OAG will strengthen agencies’ creative delivery capabilities, business expansion and professional development
The US holding company Omnicom has just announced Troy Ruhanen as CEO of the new company Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG), which brings together the creative businesses BBDO, DDB and TBWA. The latter already had Ruhanen as CEO. With Deepthi Prakash as chief operating officer (COO), the structure also includes Advertising Collective, with the agencies Goodby Silverstein & Partners, GSD&M and Merkley & Partners and Zimmerman.
“We will collectively be able to invest in innovative offerings, such as Omnicom’s recent partnerships in generative artificial intelligence, which will elevate our creativity and keep our clients at the forefront of their industries,” Ruhanen said in a statement.
Each network will maintain its own brand, culture and talent, while leveraging efforts through the sharing of tools, technologies, capabilities and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms. “OAG will strengthen the creative delivery capabilities, business expansion and professional development of the agencies,” adds Ruhanen.
With Omnicom Media Group (OMG), Omnicom Health Group (OHG), Omnicom Precision Marketing (OPMG) and Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG), the group is following the path of integrating operations, already followed by competitors WPP and Publicis. In 2023, the British group WPP merged VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, forming VML. In the public relations area, it formed Burson, the result of the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton. The French Publicis also promotes synergies between its creative networks Publicis, Leo Burnett, Le Pub, DPZ, Talent and Arc.
“Clients demand the best talent, innovation and timely delivery of creative services worldwide. OAG delivers on this promise while strengthening agency culture and growth through shared investment and best practices. With Troy Ruhanen at the helm, I am confident that our creative business and talented minds will continue to raise the bar for the industry,” said John Wren, chairman and CEO of Omnicom.
