More marketers disapprove of Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG than approve
If Omnicom’s plan to acquire rival Interpublic (IPG) comes to fruition, the new advertising conglomerate tower above all other players in the sector, both in terms of total turnover and workforce.
Not everyone is happy about it.
Recent survey data shows that a higher percentage of marketers disapprove of the merger (27%) than approve of it (15%).
The online ADWEEK reader survey took place December 17-20. Among the more than 350 survey participants, about two-thirds of respondents indicated they worked for a brand, media company or advertising agency.
Another issue that has caused some concern in 2024 is the increase in media agencies buying inventory and then reselling it to their clients at a higher price, instead of buying it on behalf of their clients – a practice known as principal-based media buying.
Marketers are divided on the subject. Among ADWEEK readers familiar with equity-based media buying, 38% approve of the approach, while 41% disapprove.
At the same time, 44% of survey participants rated the current relationship between brands and their agency partners as very good or somewhat good. Half of that amount (22%) said the situation was either very bad or somewhat bad.
Overall, marketers have a more positive than negative outlook on the year ahead. Nearly half of ADWEEK readers said they feel optimistic about the advertising industry in 2025, compared to 30% of respondents who expressed pessimism for the future.
