Digital Agencies
Publicis Groupe acquires Expicient
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has acquired Expicient, one of the leading global omni-channel services firm with significant expertise in inventory and order management systems (OMS).
This is a capability that clients increasingly need to manage inventory, pricing and offers across channels for today’s connected consumer, who moves fluidly across digital and physical stores. Expicient will be integrated into the Publicis.Sapient platform under the Rosetta brand.
“Today’s always-on consumer makes no distinction between devices and channels. As a result our retail clients are increasingly looking for us to build systems inventory, supply chain, omni-channel commerce that enable the experience a 2015 consumer demands. Expicient joining Publicis.Sapient allows us to significantly strengthen our client’s ability to integrate offer information, order information, inventory information and pricing information across channels, which is a significant change from a world where the on-line stores and physical stores operated separately,” said Publicis.Sapient CEO Alan Herrick.
Expicient’s omni-channel Order Management Systems (OMS) capabilities and strong expertise in managed services, inbound/outbound supply chain, logistics, in-store clienteling applications and strategic technology consulting will strengthen Publicis.Sapient’s marketing, commerce and consulting offerings. In joining the Publicis Sapient platform, Expicient will be led by the Rosetta team and will contribute to Publicis.Sapient’s Global Distributed Delivery model, whereby the platform creates significant shared service capabilities accessible to all its clients.
“Rosetta is perfectly positioned to lead the integration of Expicient and help accelerate the benefit for Publicis.Sapient clients. SapientNitro, Razorfish Global and DigitasLBi are all highly recognised as leaders in omni-channel commerce, and together through the Publicis.Sapient platform we are unmatched. Expicient’s impact on our total business will be significant,” said Razorfish Global CEO Tom Adamski.
The announcement comes weeks after Publicis Groupe announced the completion of the Sapient acquisition and the formation of Publicis.Sapient. Publicis.Sapient is a digitally centered platform focused exclusively on digital transformation and the dynamics of an always-on world. The creation of Publicis.Sapient combines global leaders SapientNitro, Razorfish Global, Rosetta and DigitasLBi, with the deep industry expertise of Sapient Consulting.
Expicient and Publicis.Sapient brands SapientNitro, Razorfish Global and Rosetta have previously collaborated on a number of global omni-channel commerce assignments with clients, including Staples, Target, Kroger, Fast Retailing, Marks & Spencer, Belk and Ralph Lauren. The agencies expect to quickly and seamlessly merge delivery capabilities and increase the value that can be offered to clients. Expicient’s capabilities will be shared across the Publicis.Sapient platform so that all clients benefit. As a result of the acquisition, Publicis.Sapient will now have the deepest OMS offering in the market, with expertise in IBM/Sterling, Manhattan and SAP/hybris.
“The opportunity ahead of us, to create differentiated customer experiences is tremendous. We are living in an unprecedented time of connected consumers and commerce. For Expicient, combining forces with Publicis.Sapient will allow our teams to deliver a full range of marketing and commerce solutions while significantly expanding our global reach. We’re excited to be a part of Publicis.Sapient and to meaningfully add to global commerce capabilities already recognized as the best in the world,” said Expicient founder and CEO Darpan Seth.
Founded in 2008, Expicient is based in Andover, Massachusetts, with additional offices in the United Kingdom and India (Gurgaon and Bangalore), where Publicis.Sapient also has a significant presence. Expicient serves a global roster of leading brands, including: The Aldo Groupe, Argos, Bed Bath & Beyond, BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, DHL, eBay Enterprise, Guitar Center, J. Crew, Lily Pulitzer, Lockheed Martin, Marks & Spencer, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Staples, Target, Tesco and Williams Sonoma, among others.
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.
