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True North Close to Deal With CCG CHICAGO—True North Communications is believed to be close to an acquisition deal, with Cordiant Communications Group emerging as the prime suitor, sources said last week. Earlier speculation centered on Havas Advertising in Paris, which last week raised $625 million through a bond issue. However, the company's finance director said that the money was to cover debt, partly from the purchase of Snyder Communications and for smaller-sized acquisitions, and that a major move was not in the offing. Speculation about a CCG/TN deal has been long rumored, but those discussed centered around True North acquiring CCG. More recently, CCG, which owns Bates Worldwide, has been looking to bolster its operations, and CEO Michael Bungey has said he was looking for acquisition targets. In September, CCG bought Lighthouse Global Network, an international communications firm. Publicis, which still owns 10 percent of TN, is still said to be interested, and IPG explored the idea of buying TN but is not currently in talks with the Chicago-based holding com-pany, sources said. TN, following the loss of its cornerstone DaimlerChrysler business to Omnicom's BBDO in November, has acknowledged it is open to the idea of an acquisition. A TN representative last week declined to discuss acquisition rumors.Geier to Retire From IPGNEW YORK—Phil Geier will step down from his positions as chairman and chief executive officer of the Interpublic Group of Cos., effective Jan. 1. John Dooner, president and chief operating officer of IPG, will succeed him as chairman and CEO, as expected [Adweek, March 27], completing a transition that has been in the works for more than a year. Geier, 65, has been IPG's chairman and CEO since 1980. He will continue to be involved with IPG as chairman emeritus and an advisor to Dooner and the board. Dooner, 51, has been president and COO of IPG since March. Prior to that, he was CEO of IPG's McCann-Erickson Worldwide.GM Ends $300 Mil. Olds ShootoutCHICAGO—General Motors pulled the plug on the creative shootout for a spring campaign for Oldsmobile last week, following a decision to phase out the brand over several years. The automaker had been testing brand-building ideas from lead agency Leo Burnett in Chicago, McCann-Erickson in New York and Detroit, and E. Morris Communications in Chicago in a competition some thought could cost Burnett the $300 million business. "We have made the decision to retain the services of our agency of record, Leo Burnett," an Olds marketing executive said in a statement.Account ActivitySaatchi & Saatchi and Abbott Mead Vickers/BBDO, both in London, await a decision in the review for Guinness' $200 million account following presentations in London last week, sources said. The winner will handle ad duties that are now split among several agencies, including Weiss Stagliano Partners in New York, which handles the brand in the U.S. and Canada. … A decision is expected this week on the estimated $75 million MCI WorldCom assignment, sources said. Finalists are: TBWA\Chiat\Day, Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG, Deutsch, all in New York, and an undisclosed agency.

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