AD Agencies
Ogilvy named Network of the Year at London International Awards for third year
Mumbai: At the 2023 London International Awards, Ogilvy proudly earned Network of the Year honors for the third consecutive year. This achievement reflects the strength of Ogilvy’s global creative network with over 30 offices contributing a total of 140 statues including 3 Grand, 27 Gold, 55 Silver, and 55 Bronze, along with 30 Finalists. Notably, Ogilvy was also named Regional Network of the Year for North America and Asia.
In total, Ogilvy was recognised with statues in 24 of the 27 categories including a collective 19 in Health & Wellness and Health & Wellness Craft, nine in Transformative Business Impact, five for Creativity in B2B, three for Package Design, two for Creativity in the Metaverse, and four for Creativity in PR. In addition, the Global Radio & Audio Company of the Year was awarded for work created for Halls, a joint effort between DAVID Madrid and Deseif that won four statues in the Radio & Audio category; DAVID and Deseif were also awarded the Regional Radio & Audio Company of the Year for Europe. See the winning work here.
The network’s performance was led by three Grand wins. “Cost of Beauty” for Dove – a borderless collaboration between the UK, Toronto, and New York offices – took home Grands in both the Health & Wellness and Use of Social Media & Influencers categories. DAVID Bogota won a Gold in the Transformative Business Impact category for “Corona Extra Lime.”
Ogilvy’s global chief creative officer Liz Taylor said: “We are filled with immense pride to be capping off the year by receiving the prestigious title of Network of the Year at the LIAs. It is a great honor for us, especially because our ideas were acknowledged in almost every category. Our teams from all corners of the world have worked tirelessly to create remarkable campaigns that proved the power of Borderless Creativity to drive business results and impact the world. Congratulations to all our people across the network who contributed to this collective effort, and a special thanks to our clients for their support, trust, and partnership.”
LIA president Barbara Levy reflecting on the ‘Of the Year’ winners said: “Firstly, I would like to congratulate WPP attaining enough points to be named LIA’s first Holding Company of the Year, and also congratulate Ogilvy for being Global Network of the Year. It’s no surprise as Ogilvy offices worldwide have a formidable creative reputation. Ogilvy has shown this by taking the coveted Global Network of the Year title three years in a row.”
The LIA honors cap off an impressive year for Ogilvy. The creative network ranked as the #1 network on both WARC’s Creative 100 and Effective 100 lists and took home the Network of the Year honors at the 2023 Clio Awards and The One Show, while Effie Worldwide ranked Ogilvy as the Most Effective Agency Network. Additionally, Ogilvy was named Global Network of the Year for 2023 by both Adweek and Campaign Magazine.
AD Agencies
Publicis Groupe to acquire 160over90 from WME Group
Deal aims to build data-led platform linking brands, fans and culture at scale
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire 160over90 from WME Group, in a move that signals a major push into the fast-growing world of sports and culture-led marketing.
The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, will see Publicis combine its existing Publicis Sports capabilities with 160over90’s global footprint to create what it calls a unified, end-to-end platform connecting brands with audiences through sport, entertainment and culture.
Founded as a division of WME Group, 160over90 has built a reputation for delivering high-impact campaigns across some of the world’s biggest sporting moments, including the Super Bowl, Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. With over 670 employees across the US, UK, EMEA and Apac, the agency works with global brands to create experiences that resonate both on and off the field.
The acquisition reflects a broader shift in marketing, where sport has become a central pillar of premium media. With the global sports media market estimated at $150 billion and sponsorships crossing $90 billion, brands are increasingly looking for more integrated ways to engage audiences.
Publicis is betting that a data-led approach will be the differentiator. By integrating 160over90 with its own capabilities, including the Epsilon identity ecosystem and Influential network, the company aims to offer marketers a seamless way to plan, activate and measure campaigns across media, sponsorships, live events and creator partnerships.
Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun said, “After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport. In the age of AI, it has become one of the most high-value channels for clients.”
He added that combining 160over90’s expertise with Publicis’ data and technology stack would help “connect brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable”.
Echoing the sentiment, Publicis Connected Media CEO Dave Penski said, “Sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce and community,” highlighting the growing need to treat sports marketing as a measurable channel rather than just brand-building.
As part of the deal, Publicis will also enter into a strategic partnership with WME Group, enabling closer collaboration on talent, content and brand partnerships. WME Group president Mark Shapiro said the tie-up would open up new opportunities for talent and brands to scale their ambitions globally.
Post acquisition, the combined Publicis Sports entity will report to Suzy Deering, while Robbie Henchman will remain with WME Group to oversee the ongoing partnership.
The move builds on Publicis’ recent investments in the space, including acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke in 2025 and a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, underscoring its intent to dominate the intersection of sport, culture and commerce.
As brands chase both attention and accountability, Publicis’ latest play suggests the future of sports marketing may be less about moments alone and more about measurable impact at scale.
