TOKYO, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Group's
(NYSE: OMC) Diversified Agency Services (DAS) today announced an
agreement with ITOCHU Corporation ("ITOCHU") (TSE: 8001) and a
number of venture capital funds to acquire a majority stake in
Medical Collective Intelligence Co. Ltd. ("MCI"), a highly
respected Japanese online medical communications agency. ITOCHU
remains a shareholder and an important partner to grow and develop
the business.
Founded in 2007, MCI provides clients in the pharmaceutical and
medical device industries with powerful online market research
services, as well as innovative online CRM solutions. Combining the
existing strengths of Omnicom's healthcare agencies with the
digital capabilities of MCI significantly enhances Omnicom's
overall client offering in Japan,
making it the leading dedicated healthcare marketing group in
Japan.
"This acquisition is an important step in achieving Omnicom's
strategy to expand and deepen our presence in key growth
disciplines," said Dale Adams, CEO
and President of DAS. "Meeting our clients' marketing
communications needs in an ever changing market environment is our
first and foremost goal. Operating in the world's second largest
pharmaceutical market, MCI's digital CRM solutions and research are
well positioned to capitalize on the fastest growing segment of the
marketing communications sector, as clients increase spending on
online, digital and interactive communications platforms."
David Stark, President and CEO of
DAS Healthcare Asia, said: "We admire Takenobu Senda's leadership and look forward to
working with the talented and innovative team at MCI to help our
pharmaceutical clients communicate more effectively and efficiently
with physicians. The innovative digital platform offered by MCI
provides some of the best technology in the field and has great
potential to be rolled out to other markets, especially in
Asia."
"All of us at MCI are delighted to join Omnicom's healthcare
portfolio. I am particularly looking forward to further extend our
services throughout the Asia-Pacific region and help clients with our
online market research and detailing solutions and to penetrate the
large and diverse growth markets of China and India, as well as South East Asian countries.
Together, we also see opportunities for our solutions in the
significant healthcare markets in the U.S. and Europe," MCI Co-Founder and President
Takenobu Senda commented.
MCI will continue to operate as a stand-alone agency, working
closely with its sister healthcare companies within Omnicom in
Asia including Targis, AgencyRx
Japan and Polaris Consumer Healthcare.
About Medical Collective Intelligence Co. Ltd.
Medical Collective Intelligence Co. Ltd. ("MCI") is a highly
respected and well-known Japanese online medical communications
agency. Based in Tokyo, MCI
operates a Marketing Research division and a Detailing Solutions
division, both focused on the healthcare industry.
MCI's Marketing Research division has dedicated research
consultants with broad market research experience in the
pharmaceutical and medical device industries, providing top-quality
services in both quantitative and qualitative research, covering
consulting, planning, information collection, fieldwork operations,
analysis, reporting and recommendation. MCI conducts numerous
discrete research studies through carefully selected research
panels of medical professionals each year. MCI also leverages
its market research capabilities to conduct large-scale studies
utilized by pharmaceutical clients to develop their e-marketing
strategies and to measure the effectiveness of their healthcare
marketing programs.
MCI's Detailing Solutions division delivers CRM expertise and
support to pharmaceutical clients, to enhance their relationship
and one-to-one communications with physicians. The planning,
design, development and operational support provided by MCI's
solutions drives the sales force effectiveness of the medical
representative's detailing activities by combining e-marketing with
actual field detailing. MCI's extensive "Kizuna" e-mail
marketing solutions are delivered through this division.
About Diversified Agency Services
Diversified Agency Services (DAS), a division of Omnicom Group
Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), manages Omnicom's holdings
in a variety of marketing disciplines, including customer
relationship management, public relations and specialty
communications. DAS includes more than 190 companies, which operate
through a combination of networks and regional organizations,
serving international and local clients through more than 700
offices in 71 countries.
About Omnicom Group Inc.
Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a
leading global marketing and corporate communications company.
Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide
advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and
interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public
relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000
clients in more than 100 countries.
SOURCE Omnicom Group Inc.
