AD Agencies
FB-WPP to nurture mobile-first creativity tools
MUMBAI: Facebook has hosted the creative ambassador programme for WPP creative agencies in Mumbai. The programme was aimed at educating WPP Creative agencies in a scaled way and empower them to develop award winning, mobile first creatives that exceed their clients’ business objectives.
As the adoption of mobile accelerates in India, it is transforming the way people are discovering, experiencing, sharing and connecting with people, ideas and organisations that matter to them. With the “Creative Ambassador Program,” Facebook is focused on helping partners develop ideas that intrigue and engage for the mobile world. The program was launched in Asia-Pacific in June last year and has been rolled out in Hong Kong, Singapore and now in India.
“Mobile is the future of consumer and brand interaction. Nowhere is such opportunity more evident than in Asia and in particular, India with smartphones fast becoming the device of choice for spending,” says WPP India country manager Ranjan Kapur.
The program was launched in Asia-Pacific in June last year and has been rolled out in Hong Kong, Singapore and now in India.
Facebook India and South Asia managing director Umang Bedi, said, “Creative agencies have always been at the forefront of every award winning creative work and we see great potential in working together to make rich creative expressions on Facebook and Instagram. The Creative Ambassador Program will help us bring together and educate creative talent to leverage the Facebook targeting tools and personalized marketing at scale to build brands and produce best in class work in a mobile-first world.”
The two-day programme was run by Facebook’s Agency team, Creative Shop team and Blueprint team. It kicked off with a deep dive into different segments of the creative journey with Facebook and Instagram on the first day, and was attended by top creative directors, planning directors, copywriters and client leaders from WPP agencies across India. Day two of the program included partnering with the Blueprint team to run Blueprint Live, a bespoke version especially for Creative Agencies that helps them to come up with “the big idea” and creative concepts.
WPP chief digital and strategy officer Scott Spirit said, “WPP agencies are constantly reinventing ways in which clients can reach out to their audiences. By partnering with Facebook, WPP agencies will have access to the latest technology and knowledge that will enable them to help clients stay ahead of the curve.”
This global programme was co-created by Scott Spirit, Global Head of Strategy for WPP and Edel Horgan, APAC Lead on WPP for Facebook. The partnership program will be expanded to Australia this year, followed by New York to ensure people are up-to-speed on everything Facebook and Instagram has to offer and ensure creative agencies never miss out on new opportunities.
AD Agencies
Publicis posts €4.19bn Q1 revenue, 6.4 per cent growth; backs FY outlook
Ad giant signals Q2 acceleration as AI and new deals power momentum
PARIS: Publicis Groupe continues to outperform the industry, delivering a strong start to 2026 under Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun. Despite a volatile global macro environment, the company has now outpaced the industry for nearly 20 consecutive quarters.
For Q1 2026, total revenue reached €4,191 million, up from €4,161 million last year, with organic growth of 6.4 per cent. Net revenue, which excludes pass-through costs, stood at €3,460 million, reflecting organic growth of 4.5 per cent.
Exchange rates had a negative impact of €268 million, mainly due to a weaker US dollar and pound sterling. Acquisitions, including Adge.AI and 160over90, contributed an additional €46 million.
Performance across regions was largely positive, with some variation:
- North America, accounting for 59 per cent of net revenue, grew 4.7 per cent
- Europe recorded growth of 3.9 per cent, led by the UK at 6.2 per cent, while France grew 1.6 per cent
- Asia Pacific posted 5.9 per cent growth, driven by China at 11.7 per cent
- Latin America grew 13.3 per cent
- Middle East and Africa declined 5.1 per cent due to geopolitical challenges
AI-powered marketing services, which now make up 86 per cent of the business, grew 5.6 per cent. However, the technology segment, representing 14 per cent of revenue, declined slightly as clients reduced spending on large-scale transformation projects.
Sharing his outlook, Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun said, “Publicis had a very strong start to the year, outperforming the industry for almost 20 quarters in a row despite the volatile macro environment. Organic revenue growth reached 6.4%, leading to 4.5% in net and further increasing the gap with our peers.” He added that the company remains confident of delivering industry-leading performance. “We are confirming our industry-leading organic growth guidance of 4 to 5%, with the 4% rock solid, and a sequential organic growth acceleration in Q2 despite a higher comparable.”
Publicis continued its expansion with the acquisition of Adge.AI in March, followed by 160over90 in April to strengthen its sports and culture marketing capabilities.
Net financial debt stood at €1,156 million at the end of March, reflecting a seasonal shift from the net cash position at the end of 2025. Average net debt over the past twelve months was €1,035 million.
The company has reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting net revenue organic growth of 4 to 5 per cent in 2026. It also anticipates an operating margin slightly above 18.2 per cent and free cash flow of approximately €2.1 billion.
With expectations of stronger performance in the second quarter, Publicis remains well positioned to sustain its growth momentum.
