Omnicom Group Inc. has officially launched the Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG), a pioneering initiative set to redefine the landscape of creative services. Announced on August 27, 2024, this new conglomerate aligns powerhouse agencies like BBDO, DDB, TBWA, alma, GSD&M, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners as well as several leading entities from the Advertising Collective under a unified leadership.
This strategic alignment is poised to turbocharge investments in cutting-edge tools, technologies, and artificial intelligence platforms to elevate creative solutions across the board.
Troy Ruhanen steps up as the Global CEO of OAG, bringing his seasoned leadership from his tenure as CEO of TBWA. Accompanying him in top executive roles are Deepthi Prakash, Chief Operating Officer, and Denis Streiff, Global CFO. This leadership trio is set to navigate OAG through its mission of fostering unparalleled creativity and technological innovation.
“OAG will make the best even better. One of the most exciting parts of this new division is that we can collectively invest in innovative offerings – such as Omnicom’s recent first-mover partnerships in GenAI,” said Ruhanen. “This will take our world-class creativity to the next level and keep our clients at the top of their industries. While we are excited to grow together, we will continue to celebrate and protect the uniqueness of each agency’s culture and entrepreneurship.”
OAG claims it will maintain the distinctiveness of each agency brand within its umbrella, ensuring that each entity’s unique culture, ethos, and entrepreneurial spirit remain intact. Simultaneously, the collective strength of OAG will enable these agencies to leverage shared resources, expanding their capabilities in delivering top-tier creative outputs.
Among the notable leadership appointments within OAG are Nancy Reyes, recently appointed as the Global CEO of BBDO, and Alex Lubar, who continues as the Global CEO of DDB. Erin Riley advances to CEO of TBWA\Worldwide, and James Fenton holds the helm of the Advertising Collective as its CEO.
The integration of these agencies under OAG not only promises enhanced service delivery to clients but also opens doors to significant personal and professional growth opportunities for its talent pool. Highlighting the forward-thinking approach of OAG, Ruhanen emphasized the group’s commitment to investing in groundbreaking technologies, including pioneering partnerships in Generative AI, poised to propel their creative standards to unprecedented heights.
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Omnicom has historically excelled in strategically aligning its agencies within specific marketing disciplines, as seen with Omnicom Media Group (OMG) and others, to deepen service capabilities and foster inter-group collaboration. OAG represents the next step in this evolutionary path, driven by the collective goal of delivering superior creative services globally while maintaining the integrity of individual agency cultures.
John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom, affirmed his confidence in the new division, highlighting its ability to meet client demands for top-tier talent and innovative, seamless creative services globally. “With Troy at the helm, I’m confident that our creative agencies and all our incredibly talented minds will continue to set the bar for the industry,” said Wren.
As OAG gears up for its official operational debut on January 1, 2025, current and prospective clients can anticipate a continuation of the high-quality service they have come to expect, now amplified by the enhanced capabilities and innovative edge of the wider group.
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