The Omnicom and Interpublic merger is making global headlines yet again with the confirmation that the DDB, FCB and MullenLowe brands will be retired and 4,000 jobs will be cut worldwide.
The $ 9 billion merger, which has been in the works for a year, was completed on November 26, 2025.
On December 1, Omnicom CEO John Wren told media that 4,000 jobs will be cut as a result. Most are set to go by the end of the month.
According to Business Insider, IPG and Omnicom have already cut 3,200 and 3,000 jobs respectively since the deal was announced last year.
Special case for Aotearoa
Omnicom’s new structure includes the Omnicom Media division, with agencies including Hearts & Science, Initiative, Mediahub, OMD, PHD, UM, and Acxiom.
It has also announced the newly formed Omnicom Advertising division, which includes TBWA, BBDO and McCann.
The DDB, FCB, MullenLowe brands will cease to exist. For the most part, FCB will be rolled under BBDO while DDB and MullenLowe will become part of TBWA across the globe.
Except here in Aotearoa. According to communications sent out by Omnicom Oceania, FCB Aotearoa and DDB Group Aotearoa will join together to form McCann Group NZ. The current CEOs of FCB and DDB respectively, Paul Wilson and Priya Patel, will be co-CEOs of the newly combined agency.
In Wellington, FCB and Clemenger will rebrand as McCann Wellington, with leadership appointments yet to be announced.
McCann is a global advertising agency that is part of the IPG network. It ceased operating in Aotearoa back in 2012, merging into an Australasian office.
A defining moment
DDB Australia will merge with Clemenger BBDO Australia, creating a single, national agency under the Clemenger BBDO name.
Omnicom Oceania CEO Nick Garrett says in the statement that this new structure is a defining moment for the region.
“By bringing together the depth, ambition and talent of our people, while simplifying the architecture, we are creating modern, future-fit agencies. Our combined capabilities will deliver world-class creativity and media, smarter data and technology integration, and new levels of effectiveness for brands in Australia and New Zealand.
“I want to congratulate Priya Patel, Paul Wilson, and in Australia, Sheryl Marjoram, Mike Napolitano and Lee Leggett on their new roles. Their leadership will play a critical part in shaping the next era of Omnicom Oceania.
“These changes honour the legacies of our heritage brands while positioning us to unlock even greater opportunity, effectiveness and growth for our clients and our people.”
A massive distraction
In NZ Marketing magazine earlier this year, D3 co-founder and partner Alex Radford wrote of the impact the mega-merger will have on the media industry in Aotearoa. It sees the Omnicom-IPG conglomerate controlling approximately 55% of media spend.
The latest news of job cuts and brand consolidation shows the huge changes in store, he tells StopPress.
“Retiring iconic legacy cultures like DDB and FCB, alongside 4,000 job cuts, is a heavy blow to the industry’s talent pool. But for clients, it signals something more critical: a massive distraction that will inevitably dilute creative quality and speed,” says Radford.
“You cannot cut that deep or merge cultures that are that distinct without severing the relationships and local nuance that actually drive results.”
For Aotearoa, the merger widens the gap between global processes and local reality, he adds.
“It creates a ‘vanilla-isation’ of the market – less choice, less competition, and generic templates replacing bespoke thinking.”
What do clients want?
IMANZ CEO Simon Teagle wonders what Omnicom and IPG clients think of this merger. And how they will respond to it when the dust settles.
“I don’t believe any of OMG or IPG clients have asked for this change. The real risk is how many will look elsewhere. They appointed the agency for a set of reasons, and if their criteria are no longer being met, they need to do what’s right for their business and rehome with an agency that does,” says Teagle.
Thompson Spencer group CEO Melanie Spencer says this merger presents a big opportunity for independent agencies in Aotearoa. Clients want partners that can move fast, take risks and innovate without delay, she adds.
“While major global brands absolutely need the reach and infrastructure of a large holding company, this moment also opens a huge opportunity for independent agencies. Talent is freer than ever to choose where they want to work. And clients are increasingly willing to be braver, to rethink how creativity and media can show up, and to back independent partners who can adapt at pace.
“The landscape has changed. The future won’t just belong to the biggest, it will belong to those who can reinvent the fastest.”
She says it’s important acknowledge human impact the job and brand cuts across the industry. “These agencies have shaped our creative landscape for decades. Their legacy deserves recognition.”
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