AD Agencies
Dentsu Aegis Network rebranded as Dentsu International
After six years of its establishment in 2014, Dentsu Aegis Network has decided to rebrand itself as Dentsu International. Agency CEO Toshihiro Yamamoto announced the news in a notice to Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The move places more than 66,000 people globally within the Dentsu brand. As per the agency, the rebranding will allow all Dentsu employees to deliver on the group’s philosophy of true client-centricity through 'open teaming'—the concept of all employees realizing innovation for clients from anywhere.
Dentsu International operates in over 145 markets worldwide with more than 48,000 specialists under nine key brands: Carat, Dentsu X, iProspect, Isobar, Dentsumcgarrybowen, Merkle, MKTG, Vizeum and Posterscope.
This follows a transformational period for the international business, focused on simplifying its offer to deliver world-class services and integrated marketing solutions that are data-driven, tech-enabled and ideas-led, tailored around clients’ needs. This simplification has seen three lines of business established across media, CRM and creative, making it easier for clients to navigate its services and allowing them to win, keep and grow their best customers. This transformation has positioned Dentsu international as the market leader for data, analytics and CRM.
The move marks a new chapter for the international business, following the arrival of Wendy Clark earlier in September as global CEO.
Clark said: “This represents an important milestone in the evolution of our international business as we build on Dentsu's rich legacy of innovation and industry leadership along with the dynamic growth story of Dentsu Aegis Network. Our business provides our clients and our people with the best of both worlds, helping them to achieve meaningful progress against a backdrop of unprecedented change and disruption.”
The business will be registered as Dentsu International Limited with UK Companies House and is expected to be in use from early October 2020.
Japan-based Dentsu acquired UK-based Aegis Network in 2013, leading to the subsequent establishment of Dentsu Aegis Network, representing the global operations of the group, outside Japan, in 2014.
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
