Dive Brief:

• Omnicom Group is acquiring Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG), according to a press release. The combination will see two giants of the agency landscape unite their talent and technology to address the fast-evolving needs of marketers.
• The deal will create a network of over 100,000 employees in practices spanning media, precision marketing, customer relationship management, data, e-commerce, advertising, healthcare, public relations and branding. It also forwards a shared goal of building a comprehensive identity solution that improves understanding of consumer behavior. 
• The acquisition, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, is expected to close in the second half of 2025. While the united scale of the companies will be impressive, some are skeptical as to whether the move will address client demands for simplicity.      

Dive Insight:

The Big Four is becoming the Big Three with Omnicom’s deal for IPG, a watershed moment for advertising agencies. The acquisition, estimated to be valued at over $13 billion by various media reports, significantly ramps up the agency segment’s pattern of consolidation in response to financial pressures and a snowballing list of client demands.

Omnicom and IPG view joining forces as a way to advance shared goals around data and technology, including creating a leading identity solution that can help employees and clients keep a finger on the pulse of consumers. Data at scale — and the tools to interpret that data in a sophisticated way — has become must-have for agency success against a challenging backdrop of more stringent privacy laws and a fragmented media ecosystem. The firms also called out complementary geographic footprints and cultures as reasons for the merger, which is expected to realize $750 million in annual cost savings.

“Through this combination, we are poised to accelerate innovation and harness the significant opportunities created by new technologies in this era of exponential change. Now is the perfect time to bring together our technologies, capabilities, talent and geographic footprints to bring clients superior, data-driven outcomes,” said John Wren, chairman and CEO of Omnicom, in a press statement. 

Analysts were less certain about the efficiency potential of the deal. Clients have long reamed agencies for their complex structures, and uniting a pair of massive networks with strong individual brands is likely to create short-term complications. 

“This is certainly a big deal — holding companies have been consolidating their stables of agencies for some time, in the hopes of providing a more comprehensive, streamlined solution to clients. This kind of goes in the opposite direction, making for a single, rather complex holding company,” said Jay Wilson, vice president analyst for Gartner’s Marketing Practice, in emailed comments. “It will be interesting to see how the combined holding companies further consolidate their agency brands. IPG, in particular, has been known for allowing its individual agencies to maintain quite a bit of independence, as has Omnicom.  

“This probably strengthens the position of larger independent agencies who may appeal to clients who don't want to deal with a mega agency holding company,” Wilson added.

The news closes a deflating chapter for IPG, which formed the first ad-holding group in the early ‘60s. In recent years, the industry’s fourth-largest network has suffered from sharp ad-spending pullbacks and the loss of major accounts. Some of its once-darling agencies have also struggled to modernize. IPG started the year by shedding creative agencies Hill Holliday and Deutsch New York and just days ago sold digital specialist Huge to private equity. Last week, the group also acquired e-commerce analytics firm Intelligence Node, underpinning how larger agency priorities have shifted.   

Wren will retain his role post-combination, as will Omnicom CFO Phil Angelastro. IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky and Chief Operating Officer Daryl Simm are joining as co-presidents and COOs of the combined entity, which is retaining the Omnicom name and stock ticker. In addition, three IPG board members, including Krakowsky, will join Omnicom’s board.