50% Stake Taken in Tamir Cohen Ltd

WPP Group PLC
7 December 1999


                     WPP GROUP PLC ('WPP')

 J. Walter Thompson acquires 50% stake in Tamir Cohen Limited,
  a leading Israeli advertising agency and option to acquire
  interest in NetKing, the leading Israeli language Internet
                            portal

WPP  Groups wholly owned operating company, J Walter Thompson
Company  ('JWT')  has agreed to acquire  50%  of  Tamir  Cohen
Limited,  one of the leading full service advertising agencies
in  Israel,  and entered into put and call options to  acquire
the remaining 50%.  At the same time, JWT has entered into  an
option   to  acquire  a  minority  interest  in  Tamir   Cohen
associate,  NetKing,  the  leading Israeli  language  Internet
portal.

Founded in 1934, with offices in Tel Aviv, Tamir Cohen was the
first  advertising  agency  in  Israel.  Its  clients  include
British  Airways,   Burger  King, Elite,  International  Bank,
Israel  Electric Company, Jacobs, Kellogg, Microsoft,  Samsung
cellular,  Strauss and Unilever.  The company had revenues  of
NIS  38.5  million for the year to 31 December  1998  and  net
assets of NIS 13.4 million at that date.

Tamir Cohen will continue to be managed by its directors David
Tamir and Rony Cohen.

Commenting  on the acquisition, Michael Mddel,  president  and
chief executive of JWT Europe said, 'We have worked with Tamir
Cohen for many years and appreciate their professionalism,  so
we  are  delighted to have deepened the relationship with  the
premier agency in Israel.'

The  interest  in  Tamir Cohen expands JWTs presence  in  the
strategically  important Middle Eastern market  and  continues
WPPs  strategy  of strengthening existing networks  worldwide
and of investing in ground-breaking interactive agencies.

For further information please contact:
Feona McEwan at WPP, London
Tel: + 44 171 408 2204