WPP Group's Mediaedge:cia (MEC) has formed a new specialist unit, MEC Interaction, merging all of MEC's online and offline lead-generation activities under a single banner, effective immediately, MEC announced Friday. The new unit will consist of The Digital Edge, MEC's online media planning and buying division; Outrider, MEC's search marketing group; and Wunderman Media, MEC's direct response media planning and buying unit. Outrider will continue to operate as a global search specialist. MEC Interaction will be headed by Rob Norman, who previously headed Mediaedge:cia UK and Outrider Worldwide.

"We now live in a world of not just one communication channel, but many, and consumers use and interact with these multiple channels simultaneously," Norman is quoted as saying in a statement released last week. "These interactions create measurable data streams. By merging MEC's three units, we are better able to leverage the company's understanding of consumer behavior to our clients' benefit."

Charles Courtier, MEC Executive Chairman Worldwide, said MEC Interaction will reinforce "Mediaedge:cia's commitment to channel neutral, [and] totally integrated communications planning and implementation."

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