Michele Majidi
Researcher
The Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) - statistics & facts
Number four is aiming to reach the top spot. New York City-based The Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) is the fourth-largest advertising agency group worldwide but might soon become number one if a proposed takeover deal with Omnicom Group follows through. Announced in December 2024, the proposed merger would see IPG and Omnicom fuse into a new entity that would retain the latter’s name and be better equipped to stay relevant in the age of artificial intelligence.
That year, client losses were one of the key factors weighing on IPG’s revenue. The group lost one of its most important clients in Amazon that year, with the Seattle giant moving its main media business to WPP and Omnicom. The same year also witnessed the end of IPG’s seven-year relationship with The Lego Group, following the Danish toymaker’s designation of Publicis One as its global media agency.
When considering internal movements, IPG made headlines in February 2025 when it sold its R/GA agency to private equity firm Truelink Capital. This transaction was described by IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky as a move allowing the group to further focus on its core strategic offerings.
After a challenging year marked by reduced spending from tech clients, account losses, and underperformance in its tech agencies, IPG is hedging its bets on an Omnicom merger to return to growth and stand out in a rapidly evolving market. The merger’s success will hinge on its execution and client feedback, with rivals like WPP and Publicis stepping up their M&A game in a growingly unrestricted regulatory arena.
Revenue losses lead to restructuring
IPG’s global revenue fell short of expectations in 2024, amid client losses attributable to shifts in the media selling environment. The company’s net income and profitability also decreased. The group stated it aimed to save 250 million U.S. dollars by means of restructuring within its agencies and other company parts in 2025, ahead of the proposed Omnicom takeover. The buyout, in turn, aims to bring about 750 million dollars in cost savings.Cutting costs amid client losses
With global operations spread over 90 operating units, IPG’s leading networks include companies like FCB, IPG Mediabrands, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group, and Marketing Specialists. The United States was IPG’s largest market in 2024, with the United Kingdom and continental Europe nabbing second and third place. In 2024, IPG enjoyed its highest revenue growth in Latin America, followed by continental Europe, while other markets hovered between marginal growth and slight decline.That year, client losses were one of the key factors weighing on IPG’s revenue. The group lost one of its most important clients in Amazon that year, with the Seattle giant moving its main media business to WPP and Omnicom. The same year also witnessed the end of IPG’s seven-year relationship with The Lego Group, following the Danish toymaker’s designation of Publicis One as its global media agency.
When considering internal movements, IPG made headlines in February 2025 when it sold its R/GA agency to private equity firm Truelink Capital. This transaction was described by IPG CEO Philippe Krakowsky as a move allowing the group to further focus on its core strategic offerings.
Combining efforts with Omnicom to make strides in AI, retail media
A key reason behind Omnicom’s planned IPG acquisition – expected to close in the second half of 2025 – is to leverage greater AI investments. The combined entity would capitalize on first-party data providers such as Acxiom, an identity layer IPG purchased for 2.3 billion dollars in 2018. In December 2024, IPG took another step forward in the audience data space by buying e-commerce retail analytics company Intelligence Node, which uses AI to analyze data across more than 1.9 thousand retail categories. This follows similar retail and commerce media moves by Publicis and Omnicom, with their respective purchases of Mars United and Flywheel Digital.After a challenging year marked by reduced spending from tech clients, account losses, and underperformance in its tech agencies, IPG is hedging its bets on an Omnicom merger to return to growth and stand out in a rapidly evolving market. The merger’s success will hinge on its execution and client feedback, with rivals like WPP and Publicis stepping up their M&A game in a growingly unrestricted regulatory arena.
