Levy, chairman of Publicis, told French radio station Radio Classique: "I think that although we are both from the same country and we are both dominant in the sector, things are even more difficult because we have different cultures, because we have developed one against the other, in fierce competition."
Publicis owns ad networks Saatchi & Saatchi and Publicis, and the media-buying agency Optimedia. It also owns a 50% stake in Zenith Media, and is more often mooted as a potential acquirer of Cordiant Communications, which owns the other half of Zenith. Havas has the Euro RSCG and Arnold advertising networks and the Media Planning network.
Havas and Publicis are the fifth and sixth largest ad groups in the world respectively, and a merger would give the pair billings of $5.2bn (£3.6bn). Potential synergies between the groups could be with the merger of Publicis' Fallon Worldwide, which has offices in the US, London, Asia and South America, and Arnold Communications, which has a strong presence in the US.
However, Levy said that the businesses had developed as rivals. "Havas has developed counter to Publicis, and Publicis has developed counter to Havas... so I am not absolutely convinced that there's a possibility."
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