MAM
Good deeds, great returns dentsu clocks its ninth One Day for Change
MUMBAI: Sometimes, the biggest shifts begin with the smallest switches flipped. At dentsu India, that switch was thrown once again with the ninth edition of One Day for Change (ODfC), the network’s annual volunteering initiative that turns a single day on the calendar into weeks of collective impact.
Built around the idea that everyday choices can ripple outward, this year’s ODfC reflected dentsu’s Sanpo-Yoshi philosophy good for business, good for people, good for society and brought its Business to Business to Society (B2B2S) promise to life in distinctly human ways.
Far from a symbolic exercise, ODfC has become dentsu’s practical proof point that sustainability and social impact are not side projects but part of how the business works. Anchored in the company’s 2030 value creation strategy, the programme feeds real-world learning back into how dentsu designs inclusive, sustainability-led strategies for clients across markets.
For the 2025 edition, dentsu India partnered with Enabling Leadership, a Pragatee Foundation initiative focused on building life and leadership skills among children from underserved communities. Over four weeks, 122 dentsu volunteers worked with 73 students across multiple cities, combining hands-on building-block workshops hosted at dentsu offices with structured online mentoring sessions.
The sessions focused on skills that rarely fit neatly into textbooks communication, digital literacy and financial literacy while also nurturing creativity, adaptability, problem-solving and confidence. For dentsu’s employees, the experience offered something equally valuable: a close-up view of values-led leadership in action, mirroring the same approach the organisation brings to client work.
“One Day for Change reminds us that impact doesn’t always come from grand gestures,” said dentsu CEO for South Asia Harsha Razdan. “It often starts with the intent to do something small, consistently, for someone else. This initiative has grown into a reflection of who we want to be as an organisation responsible, empathetic and present.”
Dentsu president and chief strategy officer for South Asia Narayan Devanathan described ODfC as a working model of the company’s B2B2S philosophy. The value, he noted, lies not in scale but in sincerity, with moments that shape culture internally while sharpening how dentsu guides clients on their own sustainability journeys.
From the partner side, Enabling Leadership CEO Ravi Sonnad highlighted how the collaboration translated abstract ideas into lived experience for students, helping build skills around teamwork, resilience and creative thinking.
Now in its ninth year, One Day for Change continues to underline a simple but persuasive argument: when creativity and sustainability meet consistent action, business outcomes and social progress do not compete, they compound.
AD Agencies
Omnicom posts $6.2 bn Q1 revenue, EBITDA margin rises to 14.8 per cent
AI push and cost synergies lift margins in first full quarter post-merger
NEW YORK: Omnicom has reported a robust first quarter following its acquisition of Interpublic Group, signalling early gains from integration, cost efficiencies and a sharper focus on AI-led services.
The results mark the first full quarter with Interpublic’s operations included, offering a clearer view of how the combined entity is shaping up. Revenue from core operations stood at $5.6 billion, up $345 million year on year on a combined basis, while organic growth came in at 3.9 per cent. Adjusted EBITDA margin rose sharply by 240 basis points to 14.8 per cent, reflecting early synergy benefits.
“We’ve seen momentum and cohesive growth across the organisation,” said Omnicom chief executive officer John Wren. “Our results demonstrate the benefits of realigning our portfolio and moving decisively on integration.”
A key part of that realignment involves shedding underperforming assets. Omnicom has identified businesses worth roughly $3.2 billion in annual revenue for disposal, with about $1 billion already exited in the first quarter. The company expects to complete most of the remaining divestments over the coming quarters, sharpening its focus on higher-growth, higher-margin operations.
On the bottom line, adjusted earnings per share rose 11.8 per cent to $1.90, underlining the financial impact of cost discipline and integration. The company is targeting $900 million in cost synergies by 2026, rising to $1.5 billion by mid-2028.
“We are realising significant cost reduction synergies while continuing to invest for growth,” said Omnicom chief financial officer Philip Angelastro.
Beyond the numbers, the strategic pivot is becoming clearer. Omnicom has restructured its business around “core operations”, stripping out assets earmarked for sale to highlight the segments driving future growth. More than half of its revenue now comes from integrated media, which includes data, commerce, CRM and content automation, areas that are growing faster than traditional advertising.
Indeed, integrated media led growth in the quarter with high single-digit gains, while PR and experiential businesses delivered mid-single-digit growth. Healthcare posted modest gains, while traditional advertising lagged, reflecting a broader industry shift towards performance-driven and tech-enabled marketing.
Central to this transformation is Omni, the company’s AI-powered marketing and sales platform. Rolled out across the organisation during the quarter, the system connects data, talent and services while enabling AI-driven workflows.
The platform is already delivering tangible results, improving media performance, speeding up campaign execution and enhancing measurement capabilities. Integration with partners such as Adobe and Amazon is further expanding its reach.
“We’ve put the latest agentic AI tools in the hands of all our employees,” said Wren, highlighting the company’s push towards automation and data-led decision-making.
The shift is also reshaping client relationships. Omnicom reported new business wins with major brands including IBM, GSK and John Deere, while expanding engagements with existing clients such as Unilever and Exxon. Increasingly, clients are opting for consolidated partnerships, relying on a single provider for end-to-end marketing and sales services.
“There’s a clear trend of clients choosing one partner to manage most of their needs,” said John Wren. “Our integrated model makes that easier.”
Geographically, the US remains the largest market, contributing 61 per cent of revenue, followed by Europe and the UK at 21 per cent. Growth was strongest in the US, with other regions posting modest gains.
The balance sheet remains solid despite increased debt following the acquisition. Long-term debt stood at $10.2 billion at the end of the quarter, while liquidity was supported by $4.3 billion in cash and a $3.5 billion revolving credit facility. The company is also returning capital to shareholders, repurchasing $2.8 billion worth of shares in Q1 as part of a planned $5 billion buyback programme.
Looking ahead, Omnicom remains optimistic but cautious. While the company expects double-digit EPS growth for the year, it acknowledged ongoing geopolitical uncertainties, particularly in the Middle East, though the region accounts for less than 2.5 per cent of revenue.
The integration of Interpublic is still in its early stages, but the initial signs point to a business that is not just bigger, but structurally different. With AI at its core, a streamlined portfolio and a growing tilt towards integrated services, Omnicom is betting that scale, simplicity and smart technology will keep it ahead in an increasingly complex marketing landscape.
If the first quarter is anything to go by, that bet is already starting to pay off.
