   Ascriptin, Habitrol,     None              Immediate
     (Professional) *      Maalox, Perdiem,
                           Slow Fe Transderm Scop
 
     Grey Advertising *    Ex-Lax, Maalox           Cruex, Desenex,   Immediate
                                                    Dulcolax, Ex-Lax,
                                                    Lamisil, Maalox,
                                                    Perdiem, Transderm
                                                    Scop
 
     Grey Healthcare       None                     All Novartis      Immediate
     (Professional) *                               Consumer Health
                                                    Brands (Professional)
 
     Jordan, McGrath,      Cruex, Desenex, Doan's   Tavist,           Immediate
      Case & Taylor *      Dulcolax, Transderm      Theraflu, Triaminic
                           Scop
 
     NCI Masterson *       Choltrol                 Choltrol          Immediate
 
     NCI Advertising       Choltrol, Triaminic      None              Immediate
      (Professional) *
 
     Publicis/Bloom *      Tavist, Theraflu,        None              Immediate
                           Triaminic
 
     Sawtooth Group *      Gas-X                    None              4th
                                                                      Quarter,
                                                                      1997
 
     Seiden Group *        Ascriptin, Habitrol,     Habitrol,         Immediate
                           Perdiem                  New Business
                                                    Development
 
     TBWA Chiat Day        None                     Ascriptin,        Ascriptin
                                                    Doan's, Gas-X     & Doan's
                                                                     Immediate;
                                                                     Gas-X, 4th
                                                                     Quarter,
                                                                     1997
 
     * Denotes previous agency
 
 

SOURCE  Novartis Consumer Health, Inc.