Omnicom Group's Diversified Agency Services Acquires Leading Japanese Digital Medical Communications Agency MCI

TOKYO, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Group's (NYSE: OMC) Diversified Agency Services (DAS) today announced an agreement with ITOCHU Corporation ("ITOCHU") (TSE: 8001) and a number of venture capital funds to acquire a majority stake in Medical Collective Intelligence Co. Ltd. ("MCI"), a highly respected Japanese online medical communications agency. ITOCHU remains a shareholder and an important partner to grow and develop the business.

Founded in 2007, MCI provides clients in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries with powerful online market research services, as well as innovative online CRM solutions. Combining the existing strengths of Omnicom's healthcare agencies with the digital capabilities of MCI significantly enhances Omnicom's overall client offering in Japan, making it the leading dedicated healthcare marketing group in Japan.

"This acquisition is an important step in achieving Omnicom's strategy to expand and deepen our presence in key growth disciplines," said Dale Adams, CEO and President of DAS. "Meeting our clients' marketing communications needs in an ever changing market environment is our first and foremost goal. Operating in the world's second largest pharmaceutical market, MCI's digital CRM solutions and research are well positioned to capitalize on the fastest growing segment of the marketing communications sector, as clients increase spending on online, digital and interactive communications platforms."

David Stark, President and CEO of DAS Healthcare Asia, said: "We admire Takenobu Senda's leadership and look forward to working with the talented and innovative team at MCI to help our pharmaceutical clients communicate more effectively and efficiently with physicians. The innovative digital platform offered by MCI provides some of the best technology in the field and has great potential to be rolled out to other markets, especially in Asia."

"All of us at MCI are delighted to join Omnicom's healthcare portfolio. I am particularly looking forward to further extend our services throughout the Asia-Pacific region and help clients with our online market research and detailing solutions and to penetrate the large and diverse growth markets of China and India, as well as South East Asian countries. Together, we also see opportunities for our solutions in the significant healthcare markets in the U.S. and Europe," MCI Co-Founder and President Takenobu Senda commented.

MCI will continue to operate as a stand-alone agency, working closely with its sister healthcare companies within Omnicom in Asia including Targis, AgencyRx Japan and Polaris Consumer Healthcare.

About Medical Collective Intelligence Co. Ltd.

Medical Collective Intelligence Co. Ltd. ("MCI") is a highly respected and well-known Japanese online medical communications agency. Based in Tokyo, MCI operates a Marketing Research division and a Detailing Solutions division, both focused on the healthcare industry.

MCI's Marketing Research division has dedicated research consultants with broad market research experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, providing top-quality services in both quantitative and qualitative research, covering consulting, planning, information collection, fieldwork operations, analysis, reporting and recommendation.  MCI conducts numerous discrete research studies through carefully selected research panels of medical professionals each year.  MCI also leverages its market research capabilities to conduct large-scale studies utilized by pharmaceutical clients to develop their e-marketing strategies and to measure the effectiveness of their healthcare marketing programs.

MCI's Detailing Solutions division delivers CRM expertise and support to pharmaceutical clients, to enhance their relationship and one-to-one communications with physicians. The planning, design, development and operational support provided by MCI's solutions drives the sales force effectiveness of the medical representative's detailing activities by combining e-marketing with actual field detailing. MCI's extensive "Kizuna" e-mail marketing solutions are delivered through this division.

About Diversified Agency Services

Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings in a variety of marketing disciplines, including customer relationship management, public relations and specialty communications. DAS includes more than 190 companies, which operate through a combination of networks and regional organizations, serving international and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

About Omnicom Group Inc.

Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is 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 Omnicom Group Inc.