Subsidiaries Acquire Matthew Poppy Advertising

WPP Group PLC
17 November 1999



                      WPP GROUP ('WPP')
                              
   OGILVY GROUP UK AND COMMONHEALTH ACQUIRE UK HEALTHCARE
          AGENCY, MATTHEW POPPY ADVERTISING LIMITED


WPP announces that its wholly-owned operating  companies,
Ogilvy Group UK,  the  advertising  agency group and
CommonHealth, the global healthcare communications  company,
have  acquired  Matthew  Poppy  Advertising  Ltd,  the  UK's
largest independent healthcare advertising agency.

The London-based agency provides total healthcare
communications  to  clients such  as  Bristol-Myers  Squibb,
Glaxo  Wellcome, Novo Nordisk and Pharmacia  &  Upjohn.  The
company  employs  27 people and reported  revenues  of  £1.3
million  to 31 July 1999 and net assets of £49,000  at  that
date.

The acquisition will provide Matthew Poppy's  clients  with
full access to the wider resources of the OgilvyHealthcare
network across Europe and to CommonHealth's resources
worldwide.

This acquisition continues WPP's strategy of developing  its
business in the faster  growing  segments  of  the  communications  
services industry.  This is the latest in a series of joint  
ventures by  CommonHealth  with  other  WPP companies.  Earlier  
this month it announced the formation of healthcare/brand/promotion 
group EinsonHealth,  with  Einson Freeman, WPP's US promotional 
marketing specialists.


Contact:
Feona  McEwan, WPP  London                 44-20 7408 2204

www.wpp.com
www.ogilvy.com
www.commonhealth.com