17573: Gilead US Media Goes To France-Based Conglomerate…?

 

Advertising Age reported Gilead Sciences awarded its US media account to White holding company Publicis Groupe following a review that featured incumbent White holding company Omnicom—which had acquired the business along with now erased White holding company IPG.

The Big Pharma deal should include disclaimers about serious side effects—as dedicated-yet-dispensable drones at multiple White holding companies, White advertising agencies, and White media firms likely lost their livelihoods.

Publicis wins Gilead Sciences US media account

By Brian Bonilla

Pharma giant Gilead Sciences has awarded Publicis its U.S. media account following a review that began earlier this year, according to multiple people close to the situation. The account had been with Interpublic Group of Cos. before Omnicom acquired the holding company.

Publicis and Omnicom declined to comment.

“We regularly review and evolve our external agency partnerships as part of our regular business practices,” a Gilead spokesperson wrote in a statement to Ad Age.

Gilead’s worldwide advertising and promotional costs totaled $1 billion in 2025, up from $869 million in 2024 and $826 million in 2023, according to its most recent annual filing. The company does not break out U.S. spending. Gilead’s U.S. media spending increased to $344 million in 2025 from $285 million in 2024, according to COMvergence.

Gilead Sciences’ second-quarter revenue rose 10% to $7.8 billion, the company reported earlier this month, driven largely by continued growth in its HIV portfolio. One of its fastest-growing products is its twice-yearly HIV-prevention injection called Yeztugo. Launched last year, its sales grew 40% in the second quarter versus the first quarter; Gilead expects the drug to reach $1 billion in full-year sales by the end of 2026.

The Gilead Sciences win concludes one of several large pharmaceutical media reviews undertaken this year. Novo Nordisk recently appointed Omnicom to its U.S. media business, while Bristol Myers Squibb is still in review.

17523: On Life—And Lifetime Achievement—In Adland.

MediaPost spotlighted Susan Credle, who the trade publication identified as Interpublic Global Creative Advisor—despite IPG’s erasure after being acquired by Omnicom.

 

Oddly enough, Credle’s LinkedIn profile displays her present experience as Interpublic Global Creative Advisor and Omnicom Creative Advisor.

 

Perhaps Credle is a fractional Planetary Creative Advisor. Or maybe she’s also in limbo, waiting for Omnicom to sort through restructurings, redundancies, and RIFs resulting from the acquisition.

 

Credle came to Cannes to collect the Lion of St. Mark lifetime achievement award.

 

Yet now Credle admits being uncertain about her next work-life stage.

 

That’s life in Adland today.

 

Credle At Cannes: ‘Fast And Cheap’ Equals Ad Pollution

 

By Steve McClellan

 

Ad agency veteran and current Interpublic global creative advisor Susan Credle told a Cannes Lions audience Monday morning that while there’s been much talk lately that consumers care less about brands these days, maybe it’s the industry that needs to care more about them. 

 

Credle, this year’s recipient of the Lion of St. Mark lifetime achievement award, said, “We’re in a slightly weird place right now,” where all the focus on AI and technology has led the industry to focus a bit less on brand building.  

 

“Fast and cheap,” she said, amounts to so much “ad pollution.” Refocusing on brand building, she added, is perhaps the best way to regain consumer trust. 

 

On stage with Paul Kemp, Cannes Lions Chief Content Officer, Credle talked about her formative years and passion for cheerleading and acting in high school. She was declared “biggest flirt” during her high school years, which she interpreted as “enjoying being around people.” Cheerleading, she added, may have been her first copywriting job because it involved writing cheers promoting a team and urging them to win.  

 

In college she learned quickly that journalism—at least the stick-to-facts kind—wasn't a passion of hers. She was steered to the advertising department where she could focus on a blend of “creativity and outcomes.” 

 

In 1985 she headed to New York City “with a suitcase and a dream.” She landed an entry level job at BBDO (filling in for receptionists who were on bathroom breaks), and ended up staying for more than two decades. 

 

At BBDO she landed on the Mars account where she had the audacious idea of killing off the M&M characters because she believed they were boring. That idea didn’t fly and she (and her art director partner Steve Rutter) then proposed developing the characters into a comedic ensemble with distinct and funny personalities. The problem there—no budget to do that for TV, at least at first. Instead the characters were merchandised and their personalities began to blossom via quips on T shirts.  

 

The characters’ popularity took off, and they were developed and integrated into TV campaigns led by Credle and Rutter. At one point NBC wanted to have the characters introduce its Thursday night lineup. It was at that point, Credle realized that the characters had entered the cultural zeitgeist. “Hollywood came calling us,” she noted, not the other way around.  

 

Later this year Credle will be leaving Interpublic for a new chapter. For now, Credle said she’s not sure what’s next. Stay tuned.  

17509: Reducing Redundancies At Omnicom Media US Operations.

MediaPost reported Omnicom Media has apparently worked through the C-suite restructurings, redundancies, and RIFs in US operations resulting from the Omnicom acquisition of IPG.

 

And the survivors-winners are—drumroll, please—White people!

 

Omnicom Media Reboots U.S. Management, Blends Former IPG Leadership

 

By Joe Mandese

 

Seven months after its acquisition of Interpublic, Omnicom this morning unveiled a reorganization of Omnicom Media’s U.S. operations, blending the senior talent of both organizations.

 

Former IPG Mediabrands exec Stacy DeRiso becomes general manager-U.S. of Omnicom Media, a new position created after she held the dual role of global brand president and U.S. CEO of Initiative.

 

Long-time Omnicom exec Susanne Grundmann becomes global brand president of Initiative, while former IPG Mediabrands’ Rob DiGiovanni becomes U.S. CEO of Initiative.

 

Grundmann previously served as CEO of the EMEA operations of Omnicom’s PHD unit and prior to that served as CEO of OMD Germany.

 

DiGiovanni steps into the U.S CEO role following four years as president-global business lead at Initiative, overseeing several of the agency’s biggest accounts.

17504: Omnicom Renders Restructurings, Redundancies, And RIFs With Precision.

Mediapsssst reported Omnicom continues its radical restructuring since acquiring IPG.

 

The latest scheme involves the launch of Omnicom Precision Marketing, which includes folding White precision marketing agency RAPP into White digital experience agency Critical Mass.

 

It’s obvious, but Critical Mass + RAPP = CRAPP.

 

Omnicom Precision Marketing Folds Agency Rapp Into Critical Mass

 

By Richard Whitman

 

The new Omnicom continues to finetune its operations.  

 

The latest restructuring occurred within the company’s precision marketing division, led by Luke Taylor, where Rapp has been folded into Critical Mass.

 

Rapp is a precision marketing and consumer experience agency. And Critical Mass is a marketing agency with a focus on digital experience design. 

 

Combined the agencies have about 3,000 staff and over a dozen offices globally. 

 

Jeannine Falcone who has led Rapp as Global CEO since 2024 will be departing the company. Chris Gokiert remains Global CEO at Critical Mass. 

 

Omnicom issued statement:  

 

“The new Omnicom Precision Marketing is focused on strengthening Omnicom’s transformation consultancy and activation offerings. Credera will lead the transformation consultancy practice, with Critical Mass leading activation. 

 

Critical Mass, Omnicom’s premier digital experience and AI innovation agency, now leads the activation practice, retaining and maintaining the RAPP, MRM, and Targetbase brands as distinct operating brands under its leadership.”  

17497: Different Outhouse, Same Shit—Brought To You By Adland.

Adweek reported the former McCann Worldwide CCO, who left Omnicom Advertising after the acquisition of IPG, returned to Publicis Groupe, where he formerly served as Saatchi & Saatchi US and Latin America CCO, and will now serve as Leo Constellation Americas and Iberia CCO.

 

The winding opening sentence above underscores how White holding companies—and a single White operating company—have fueled the commoditization of Adland, whereby people, places, and practices are repetitive, redundant, and replaceable.

 

Why, even C-suite leaders shift from White advertising agency to White advertising agency, confirming all firms are essentially identical.

 

Of course, the drones must weather the storms of change, often cast away and lost in a sea of sameness.

 

The Adweek report closes with the most outrageous statement: “Part of his remit also includes recruiting and developing the agency’s talent pipeline.”

 

Recruiting and developing the agency’s talent pipeline?! Um, the newish CCO will draw from his limited pool of connections at Publicis Groupe, Omnicom Advertising, and the erased IPG to maintain the cronyism, exclusivity, and systemic racism in Adland.

 

Publicis Groupe Taps Javier Campopiano Following Omnicom Exit

 

He’ll join Leo Constellation as CCO for the Americas and Iberia

 

By Hannah Bowler

 

Two weeks after announcing his departure from Omnicom Advertising, Javier Campopiano is joining Publicis Groupe as global chief creative officer (CCO) for Leo Constellation Americas and Iberia.

 

The former McCann Worldgroup and McCann Worldwide CCO left Omnicom just six months after taking on his latest role following its acquisition of Interpublic Group (IPG) in December 2025.

 

His appointment at Publicis follows the group’s $2.2bn purchase of LiveRamp. In a statement, Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun, said Campopiano’s appointment showed the holdco’s commitment to creativity alongside such investments.

 

“Javier’s return is the latest demonstration of our commitment to investing in what remains a key differentiator for our clients: the very best talent, to drive creativity in all of its forms,” he said.

 

A return to Publicis

 

The move marks Campopiano’s return to Publicis Groupe where he previously served as CCO for Saatchi & Saatchi U.S. and Latin America. Campopiano initially left Publicis Group in 2022 to join Grey, also in a CCO role.

 

In a statement, Campopiano said his return had been on the cards for a while. “For years, Marco and I had this running joke where he would text me ‘come home’ completely out of the blue, and I would immediately reply ‘pronto.’ Well, the time has finally come,” he said.

 

At Leo Constellation he will report to global co-CEO’s Agathe Bousquet and Marco Venturelli. The pair said Campopiano was one of most respected creative leaders in adland. And added: “His ability to combine craft, humanity and impact makes him the perfect person to lead our creative community across the Americas and Iberia.”

 

Campopiano is a decorated exec having earned himself Cannes Lions, Clios, The ANDY Awards and D&AD’s.

 

At Leo Constellation he’ll work closely with the leadership team overseeing creative strategy and output across the group for both global and regional brands. Part of his remit also includes recruiting and developing the agency’s talent pipeline.

17494: Why Cannes Lions Is A Lyin’ Loser.

More About Advertising reported Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity dumped the Holding Company of the Year/Creative Company of the Year trophy.

 

In nixing the dubious honor, Cannes Liars finally admitted it represented a scam award—a recognition exclusively reserved for White holding companies.

 

Plus, the Omnicom acquisition of IPG—along with WPP repositioning itself as a single White operating company—further complicated the exclusivity and scammy nature.

 

Given all the holding/operating companies are becoming media-first or AI-focused enterprises, it didn’t even make sense to call it the Creative Company of the Year award.

 

Expect Cannes to recoup any losses and maintain its outrageous profits by introducing new trophy categories.

 

The only true creativity with Cannes Lions involves its craftiness for maximizing and monetizing opportunities targeting an ever-award-hungry Adland.

 

Cannes cans Creative Company of the Year

 

By Stephen Foster

 

Cannes Lions has moved to update one of the dafter elements of its annual jamboree, “retiring” (a newly-popular word in adland as elsewhere) its Creative Company of the Year award. This simply seems to have rewarded the ad holding company that made the most shortlists — that is, had the most entries — last year going to WPP.

 

Which looked rather odd because just as then CEO Mark Read and the troops were celebrating this on stage it must have been evident to even the most rosé-soaked client that the wheels were coming off the British-owned holding company in all directions.

 

With Omnicom buying IPG the number of contenders has reduced anyway (Publicis, which ditched Cannes entries entirely one year to save a reported €50m) doesn’t seem to take the event as seriously as its US and UK rivals.

 

In line with this are changes to Network of the Year, presumably now a replacement for Creative Company of the Year. This too has had its issues, Omnicom’s DDB winning last year even though it had to withdraw three ads for cheating. DDB has now joined the list of retirees — folded into TBWA — suggesting the connection between supposed creative excellence and commercial performance isn’t as direct as many (including the Cannes organisers) suggest.

 

Cannes Lions says: “By introducing a cap on shortlist contribution, reinforcing the importance of quality over quantity through adjusted weighting, and ensuring consistent judging practices, our aim is to provide a refreshed benchmark that reflects today’s creative landscape — grounded in credibility, integrity and excellence.”

 

That would be nice.

17481: On Honda Motor Europe Media Pileup.

MediaPost reported Honda Motor Europe completed a formal review, handing its lead media duties to EssenceMediacom in the WPP Media unit. The scheme will also utilize the WPP Open platform.

 

WPP CEO Cindy Rose probably applauds the win as proof that Eviscerate28 is working.

 

Okay, except the creation of EssenceMediacom, WPP Media, and WPP Open all happened under predecessor WPP CEO Mark Read’s watch.

 

To compound the confusing complexity, the incumbent White media agency for Honda Motor Europe was UM, which shifted when Omnicom acquired IPG. The loss could be fallout spotlighted and foreseen in a previous post.

 

It’s difficult to tell who’s in the driver’s seat for this pileup—but drones across WPP and Omnicom will likely serve as crash test dummies.

 

WPP’s EssenceMediacom To Lead Media For Honda Motor Europe

 

By Steve McClellan

 

Honda Motor Europe has appointed WPP Media’s EssenceMediacom as its lead media agency for the region, following a formal review.  

 

Spending in the region last year by the client is estimated at close to $90 million by agency research firm COMvergence.  

 

The auto giant previously worked with UM in the region. It wasn’t immediately clear what other agencies participated in the review.

 

The new partnership, effective in August, spans Honda Motor Europe’s automobile, motorcycle, marine, power products, and corporate communications divisions across 16 European markets as well as pan-European activity.  

 

As part of its remit, a dedicated agency team will lead Honda’s media strategy, planning, and activation across Europe. It will leverage marketing platform WPP Open, to integrate Honda’s brand-building, product communications, conversion activity, audience intelligence, channel planning, activation, and reporting into a unified system. 

 

Honda’s decision comes as the company strives to evolve its marketing approach and strengthen alignment across brand, product and customer engagement activities, according to the company.  

 

Consultant MediaSense was retained by the client to assist with the review.

17457: On The Fabrication Of Lola USA.

 

MediaPost reported Omnicom executed another erasure-mashup involving two White advertising agencies—180 US and adam&eveDDB NY—to launch Lola USA.

 

The Lola agency brand was already established globally, with Lola Madrid and Lola\TBWA in Brazil.

 

The Lola name derived from combining the Lo from Frank Lowe of Lowe & Partners and the La in Latino. Lowe & Partners was a White advertising agency that IPG merged with Mullen Advertising in 2015 to create MullenLowe—which was ultimately erased and absorbed by TBWA after Omnicom acquired IPG last year. Oh, and IPG is gone too.

 

Pity the drones who shuffle through constant merging, erasing, restructuring, redundancies, and RIFs—including endless revisions to org charts, business cards, email footers, and LinkedIn profiles.

 

An executive at the new Lola USA declared, “We’re unashamedly ambitious. From top to bottom, there’s something beautifully irrational about how driven this team is to solve hard problems for our clients. We’re hungry. We’re obsessed. And we won’t rest until our friends jealously text us about what we’ve created.”

 

But first, the team must figure out who, what, when, where, why, and how they are.

 

Lola USA Debuts, Combines 180 US And Adam&EveDDB New York

 

By Fern Siegel

 

Lola USA has debuted, combining 180 US and adam&eveDDB New York into a micro-network within Omnicom. Lola Madrid and Lola\TBWA in Brazil are also part of the company.

 

The new agency is led by CEO Agathe Guerrier and CCO JD Jurentkuff. Lola USA reports 50% of the agency is dedicated to creative roles.

 

“Many marketers are feeling the squeeze, with shrinking ambition driven by tighter budgets and uncertainty,” said Guerrier, the former 180 US CEO. “We’re here to position a new type of agency. One that combines the artisanal culture of an independent, with the depth of technology and connected capabilities only Omnicom can provide. An agency reimagined for the future, with consultative acumen and cultural edge.”

 

Clients include Porsche, adidas, Molson Coors, JetBlue and Disney. First work is expected in the coming months.

 

The agency specializes in brand and marketing strategy, creative campaigns, brand design, and social and editorial storytelling, supported by Omnicom’s AI capabilities.

 

“We’re unashamedly ambitious,” added Jurentkuff, a former 180 US TBWA\Worldwide and Apple agency executive. “From top to bottom, there’s something beautifully irrational about how driven this team is to solve hard problems for our clients. We’re hungry. We’re obsessed. And we won’t rest until our friends jealously text us about what we’ve created.”

 

Additional staff includes Kimmy Harvey as head of creative operations, with Mike Bokman and Jason Ashlock as ECDs. Mitch Horton leads as head of design. On the business side, Elliott Bastien is head of strategy, Laura Cona is Chief Growth Officer, Devon Hay is managing director, Caroline Jackson is Chief Client Officer and Margaret Coleman is head of account management.

17449: Putting The Anal In Analyst.

Advertising Age presented content titled, “3 misconceptions fueling pessimism about ad agencies—and signals that they’re overblown.”

 

Okay, except the article is based on a report published by an advisory and consulting firm’s industry analyst whose CV includes stints as a senior executive at IPG and WPP.

 

Given that IPG was erased and WPP is a flaming dumpster, what is the value of perspectives from a White man who toiled at such places?

 

In Adland, those who can, do; those who can’t, analyze for consultancies.

 

3 misconceptions fueling pessimism about ad agencies—and signals that they’re overblown

 

By Ewan Larkin

 

Ad agencies have taken a beating in perception, battered by AI anxiety, restructurings and a string of layoffs. In a report published today, Brian Wieser, principal at advisory and consulting firm Madison and Wall, argues the sector is being misread.

 

The prevailing narrative that automation, in-housing and client cutbacks are slowly hollowing out the agency business is largely a story about a handful of struggling public companies, not the industry as a whole, Wieser said. His analysis, which draws on a new data set covering 17 publicly traded agency groups and hundreds of independent, privately held companies, claims that the industry is more profitable and durable than many believe.

 

Ad Age dives into Wieser’s key takeaways below.

 

The agency sector is growing, just not like it used to

 

The struggles of agency holding companies including WPP and Dentsu have shaped what Wieser sees as a misinterpretation of the U.S. industry’s health. Revenue at private independents—which account for roughly two-thirds of the U.S. agency business—grew about 2% in 2025, compared to just 0.5% growth across all publicly listed agencies, Wieser wrote.

 

“Many people conflate public companies as being the industry,” Wieser said in an interview.

 

Excluding political agencies, which skew industry data in election years, Wieser forecasts roughly 2% revenue growth annually through 2030, compared to approximately 1.5% growth in 2025. While that’s up, it’s also a deceleration from the 4% to 6% growth the industry enjoyed in the pre-pandemic years, which Wieser acknowledges is unlikely to return.

 

AI isn’t gutting the agency business, at least not yet

 

The inexorable rise of generative AI has prompted long-term concerns about ad agencies, putting pressure on the shares of the industry’s biggest players. Agency holding companies have attempted to quell the damage: Stagwell ramped up its share buyback program to signal confidence in its growth, while Publicis Groupe Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun drew a sharp distinction between his company and rivals, which he accused of squeezing margins to please Wall Street.

 

Wieser sees the anxiety around AI as overblown, at least in the short term. A Madison and Wall report published in March, based on direct conversations with senior technology and strategy leadership at most of the largest agency groups, found that clients are not cutting budgets in response to AI, but asking for more. “The tools are real. The investment is real. The financial impact, so far, is not,” Wieser wrote in the March report.

 

That agencies’ financial trajectories have arguably improved in 2026 rather than worsened, Wieser added in today’s report, only amplifies that point. There may come a time when AI’s financial impact on agencies becomes material, “but we’re still a long way away from that world,” he added. For now, he argued, agencies have adapted, deploying AI tools while leaning on what machines cannot yet replicate, the human judgment and knowledge required to sell ideas.

 

In-housing isn’t displacing agencies

 

Marketers have been building in-house agencies for decades; the share with internal capabilities nearly doubled from 42% to 82% between 2008 and 2023, according to the Association of National Advertisers.

 

Wieser, however, argues that the ANA’s figure obscures what’s actually happening: his own analysis of the trade group’s data suggests those marketers account for only around 10% of total agency-related work, despite years of in-housing efforts. “Lost revenues from in-sourcing have likely been offset by growing revenue streams from emerging marketers who historically performed all marketing in-house (as most companies do from their earliest stages),” he wrote.

17444: FCB Health Transformed To Olixir.

 

Omnicom published a press release announcing the White healthcare agency formerly known as FCB Health New York is being renamed Olixer New York, partly because the FCB masthead was erased when Omnicom acquired the White holding company formerly known as IPG.

 

The name combines the Omnicom ‘O’ with ‘elixir’ to underscore the mediocre creativity prevalent in pharmaceutical marketing.

 

The move also underscores the shuffling shitshow resulting from the acquisition.

 

Most of the White advertising agencies were blended into legacy mastheads including TBWA, BBDO, and McCann—all under the umbrella of Omnicom Advertising.

 

Olixir likely launched to appease clients and address conflicts—also underscoring Omnicom’s commitment to the health and wellness of its shareholders.

 

BTW, the name isn’t original, as evidenced by the logos below.

 

FCB Health New York Becomes Olixir New York, Launching a New Global Brand for Omnicom Health

 

Rebrand marks the evolution of one of healthcare marketing’s most awarded agencies, with plans to expand the new brand beyond the US

 

NEW YORK, April 15, 2026 – Omnicom Health today announced that FCB Health New York, one of the most awarded agencies in healthcare marketing, is rebranding to become Olixir New York – the first chapter of a new global brand that’s launching in the US and will soon expand to additional markets. The move marks the next evolution of Omnicom Health’s healthcare professional and consumer advertising offering, pairing the agency’s legacy of creative excellence with the scale, connectivity and AI‑enabled capabilities of the broader network. Proven network veterans Linda Bennett and Kathleen Nanda will continue to lead as President and Chief Creative Officer, respectively.

 

“FCB Health NY has never stood still, and Olixir NY reflects that same drive to keep evolving for clients and relentlessly seeking what’s next,” said Bennett. “We’re building on a powerful legacy with a brand designed for what modern healthcare marketing demands – bold thinking, deeper connectivity and access to the full strength of Omnicon Health’s talent, capabilities and intelligence.”

 

Olixir takes inspiration from the word ‘elixir’ and marries it with the Omnicom ‘O’ to demonstrate the magic that happens when its storied success, creative and strategic prowess and commitment to innovation are paired with the breadth and depth of the interconnected network’s vast resources and AI‑enabled capabilities.

 

“Our evolution to Olixir NY reflects exactly who we are – fearless creators and thinkers who stop at nothing to improve lives,” said Nanda. “Our clients trust us to spark understanding, shift mindsets and show people there is a better way. That drive comes from one question we ask ourselves every day: Where else? Where else will you find a bench this deep that leads with grit, passion and ingenuity? The answer has pushed us into our next era.”

 

This transformation comes on the heels of a momentous 2025 for the agency, with wins including “Agency of the Year – Category I” at the Manny Awards and multiple prestigious creative award wins across shows including The One Show, D&AD, London International Awards, MM+M Awards, Creative Floor Awards and more. Its renowned and award‑winning Snowball, The Trial for #ClinicalEquality and Disappearing Doctors campaigns are in their second, fifth and seventh year, respectively, demonstrating the agency’s longstanding commitment to important causes and using their creative firepower for good.

 

About Olixir New York

 

Olixir NY is a full‑service healthcare marketing agency built on the legacy of FCB Health New York, one of the industry’s most awarded agencies. Combining creative excellence and strategic depth with the scale, connectivity and AI‑enabled capabilities of Omnicom Health, Olixir NY helps health and life sciences brands spark understanding, shift mindsets and drive meaningful impact. Powered by Omni and Acxiom’s unparalleled life sciences data, Olixir delivers faster, smarter, more human solutions for clients across the healthcare landscape. Olixir NY is part of Omnicom Health, the world’s leading healthcare marketing communications network. Visit OlixirNY.com to learn more.

 

About Omnicom Health

 

Omnicom Health is the world’s leading and most awarded healthcare marketing communications network designed to accelerate intelligent growth for health and life sciences brands. Uniting best‑in‑class healthcare professional and consumer advertising agencies and specialized capabilities including patient engagement and support, medical communications, market access and more – we deliver connected solutions that drive measurable impact across the full healthcare landscape. Powered by Omni and Acxiom’s unparalleled life sciences data, we drive faster, smarter, human solutions for clients including Fortune 500 pharma and life sciences companies and countless startups, biotech and biopharma companies. We are part of Omnicom (NYSE: OMC). Learn more at omnicomhealth.com.