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Publicis acquires majority stake in Watermelon Healthcare Communications
By siliconindia
Bangalore: Publicis Groupe, world's third largest communication group has acquired a majority of stake in the Mumbai based company Watermelon Healthcare Communications, a healthcare advertising agency. Post deal, Watermelon will become a part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) and will be renamed Publicis Life Brands Watermelon.
Fouded in 2003, Watermelon has 40 employees and company's clients list includes pharma and biotech companies like AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, J&J, Merck Specialties, MSD Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, among others. Watermelon's founders are Abhijit Shitut and Kiran Pai. They will also be named as joint Managing Directors at Publicis Life Brands Watermelon.
Euronext Paris-listed communications company Publicis Groupe is the world's third largest communications group, with a presence in 104 countries through three global advertising networks, Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, and numerous agencies including Fallon, 49 percent owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty, and Kaplan Thaler Group.
Publicis Groupe offers healthcare communications with Publicis Healthcare Communications Group and with MS&L Group, a PR and events networks also provides expertise in corporate and financial communications, public affairs, branding, and social media marketing.
Last October, Publicis Groupe was to acquire majority stake in public relations (PR) and marketing communications firm 20:20 Media, and social media consulting firm 2020 Social, subject to the mandatory FIPB approvals.
Earlier in 2007, MS&L had acquired leading Indian public relations consultancy Hanmer & Partners, founded by Sunil Gautam, a former founding partner Mumbai-based Clea Advertising, rebranding it as Hanmer MS&L.
