True North Communications Inc

Publicis, the French advertising agency network that made an ill-fated bid for former partner True North Communications Inc., has reopened talks with other potential U.S.-based partners. Publicis Chairman Maurice Levy declined to identify potential partners, but described targeted agencies as having the "critical mass" needed to compete in the U.S. Levy ruled out a new offer for True North, whose shareholders have approved the purchase of New York-based Bozell, Kenyon, Jacobs & Eckhardt.

Publicis, the French advertising agency network that made an ill-fated bid for former partner True North Communications Inc., has reopened talks with other potential U.S.-based partners. Publicis Chairman Maurice Levy declined to identify potential partners, but described targeted agencies as having the "critical mass" needed to compete in the U.S. Levy ruled out a new offer for True North, whose shareholders have approved the purchase of New York-based Bozell, Kenyon, Jacobs & Eckhardt.

Bethlehem Steel Corp. said it will shut down its last factory in its hometown of Bethlehem, Pa., cutting 800 jobs in the company's latest downsizing. . . . French firm Publicis' appeal of a judge's order blocking its $269-million takeover bid for True North Communications Inc. was rebuffed by the Delaware Supreme Court. The ruling may mean that Publicis' hostile bid for advertising company True North is dead.

Levitz Furniture Inc., which has operated under Bankruptcy Court protection since 1997, has asked 10 advertising agencies to submit proposals. The nation's No. 2 home-furniture retailer said it would name three semifinalists in April and announce the winner in May. A division of True North Communications Inc.'s Bozell Worldwide unit that has handled Levitz's creative advertising since December 1997 is competing for the account.

TRW Inc. said its president and chief operating officer, Peter S. Hellman, 49, will leave the company and his position will be eliminated as part of the company's acquisition of LucasVarity. The leaders of the company's major businesses will now report directly to TRW Chairman and Chief Executive Joseph T. Gorman. * Pillsbury Co., the food unit of Britain's Diageo, moved about $60 million of its advertising business to D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Inc.

Boeing Co., which is moving its headquarters to Chicago from Seattle, said it has invited advertising agencies with full-service offices in Chicago to participate in a review of its ad needs. The aircraft maker is under contract to True North Communications Inc.'s FCB Worldwide unit, which also was invited to participate in the review, to be completed in October. Interpublic Group of Cos. purchased Chicago-based True North for $1.65 billion in June.

Publicis withdrew its hostile bid for True North Communications Inc. after a federal judge blocked the French advertising company's effort to prevent True North from acquiring a closely held competitor. Publicis, which owns an 18.5% stake in True North, had planned to acquire an additional 32% through a tender offer of $28 a share. The tender would have given majority control to Publicis, which said the $440 million True North is paying for Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckardt Inc. is too much. U.S.

Kimberly-Clark Corp. said that the WPP Group of global communications companies will handle all worldwide advertising for its consumer products. J. Walter Thompson, a WPP agency, has been awarded global creative advertising responsibility for the company's tissue brands, including Kleenex, Scott, Scottex and Andrex, it said. The accounts were previously shared by J. Walter Thompson, WPP's Ogilvy & Mather and Foote, Cone & Belding, which is a unit of Chicago-based True North Communications Inc.

FCB San Francisco said it has resigned from the Amazon.com advertising account, citing fundamental disagreements with the online retailer. FCB, a unit of Chicago-based True North Communications Inc., has been the ad agency for Seattle-based Amazon.com since April 1997. A spokeswoman for FCB San Francisco declined to comment on a value of the account, but an industry source estimated Amazon spent about $30 million in 2000.

True North Communications Inc., the world's seventh-largest advertising company, agreed to buy a 49% stake in closely held Don Coleman Advertising for an undisclosed sum to extend its reach to African Americans. Don Coleman would join Chicago-based True North's multicultural agencies, forming the largest such agency network in the U.S. and giving it $200 million in aggregate billings. Don Coleman, based in Detroit, is the third-biggest African American-owned ad firm.