HONG KONG - November 9, 2005 - For the third time in five years, Burson-Marsteller’s Asia-Pacific team captured the top award for Network of the Year at the prestigious 2005 PRWeek Awards, which recognizes outstanding public relations work across the region.

Burson-Marsteller’s Asia-Pacific President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Rylance said the award recognized the company’s depth of regional talent and ability to offer consistently superb client service across Asia Pacific.

“I cannot think of a stronger ringing endorsement of our team, our work and our reputation than the industry’s continued recognition of our achievements,” said Rylance. “I firmly believe this year's award is a bigger achievement than our very first victory and also than those of subsequent years. Staying on top is much harder than getting there in the first place.”

During 2005, the Burson-Marsteller network handled some of Asia-Pacific’s most challenging assignments, including high-level governmental work and major public relations programs for regional and global clients.

Burson-Marsteller was named as the top network over other major PR consultancies who also were contesting the region’s highest PR award. The annual Asia Pacific PRWeek Awards were decided by an independent group of judges from within the Asia-Pacific public relations industry, media and private sector.

“The regional award recognizes the quality and consistency of Burson’s work across the region, including Hong Kong and especially our ability to manage regional or global assignments. This affirms our strong capability to help private and public sector organizations here to communicate internationally,” said Mary Devereux, Burson-Marsteller’s Hong Kong Market Leader.

Burson-Marsteller Australia also won the top award for the Asia-Pacific Campaign of the Year, for the launch of Elidel, an eczema treatment. Burson-Marsteller’s Elidel campaign also won the top award in the Healthcare Product and Promotion: Ethical category and a certificate of excellence for its research program. The Australian team picked up another certificate of excellence in the same category for its launch of Stalevo, a treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

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About Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and public affairs firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, advertising, and web-related services. The firm’s seamless worldwide network consists of 54 wholly-owned offices and 46 affiliate offices, together operating in 58 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Brands, a subsidiary of WPP Group plc (NASDQ: WPPGY), one of the world’s leading communications services networks.

First established in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo in 1973, the Burson-Marsteller network in Asia Pacific includes offices in Bangalore, Beijing, Chennai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo; with affiliates in Auckland, Bangkok, Islamabad, Karachi, Manila, Taipei, and Wellington.

For the third time in five years, Burson-Marsteller’s Asia-Pacific team was named “Network of the Year” at the 2005 annual Asia Pacific PR Awards, the industry’s top award recognizing outstanding public relations work across the region. Burson-Marsteller Australia’s work for Novartis’ Elidel was named Campaign of the Year at the same awards. The company was also top-ranked in Media Magazine’s 2005 Asia Pacific Consultancy Report Card.