Euro RSCG Worldwide to Create First Television Commercial of the New Millennium; Spot to Air in The Chatham Islands, Ground Zero For the New Millennium.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 1999--

One of the most influential art forms of the 20th century, the television commercial, will make its 21st century debut in the most unlikely place.

Euro RSCG Worldwide, one of the world's leading agency networks, will create a 90-second spot to air at 12:00:01 am on January 1, 2000 from the local television station in the Chatham Islands, New Zealand, the first inhabited land mass to see the New Millennium.

"In this new era of global business opportunity, never will it be more important to be first, first with an great creative idea and first to communicate it," said Bob Schmetterer, Chairman and CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide. "We have a passionate commitment to working with our clients on being first in their markets with great ideas. Not just great creative ideas. Great business ideas. We want to demonstrate that passion in the opening seconds of the new millennium."

"What began as a great idea for the television commercial has become a network-wide effort to express this millennium message," Schmetterer continued. "Dozens of Euro RSCG agency offices around the world are contributing to this project, integrating this message across all media, from the internet to TV, promotions, messages to specific industries, even recruitment of new people. It's a great example of networked creativity, which is at the heart of our promise as a global communications network."

The Chatham Islands lie in the South Pacific Ocean, some 850kms east of mainland New Zealand. They consist of two inhabited main islands - Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Pitt Island lies 19kms south east of Chatham Island. Both form one of New Zealand's smaller regions, in area and population (700 to 800 inhabitants) and are administered by the Chatham Islands Council. (http://www.chathams.napier.govt.nz/)

In only eight years of operation, Euro RSCG Worldwide has become the world's fifth-largest agency network and today, works in partnership with some of the world's most outstanding clients and brands, including Air France, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Intel, J.P. Morgan, Louis Vuitton, MCI WorldCom, NASDAQ, Peugeot, Philips Electronics and SmithKline Beecham. Euro RSCG is among the top 10 agencies in more than half the countries in which it operates.

Headquartered in New York City, Euro RSCG Worldwide is comprised of 176 agencies in 72 countries with 1998 billings totaling more than $7 billion and gross income of more than $1 billion. Covering all communications disciplines, including advertising, marketing services, interactive, design, public relations and healthcare the network has more than 7,000 employees around the world.

Euro RSCG Worldwide is a unit of the Paris-based Havas Advertising Group, the world's sixth-largest communications group.