Depending on who you ask, Omnicom Group's proposed acquisition of Interpublic Group of Cos. is either the last gasp of a dying industry or a forward-thinking move that could put the company on track to stave off new competition from tech and social media giants.
One thing is certain: The planned merger will be closely watched in the coming months as employees, clients and competitors all have a lot riding on moj phone number data the outcome of the deal, which would create the world’s largest agency holding company with combined revenue of $25.6 billion in 2023.
Ad Age gathered early reactions from 19 advertising executives, including agency CEOs and consultants. The opinions are wide-ranging. They include predictions about how the acquisition could accelerate advances in artificial intelligence and technology and debates about whether or not it would benefit clients. Experts also weighed in on the impact on the cultures of the agencies involved and how independent agencies could benefit.
Below are the highlights.
The largest agency deal in history
The massive deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025. The companies have said the all-stock deal is expected to generate annual cost synergies of $750 million.
“This will create a market powerhouse,” said Anjali Bal, an associate professor of marketing at Babson College, adding that it may give the new entity an edge in challenging tech and social media giants that have been “gaining ground in the advertising market due to the confluence of digital marketing.”
The merger “will create the most powerful traditional marketing company in the world,” Bal said, adding that “the new company will have some of the greatest talent and brands under one umbrella.”
