How Omnicom and IPG’s Data Assets Could Boost Its Creator Marketing Capabilities

Omnicom acquisition of the Interpublic group could shake up the designer industry.

The potential deal would consolidate resources, data and technology into the holding companies, giving clients access to more comprehensive influencer marketing strategies and tools.

With greater access to first-party data and combined relationships with influencer technology platforms, clients of the new Omnicom could benefit from improved influencer selection, campaign targeting and measurement.

Additionally, each company will now have access to the other’s existing partnerships with social media platforms and creators, strengthening their presence in the space.

For creators, consolidation presents new opportunities to collaborate with bigger brands and engage in more sophisticated campaigns. However, they risk doing so at the cost of working with smaller, more nimble boutiques focused solely on creator marketing.

Combine forces

Merger expands both companies’ relationships with platforms like TikTokYouTube and Instagram, potentially giving brands greater access and insight into their influencer campaigns.

EMarketer analyst Minda Smiley said Omnicom developed its influencer expertise through creator and influencer marketing agency Creo. Creo has partnered with major social media platforms over the past year.

IPG, meanwhile, owns social media agency Promoqube. Promoqube offers services such as content creation, marketing, strategy and brand consulting.

“Going forward, Omnicom will focus on determining what influencer marketing capabilities IPG brings and where it needs to fill gaps as the space rapidly grows and evolves,” Smiley said .

Omnicom and IPG manage advertising spend for brands like Amazon And Kellanovaand both have media buying relationships with Amazon, Snap, TikTok and others. In theory, advertisers would have access to more creators and platform offerings through a combination of Omnicom and IPG. A combined company could also have more extensive negotiations with suppliers, meaning advertisers could potentially lobby for lower advertising rates.

EMarketer’s Smiley highlighted Publicis’ aacquisition of Influential in July as an example of the growing role of influencer marketing in campaigns. WPP also has influencer marketing agencies. Obviously and The Goat Agency.

“Holding companies certainly consider influencer marketing during any major acquisition, merger or restructuring,” Smiley said. “They will also focus on determining how their core data operations will complement investments in this sector.”

Supercharging first-party data

One of the main goals of the merger was to bring together large-scale technology and data services that can help the new entity future-proof new innovations such as generative AI.

By bringing together first-party data from IPG’s Acxiom and Flywheel, Omnicom’s retail media company, Omnicom will have a richer data set for targeting and measuring ads, including advertising campaigns. influence.

“A merger between the two would greatly increase the quantity and quality of data available,” said Dr. Timothy de Waal Malefyt, professor of marketing at Fordham University and former vice president and director of cultural discoveries at BBDO Worldwide.

First-party data helps influencer marketers better target ads and focus on creators with specific demographics and behaviors. For example, if a brand wants to target millennial moms in the Midwest who regularly use coupons to shop, first-party data gives them insight into which designers to work with.

Bigger is not always better

Small agencies could benefit from the fact that many designers prefer to work with smaller designer agencies.

For Kahlea Wade, CEO and founder of boutique talent agency Alora Society, the agency offers real-time monitoring of influencer campaigns to differentiate. The agency’s low headcount also means creators spend more time working with talent managers. Smaller teams can also reduce the approval steps required by influencer marketing with brands.

Smaller, hands-on teams are a service that larger companies struggle to provide, she said.

“While the scale of a merged Omnicom-Interpublic entity is impressive,” Wade said, “an intensely personalized, creator-centric approach” will be difficult to implement.

Natalie Silverstein, director of innovation at Collectively, agrees that bigger isn’t always better for influencer marketing.

“Speed ​​and agility are essential to influencer marketing. The challenge is to remain agile even as team and programming assignments increase,” Silverstein said.