Dentsu Inc. (Tokyo: 4324; ISIN: JP3551520004; President & CEO: Tadashi Ishii; Head Office: Tokyo; Capital: 74,609.81 million yen) announced today that its global business headquarters Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd. has acquired leading web analytics company Wasabi Analytics SAS (CEO: Sébastien Manaches; Head Office: Paris; hereinafter "Wasabi"). The purpose of the acquisition is to strengthen and expand the Dentsu Group's digital presence in France.

One of the effective measurement techniques used in digital advertising is server-centric measurement, which analyzes server logs. Server-centric measurement can be further divided into ad-centric measurement, which analyzes the logs of ad delivery servers, and site-centric measurement, which analyzes web server logs. Founded in 2010, Wasabi has strengths in the analysis of user behavior based mainly on web server logs, namely site-centric measurement, and is the only independent company certified as a Google Analytics Premium Authorized Reseller in France.

Following the acquisition, Wasabi will work in close collaboration with digital performance agency iProspect*, one of the Dentsu Group's ten global network brands. iProspect has strong capabilities in ad-centric measurement, and the combination of these strengths with Wasabi's site-centric measurement capabilities will enable the two companies to provide best-in-class services to the increasing number of clients seeking integrated data solutions and effective measurement of digital advertising, thereby strengthening the Group's presence and business base in France.

In its September 2016 worldwide advertising expenditure forecasts, the Group's media communications agency Carat announced that digital advertising expenditures in France have surpassed television ad spend, showing a growth of 5.5% in 2015. Continued growth is expected, with 5.6% forecast for 2016 and 5.0% for 2017.

The impact of this transaction on Dentsu's consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016 is expected to be minimal.

*Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd., the Dentsu Group's global business headquarters based in London, is expanding the Group's business worldwide through ten global network brands--Carat, Dentsu (Dentsu Brand Agencies), Dentsu media, iProspect, Isobar, mcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Posterscope and Vizeum--as well as through several specialist/multi-market brands.

Profile of Wasabi
Company Name:     Wasabi Analytics SAS
Location:    Paris, France
Date of Establishment:    January 2010
Shareholding Ratio*:     Dentsu Aegis Network 100%
        *After acquisition has been completed
Revenue:    EUR 947,000 (year ended December 2015)
Representatives:     Sébastien Manaches (CEO), Georges Arnould (CTO)
Number of Employees:     9
Line of Business:     Web analytics services


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