Publicis Worldwide and Contagious Join Forces for Contagious Conversation at Dubai Lynx Festival 2011

PARIS, March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Tuesday 29 March 16.30-17.05

Richard Pinder, Chief Operating Officer, Publicis Worldwide, and Paul Kemp-Robertson, Editorial Director, Co-Founder Contagious Communications, follow their successful 2010 Cannes Festival seminar with a new debate on the business effectiveness of contagious conversation at the 2011 Dubai Lynx Festival.

Comments Richard Pinder, COO, Publicis Worldwide, "Conversation is the most powerful force in marketing today. We'll be looking at the business strategies, PR ideas and marketing innovations that create truly contemporary brand successes - from the Goliaths undergoing total reinvention to the Davids punching way above their weight."

Identifying some of the key trends forecast for 2011, Richard and Paul explore the business impact that contagious advertising ideas can have when they move beyond mere buzz and really change the conversation in a category.

Adds Paul Kemp-Robertson, "One of the key trends that Contagious has identified is the move towards 'Projects, Not Campaigns.' Modern consumers are more interested in a two-way relationship with the brands they trust, which means that the age of the hermetically sealed ad campaign is starting to fade. In our Dubai Lynx seminar, we'll examine some of the best global examples of brands that have invested in long-term projects that are shaped by the audience."

The Lynx Awards, now in its fifth year, honours creative excellence in advertising across the Middle East and Africa.

For further information visit: http://www.dubailynx.com/festival_programme/festival_programme.cfm?event_date _id=3

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About Publicis Worldwide

Publicis Worldwide ranks among the largest global marketing communications companies. The network spans 82 countries with approximately 9,000 employees. Its total offering includes advertising; interactive and digital marketing; CRM and direct marketing. Publicis' blue-chip client portfolio includes some of the world's best known companies: Airbus, Coca-Cola, HP, LG, L'Oréal, Luxottica, Nestlé, Orange, P&G, PayPal, Renault, Siemens, Pernod-Ricard, Sanofi-Aventis, UBS, Teléfonica, Zurich. Publicis Worldwide is part of Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577) the world's third largest communications group, the world's second largest media counsel and buying group, and a global leader in digital and healthcare communications. With around the world activities spanning more than 104 countries on five continents, the Groupe employs as many as 44,000 professionals.

About Richard Pinder

Richard Pinder leads global advertising network Publicis Worldwide and sits on Publicis Groupe's P12 management board. For 25 years, he has built brands and businesses working extensively in Europe and Asia. Richard has focused Publicis Worldwide on Creating Contagious Ideas that Change the Conversation, investing heavily in digital and creative performance. For more information: Richard Pinder release source ( http://www.publicis.com/#en-GB/home). For more news: Publicis UK (http://www.publicis.co.uk/news) and Publicis Worldwide ( http://www.publicis.com/#en-GB/home).

Contact: tonya.hodgson@publicis.com, +44(0)20-7830-3405