Publicis-Omnicom merger to have little effect in Thailand for now: ad expert
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During the first year of the merger of New York-based Omnicom Group and Paris-based Publicis Groupe, competition among local advertising agencies in Thailand will remain the same for now, according to a specialist.
The new Publicis Omnicom Group will become the world’s biggest advertising company worth US$3.5 billion (Bt1.05 trillion).
On-usa Lamliengpol, president of the Advertising Association of Thailand, said the merger would possibly take time, so ad agencies under this one roof would operate as usual.
However, both big global agencies already have a strong presence here with firm relationships with both global and local clients.
Omnicom has key network agencies through BBDO, DDB Worldwide, TBWA Worldwide and Omnicom Media Group, while Publicis has a network here through Leo Burnett Worldwide, Publicis Worldwide and Saatchi & Saatchi.
On-usa said the merger would bring added value not only to investors but also to clients and employees in each country. The combined strength of Omnicom and Publicis would allow them to create and offer specialist communications services to existing clients.
They can also enhance their holistic strategic communications solution, particularly in digital media and marketing, to cash in on the emergence of social media and the digitisation of communications, she said.
In the past couple of years, the Advertising Association has witnessed many major agencies acquiring firms of various sizes in the country.
The industry in the near future will see less fragmentation among local players, she said.
Parames Rachjaibun, chairman of Turnaround Focus, a marketing and advertising firm, said global conglomerates usually had communications contracts with leading global advertising groups that already had networks in each country.
