Added Value Moves Aggressively Into US Market With Fusion 5 Partnership.

Business Editors

WESTPORT, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 13, 2000

Added Value, one of the most influential global marketing consultancies, enters the US in partnership with Fusion 5, the Westport, Conn.-based consumer marketing innovation, insight and consulting firm behind successful marketing initiatives for Ford, Nike, Coca-Cola, Disney and leading new e-brands.

Terms call for Added Value to pay $9 million in cash and stock initially, with a potential payment of up to $20 million in cash and stock over three years. Fusion 5 will be renamed Fusion 5/Added Value. Fusion 5 has 30 employees and annual revenues of more than $10 million.

Added Value, a leading strategic consultancy founded by Peter Dart and Mark Sherrington is part of the London based Tempus Group. Formed in 1988 as a completely new kind of marketing consultancy, Added Value focuses on the achievement of competitive advantage through growing brands. The firm has rapidly grown to 20 offices and fee income in excess of 25m pounds, and has handled projects in 50 countries for over 120 companies.

Fusion 5 is at the forefront of marketing consulting, and has earned a strong reputation for its cutting-edge marketing towards the difficult to reach consumer groups, such as Gen X, Y and I, teen girls, Latin and urban audiences. The firm, which focuses on the food, beverage, apparel, entertainment and retail categories, has been credited with the development of strategic concepts behind successful new products and marketing programs for Ford, Coca-Cola, and Disney, as well as for leading new e-brands, including ByeByeNow.com

The move sets up Fusion 5 as the cornerstone for Added Value's North America strategy, focused on the leadership position in strategic brand marketing consulting, innovation management and consumer insights research.

"From the moment we met Added Value we recognized that our cultures and values are uncannily alike," said Patrick Meyer, co-founder and CEO of Fusion 5. "Coming together with Added Value allows us to deliver even greater next generation thoughtware and brand solutions for our clients, from a global presence in over 20 countries."

"Fusion 5 and Added Value are relentlessly focused on the consumer and on developing methods to seek insights that help clients grow their brands," said Robin Austin, co-founder and chief creative officer, Fusion 5. "In joining forces we can offer marketers anywhere in the world a cutting-edge approach to proactively meet the global brand challenges they face in the new century."

"The partnership with Fusion 5 effectively completes our global marketing network and adds the resources of a brilliant group of people who share our vision of the future, as well as our energy, passion and approach to working with clients," said Mark Sherrington, chairman, Added Value.

"Importantly, the merger unites Added Value with other Tempus resources in the US, including CIA Medianetwork (planning/buying) and Outrider (Web site development), both of which have sizable operations that will benefit from the breadth, scope and expertise of our integrated brands," added Sherrington.

Fusion 5, like Added Value, focuses on developing leading-edge methodologies that unlock "DNA" insights that drives brand connections, marketing innovation and aggressive business growth. Fusion 5 was founded in 1994 by Robin Austin and Patrick Meyer, veteran of Marketing Corporation of America, marketing professionals who recognized the growing need to provide companies proactive, consumer-driven marketing solutions to drive brand and overall business growth in an environment of rapid change, evolving consumer needs and intense competition.

Fusion 5 principals Meyer and Austin will continue to lead the new firm. Added Value director Carmen Ringelman, previously based in New York, will join Fusion 5's management team. Added Value veterans, and recruits to be appointed shortly, will join to further cement the firm's leadership position in marketing innovation.

Background ... Added Value

Founded in 1988, Added Value is a leading edge strategic marketing consultancy dedicated to creating business growth through harnessing the power of people and brands.

With a multi-cultural team of around 325 people, working out of offices in London, Paris, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Athens, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Singapore, Sydney, and Melbourne, Added Value has undertaken assignments for major clients in more than 50 countries.

The 135 strong UK office includes specialists in strategic marketing, insight, innovation, organizational development, internal communications and e-marketing, working in cross functional teams to identify growth opportunities, build great brands and energize organizations.

Clients include Unilever, Egg, Ericsson, Freeserve, Levi's, Intercontinental, Mattel, Mars, Remy-Cointreau, Shell, South African Breweries, Old Mutual and Coca Cola.

A Tempus Group company, Added Value has the opportunity to partner with corporate and brand identity agency Brown ID, Internet services experts from Outrider, and media communications specialists CIA to offer a unique combination of strategic and implementation skills.

More information about Added Value is available at www.added-value.com. More information about Fusion 5 is available at www.fusion5.com.