As the global ad industry adjusts to there now being five global advertising holding companies instead of six, Green Square’s Barry Dudley asks what the absence of words such as ‘advertising,’ ‘creative,’ and ‘strategy’ might tell us about where Omnicom is heading. Although there have been all sorts of rumblings and rumors for some time, […]
Category
Latest News
How dogged determination finally made Publicis the world’s largest ad group. Tony Walford writes in The Drum
Publicis ends 2024 on a high as it becomes the largest holding company in the world for the first time in its history. Green Square’s Tony Walford analyzes why 2024 has been fantastique for Arthur Sadoun and his team. Every year Publicis’ inimitable CEO Arthur Sadoun puts out a pre-Christmas short film to all staff […]
Dentsu’s strong H1 falls flat in Q3, but there are some interesting things coming in 2025. Barry Dudley writes in The Drum
The numbers were looking good for the agency network halfway through 2024, but has it managed to keep momentum moving in the right direction? Our number-cruncher, Barry Dudley of Green Square, suggests not. At the half-year point, I sensed that momentum may be picking up at Dentsu. Unfortunately, the Q3 results don’t seem to show […]
As S4 and Stagwell mull impact of Trump’s return they show contrasting fortunes for Q3. Barry Dudley writes in The Drum
One is in high spirits thanks to accelerating growth. The other has seen its share price tumble to a record low. As Stagwell and S4 post their Q3 results, Green Square’s Barry Dudley examines the reasons behind their starkly different performance in his regular holding co results round-up. Off the back of a 13.5% decline […]
While Reeves’s Halloween budget wasn’t as bad as expected, it’s not good news for agencies. Tony Walford writes in The Drum
The UK has been waiting 14 years for a Labour budget and, as expected, a rise in employers’ national insurance has stolen many of the headlines, but there was much more. Green Square’s Tony Walford asks if agency leaders are in for a bumpy ride in 2025 as a result. This afternoon, a client compared […]
As budgets stagnate, Omnicom, Publicis, IPG, Havas and WPP deliver mixed results in Q3. Barry Dudley writes in The Drum
With Halloween just around the corner and the IPA’s latest Bellwether talking of ‘stagnating’ marketing budgets in the UK, a fearless Barry Dudley of Green Square looks at Omnicom, Publicis, Havas, IPG and WPP’s Q3 results to see what horrors lie within. Both Omnicom and Publicis released their Q3 results last week and, despite some […]
Food for thought around your agency reinvention. Barry Dudley writes in The Drum
There have been a lot of headlines recently around agency reorganizations – think Omnicom, Monks, Deloitte and IPG. Green Square’s Barry Dudley raises some questions that, as we approach the end of the year, agency owners should consider asking themselves. Earlier this week, I was caught by the headline of an article in another revered […]
With capital gains tax changes looming, what could the future hold for agency M&A? Tony Walford writes in The Drum
In less than a month, the UK’s new chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will unveil her first budget and Green Square director Tony Walford says agency owners should brace themselves for tax changes that could hit them where it hurts. It’s hard to overlook that Rachel Reeves, the UK’s new chancellor of the exchequer, is preparing the […]
Publicis purchase of shopper marketing agency Mars United shows growth isn’t all about AI. Tony Walford quoted in The Drum
As holding companies invest millions in building and acquiring complex AI tools, Publicis’s acquisition of long-established shopper marketing specialist Mars United Commerce makes ‘perfect sense,’ says analyst. Launched in 1973 by shopper marketing pioneer Marilyn Barnett, Mars United Commerce today employs over 1,000 people across 14 global offices and leverages its suite of commerce solutions […]
Food for thought as S4’s net revenue falls 13.5% and Next 15 loses key client contract. Barry Dudley writes in The Drum
Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital and Tim Dyson’s Next 15 both announced H1 figures this week and neither made particularly palatable reading for shareholders or staff. Green Square’s Barry Dudley offers some analytical morsels around these latest numbers. Two businesses with very different operating models – Next 15 is decentralized, empowering the business units, while […]