Overview
This profile looks at the Omnicom advertising group.
Omnicom Group is the world's third-largest advertising conglomerate (behind Interpublic and WPP in billings). It has three global agency networks - BBDO Worldwide, DDB Worldwide, and TBWA Worldwide - and US agencies such as Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Chiat/Day and GSD&M.
Like its competitors it also includes several direct marketing, media buying, design and public relations units such as Wolf-Olins and has a stake in online services firm AGENCY.COM.
The group's three global advertising networks are -
- BBDO Worldwide - has around 350 offices in 76 countries.
- DDB Worldwide (centred on the former Doyle Dane Bernbach Needham) - has 206 offices in 99 countries and as of 2001 was the second largest agency network in the US on the basis of consolidated gross income.
- TBWA - has 225 offices in 72 countries
Marketing services and customer relationship management units include major direct marketing businesses such as Rapp Collins, public relations agencies such as Fleishman-Hillard and specialists such as Doremus
Memoirs and studies
For DDB see Bob Levenson's Bill Bernbach's Book: A History of the Advertising That Changed the History of Advertising (New York: Villard 1987) and Mary Wells Lawrence's memoir A Big Life In Advertising (New York: Knopf 2002).
For Chiat/Day see Karen Stabiner's Inventing Desire: Inside Chiat/Day: The Hottest Shop, the Coolest Players, the Big Business of Advertising (New York: Simon & Schuster 1993).
Holdings
This listing illustrates the spread of the group's holdings rather than providing a definitive inventory.
- BBDO Worldwide
- TBWA Worldwide (including Chiat/Day)
- DDB Worldwide
- DDB Needham
- Fleishman-Hillard
- GMR Marketing
- Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
- GSD&M Advertising
- Interone Marketing Group
- Ketchum
- Martin/Williams Advertising
- Porter Novelli
- Rapp Collins Worldwide
- Arnell Group
- Element 79 Partners
- Merkley Newman Harty Partners
- Zimmerman Partners Advertising
- Wolf-Olins
- OMD Worldwide
- PHD Network
- Novus Print Media
- Doremus
- TPG
- Icon International
- Brodeur Worldwide
- Porter Novelli
- Clark & Weinstock
- Gavin Anderson
- Cone
- Bernard Hodes
- Aaron Walton Entertainment
Stakes in -
- Organic
- Agency.Com (40%+)