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EURO RSCG Institutionnel has been appointed by Microsoft to handle a forthcoming campaign aimed at combating youth unemployment in France.

McCann-Erickson Frankfurt is to resign the Spalt analgesic account, blaming ‘strategic differences’ over the current campaign. The agency will continue to handle other brands marketed by Much Pharma, including Clear Blue and Fibrosine.

The Publicis network has raised its stake in Publicis MCD, which has offices in Munich and Erlangen, from 50 per cent to 74.9 per cent by buying shares from Siemens, which retains a 25.1 per cent stake in the agency.

Eutelsat has ordered a fourth satellite from maker Matra Marconi Space following its success in marketing space on Hot Bird 2, due to be launched in August 1996, and Hot Bird 3 (expected to launch in the first quarter of 1997). Hot Bird 4 could be in orbit by the end of 1997.

French TV channel TF1 has failed in its appeal against a FF30m (3.9m) fine, which was imposed on the company in July 1992 for failing to respect quotas determining the amount of French-produced programming it should carry.

Austrian agency S.YN= has bought out the 80 per cent stake owned by joint managing directors René Keller and Maximilian Frank in Munich’s oldest agency, Gabler. Along with the Munich shop, S.YN= also gets a 90 per cent and 26 per cent share respectively in Gabler’s Nuremberg and Stuttgart offices.

Quaker France, bought by the Dalgety Group last April, has changed its name to Spiller’s Petfoods SA. Despite the name change, however, the company will continue to market breakfast cereal brands such as Crousty, Cresli and Quaker Oats.

Nivea has managed to get advertising support for its sun protection products on Germany’s public TV screens after the 8pm cut-off. The company sponsors a joint music video promoting the theme ‘Fit for Sun. Protect yourself from the sun’, which most channels have carried, claiming it serves as public information rather than advertising.

France’s chocolate makers are protesting to the government about the current IVA (VAT/sales tax) rating on their product of 18.6 per cent, compared with 5.5 per cent for most food products. The protest comes as an increase in the rate to 20.6 per cent looms on the horizon. The only other products taxed at the higher rate are caviar and margarine.