MAM
Interpublic names Nick Brien as Universal McCann CEO
MUMBAI: The Interpublic Group of Companies has hired Nick Brien as chief executive officer and president of Universal McCann.
Brien comes to Interpublic after a long career at Publicis Groupe’s Leo Burnett and Starcom, where he played key roles in shaping and leading those companies’ media, advertising and integrated marketing offerings.
Brien will be based in New York and will report to Interpublic’s media operations chairman and CEO Mark Rosenthal.
Murray Dudgeon, who had taken on the CEO role at Universal McCann on an interim basis, will remain with the company in his role as chief operating officer.
“Nick Brien is more than just a top-tier international media executive. He brings a unique breadth of experience, having also led an ad agency and a multi-disciplinary marketing services firm. He’s known as a passionate client partner who understands the big picture and the growing need to build brands with fully-integrated media solutions. His extensive experience in the media and marketing arena, as well as his strategic and operational skills, will be a major asset. He’ll be an incredible partner for me and a great collaborator with John Dooner and the leadership of McCann Worldgroup,” said Rosenthal.
“Nick is a terrific talent and a dynamic executive. He is absolutely the right person to lead Universal McCann forward as part of the next generation media offering Mark Rosenthal is creating. Plus with his unique background encompassing both media and marketing communications, he provides Universal McCann with the ideal complementary link to Worldgroup’s full set of capabilities,” said McCann Worldgroup chairman and CEO John Dooner.
Brien has more than two decades of experience in the industry. Since February of 2004, he served as CEO of Arc Worldwide, the main umbrella marketing services brand of Publicis Groupe. Arc Worldwide is the global combination of four entities: Arc Marketing, Frankel, iLeo and Semaphore Partners. Under Brien’s leadership, Arc Worldwide won significant new business, as well as top creative recognition in major industry competitions.
Prior to his role at Arc, Brien was president of corporate business development for Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG). Before joining SMG, Brien was CEO of Leo Burnett London, where he expanded the agency’s integrated marketing offerings and significantly raised creative standards. He first joined Leo Burnett London in 1992 as media director. He began his career at Grey London.
Brands
EcoMedia Solutions launches EcoMeter to track carbon impact in media
New tool aims to bring real data and accountability to ads and events
GURUGRAM: EcoMedia Solutions has rolled out EcoMeter, a new solution designed to bring sharper carbon accountability to advertising, media, marketing and events.
Built on its proprietary EMS platform, EcoMeter aims to help brands and agencies measure the environmental impact of campaigns and on-ground activations using real-world data rather than broad estimates.
The move comes as sustainability gains traction across boardrooms, even as measurement within the advertising ecosystem remains patchy and often reliant on spend-based assumptions. EcoMeter attempts to change that by using localised emission factors and activity-based inputs, offering a more grounded view of carbon output.
“Today, most carbon calculations in our industry are derived from spends or broad averages. That does not reflect what is actually happening on the ground,” said EcoMedia Solutions founder & CEO Rumjhum Gupta. She added that the tool factors in variables such as location, execution and materials to deliver a more accurate picture.
The platform allows users to compare media choices based on environmental impact, plan lower-carbon campaigns and generate data-backed ESG and BRSR reports. It spans formats including OOH, DOOH, print, digital and live events, bringing sustainability into the same decision-making framework as cost and performance.
EcoMedia Solutions says the larger goal is to move the industry beyond surface-level sustainability claims towards measurable action. As scrutiny from consumers, investors and regulators intensifies, tools like EcoMeter could play a key role in helping brands back intent with credible data.
With this launch, the company is betting that the next big metric in advertising will not just be reach or ROI, but impact that can be counted in carbon.
