Digital Agencies
Omnicom Media Group named SAP Global Media AOR
NEW DELHI: Omnicom Media Group (OMG), the media services division of Omnicom Group Inc, has been named media agency network-of-record for global software corporation SAP SE to support SAP Marketing’s global paid media planning and buying activities. The decision follows an extensive review in which OMG presented North Star, a customised media unit that draws talent, tools and technology from the entire Omnicom Media Group network as a solution to continue the acceleration of SAP’s unified customer and brand experience. Supported by the Omni operating system, North Star enables innovative and meaningful end-to-end consumer experiences that drive better business outcomes.
SAP’s media business has been with OMG’s PHD Worldwide since 2015.
Initiated by SAP Global Chief Marketing Officer, Alicia Tillman, this new relationship with Omnicom serves as another critical element to furthering SAP’s progress in becoming one of the 10 most valuable brands in the world. “We are confident that Omnicom Media Group’s strategic capabilities, best-in-class tools and diverse, data-led approach will help SAP continue to grow our brand value, modernize our marketing capabilities to deliver innovative experiences most meaningful to our customers and the broader markets we serve,” said Tillman. “Since 2016, we have grown our brand value over $18B and this new agency partnership will support our vision of executing in a more innovative, agile, flexible and efficient way for the continued benefit of our customers, stakeholders and for SAP’s global ecosystem.”
“This is a transformative moment for SAP, requiring a transformative approach,” says OMD Worldwide CEO Florian Adamski, who led the cross-network pitch team. “With North Star we’re expanding the foundation built by PHD over the past five years to create a re-envisioned solution: a totally connected, cross-agency operational network that enables a global vision for media while maintaining local specificity and execution; delivers a seamless experience across media and creative; and assures data flexibility and transparency – all of which are integral to a SAP’s growth strategy and long-term vision.”
The current PHD team will continue to support SAP through the transition period, which should be complete by end of year 2020.
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
