Publicis Groupe reported $2 billion in revenue in the second quarter, a 3% increase compared with the previous year. The holding company’s North American business, which accounted for 45% of Publicis’ overall revenue, generated $908.8 million in revenue, down 6% year-over-year.
Digital work generated more than one-quarter (29%) of Publicis’ total revenue in the period, and 45% of its North American revenue, it said in an earnings statement. The holding company expects digital to exceed 30% of total revenue in the wake of acquiring digital agency Rosetta. That deal closed July 5.
“In order to fuel [the holding company’s] goal of boosting Internet-related and digital work to take a dominant share of our activity, this first half has been rich in acquisitions,” said Maurice Levy, chairman and CEO of Publicis, in an earnings statement. In addition to the Rosetta deal, the company said July 18 that it has acquired a majority stake in social media agency Big Fuel.
Publicis’ revenue grew 7% to $3.9 billion in the first six months of 2011. The company’s net income reached $328.5 million, up 8% compared with the previous year. North America revenue in the first half of the year reached $1.8 billion, a 1% year-over-year increase.
Publicis cited 212 principal client wins in the first half of this year, including 41 in the US. The business wins brought in $2.4 billion in net new business for the period.
Publicis-owned agencies include Leo Burnett Worldwide, Digitas, Razorfish, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia.
