Publicis—Ad Age Agency Report 2024

Publicis Groupe is the world’s third-largest agency company based on 2023 revenue, according to Ad Age’s ranking. Worldwide revenue shown is Publicis’ stated revenue converted to U.S. dollars from euros at average annual exchange rates. Publicis reported worldwide revenue of $16.0 billion (converted from euros) in 2023. See Publicis financial reports. More from Ad Age Agency Report 2024 Big picture: State of the agency business World’s biggest agency companies Agency listings Agency revenue growth Agency company revenue by client sector Publicis in 2009 passed Interpublic Group of Cos. to take the No. 3 spot based on agency company worldwide revenue, behind WPP and Omnicom Group. Publicis worldwide revenue in the year ended December 2022 surpassed the revenue of Omnicom. Epsilon acquisition: Publicis Groupe and Alliance Data Systems Corp. on July 1, 2019, completed a deal for Publicis to buy Epsilon, a provider of data and marketing services. The companies announced the deal April 14, 2019. Publicis said it bought Irving, Texas-based Epsilon for $4.451 billion cash. The Epsilon sale was the biggest agency deal in years. The Epsilon deal was below the price tag on Dentsu Inc.’s $4.853 billion acquisition of Aegis Group in 2013 (the largest-ever acquisition of an agency company). The Epsilon purchase price topped WPP’s $4.37 billion purchase of Young & Rubicam in 2000. (WPP announced Y&R as a $4.7 billion transaction, but final value of stock in that all-stock deal was $4.37 billion.) Sapient Corp. acquisition: Publicis in February 2015 acquired Sapient Corp., a global marketing and technology services company, for about $3.7 billion cash. Other major acquisitions include: LBi, an Amsterdam-based digital network, purchased in January 2013 for 416 million euros ($554 million). After buying LBi, Publicis combined it with Digitas in February 2013 to form the DigitasLBi network. DigitasLBi in March 2018 shortened its name to Digitas. Rosetta Marketing Group, a U.S.-based digital agency, acquired in July 2011 for $577 million cash. Razorfish, a U.S.-based digital agency, acquired in October 2009 from Microsoft Corp. for $544 million ($547 million including transaction costs). Publicis paid $286.8 million cash plus 6.5 million Publicis shares for a purchase price of 369 million euros ($544 million based on currency rates when the deal closed) or 371 million euros including transaction costs ($547 million). The deal gave Microsoft a 3.3% stake in Publicis; Microsoft later sold its entire stake in Publicis. Digitas, a U.S. digital agency, purchased in January 2007 for $1.3 billion. Bcom3 Group, a U.S.-based agency company, acquired in 2002. Bcom3 owned Leo Burnett (ad agency); D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles (ad agency); Manning Selvage & Lee (public relations); Starcom Mediavest Group (media-agency network); Medicus (health care communications); and a 49% stake in Bartle Bogle Hegarty (U.K. ad agency). Saatchi & Saatchi, a U.K.-based agency company, acquired in 2000. Publicis in 2001 formed ZenithOptimedia, a media-agency network, by merging its Optimedia unit with Zenith Media, which had been a 50/50 venture of Saatchi & Saatchi and Cordiant Communications Group. Cordiant at that point ended up with a 25% stake in ZenithOptimedia. WPP in 2003 bought Cordiant and sold the 25% stake in ZenithOptimedia to Publicis. Dentsu relationship: Publicis on Feb. 17, 2012, bought back 18 million Publicis shares owned by Dentsu Inc. for 644 million euros ($840 million). The buyback, which had been expected, ended a strategic alliance in place since 2002 (when Publicis bought Dentsu-backed Bcom3 Group, the then-parent of Leo Burnett and Starcom Mediavest). Interpublic investment: Publicis in December 2013 sold its 1.13% stake in Interpublic Group of Cos. The Interpublic stock was a holdover from an investment Publicis made in Foote, Cone & Belding Communications in 1988 as part of a later-aborted global alliance with FCB; Interpublic bought True North Communications (parent of FCB) in 2001. Termination of Publicis Omnicom Group merger: Paris-based Publicis and New York-based Omnicom Group in July 2013 announced plans to merge into the world’s biggest agency firm, Publicis Omnicom Group. Publicis at the time ranked No. 3 among agency companies based on worldwide revenue; Omnicom ranked No. 2. Publicis’ registration document for year ended December 2013 said: “This merger of equals, which is scheduled to be completed in 2014, will create the world leader in communications, advertising, marketing and digital services.” The companies on May 8, 2014, terminated the deal, citing “difficulties in completing the transaction within a reasonable timeframe.” Arthur Sadoun succeeded Maurice Levy as chairman-CEO (chairman of the management board) on June 1, 2017. Publicis announced the move in January 2017. Sadoun, age 45 at the time of the announcement, was CEO of Publicis Worldwide before taking the top job at Publicis Groupe. Upon stepping down as chairman-CEO, Levy became chairman of the company’s supervisory board. Levy had run Publicis as chairman of the management board since 1987. Year-end employment: Publicis worldwide (and North America) employment at year end: 2023: 103,295 (29,979 in North America)2022: 98,022 (29,574 in North America)2021: 88,531 (27,451 in North America)2020: 79,051 (25,409 in North America)2019: 83,235 (27,098 in North America)2018: 75,588 (22,494 in North America)2017: 77,767 (24,054 in North America)2016: 78,913 (24,638 in North America)2015: 77,574 (25,554 in North America)2014: 63,621 (22,030 in North America)2013: 62,533 (20,834 in North America)2012: 57,500 (18,711 in U.S. and 19,548 in North America)2011: 53,807 (17,965 in U.S. and 18,797 in North America)2010: 48,531 (17,306 in North America)2009: 45,402 (14,215 in North America)2008: 44,7272007: 43,808 Publicis listed on the Paris stock exchange in June 1970. Publicis’ ticker: PUB The company added a listing on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2000. Publicis ended its New York Stock Exchange listing in 2007. Biggest shareholder: Publicis Groupe’s biggest shareholder (based on voting rights) is Elisabeth Badinter, daughter of the company’s founder, Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet. Badinter and her family owned a 6.57% equity stake and had 12.12% of voting rights as of Dec. 31, 2023. Publicis Groupe was founded in 1926 by Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet. Bleustein-Blanchet died April 11, 1996. He was chairman of the supervisory board at the time of his death. The company’s name comes from the combination of “Publ” (for “Publicité,” which is “advertising” in French) and “six” (for 1926). Ad Age Agency Report 2024 Revenue and analysis for agency companies Click here

Publicis—Ad Age Agency Report 2024

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