Omnicom officially owns IPG after completing its long-discussed acquisition last week—and the new company is already implementing a massive wave of changes. Advertisers should prepare for an agency landscape where AI-driven capabilities become the norm and where consolidated services become a competitive differentiator.

Omnicom will retire advertising network DDB as part of its merger with Interpublic Group (IPG), set to close in November, per various reports. For advertisers, the end of DDB carries deeper implications than a simple brand retirement. It represents the erosion of a creative philosophy brands have historically relied on, and advertisers lose a partner that offered a distinct voice and strategy.

While Google and Meta race ahead on generative AI, agencies slam the breaks: Major agency BBDO warned employees against using generative AI for client work.

Larger retailers are beginning to act more like digital media companies by leveraging their web traffic and first-party customer data into ad businesses.