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VCCP acquires GOVT and merges Singapore operations to form GOVT VCCP
ma vccp By Marielle Descalsota

The combined agency will serve clients including OCBC Bank, Cathay Pacific, Canon and Singapore government bodies.

The 2025 Wrap: Top M&A deals
ma mergers and acquisitions By Matthew Keegan

Adland’s holding groups went on a 2025 buying spree, with Omnicom forming the world’s largest agency via IPG, while Publicis and Havas scooped up APAC indies amid a martech and AI boom.

MullenLowe and McCann merge in Singapore under McCann banner
ipg ma omnicom omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Staff Reporters

Omnicom is folding MullenLowe into TBWA globally, but is taking a different approach in Singapore.

Whatever happens, the ghost of Bernbach will continue to haunt me: Merlee Jayme
DDB ma omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Merlee Jayme

'You can’t bury a legacy that rewired the entire creative industry,' writes creative leader Merlee Jayme.

Omnicom reveals huge agency shake-up, unveils new leadership, cuts 4,000 jobs
ipg ma omnicom omnicom group omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Gideon Spanier

Sweeping Omnicom shake-up will scrap three storied creative networks—DDB, FCB and MullenLowe.

Omnicom's new structure: Here's who leads APAC
ipg ma omnicom omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Nikita Mishra

An internal memo seen by Campaign Asia-Pacific confirms market heads and senior roles across the media networks are now finalised.

Chaka Sobhani set for new role after Omnicom acquires IPG
chaka sobhani ma omnicom omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Will Green

Sobhani is currently president and global chief creative officer at DDB Worldwide.

Omnicom-IPG is now one company. The tough questions clients should be asking
ma omnicomipg thebigconsolidation

"If you're not asking, you're assuming. And in a post-merger environment, assumptions are expensive," writes Kevin Freedman.

Omnicom closes Interpublic acquisition for final purchase price of $9 billion
ipg ma omnicom omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Beau Jackson

Acquisition creates largest holdco based on revenues for the first nine months of 2025.

EU clears Omnicom-IPG $26 billion mega merger
ma omnicomipg thebigconsolidation By Beau Jackson

Omnicom passes final regulatory hurdle in acquisition of Interpublic Group.

Adobe to buy Semrush in $1.9 billion deal to expand AI marketing tools
adobe geo ma seo By Robin Langford

Boston-based Semrush is favoured by marketers for its SEO and analytics tools.

IPG sheds 3,200 jobs, vacates office space ahead of Omnicom merger
ipgomg ma mergers and acquisitions thebigconsolidation By Nikita Mishra

The holding company’s latest SEC filing shows 800 layoffs in Q3 2025 and over 700,000 sq ft of office space vacated as it races to streamline costs before completing its $13.5 billion merger with Omnicom.

Publicis Groupe to acquire SEA influencer agency Hepmil Media Group
hepmil hepmil media agency influencer marketing ma mergers and acquisitions publicis groupe By Nikita Mishra

Singapore-based Hepmil works with more than 450 brands through a network of over 3,000 creators.

Dentsu CEO responds to international sale speculation: ‘No decisions have been made’
Dentsu dentsu sale hiroshi igarashi ma mergers and acquisitions By Gideon Spanier

'We aim to rebuild our international business on our own,' Hiroshi Igarashi says, although it is considering other options.

Martin Sorrell on Dentsu's potential divestiture and S4’s own gameplan
ma monks msq s4 sir martin sorrell wpp By Nikita Mishra

On a visit to Singapore, Sorrell addressed the MSQ merger chatter and spoke about how his company is positioned for the future.

The Dentsu sale is natural selection; the dinosaurs of advertising are running out of time
Dentsu dentsu sale editors picks ma mergers and acquisitions thelongview By Darren Woolley

Dentsu’s potential sale, WPP’s turmoil, Omnicom and IPG’s merger chase all point to the fact that the giants of advertising are stumbling. As TrinityP3's Darren Woolley argues, this is natural selection at work: adapt or go extinct.

Andrew Scott, WPP’s global COO and M&A guru, to step down after 27 years
andrew scott cindy rose exits and entrances ma mark read wpp By Gideon Spanier

Close ally of outgoing CEO Mark Read will support new boss Cindy Rose until end of 2025.

MSQ Partners approaches S4 Capital about possible deal
ma martin sorrell mergers and acquisitions msq partners s4 capital thebigconsolidation By Maisie McCabe

The "combination" could bring together S4 Capital with the owner of The Gate and Walk-In Media.

M&A market 'returns to growth' after difficult couple of years, new data shows
ma mergers and acquisitions By Elena Lewis

The rise has been fuelled by significant investment by private equity and sellers returning to the market.

Accenture and WPP have discussed potential M&A deal
accenture ma wpp By Gideon Spanier

Campaign understands there has been high-level contact between the two companies.

History of GroupM 2003-2025: The world's largest media investment arm
brian lesser groupm history ma market shakeups media wpp By Beau Jackson

Campaign charts the WPP media arm's history amid ongoing change under global chief executive Brian Lesser.

WPP set to drop GroupM brand in media shake-up
brian lesser groupm ma market shakeups rebrand the big consolidation wpp By Beau Jackson

WPP media arm to change name as part of ongoing restructure.

GroupM to merge agency brands into single P&L
brian lesser groupm ma market shakeups rebrand the big consolidation wpp By Lucy Shelley

WPP to 'sunset' agency specific job titles in the shake-up.

Publicis acquires sports agency Adopt, continues ‘bolt-on’ expansion strategy
acquisitions adopt ma Publicis publicis groupe By Emma Thumann

The acquisition follows Publicis Groupe’s purchase of Lotame in early March.

APAC M&A defies global dip, surging over 10% in 2024
ma mergers and acquisitions thebigconsolidation By Elena Lewis

Despite an active second half, global M&A volume fell 2% in 2024. However, APAC companies are bucking the trend, reporting a 10% surge and actively acquiring.

Clean Creatives highlights fossil fuel risks in Omnicom-IPG merger
clean creatives fossil fuels ipg ma mergers omnicom thebigconsolidation By Alessandra Scotto di Santolo

The group is urging shareholders to demand greater transparency on fossil fuel-related risks, before approving the merger.

WPP and Bain mull sale of Kantar Worldpanel data division for $6.5 billion
bain Kantar Worldpanel ma mergers thebigconsolidation wpp By Robin Langford

The deal could give WPP, which owns a 40% stake in the research company, a new source of cash after the ad giant suffered a $55 million profit drop in its latest earnings.

Omnicom-IPG merger gains support, Krakowsky’s $48.6 million ‘golden’ pay raises ‘concern’
holding networks ipg john wren ma merger mergers omnicom philippe krakowsky thebigconsolidation By Gideon Spanier

Two leading proxy advisory groups recommended shareholders vote in favour of acquisition.

China M&A: VC surge in DeepSeek, AI creates opportunities amid overall dip
china ma mergers and acquisitions By Staff Reporters

M&A in China's capital market are projected to rebound this year from a 10-year low.

Havas acquires Argentina’s top independent creative agency Don
acquisition don havas ma By Luz Corona

The top independent agency in Argentina holds the most Cannes Lions in the country.

How indies are closing the gap between holding companies
holding companies independent agencies ma mergers and acquisitions By Matthew Keegan

In a true David vs. Goliath battle, nimble independent agencies are defying the "bigger is better" narrative, winning top clients and industry awards with smart investments, speed, and agility.

Stagwell to acquire ADK Global
adk global adk holdings ma mark penn mergers mergers and acquisitions stagwell thebigconsolidation By Rahat Kapur

The move marks Stagwell's first acquisition in Asia-Pacific and 12th globally since 2024, onboarding a host of new capabilities including integrated marketing and media expertise worldwide.

Thailand, Malaysia draw M&A interest as Asian ad giants hit pause: Report
advertising apac ma private equity By Staff Reporters

A new SI Partners' report reveals Asian advertising groups are under pressure to adapt or face acquisition—with Q3 2024 deal volumes up 7.2% and AI investments hitting $17 billion despite concerns over its reliability for agencies.

WPP takes total ownership of T&Pm
acquisition groupm ma tpm wpp By Lucy Shelley

Holding company did not previously have entire ownership of The & Partnership, which merged with MSix & Partners to form T&Pm.

IPG announces flat Q3; RGA and Huge held for sale
earnings financials interpublic ipg ma rga thebigconsolidation By Bailey Calfee

The holding company’s full-year organic growth forecasting remains at 1%.

Publicis Groupe buys Mars United Commerce for undisclosed sum
acquisition ma Publicis By Lucy Shelley

The acquisition follows Publicis Groupe’s purchase of Influential this summer.

Zee and SPNI resolve merger disputes in amicable settlement
acquisitions entertainment ma mergers sony thebigconsolidation By Campaign India Team

The merger between two of India's largest broadcasters was set to create a media entity valued at approximately $10 billion.

APAC bucks global M&A slump, deals surge 30%
ma By Glauk Mahmutaj

While global mergers and acquisitions tumbled 15% in H1, APAC bucked the trend with a 30% surge in deal-making, signaling an aggressive appetite for growth in the region.

Cannes Lions and Warc owner Ascential to be acquired for $1.5 billion
cannes lions ma warc By Ben Bold

Deal agreed by boards of Informa and Ascential but subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.

M&A rumour mill is buzzing as Publicis pulls ahead of agency pack
ma Publicis By Gideon Spanier

Speculation has created what one insider calls a 'febrile' atmosphere at the top of the agency sector.

Bastion acquires AnalogFolk Australia
ma By Staff Reporters

AnalogFolk Australia leaders Matt Robinson and Ben Hourahine will join Bastion as MD and CSO of Digital Brand.

MediaLink CEO Michael Kassan out amid UTA legal dispute
lawsuit ma By Jessica Heygate

Kassan filed a lawsuit alleging UTA breached its contract when it acquired MediaLink, while UTA is accusing the CEO of ‘misappropriation of company funds.'

‘It’s going to be unbeatable’: WPP’s Mark Read discusses BCW-H&K merger
ma mark read mergers and acquisitions wpp By Steve Barrett

EXCLUSIVE: Mark Read details the thinking behind the move, including what role AI may have played.

Analysts: Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global merger would benefit ad industry
ma merger paramount By Jessica Heygate

Combining the two media conglomerates’ streaming assets would create a scaled entity better equipped to take on Disney and Netflix — though such a deal would face financial and regulatory hurdles, analysts tell Campaign US.

I've seen so many acquisitions done the wrong way: Christian de la Villehuchet
havas ma By Anupama Sajeet

On his second trip to India this year, Havas’ global chief integration officer, sheds light on the group’s M&A policy, the importance of building ‘complementary’ and not ‘competing’ offerings, while sharing his view on the recent mergers at WPP, and more...

VML appoints Wunderman Thompson’s Pip Hulbert as UK chief executive
ma vml By Charlotte Rawlings

Trio of appointments follows the merger of WPP’s VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson.

Will VML merger lead to other creative agency consolidations?
ma vml By Ben Bold

Campaign's question of the week elicits some good answers and a poem.

Yannick Bolloré on AI, tech and creativity quests after a decade as Havas CEO
havas havas creative ma yannick bollore By Nikita Mishra

EXCLUSIVE: As generative AI's potential assumes extinction-level threats for industries, Bolloré chats with Campaign Asia-Pacific about 'doubling down on human creativity' and their Asia plans ahead of his tenth anniversary as leader.

Infillion purchases MediaMath following $22 million bid for bankrupt DSP
ma By Joseph Arthur

The adtech firm is set to become MediaMath’s new owner for a fraction of the $1 billion price tag once placed on the recently-bankrupt company.

Accenture acquires integrated PR firm Signal in Japan
accenture acquisition ma By Staff Reporters

Signal's roughly 100 employees will join Accenture Japan's marketing and operations team.

Bain to acquire APAC arm of venture-building studio Rainmaking
ma By Staff Reporters

Due for completion by the end of this month, the acquisition will bolster Bain & Co.'s innovation and design unit, which already consists of the firm’s venture studio Next, launched in April 2022.

Havas acquires Pivotroots
havas ma By Campaign India Team

The digital marketing agency will be integrated into Havas Media India

M&A Watch: Resilience, capability and growth are keywords in March
acquisitions ma mergers By James Kesner

Activity picks up from quiet February, with 55 deals in marketing services.

WPP confirms FGS Global private equity deal
ma wpp By John Harrington

WPP has confirmed that private equity firm KKR has made an investment in FGS Global in a deal that values the consultancy at $1.425 billion.

Empathy and culture: The keys to successful M&A
agency ma By Staff Writer

Spain-based LLYC has acquired U.S.-based BAM. This video, presented by Agency Futures, the consultancy that advised on and helped close the transaction, underscores the vital role that certain overlooked factors can play in all such unions.

M&A Watch: Busy start to 2023 with renewed activity from ad networks
ma By James Kesner

Following holding groups’ return to M&A in 2022, WPP, Havas and Publicis all made deals in January.

L'Oréal acquires Aesop in $2.53 billion deal
loreal ma By Staff Reporters

Known for its clean aesthetics, amber packaging and upscale products, Australian luxury beauty brand Aesop, currently owned by Natura & Co, has been sold to L’Oréal.

M&A in 2022: activity at three-year high as ad groups returned to buying fold
havas ma wpp By Maria Iu

WPP and Havas were top buyers last year.

M&A Watch: CX and B2B top trends in December
acquisitions ma mergers By James Kesner

Agencies bought at end of 2022 include Fiftyfive5 and Melon.

Dept enters India by acquiring Tekno Point
dept ma By Raahil Chopra

Campaign catches up with Dept's Dimi Albers and Vishnu Mohan, along with Himanshu Mody from Tekno Point, to learn more about the acquisition

M&A Watch: Activity returns to pre-pandemic levels
ma By James Kesner

There were 76 deals globally in November, with North America being the most active.

Teneo to acquire Tulchan Communications
acquisition communications ma pr By John Harrington

London-based Tulchan has had a presence in Singapore for more than a decade.

IPG acquires Salesforce commerce specialist RafterOne
ipg ma By Jessica Heygate

IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky outlines M&A strategy as he seeks to grow the holding company’s commerce capabilities.

Redhill acquires VS Story to boost sustainability offering
acquisitions ma sustainability By Nikita Mishra

This is the Singapore-headquartered PR firm’s second acquisition, following the purchase of Hong Kong's Creative Consulting Group in early 2022.

Dept unfazed by concerns over growing too big, too fast
acquisitions dept ma By Robert Sawatzky

The leaders of the challenger digital agency network say their Asia growth plans remain on track, expecting up to 500 employees in this region by year’s end.

Accenture to acquire Indonesian creative agency Romp
accenture acquisition ma By Staff Reporters

The deal will build up Accenture Song's Southeast Asian creative network after buying Entropia a year ago.

Q1 2022 busiest quarter for M&A since the start of the pandemic
ma q1 By James Kesner

April sees surge in private equity-backed deals, Havas, Stagwell and Horizon among the high-profile buyers.

M&A watch: S4 Capital and Accenture lead acquisitions in 2021 as global deals rise
accenture acquisitions global ma s4 capital By Nicola Merrifield

North America generated the most activity, but deal-making levels in Asia-Pacific and Western Europe were similar to 2020.

Private-equity funds boosted M&A deal-making in 2021: Ciesco
analytics data Dentsu digital ecommerce global ma wpp By Rahul Sachitanand

EXCLUSIVE: These funds accounted for 45% of all deals made in the year, as activity from holding groups and consultancies was muted, according to this advisory's data.

Microsoft to acquire AT&T’s Xandr
content ma microsoft By Alison Weissbrot

The sale marks the end of AT&T’s venture in the content and advertising business.

Mastercard to acquire Dynamic Yield from McDonald's
ma mastercard mcdonalds By Sabrina Sanchez

Mastercard will integrate the personalisation platform’s services globally to help its business customers deliver personalized experiences to their own customers.

After a challenging 2020, M&A action sprung back to life in 2021
advertising brands ma marketing mergers By Rahul Sachitanand

YEAR IN REVIEW: If the theme last year was about consolidation of operations and conservation of resources, a pickup in sentiment saw a surge in deal-making in 2021.

Adland records highest monthly M&A activity since start of 2020
ma By James Kesner

Campaign AI M&A watch: There were 74 marketing services deals in July.

Why private equity is set to become the dominant force in marcomms M&A
ma private equity By Jim Houghton

Unlike 20 years ago, private equity firms recognise that the role of marcomms has evolved significantly and is now a critical element of the boardroom discussion.

Campaign AI M&A watch: Global deals up 22% in H1 as private equity confidence grows
ma private equity By James Kesner

There were 369 marketing deals in first half of 2021.

Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital, Accenture Interactive drive marcomms M&A surge: Ciesco
ma s4 capital By Rahul Sachitanand

With improving sentiment and growing Covid vaccination numbers, deal-making in tech, digital, media and marketing soared 46% in the first half of 2021.

Innovid to go public via a SPAC
connected tv ma By Sabrina Sanchez

Merger comes as the CTV industry continues to explode.

Dentsu Australia merges Isobar under Merkle and BWM
Dentsu ma merkle By Staff Reporters

Five months after growing Isobar's offering in Australia with the addition of Accordant, the agency has become the latest target of consolidation.

Accenture acquires Malaysian full-service agency Entropia
accenture ma

It is the first acquisition by Accenture Interactive in Southeast Asia, and aligns with its focus on experience.

Lifting the veil on Accenture's acquisition of Entropia
accenture ma

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Leaders at Accenture and Entropia discuss why they believe their union will be a blueprint for the marketing business of the future.

Amazon to acquire MGM for US$8.45 billion
amazon ma By Campaign India Team

MGM's 4,000 films and 17,000 TV shows to be made available to Amazon users.

Hakuhodo acquires Russian digital creative agency Ailove Digital
acquisition Hakuhodo ma merger By Staff Reporters

Hakuhodo had worked with the award-winning Moscow shop on numerous projects.

Singed by antitrust fine, Alibaba posts first quarterly loss as a public company
alibaba ma By Staff Reporters

The tech giant posted an operating loss of RMB 7.6 billion ($1.1 billion) due to a RMB 18.2 billion ($2.78 billion) fine levied by China’s market regulator.

Publicis shares rise on fresh M&A speculation about interest from Havas owner
ma Publicis vivendi By Gideon Spanier

Vivendi describes French media report as "unfounded".

Magnite adds CTV muscle with SpotX acquisition
adtech ma magnite

Both companies talk up "huge opportunity" to create the "the largest independent CTV and video advertising platform in the programmatic marketplace".

Global marketing and tech M&A fell 19% by volume and 50% by value in 2020: Ciesco
analytics data Dentsu digital ecommerce global ma wpp By Rahul Sachitanand

Holding networks closed only 15 deals in the year, a 42% decline from 2019's total of 26.

Does Publicis M&A chatter show holding companies are undervalued?
ma private equity Publicis sale By Gideon Spanier

Private equity has been looking at agency groups.

Publicis Groupe holds sale talks with private equity investor
ma mergers and acquisitions private equity publicis groupe By Gideon Spanier

Discussions have taken place in recent months.

In a rough 2020, incumbents and upstarts took divergent M&A paths
acquisition advertising akqa Dentsu grey ipg ma mergers Publicis s4 capital spotify wpp By Rahul Sachitanand

YEAR IN REVIEW: As the pandemic crippled adspend, older networks preserved cash, while newer operators made opportunistic deals.

Managing the paranoia curve when selling your agency
acquisitions agencies ma mergers By Jeremy Keith

An M&A advisor explains the rollercoaster of emotion you should expect when buying or selling an agency, and how to manage paranoia so it doesn't derail a deal.

Taboola-Outbrain merger called off
adtech ma taboola

Corporate clashes—accentuated by the pressures of Covid-19—led to the breakdown of the deal between the two ad firms.

Havas acquires Australian media agency Hyland
acquisition havas ma By Staff Reporters

Hyland employees will join the Havas Village office in Sydney.

Hakuhodo takes control of Taiwanese agency group Growww Media
acquisition Hakuhodo ma media By Robert Sawatzky

Addition of five agency brands including United Communications Group and Interplan adds 711 new employees and substantial marketing and activation capabilities.

How COVID-19 is affecting industry M&A
ma vc By Hattie Marsden

Director of global M&A firm SI Partners reveals how the pandemic has shifted investment strategies in APAC, and who might come out on top.

How LOTTE is becoming a hospitality powerhouse
ma marketing By Staff Writer

Ever wonder why the LOTTE Tourism/Service business is such a common sight in APAC—and and soon to be international-markets? First-mover advantage, an innovative spirit and a sharp M&A strategy.

The success story behind LOTTE's food business
ma marketing By Staff Writer

A ‘Big-Brand’ marketing strategy, astute localisation and a real-time market monitoring system combine to make the success story that is LOTTE’s food business.

Zomato eats into Uber, acquires food business in India
ma uber zomato By Campaign India Team

Uber CEO has promised this does not spell the end of its India presence.

Adtech fuels M&A deals in 2019 as holding companies hit the brakes
acquisitions ma mergers By Jennifer Small

Dentsu once again topped the list, but its total of 12 was far below the 34 it made in 2018, says Results International.

China sees weakest marketing M&A in past decade
china ma marketing top of the charts By Rahul Sachitanand

Asia-Pacific deal-making slumps as companies look inward, reveals R3 Worldwide study.

Rubicon Project and Telaria merger to create 'world’s largest independent SSP'
ma mergers and acquisitions

The combined company will aim to create a "powerful, strategic alternative to the walled gardens".