HAVAS ACQUIRES VICKERS AND BENSON
By Adnews Staff
Paris-based Havas Advertising has acquired Toronto-based Vickers & Benson Companies Limited. The acquisition includes all divisions of Vickers & Benson including: Vickers & Benson Direct Interactive, MaxxMedia Inc., Southside Digital Communications Inc., Warwick & Associates, Chicago-based Vickers & Benson Inc. and Northside Digital Inc. The divisions will continue to operate as part of the company which will keep the Vickers & Benson banner. V&B will become part of the Havas Advertising Campus network. The acquisition is the first for the network in the Canadian market and comes just weeks before Havas completes its acquisition of Snyder Communications, based in Bethesda, Md. Boston-based Arnold Communications, part of Snyder, will be the lead agency for the Campus network, which works to group creative agencies with brand recognition in their countries. V&B's chairman and CEO John Hayter, executive vice president and COO Jim Satterthwaite and executive vice president and chairman of creative services Terry Bell will remain with the company in their various positions.