IPG duo working out Asia merger details

<P>Draft FCB will hammer out its regional offer over the next three months, after the Interpublic Group siblings ended months of speculation by merging their respective agencies.</P> <P><br><br><BR>While Draft's existing presence in Asia is minimal, it is expected that the merger will give the troubled FCB network access to some of the industry's most powerful below-the-line expertise and tools. A Draft spokesperson said that it was too early to discuss the impact on FCB in Asia-Pacific - which seven months ago restructured operations around sub-regional centres of excellence, eliminating a layer of regional management. "In those markets in Asia where Draft does not have an office, we will adopt the Draft FCB Group name and tap into that agency's world-class marketing services expertise and adapt a variety of their proprietary tools," said the spokesperson.</P> <P><br><br><BR>FCB Southeast Asia ECD Rob Sherlock added that "the intent, globally, is to bring a new kind of agency to the market that will be truly integrated. While FCB throughout Asia-Pacific has tremendous expertise in these areas and has been offering its clients an integrated communications, we believe the merger will lead to a greater below-the-line capability for us."</P>