As a first step, after the merger, the global agency plans to focus on Bates Clarion's non-traditional media such as direct marketing, interactive media, event management and sponsorship programmes. According to Jean de Yturbe, chairman of the newly constituted board of Bates Clarion, the merger process was initiated almost six months ago.

The erstwhile Clarion got affiliated to Bates Worldwide on August 12, 1997 -- and the new avtaar was known as Bates Clarion since April 1998.

Post-merger the identity of the Indian operations are being retained under the Bates Clarionname. The merger came close on the heels of another alliance in the Indian advertising world: Ambience's merger with DMB&B, which led to the creation of Ambience D'Arcy.

``Since our affiliation with Clarion in 1997, the contribution of international businesses has increased from 25 per cent to 60 per cent. So the time was right for a formal merger,'' adds Yturbe. As for the equity participation, both the partners refuse to divulge details. After the merger, the new entity will now be reporting directly to the Bates Europe headquarters in London.

To the credit of the global agency, Bates Worldwide, is the most recalled advertising buzz phrase -- unique selling proposition (USP). `Think global, but act local' -- this phrase too was coined by Bates Worldwide in the year 1984. ``Bates lives by this operating practice. To complement Bates Clarion's vast pool of talent, we will offer our cutting edge competencies in traditional as well as non-traditional media,'' explains Yturbe.

In an effort to impart itsglobal expertise to Clarion, Bates Worldwide will use the services of ``141'' (read: one-for-one) Bates's non-traditional media services company. With 50 per cent share holdings in Zenith Media Worldwide, the global specialist media services, Bates Worldwide hopes to provide the right media tools to promote Clarion's performance in the Indian advertising industry.

Says Yturbe: ``When creativity is backed by sound USP, the advertising will promote any brand across the globe. With the creative talent of Clarion, we plan to scale new heights in the global advertising arena.'' The global player has also lined up many training programmes for the employees of Bates Clarion in the near future. For the erstwhile Clarion -- which once spawned communications luminaries like Satyajit Ray, Subroto Sengupta, Tara Sinha, Asish Mitra and Ram Ray -- it is once again a time to step into the spotlight and take a bow.