NEW YORK December 18 – True North Communications Inc. (NYSE: TNO) today announced agreements with two international advertising agencies which will become part of its FCB Worldwide global advertising agency. True North said that it has acquired Acam in France and has agreed to acquire Hahnin in Korea. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.

In France, Acam is one of the top proximity advertising organizations, with over 30 employees in eight offices strategically situated around the country, including Marseilles, Lille, Rennes, Toulouse, Lyon and their Paris headquarters. Major clients include Carrefour, one of the world's top food retailers and the market leader in France; Mediaposte, the leading direct mail distributor in France; and Loisirs et Creations, the premier chain of leisure and handcraft goods.

Didier Stora, Executive Vice President of FCB/France, will become president of FCB/Acam and will integrate the acquisition into FCB/France in collaboration with Pascal Richou, Operations Manager of Acam. Commented Stora, "Acam is highly focused on the retail channel. Our mission is to help distributors connect with consumers and win the battle for customer loyalty."

The agreement with Hahnin substantially increases the size of FCB in the fast-growing Korean market, making FCB Worldwide one of the top-ten international agencies in Korea. Hahnin's clients include some of the leading fashion, household appliance, construction and securities firms in Korea, such as Kolon, Web-2-Phone and Han-dok. The new agency will be called FCB Hahnin and will be headed up by Mr. K.S. Cho, currently president of FCB in Korea, and Executive Vice President Guy Gostling, previously General Manager, FCB Korea. Pro forma billings for the new agency are more than $40 million.

"Our international growth has been extraordinary over the last few years," said Harry Reid, President of FCB International. "We're now in 96 countries, and with a solid combination of strategic acquisitions and organic growth, we are moving strongly against our key objective of becoming a global advertising powerhouse everywhere. We welcome the people of Acam and Hahnin to the FCB Worldwide team."

End Notes:
FCB Worldwide (www.fcb.com) is the largest advertising agency brand in the U.S. and the fifth largest worldwide, with 1999 billings of $8.8 billion. With more than 200 offices servicing clients in 96 countries, FCB Worldwide's client roster includes S.C. Johnson, Samsung, Compaq, AT&T, Avaya, Boeing and Beiersdorf. FCB is the largest agency brand of True North Communications Inc.

True North is one of the world's leading advertising and communications holding companies. True North has three major global brands: FCB Worldwide, advertising; BSMG Worldwide, public relations; and Marketing Drive Worldwide, marketing services. The company also has a strong roster of other advertising brands, including Bozell Group, New America Strategies Group, Temerlin McClain, Tierney & Partners and TN Media, among them. Its digital portfolio includes R/GA Interactive and SixtyFootSpider. True North also has a stake in Springer & Jacoby, the German-based multinational ad agency. Based in Chicago, True North had 1999 revenues of approximately $1.4 billion and annual billings of more than $14 billion.

Cautionary Statement
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E(i)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause True North's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by these statements. Such factors include the following: general economic and business conditions, the ability of True North to continue to improve its cost management, the ability to maintain current and attract new clients, the ability of True North to integrate acquisitions or complete future acquisitions, dependence upon and availability of qualified personnel and changes in government regulation. In light of these and other uncertainties, the forward-looking statements included in this document should not be regarded as a representation by True North that True North's plans and objectives will be achieved.