Released on: July 3, 2008, 7:03 am

Press Release Author: Cvfm

Industry: Marketing

Press Release Summary: Brandimage - Desgrippes and Laga, a global brand design firm
that will provide holistic services from brand strategy and consumer insight, to
brand identity, industrial design, package design, graphics, innovation,
interactive, retail experience and architecture is being launched.

Press Release Body: With $60 million in billings, brand design firm will be among
the largest worldwide to offer holistic and integrated design services.

The company, which at its launch will be one of the largest design firms worldwide,
is being created specifically to leverage the rise of design over advertising as the
primary tool for building brands.

Formed from the combination of laga, one of America's top design and innovation
firms, and Desgrippes Gobé, a global brand design firm, the new entity will have
billings of $60 million and 300 employees in three regions of the world, Asia,
Europe and the United States, with offices in New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, Paris,
Brussels, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Brandimage represents clients in a variety of industries ranging from consumer
packaged goods to luxury brands, health and beauty, retail, finance, technology,
sports, entertainment and tourism. Clients include Air France, AOL, Banana Republic,
Campbell Soup Company, Cheil Jedang, The Crédit Agricole Group, Fauchon, General
Mills, InterParfums, International Paper Company, Nestlé, Payless ShoeSource,
Saucony, Staples, Sky Team, Telefónica and Toto, among others.

Brandimage is led by Jim Barrett, Chief Executive Officer, and Joël Desgrippes,
Chief Creative Officer.

"We are seeing a significant transition in marketing today, with brands looking
beyond traditional advertising and promotion for more effective ways in which to
establish and maintain strong relationships with the consumer and create
experiences," says Barrett. "As a result, design has emerged as the best way to give
life to brands, because design can create those experiences and provide a personal
and authentic relationship with consumers".

"Brandimage has been created specifically to service this change and to do so in a
manner that offers all the needed design services in an integrated format,"
continues Barrett. "This will enable the full potential of design as the most
powerful brand asset, one that can migrate across all platforms and touch all points
of the consumer experience, to be truly realized."

"Today, design has a leading role in the relationship between the brand and its
clients," says Desgrippes. "We are not simply talking about combining specific
disciplines like brand identity, package design, web design or retail architecture,
but about creating a real vision for the brand and bringing it to life through the
different expressions of the brand. The mission of this new company is to imagine
tomorrow's brands based on innovative, strong, unique ideas."

According to Barrett, Brandimage was selected as the name of the new company because
it represents what the agency ultimately provides to its clients. "Through our
exclusive Brand Vision approach we unite thinking and imagination, logic and
emotion, and intent and outcome holistically to create a real brand strategy," says
Barrett. "Then we bring it to life through our Brand Presence process that takes
different expressions of the brand across all points of consumer interaction. That
is how we build strong brands and deliver rich emotional brand experiences to
consumers."

Brandimage offers holistic services designed to deliver rich emotional brand
experiences for consumers, from brand strategy and consumer insight, to brand
identity, industrial design, package design, graphics, innovation, interactive,
retail experience and architecture in one integrated offering.

"The combined strengths of this new company - brand strategy and design - will
benefit clients through an unparalleled ability to give life to strong, innovative
brand experiences," says Desgrippes. "Brandimage is global and multicultural, born
of the association of a global company with an American group - Desgrippes Gobé and
laga. Our vision is built on the experience gained in all the major markets of the
world, as well as on the synergy of these different cultures and the alchemy of
individual talents. Brandimage draws its strength in the synthesis of European
sensitivity with American innovation and the pioneering spirit of Asia."

Founded more than 60 years ago, laga is a design and innovation company that creates
brands, products and packaging solutions for financial results. The company has more
than 150 employees and offices located in Chicago, Cincinnati and New York.

Desgrippes Gobé was founded in Paris in 1971 by Joël Desgrippes. One of the world's
leading branding and design companies, it has 150 employees and offices in Paris,
New York, Brussels, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Desgrippes Gobé provides
brand strategy, identity, product innovation, architectural design, retail
experience and interactive design to its clients.

Web Site: http://www.brand-image.com

Contact Details: Brandimage - Desgrippes and Laga
644 eden park drive, cincinnati, ohio 45202
www.brand-image.com tel: 513.961.6225 fax: 513.281.3611