Acquisition

WPP Group PLC
3 January 2001



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            3 January 2001








                            WPP GROUP PLC ('WPP')


                          Acquires public affairs firm
                        Deen+Black in the United States





WPP's wholly owned operating company, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, has
acquired Deen+Black, a leading public affairs firm in California.



Based in Sacramento with offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego,
Deen+Black's clients include the California Wellness Foundation, CalTeach, a
California State University Program developed to recruit more teachers and
Quest, an e-consulting and fiber optics cabling business.



The firm, which was founded in 1988 and employs 46 people, had revenues of
$4.5 million in 2000 and net assets of $935,000 as at 2 January 2001.



The acquisition of Deen+Black, which provides OgilvyPR with its first
statewide public affairs capability, continues WPP's strategy of establishing
a leadership position in the fast-growing sectors in communications services.




For information please contact:                Feona McEwan, WPP
                                               Tel [phone]
                                               www.wpp.com