<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> GREY ADVERTISING INC. & CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE EXHIBIT - 27 THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS OF JUNE 30, 1996 AND THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTH PERIODS ENDED JUNE 30, 1996 OF GREY ADVERTISING INC. AND CONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1996 <CASH> 65,331 <SECURITIES> 23,144 <RECEIVABLES> 514,403 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 704,963 <PP&E> 173,426 <DEPRECIATION> 96,513 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 928,875 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 703,483 <BONDS> 33,025 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 9,302 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 1,432 <OTHER-SE> 133,098 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 928,875 <SALES> 360,010 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 360,010 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 0 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 335,341 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 4,900 <INCOME-PRETAX> 29,798 <INCOME-TAX> 15,611 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 13,070 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 13,070 <EPS-PRIMARY> 9.72 <EPS-DILUTED> 9.39