Welcome to e.wire, WPP's public monthly round-up of news and initiatives from across our worldwide network. WPP people can also access the full version on the Group intranet. If you can't see this news bulletin properly, you can also view it here

News highlights

WPP Quarterly Trading Update

Third quarter reported revenues up over 16%
Third quarter like-for-like revenues up 3%
Reported revenues up almost 15% in first nine months
Like-for-like revenues up almost 4% in first nine months
Operating margin in first nine months flat with last year

WPP Offer For TNS – Offer Wholly Unconditional

WPP has announced that all the conditions of the Offer have now been fulfilled (or, where applicable, waived) and that, accordingly, the Offer has become unconditional in all respects. Visit the Investor site to see the full terms of WPP's updated offer for TNS.

Google and WPP team up to endow research into how online media influences consumer behaviour

This new research program is aimed at improving understanding and practices in online marketing and gaining a better understanding of the relationship between online and offline media. This partnership with Google is a further step in WPP's strategy of partnering with major players in the digital media industry. The Program recognises WPP's unique strengths in research and comes at a time when an increasing number of clients are looking for validation and effectiveness of their marketing budgets, in particular for their online spending. Contact Kantar's George Pappachen (georgep@safecount.net), David Spitz at WPP New York (dspitz@wpp.com), Scott Spirit in Shanghai (sspirit@wpp.com) or Mark Read at WPP London (mread@wpp.com).

WPP takes strategic stake in international field marketing company, Smollan Group in South Africa

WPP has taken a 33% stake in Smollan Group, Africa’s foremost provider of outsourced field marketing services. By working in partnership, Smollan, WPP and its agencies will establish international connectivity and benefit from global growth opportunities across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Latam, in particular. Established in 1931 by Rugby Springbok Fred Smollan, the Smollan Group provides field marketing, market intelligence, customer contact and brand activation services to many of South Africa’s best loved brands. In addition, the Group operates in India and various African countries and has strategic alliances in Europe, North and Central America, Asia and Australasia. More than 12,000 people work for Smollan around the world.

New offers

The Futures Company launches Global MONITOR

The Futures Company (the coming together of WPP’s research consultancies, Henley Centre HeadlightVision and Yankelovich) has launched a ground-breaking global consumer trends service called Global MONITOR, the first ever to integrate quantitative survey data with an observational database, called Global Streetscapes, of the latest marketplace manifestations of trends. Global MONITOR will provide both ongoing marketing insights and future scenarios for clients.

Mediaedge:cia launches MEC Access in the Middle East

Mediaedge:cia, a leading global media agency headquartered in Dubai, has launched a specialist sport, entertainment and cause marketing businesses division named MEC Access. MEC Access offers clients a one-stop shop for the creation and delivery of strategic partnerships and sponsorships across nine different platforms: arts, brand-to-brand, broadcast, cause, celebrity, film, gaming, music and sport.

New business

MediaCom Finland wins Bayer

MEC Access Middle East wins Sony Electronics

Hill & Knowlton Canada wins Thomas Cooke Canada

Awards, Winners, Movers & Shakers

OgilvyOne Malaysia wins Asia’s sole Gold at International Echo Awards

MediaCom wins Agency of the Year at PPA Awards

New business enquiries

Are you looking for an advertising or marketing services partner? WPP can help point you in the right direction - find out how.

WPPED Cream 2008

By WPP

Showcasing the best work across all disciplines, discover which WPP companies won a Crème de la Crème at WPP's 2008 WPPED Cream awards ceremony recently hosted in New York - view the winning work now!

London 2012:
Is it a golden opportunity?

By MEC Access

MEC Access, the sports, entertainment and cause marketing division of Mediaedge:cia, has produced a major report, using bespoke research, to examine the marketing opportunity for brand owners at the London 2012 Games. Contact Jeremy.Clark@mecglobal.com, Julian.Yeomans@mecglobal.com or Tove.Okunniwa@mecglobal.com.

Work in Progress:
Retail & Technology

By JWT

Technology in the retail industry is helping retailers connect with their more empowered, digitally savvy and increasingly on-the-go consumers, ultimately changing the traditional consumer-retailer dynamic. Retail + looks at how retailers are experimenting with innovations like 3D technology and avatars, and offline with RFID-enabled dressing rooms, information kiosks and high-tech vending machines, among other tech advancements. This trendletter also explores how retailers are expanding to the mobile domain with the help of QR codes and ‘digital wallets’.