6 May 2009 07:00
6Β May 2009
CHIME COMMUNICATIONS PLC
INTERIM MANAGEMENT STATEMENT
Chime Communications plc, the leading marketing services group, is today publishing its Interim Management Statement relating to the period 1stΒ January 2009 to 6thΒ May 2009 (as required by the UK Listing Authority's Disclosure and Transparency rules).
Lord Bell, Chairman of Chime Communications, said:
"WeΒ have had a strong first quarter and we are confident about achieving our first half year expectations.
There hasΒ been such a large amount of interest in the first quarter resultsΒ of the majorΒ marketing services groups,Β weΒ thought it would be helpful toΒ report ourΒ first quarterΒ experience.Β UnlikeΒ these groupsΒ our operating income for the first quarterΒ of 2009 was 13% higher thanΒ the first quarter of 2008, pre-tax profits were 18% higher than 2008 at Β£4.8million and the operating profit marginΒ increasedΒ to 17.2%
TheΒ Group's financial position continues to be strong, weΒ are cash positive and there haveΒ been no material events or transactionsΒ affectingΒ the Group.
Much has been made in the media about theΒ invitationΒ byΒ The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG)Β to aΒ marketing communications agencyΒ toΒ becomeΒ a tier three sponsorΒ of theΒ 2012Β Olympic Games. We hadΒ held the marketing communicationsΒ contractΒ on a fixed one year term. Although weΒ Β are disappointed not to have renewed our contract it would have required us to invest up to Β£10 million. We wish McCann Erickson good fortune with their appointment. However our involvement in 2012 remains high. WeΒ continueΒ to adviseΒ LOCOGΒ and its partnersΒ on the development of Team 2012 and through Fast Track we are already handling sponsorship forΒ twoΒ tier one LOCOG sponsors. Fast Track also has aΒ longΒ term contract with UK AthleticsΒ (athletics is the centrepiece of the Olympic Games)Β andΒ isΒ organisingΒ the BT Paralympic World Cup which takes place inΒ ManchesterΒ in two weeks time."
- ends -
For further information please contact:
Lord Bell, ChairmanΒ 020 7861 8515
Chime CommunicationsΒ
Christopher Satterthwaite, Chief ExecutiveΒ 020 7861 8515
Chime Communications
Stephen BenzikeΒ / Victoria Geoghegan 020 7861 3232
BellΒ Pottinger Corporate & FinancialΒ
Notes to Editors
About ChimeΒ
Chime Communications plcΒ is the holding company for a number of leading public relations, marketing services and research consultancy firms.
The Chime Group consists of one of theΒ UK's leading public relations groups, Bell Pottinger; a research and consultation business, Opinion Leader, VCCP, the advertising and marketing services group and Fast Track, theΒ UK's leadingΒ sportsΒ marketing agency.Β
The Chime group helps clients create, manage, monitor and market their businesses, brands and reputations both in theΒ UKΒ and internationally.Β
Follow the stocks