Euro RSCG Worldwide Appointed Global Advertising Agency for Reckitt Benckiser.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 16, 2002

Assignments Include Reckitt Benckiser's Fabric Care, Dishwashing,

and Home Care Brands

Reckitt Benckiser, the world's leading manufacturer of household cleaning products (excluding laundry detergent),

J. Walter Thompson has been awarded the categories of Surface Care and Health & Personal Care. Reckitt Benckiser brands are supported by media expenditures in excess of (pound)300 million (US$430 million).

The Euro RSCG Worldwide team that drove the creative and strategic thinking for the pitch represented Euro RSCG agencies from key Reckitt Benckiser markets: the U.K., France, Germany, the U.S., Brazil, Australia, and India. The account will be led by a Global Brand Management team based in London.

Bob Schmetterer, Chairman and CEO of Euro RSCG Worldwide, commented, "We are extremely pleased to be partnering with Reckitt Benckiser on a global level. From the beginning, this relationship felt right. Reckitt Benckiser and Euro RSCG are both entrepreneurial, multicultural companies with youthful energy and vision. Reckitt is growing rapidly by thinking creatively about their business on a global scale, so they appreciate our innovative brand management structure and our commitment to Creative Business Ideas(TM)."

Elio Leoni Sceti, EVP of Category Development at Reckitt Benckiser, said, "Reckitt Benckiser is a truly global company; our products are sold in 180 countries on every continent. During the review process we were looking for agencies that could demonstrate global capabilities and strong central coordination, along with the ability to adapt campaigns to individual markets. We're delighted with our final choice, as we believe both Euro RSCG Worldwide and JWT can provide exactly this kind of service."

Euro RSCG Worldwide, the world's fifth-largest advertising agency network, is a global network of 221 agencies located in 75 countries throughout Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. Euro RSCG provides advertising, marketing services, corporate communications, and interactive solutions to global, regional, and local clients. The network's client roster includes Intel Corporation, WorldCom, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Danone Group, Air France, Yahoo!, and LVMH. Headquartered in New York, Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas, the world's fifth-largest communications group (NASDAQ: HADV - Euronext Paris SA: HAV.PA).

Reckitt Benckiser had net revenues in 2001 of (pound)3.4 billion and net income of (pound)340 million. Reckitt Benckiser brands include such world leaders as Lysol disinfectant cleaner, Dettol antiseptic, Woolite fine fabric detergent, Calgon water softener, Calgonit and Finish automatic dishwashing products, and Veet depilatories, together with Harpic lavatory care, Vanish fabric treatment, Airwick and Wizard air care, Mortein pest control, Gaviscon and Lemsip OTC drugs. The company has operations in almost 60 countries worldwide and sales in 180 countries.