Press Release

New York, March 22, 2000 (NYSE: IPG) - John J. Dooner, Jr., who has led McCann-Erickson in its transformation from the leading global advertising agency to one of the largest and fastest-growing integrated marketing communications organizations, has been named President and Chief Operating Officer of The Interpublic Group of Companies.

The announcement was made today by Philip H. Geier, Jr., Interpublic's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. As part of this planned management transition, Mr. Geier also announced that Mr. Dooner has been designated to become the Chief Executive Officer on Jan. 1, 2001. Mr. Geier will remain Chairman.

Mr. Dooner has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, Interpublic's largest operating unit. In 1997, he launched the expansion that moved McCann rapidly into healthcare communications, Internet/Interactive communications and technology-based Customer Relationship Management, event marketing and sales promotion, public relations, and brand equity communications (corporate branding and packaging). McCann-Erickson WorldGroup now has worldwide billings of more than $20 billion, roughly three times the size it was when Mr. Dooner took over as Worldwide CEO of McCann-Erickson in 1994.

Commenting on Mr. Dooner's promotion, Mr. Geier said: "Anyone familiar with McCann's extraordinary performance- in all areas over the last few years -will not be surprised by my recommendation and the Board's decision to name John as Interpublic's President and COO. Earlier this year, McCann was named 'Agency of the Year' by just about every advertising publication because its results in organic growth, new business, communications effectiveness, expansion into new areas and creative improvement have been second to none. These achievements have been made while delivering financial results that even competitors cite as the industry's benchmark."

Interpublic has expanded aggressively in recent years, resulting both in significant growth and diversification of operations. As a result, both revenues and profits have doubled in just a little more than three years. Interpublic has grown both organically and by following its strategic expansion plan, including having been a pioneer among its peers in entering the Internet/ Interactive field. Six years ago, IPG derived 90 percent of its revenue from its global advertising networks. This year, IPG's fast-growing integrated marketing communications operations outside of advertising will contribute almost 50 percent of total volume. Importantly, IPG has already achieved industry leadership in these additional areas. In each of the eight communications industry sectors in which it operates, including the Internet/Interactive field, IPG's operations are ranked No. 1 or No. 2 amongst its peers. It is, in fact, top-ranked in the majority of these sectors.

Mr. Dooner said: "Phil and I agree that Interpublic, because of its unique global and client strengths, is ready to lead the industry in its next phase. While great creative ideas remain central to all that we do, clearly our clients are telling us that they want us to integrate the full array of marketing communication resources on their behalf. They also want the best technology based tools, both on-line and off-line, to gain consumer insight, for strategy development and to measure communication effectiveness as well as providing for E-commerce solutions and Customer Relationship Management [CRM]. Bringing all these competencies together is the real challenge and the ultimate pay-off of the expansion in our industry. Because Interpublic has been systematically putting these resources in place we are well positioned to lead in the future."

Mr. Dooner will take on his new role at Interpublic and relinquish his current post (Chairman and CEO of McCann-Erickson WorldGroup) on April 1. Mr. Dooner, 51, has been an Interpublic employee since 1973, having started at the agency now known as Lowe Lintas & Partners Worldwide. He moved to McCann-Erickson New York as a Worldwide Account Director in 1984 and rose quickly through the ranks.

Under Mr. Dooner's leadership, McCann-Erickson was named the 1999 "Agency of the Year" by several advertising publications, including Advertising Age, Adweek (as "Global Agency of the Year") and Media and Marketing Europe. A leader around the world in winning creative effectiveness awards, the agency has also been hailed in new business for adding such blue-chip clients in the last few years as Agilent Technologies, DuPont, Gateway, Glaxo Wellcome, Lucent Technologies, MasterCard, Microsoft, Motorola, and Sprint. It has enjoyed four successive years of winning more than $1 billion in new business billings.

Mr. Dooner will also join Interpublic's Long-term Planning Committee, which is chaired by Mr. Geier. Other members include Frank Lowe, Chairman and CEO of The Lowe Group; Sean Orr, Interpublic's Chief Financial Officer; and Steve Weiss, Chairman of IPG's Quest Futures Group.

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. is one of the largest advertising and marketing communications organizations in the world, with globally top-ranked operations in the sectors of advertising, independent media buying, direct marketing, healthcare communications, Interactive consulting and communications services, promotions, public relations and sports marketing. Its companies include McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, The Lowe Group, DraftWorldwide, Initiative Media Worldwide, International Public Relations, Octagon, Zentropy Partners, Allied Communications Group and other related companies. The shares of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. are listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("IPG"). For further information, visit: www.interpublic.com.