AD Agencies
GroupM’s introduces Live Panel to transform media planning
MUMBAI: GroupM has recently introduced Live Panel, a new consumer and media insight solution enabling its agencies to more efficiently develop precise and targeted media plans so advertisers can more effectively reach their audiences, measure outcomes and seize competitive advantage. Essentially the new too will help GroupM make better use of its own data.
With seamless access to a global panel of more than 5.5 million consumers in 30 markets, Live Panel delivers the actionable insights needed to inform media decisions for both global and local campaigns. The new platform connects with multiple data sources across Kantar’s market leading data and research assets and integrates with the bespoke planning tools of GroupM’s media agencies to accelerate the time from insight to planning to implementation.
“In an era of continually evolving consumer behaviours and media preferences across a wider array of channels, marketers who have the most intelligence are at a distinct advantage, and our unique knowledge of audiences worldwide sets us apart in the industry,” said GroupM Global chairman Irwin Gotlieb. “Leveraging WPP’s data and analytics investments, we know more about media use and consumption behaviours than anyone else. Live Panel operationalizes this knowledge to turn consumers into audiences and audiences into customers more nimbly and efficiently for our clients’ advantage.”
“GroupM’s use of our global Lightspeed consumer panels and the integration of a number of our unique data sources – BrandZ, TGI, Connected Life and Kantar Worldpanel ComTech – into Live Panel fully realizes the power of Kantar’s insights capabilities by embedding them into agencies’ media investment management tools,” said Kantar CEO Eric Salama. “This continues Kantar’s strategy of combining survey, panel and census data for the benefit of marketers by connecting us to the client rosters of the world’s largest media investment group.”
Live Panel is the latest tool in a growing portfolio of consumer and media insight planning tools that help GroupM’s media agencies, including Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, Maxus and Motivator to build distinct marketplace offerings that leverage the best data available in regions worldwide.
GroupM says that Live Panel will also provide clients of its agencies connectivity and benefits such as understanding consumers and trends, evaluation of consumer purchase and retail behaviours, integration of brand equity data, development of unique audience insights and programmatic audience segments on the basis of consumer attitudes, product purchase and usage behaviour, balancing of plans with understanding of consumer media usage, creation of device-optimal strategies and tactics with understanding of mobile phone, tablet and quad-play ownership, usage and purchasing trends.
AD Agencies
Omnicom to divest $2.5 billion businesses in 12 months: CEO John Wren
Group doubles synergy target to $1.5bn as jobs, brands and markets go
NEW YORK: Omnicom Group is preparing to divest or exit businesses generating about $2.5 billion in annual revenue, stepping up a sweeping portfolio overhaul after its $13.25 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group.
Speaking on the group’s fourth-quarter earnings call, chairman and chief executive officer John Wren said Omnicom had already sold or exited units worth more than $800 million in annual revenue and expects to complete the remaining disposals within 12 months.
The company is also scaling back in smaller markets, shifting from majority to minority ownership in businesses accounting for roughly $700 million in revenue. These markets, Wren said, are no longer central to Omnicom’s long-term strategy.
Following the IPG merger, Omnicom has doubled its targeted annual run-rate synergies to $1.5 billion over the next 30 months, from an earlier estimate of $750 million. Management expects to capture $900 million of those savings in 2026 alone, with around $1 billion coming from labour cost reductions as overlapping corporate, network and operational roles are eliminated.
Further efficiencies will flow from simplified regional and brand structures, consolidated resources, and faster outsourcing and offshoring under a unified operating model. In December 2025, the group said it would cut more than 4,000 jobs and fold several agency brands into larger networks.
Wren also underlined stepped-up investment in automation and artificial intelligence to lift margins and sharpen client servicing amid intensifying competition.
The board has authorised a $5 billion share buyback, including a $2.5 billion accelerated repurchase programme, while committing continued investment in media, commerce, consulting and data capabilities.
Omnicom reported a 27.9 per cent rise in fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue to $5.53 billion, reflecting organic growth and one month’s contribution from IPG, compared with $4.32 billion a year earlier. Wren said the IPG combination strengthened the client roster, citing new or expanded mandates from American Express, Bayer, BBVA, BNY, Mercedes-Benz and NatWest Group.
