Publicis Groupe to acquire Rosetta Marketing for $575 million
17 May 2011
Publicis Groupe, the world's third largest communications group today said that it will acquire Rosetta Marketing Group for at least $575 million in cash to broaden its digital and interactive marketing services.
Princeton, New Jersey-based Rosetta is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent digital agencies in North America and the largest independent interactive agency in the US.
Launched in 1998 with a focus on consulting services, Rosetta's clients are mainly in the healthcare, financial, retail and technology industries, and include Allergan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bristol Myers Squibb, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Marriott, Research In Motion, T-Mobile and Valvoline.
Rosetta provides personalised interactive marketing solutions to clients using a unique approach, relying strongly on its strategic consulting expertise, and integrating creative agency capabilities and technology services.
Over the past 6 years Rosetta has grown from an agency of 40 professionals, generating about $10 million in annual revenue to a profitable agency with expected revenues of nearly $250 million in 2011.
Under the terms of the deal, in addition to the initial transaction value of $575 million, Rosetta's manager-shareholders can receive a potential deferred payment in 2014 based on the agency's performance in 2011-2013.
