ENVOY
Communications Group Inc.
ENVOY CLOSES DEAL FOR EUROPEAN DIGITAL IMAGING & DESIGN COMPANY
Gilchrist Brothers purchase part of Envoy's global acquisition strategy
Toronto, Canada. July 26, 2000 - Geoff Genovese, President and CEO of Envoy
Communications Group (NASDAQ: ECGI / TSE: ECG) today announced that Envoy
has closed the deal to acquire the UK-based, digital imaging and design
firm, Gilchrist Brothers Ltd (www.gilchrist.co.uk). The Gilchrist
acquisition was first announced in June following the announcement of the
proposed acquisition of Sage Information Consultants Inc., one of North
America's leading technology solution providers. These acquisitions are
part of Envoy's aggressive, global growth strategy.
Gilchrist will operate as a division of Envoy's world-renowned design
company, The Watt Group and will complement Watt's internationally
recognized creative design services with leading-edge digital imaging
service. Gilchrist's current list of clients include Wal-Mart's European
subsidiary Asda, Marks and Spencer, Next, Mars and France's Otor. More
than 120 employees work out of the company's offices in London, Leeds
and Paris.
The Watt Group (www.wattgroup.com) is one of North America's leading
retail, strategic marketing and design consultancies. For the past
thirty years Watt has applied its strategies to drive client
profitability in more than two dozen industries, spanning 35
countries. The Watt Group has developed some of the worlds most
recognized brands, including: Loblaws' President's Choice; Wal-Mart's
Sam's American Choice and Great Value brands; the Safeway Select brand
and PETsMART's Grreat Choice. Watt has also created landmark retail
concepts like The Home Depot and provided national brand consulting
services for companies like Kraft, Parmalat, Bell Canada, Borden Foods,
GE, Maple Leaf Foods, Shell Oil, Bank of Montreal and CIBC.
A new breed company, Envoy (www.envoy.to) is an integrated e-Marketer,
digitally driven and committed to building global brands both off and
on-line. In addition to The Watt Group and Gilchrist Brothers, Envoy
owns leading advertising and e-Marketing agencies, Communique, Devlin
Applied Design, FUSIONcreative and Hampel/Stefanides of New York.
Envoy's roster of clients include: adidas-Salomon Canada, Aer Lingus,
Alliance Atlantis, BASF, Benjamin Moore, Bermuda Telephone,
Bridgestone/Firestone, Canadian Football League, Canada Life, Castrol,
CDNOW, FedEx, Fisherman's Friend, Honda, Hummingbird, IMAX, Juno Online
Services, LCBO, MAC Cosmetics, National Discount Brokers, Oxford
Properties Group, PhoneFree, Procurenet.com, Safeway, SPAR Aerospace,
Sprint Canada, Steelcase, Taylor Made.
Corporate Investor
Relations: Jason Mandel (416) 599-2256 [email protected]
Investor Relations
Group: 1-800-444-9214 [email protected]
Media
Relations: Beverley Hammond (416) 593.7555 x366
[email protected]
