Burson-Marsteller Acquires Hart Cooper Partners; Hart Cooper Partners to Extend Burson-Marsteller Services For Emerging High Technology Companies.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 13, 1999--

Burson-Marsteller, the world's leading pereception management and communications consulting firm and a unit of the Young & Rubicam, Inc. (NYSE:YNR) network, today announced the acquisition of Hart Cooper Partners, a premier San Francisco-based marketing and public relations firm focused on emerging high technology companies.

"In a very short time, Hart Cooper Partners has established its value-add to young, fast growth technology companies -- both through its positioning capabilities and public relations execution," stated Bill Fasig, chairman of Burson-Marsteller's Worldwide Information Technology Practice. "Importantly, HCP extends Burson-Marsteller's services to include emerging technology companies, enabling our IT practice to encompass important new technologies and young, high growth companies."

Hart Cooper Partners will retain its name and become an independent subsidiary within Burson-Marsteller. Principals Kay Hart and Elizabeth Cooper will continue in their roles at HCP, and join Burson-Marsteller as Managing Directors in the IT practice, reporting to Mr. Fasig. The firm, which is 18 months old and based in San Francisco, reported billings of $1 million in its first full year of operations. HCP clients include high technology start-up companies predominantly in enterprise software and Internet markets, venture capital firms and related service providers. The firm offers strategic positioning counsel, full service public relations, marketing communications and corporate identity counsel to its clients.

"Hart Cooper Partners has focused on a huge void for start-up companies," according to Jim Breyer, managing partner of Accel Partners. "The firm's strategic positioning expertise and understanding of emerging markets has strongly contributed to its clients' marketing momentum. HCP's acquisition by Burson-Marsteller extends the company's capabilities in areas that are important for its clients and investors -- including IPO expertise, international reach and infrastructure resources."

Burson-Marsteller features both global reach and resources, with over 2,500 employees in 80 offices located in 40 countries. The firm is characterized by a relentless focus on clients' business results, accomplished by helping manage clients' perceptual environment to achieve specific business results. With proven expertise at managing high technology brands globally, Burson-Marsteller's IT practice clients include Sun Microsystems, Iridium, Qualcomm, Alcatel, Symbian, Sony and Motorola.

"HCP is delighted to be joining ranks with Burson-Marsteller," said Kay Hart, co-founder of Hart Cooper Partners. "Burson-Marsteller's tremendous resources -- from its deep bench of specialized talent such as in-house IPO expertise to its global reach -- will bring tremendous value to our young technology clients."

According to Elizabeth Cooper, co-founder of Hart Cooper Partners, "Many of the emerging technology companies we come in contact with are aggressively moving toward an IPO and need careful guidance and preparation. Our own experience, in combination with Burson-Marsteller's resources -- a firm with more successful IPO's behind it than anyone -- will give clients unparalleled support leading up to and during their financial offering."

Burson-Marsteller is the world's leading perception management and communications consulting firm. A part of the Young & Rubicam Inc. (NYSE:YNR) network since 1979, the firm links, philosophically and electronically, the knowledge and insight of more than 2,500 professionals in 40 countries, operating in multiple functional and industry practice specialties. The B-M network in the United States includes offices in Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D. C.