Joint Venture - Internet Measurement Business

WPP Group PLC 7 March 2000 WPP announces joint venture to launch internet measurement business venture in Latin America WPP Group plc ('WPP') announces a joint venture to launch the first service for tracking internet audiences, advertising and user activity in Latin America. The partners in the new company, called IBOPE eRatings.com, are IBOPE Media Information, a WPP associate, and ACNielsen Corporation subsidiary, AC Nielsen eRatings.com. IBOPE Media Information is an associate member of the Kantar Group, WPP's information and consultancy arm. IBOPE eRatings.com will be a leading provider of internet audience measurement services in Latin America. The expansion into Latin America is driven by the strong projected growth of internet usage in the region, where the number of internet users is projected to grow from 9 million in 1999 to nearly 38 million by 2003. IBOPE eRatings.com will market the service in Latin America under the Nielsen/NetRatings brand, keeping a single identity consistent with the brand that was launched in the US in March 1999. It is expected to cover more than 30 countries by the end of 2001. Commenting on the new company, Paulo Pinheiro de Andrade, Chairman of IBOPE Media Information, said, 'IBOPE Media Information has enjoyed a successful alliance with ACNielsen since January 1998, when we joined forces to measure television and radio audiences and advertising expenditure in key Latin American markets. 'By allying to bring the Nielsen/NetRatings service to clients in Latin America , we will also offer the most accurate information available on the entire spectrum of internet user behavior: who's online, where they are going, what ads they are viewing and clicking on, and how much time they spend.' Paul Donato, President of Kantar Media Research, which represents WPP's global media research interests, commented, 'This alliance presents a tremendous opportunity to link internet audiences to the audiences of tv, radio and press and to the insights into consumer purchase behavior that the partners currently supply to the market. As media converge, our research capabilities will evolve to provide a seamless analysis of the total media and marketing picture.' 'By joining with IBOPE in Latin America, we are extending the reach of this global service to an important region for internet usage, and taking another major step toward becoming the true global currency for internet measurement,' said Michael P. Connors, Vice Chairman of ACNielsen. 'Average annual growth in internet usage in Latin America is expected to be 50% with the highest number of users in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, where penetration is expected to surpass 10% by 2003.' IBOPE eRatings.com will offer the Nielsen/NetRatings service in Central and South America, Mexico and the Caribbean, measuring the entire spectrum of internet user and advertising activity, including the number, frequency and duration of visits to specific sites, detailed date on exposure to ad banners, and user profiles by age, gender, education, occupation and income. Initial date on the Latin American market will be available during the third quarter of 2000. Plans call for the Nielsen/NetRatings service to measure the activity of more than 90% of the world's internet users by the end of 2001. The service is currently established in the US and will soon begin reporting audience information in Australia, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK. EDITOR'S NOTE: IBOPE Media Information is a unit of IBOPE, a privately-held Brazilian firm, engaged in media measurement, consumer panel, public opinion surveys, political polling and ad hoc research. IBOPE Media Information is the Latin American Television Audience Measurement standard in 12 markets and leading ad spend supplier. The company is jointly held by the IBOPE Group, WPP's Kantar Media Research and ACNielsen Corporation. ACNielsen eRatings.com is a venture between ACNielsen, the global leader in delivering market research, information and analysis to the consumer products and services industries, and NetRatings, the leading provider of internet audience measurement technology and analysis. Through the Nielsen/NetRatings service, ACNielsen eRatings.com is creating the first global service for tracking audiences, advertising and user activity on the internet in more than 30 countries worldwide. WPP Group plc ('WPP') is one of the largest communications services companies in the world. Through its 70 operating companies, it provides clients with advertising, media investment management, information & consultancy, public relations & public affairs, branding & identity, healthcare and specialist communications. Besides Kantar Media Research, leading WPP companies include J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, MindShare, Millward Brown, Research International, Hill and Knowlton, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, CommonHealth and Enterprise IG. The Group employs 39,000 people in 950 offices in 92 countries. Clients include more than 300 of the Fortune 500 and over one third of the NASDAQ 100. In 1999, WPP had annual turnover (billings) of $15 billion and revenues of $3.5 billion. For further information: Barry Holt at ACNielsen, US ++ 203 961 3340 Flavio Ferrari at IBOPE, Brazil ++ 5511 30661697 Paul Donato, Kantar Media Research, US ++00 212 3738936 Kevin McCormack, at WPP, US ++00 212 632 2343 Feona McEwan at WPP, UK ++ 020 7408 2204 www.ibope.com.br www.acnielsen.com www.kantarmedia.com www.wpp.com

Companies

WPP (WPP)
UK 100

Latest directors dealings