NEW YORK: WPP reported year-on-year like-for-like revenues up 5% to $709 million for its PR and public affairs businesses in the first six months of 2011, excluding the effects of currency movements and acquisitions.

Like-for-like revenues for advertising and media investment management in the same period increased 8.1% and branding & identity, healthcare, and specialist communications grew 7.3%.

In the first half of 2011, PR and public affairs produced a profit margin of 15.5%, up 0.7% on last year, which compared favorably to advertising's 12.3%, ...