NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Euro RSCG New York announced today that it has been selected as the new advertising agency of record for New York Life, the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States, with more than $325 billion in assets under management. The selection follows a review process that began in October 2011, narrowing a list of more than 20 agencies to three finalists that made creative presentations.

"We're delighted to work with New York Life," said Matt Ryan, Co-Chairman of Euro RSCG New York and President, Global Brands, Euro RSCG Worldwide. "New York Life is one of America's greatest brands, and the competition for the account was tough. This is an exciting time for the New York agency, and we're looking forward to working with our new partners."

"We were happy to have three very strong agencies to choose among," said Liz McCarthy, Senior Vice President in charge of Corporate Communications for New York Life. "Ultimately, we decided on Euro RSCG New York as the partner for our business based on both their strong strategic approach and their genuine, emotional creative execution."

In addition to Euro RSCG New York, TBWA\Chiat\Day and Carmichael Lynch emerged as finalists in the review in November. Euro RSCG New York will serve as lead creative agency, replacing Taxi, which held the account since 2007.

About New York Life

New York Life Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States* and one of the largest life insurers in the world. New York Life has the highest possible financial strength ratings currently awarded to any life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody's Investors Service (Aaa), Standard & Poor's (AA+).** Headquartered in New York City, New York Life's family of companies offers life insurance, retirement income, investments and long-term care insurance. New York Life Investments*** provides institutional asset management and retirement plan services. Other New York Life affiliates provide an array of securities products and services, as well as retail mutual funds. Please visit New York Life's Web site at www.newyorklife.com for more information.

*Based on revenue as reported by "Fortune 500, Ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual)," Fortune Magazine, May 5, 2011. See www.money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune for methodology.
**Source: Individual Third Party Ratings Report as of 8/23/11.
***New York Life Investments is a service mark used by New York Life Investment Management Holdings LLC and its subsidiary, New York Life Investment Management LLC.

About Euro RSCG Worldwide

Euro RSCG Worldwide is a leading integrated marketing communications agency and was the first agency to be named Global Agency of the Year by both Advertising Age and Campaign in the same year. Euro RSCG is made up of 233 offices in 75 countries and provides advertising, marketing, corporate communications and digital and social media solutions to clients including Air France, Charles Schwab, Citigroup, Danone Group, IBM, Kraft Foods, Lacoste, L'Oreal, Merck, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Reckitt Benckiser, sanofi-aventis and Volvo. Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas, a world leader in communications (Euronext: HAV.PA) (Paris: HAV.PA).

Jared Kreiner
Euro RSCG Worldwide
212.886.4269
jared.kreiner@eurorscg.com

HAVAS REBRANDS EURO RSCG WORLDWIDE NETWORK TO

"HAVAS WORLDWIDE"

TO UNDERSCORE UNIQUE INTEGRATED STRUCTURE

HAVAS REINFORCES ITS POSITION AS THE MOST INTEGRATED, AGILE,

ENTREPRENEURIAL AND CLIENT-FOCUSED COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

The digital revolution has broken down the borders between creative and media and within

the different communication disciplines, and technology is in the process of transforming

business models in many sectors including the advertising industry.

Against this background, Havas has implemented a unique business model with a simple,

clear, agile and integrated structure placing digital at the core of all its activities and

agencies, unifying creative and media assets and strengthening the visibility of its global

brand by renaming its largest network.

David Jones

, CEO Havas, commented: “A decade ago, we set ourselves apart by being the

first major communication holding company to place digital at the core of all our agencies

around the world.

I think we're once again pioneering through the integration of creative, media and digital. Our

industry doesn't make it easy for clients. They are the ones who have to do the hard job of

sifting through big bureaucratic holding companies to try to get a variety of different

companies, cultures and P&L's to work together; to try to get creative, media and digital to

collaborate.

With this name change and with the moving together of our creative and media companies in

Paris and New York, we're aiming to reinforce a key competitive advantage of Havas – that

we're the most integrated of all of the communications groups with the simplest structure that

can offer our clients a powerful combination of creative excellence, digital expertise, scale,

agility and innovation."

The Havas group will now consist of 2 main brands:

Havas Media, which includes all global

media agencies, and

Havas Creative, which includes the Havas Worldwide network and

the

Arnold Worldwide micronetwork (16 agencies in 15 countries on 5 continents) and the

other

communications agencies.

As of today all

Euro RSCG agencies are renamed Havas Worldwide (316 offices in 75

countries, including the Euro RSCG, Euro RSCG Life, Euro RSCG 4D and Euro RSCG WW

PR brands). The rebrand will not create any changes in leadership.

David Jones

added: “Today with the rebranding we're making a small change, but it's one

we want to use as a catalyst for driving big change through Havas and the broader industry

.”

The rebranding also includes the creation of

Havas Digital Group, a new umbrella brand

that will operate across both media and creative. Havas Digital Group will purely be a brand

name as opposed to a new network or new operational division and reflects Havas’s

continued commitment to its digital at the core model.

The Havas Media brand, as well as its network names (MPG, Arena Media Communications,

Havas Digital and Havas Sports & Entertainment) remains unchanged. Havas Media will

reveal a new visual identity at the beginning of 2013.

About Havas

Havas (Euronext Paris: HAV.PA) is a global advertising and communications services group. Headquartered in

Paris, Havas operates through its two Business Units, Havas Creative and Havas Media, in order to optimize

synergies and further reinforce Havas' position as the most integrated of all of the major holding companies.

Havas Creative incorporates the Havas Worldwide (

www.havasworldwide.com) network - formerly Euro RSCG

Worldwide) - (316 offices in 75 countries), the Arnold (

www.arn.com) micronetwork (16 agencies in 15 countries

on 5 continents) as well as other agencies with strong local identities.

Havas Media (

www.havasmedia.com) operates in over 100 countries and incorporates the MPG, Arena Media,

Havas Sports & Entertainment and Havas Digital networks.

A multicultural and decentralized Group, Havas is present in more than 75 countries through its networks of

agencies and contractual affiliations. The Group offers a broad range of communications services, including

traditional advertising, direct marketing, media planning and buying, corporate communications, sales promotion,

design, human resources, sports marketing, multimedia interactive communications and public relations. Havas

employs approximately 15,000 people. Further information about Havas is available on the company’s website:

www.havas.com

Contacts :

Communications : Lorella Gessa

Communications Director, Havas Group

Tel : +33 (0)1 58 47 90 36

Lorella.gessa@havas.com

Investor Relations : Aurélie Jolion

Director of Investor Relations, Havas Group

Tel : +33 (0)1 58 47 92 42

aurelie.jolion@havas.com

29-30 quai de Dion Bouton 92817 Puteaux Cedex, France

Tel +33 (0) 1 58 47 80 00 Fax +33 (0) 1 58 47 99 99

SA au capital de 152 823 482,40

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www.havas.com

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