In what could mark one of the most seismic shifts in advertising’s modern era, Omnicom Group is reportedly planning to retire its storied agency brand DDB Worldwide following the completion of its pending merger with Interpublic Group (IPG).
According to multiple reports, including B&T, Adweek, and Campaign U.S., the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has cleared the historic merger, which will merge Omnicom and IPG’s creative networks into three global powerhouses: BBDO Worldwide, McCann Worldgroup, and TBWA\Worldwide.
The consolidation would effectively dissolve the DDB name, a brand that helped define advertising’s creative revolution. Founded in 1949 by Bill Bernbach, James Doyle, and Maxwell Dane, DDB introduced a new era of witty, human storytelling, producing cultural landmarks for Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Bud Light, Skittles, Colombian Coffee and John Lewis, among others.
The move comes after years of restructuring across DDB’s global footprint. In North America, the agency merged with Adam&Eve to form Adam&EveDDB, while its Canadian operations were folded into Omnicom Advertising Group. Industry observers note that the merger is designed to eliminate overlap across Omnicom and IPG’s networks, with $750 million in annual synergies projected through shared services and back-office consolidation.
Omnicom Responds
As speculation mounted, The Drum reported that Omnicom addressed the rumors in a formal statement but stopped short of confirming DDB’s fate.
“As regulatory approvals are still pending and until the transaction is closed, we are still operating as two independent companies,” an Omnicom spokesperson told The Drum. “As it relates to our brands, we are undertaking a rigorous and considered process to ensure we have the very best solutions for the future for us and for our clients. Once plans are finalized, communicating them to our clients and our people will be our priority.”
While the statement neither confirmed nor denied the potential retirement of DDB, it suggested that significant internal discussions are underway about the group’s brand architecture.
Back in March, Omnicom’s Global CEO Troy Ruhanen told The Drum that the company “won’t be backing away from creative agency brands,” adding that sibling rivalry between BBDO, DDB, and TBWA would remain “healthy.”
LinkedIn Reacts
The rumor lit up feeds. One creative leader posted “DDB IS DEAD,” arguing that holding-company bloat and brand erasure (he cites Grey, JWT, Y&R) are pushing talent and clients toward independents. His post drew 1,100+ reactions, 173 comments, and 55 reposts within two days. Highlights from the thread you shared:
- Another called the move “sad but inevitable,” pointing to sluggish, stakeholder-heavy models that can’t maneuver.
- One poster warned that swapping “I work at DDB” for “I work at Omnicom” erodes brand allure and loyalty.
- Others see momentum for hand-picked indie “collabs” with low overhead and senior-only teams.
- Another summed it up, “Start small, stay small, think big.”
Still, if DDB were to be absorbed, it would represent the end of a near 80-year legacy, one synonymous with advertising’s creative soul.
REELated:
Omnicom consolidates DDB, BBDO, TBWA under OAG
