J. Walter Thompson Acquires KSM

WPP Group PLC
8 February 2000

                  WPP GROUP ('WPP')

J. Walter Thompson acquires KSM, a leading retail and
recruitment advertising agency in the Netherlands


WPPs wholly-owned subsidiary, J. Walter Thompson
Company, the global advertising agency,  has acquired 80%
of Kader Advertising Holdings B.V., parent company of
KSMB.V., an advertising agency specialising in retail and
recruitment in the Netherlands and has entered into put
and call options to acquire the remaining 20%.

Haarlem-based KSM employs 72 people and had revenues of
NLG 12.5million in 1999 and net assets of  NLG 3.2million
at 31 December 1999.  Clients include leading Dutch
retailers and local government authorities.

KSM will continue to be managed by its managing directors
Patricia Hogerheijde and Jan de Weerd and will work
closely with PPGH/JWT Groep, J. Walter Thompsons
Netherlands agency.

The acquisition of KSM continues WPPs objective of
strengthening existing networks in growth segments, such
as web-based retail and  international recruitment.


For further information, please contact:
Feona McEwan at WPP                    Tel: [phone]

www. jwt.com
www.wpp.com