Explained: Mega agency mergers over time and where they are now

January 22 marked a massive milestone in the world of media and entertainment., when the much-anticipated $10-billion merger between Zee Entertainment Enterprises and Sony Group Corp, which had been in the pipeline for quite a while, was called off by the latter.

Rewinding a few months, and staying with media and advertising including advertising, on October 18, 2023, WPP, reportedly the world’s largest advertising company, merged two of its creative arms—Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R—to form VML, a global brand, customer experience and commerce company. VMLY&R chief executive Jon Cook was tapped to reprise the role at VML. Mel Edwards, the CEO of Wunderman Thompson, was named global president.

On January 11, 2024, Babita Baruah was roped in as the CEO of VML India starting March 1. Baruah will partner Saurabh Saksena,, who has been promoted as president.

The advertising universe is no stranger to mergers and rebranding. Storyboard18 takes a deep dive into the re-formation of ad agencies in India and outside, and their present standing in the world today.

2023: Pressman Advertising and Signpost India

On September 19, 2023, it was announced that Pressman Advertising had gotten a nod from its shareholders to merge with digital out-of-home ad firm Signpost India. As per the pact, Pressman’s shareholders were to get one share of Signpost in exchange for each Pressman share. Further, the promoters of Pressman were to become co-promoters in the merged entity along with the existing promoters of Signpost, highlighted a media report.

2022: Essence merges with MediaCom

In April 2022, GroupM announced it would merge its media agencies Essence and MediaCom to form EssenceMediacom. On February 1, 2023, GroupM formally launched EssenceMediacom. Essence’s domain in performance, data, analytics and creative technology combined with MediaCom’s multichannel audience planning and strategic media expertise. Nick Lawson took over the newly founded agency as the global chief executive officer.

2020: WPP merges Grey Paris with Ogilvy Paris

Tackling the French language was an easy task for most holding company agencies in France compared with the dominance of titans Publicis Groupe and Havas. To even the odds a little, on July 1, 2020, WPP merged group firms Grey Paris and Ogilvy Paris. Romain Repellin and Régis Boulanger took over as creative directors at the new entity.

2020: WPP merges AKQA and Grey

In November 2020, WPP merged its two agencies AKQA (digital shop) and Grey (creative network) to form AKQA Group. Ajaz Ahmed, who was the chief executive of AKQA and one of its co-founders, became the group’s chief executive. Michael Houston, chief executive of Grey, became the group’s president and chief operating officer.

2018: WPP merges Y&R with VML

WPP merged its digital agency VML and creative firm Y&R, originally Young & Rubicam, to create VMLY&R, with the aim of delivering integrated solutions to brands globally. Cook, who led VML as global chief executive, took over the agency in a similar position. The CEO of VML Southeast Asia Tripti Lochan and VML China’s CEO Yi Chung Tay were named co-CEOs of VMLY&R Asia.

2018: WPP merges J. Walter Thompson With Wunderman

In November 27, 2018, WPP merged its advertising agencies J. Walter Thompson and Wunderman to form Wunderman Thompson, a creative, data and technology agency. Mel Edwards led the agency as the global chief executive and Tamara Ingram, who was the chief executive of J. Walter Thompson, became chairman. Wunderman Thompson became operational in early 2019.

2017: MullenLowe Lintas’s GolinOpinion, LinTeractive and LinEngage merge

In 2017, MullenLowe Lintas announced its intention to merge three of its divisions—GolinOpinion, LinTeractive and LinEngage—to form an independent agency in India.

The newly launched agency was named PointNine Lintas that worked with brands such as Starbucks, Porsche, Lamborghini and Budweiser. Vikas Mehta, who moved on from MullenLowe Lintas as CEO in 2019, returned as the merged entity’s new CEO.

2017: Bates CHI & Partners merges with Soho Square

Ogilvy India merged its agency Soho Square with Bates CHI & Partners, WPP’s advertising and marketing agency, in 2017. Two years later, in 2019, Ogilvy India rebranded the merged company as 82.5 Communications with the main intention of catering to Indian startups and entrepreneurs. Sumanto Chattopadhyay served as the chief creative officer along with Anuraag Khandelwal and Mayur Verma, who hung up their boots in 2022.

2013: Failed merger of Publicis and Omnicom

Of course, it is never all sweetness and light. Nearly a decade ago, on July 28, 2013, Publicis CEO Maurice Levy announced the planned merger between his company and Omnicom Group (the American global media company) that would have birthed Publicis Omnicom Group. However, on May 9, 2014, the deal was mutually called off.

2013: Meridian Communications merges with Soho Square

On February 21, 2013, Ogilvy India’s sister concern Meridian Communications was rechristened Soho Square after merging with WPP’s international agency of the same name.

2011: Omnicom Group acquires Mudra and merges it with DDB Worldwide

On October 30, 2011, Omnicom Group said it had entered into an agreement with Mudra Group in order to acquire a majority stake in the agency founded in Ahmedabad. Following the acquisition, Mudra was merged with DDB Worldwide to become DDB Mudra Group. As per the agreement, Omnicom would extend its partnership with the Reliance ADA Group, Mudra’s promoter entity. It was also announced that the then chairman of Reliance Group Anil Ambani would join the Omnicom International Advisory Committee.

After the buyout was complete, in 2012, Mudra underwent a restructuring. As part of DDB Group Worldwide, the agency established its presence in India through eight branded agencies: DDB Mudra (creative), DDB Mudra Max (media, out of home, retail, experiential), DDB Health & Lifestyle, RAPP (CRM), tribal DDB (digital), Water (brand and design) and Maatra (pre-media services) and the parent creative agency Mudra, stated a media report.

Following the restructuring, Water, the branding and design consultancy, represented Omnicom’s brand consultancy, Interbrand, in India.

2014: DDB Mudra buys 22feet, merges it with Tribal Worldwide

On February 24, 2014, DDB Mudra said it had bought 22feet, an independent digital agency. The agency was merged with Tribal Worldwide, the digital arm of DDB Mudra, to form 22feet Tribal Worldwide. Vineet Gupta and Brijesh Jacob took over as managing directors, and Deepak Nair as chief operating officer.

2015: Mullen merges with Lowe Worldwide

In May, 2015, Lowe Worldwide, a multinational company merged with US based agency Mullen to form MullenLowe Group. The agency went on to become a part of Interpublic Group of Companies. Few months later, in July 2015, the India operations were rebranded as Mullen Lowe Lintas Group. As part of the move, the group will have a two creative agency structure. Amer Jaleel and Arun Iyer, who were the joint national creative directors at Lowe Lintas, took up the position of chairman and chief creative officer (Mullen Lintas) chief creative officer (at Lowe Lintas).