How Omnicom and IPG's Data Assets Could Supercharge Its Creator Marketing Capabilities

Omnicom's acquisition of Interpublic Group could shake up the creator industry. The potential deal would consolidate resources, data, and technology across the holding companies, giving clients access to more comprehensive influencer marketing strategies and tools. With more access to first-party data and combined relationships with influencer technology platforms, clients of the new Omnicom could see improved influencer selection, campaign targeting, and measurement. Additionally, each company will now have access to the other's existing partnerships with social media platforms and creators, scaling their presence in the space. For creators, the consolidation presents new opportunities to collaborate with larger brands and engage in more sophisticated campaigns. However, they may do so at the sacrifice of working with smaller boutiques that are more nimble and solely focused on creator marketing. Combining forces The merger expands both firms' relationships with platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, potentially giving brands better access and insights into their influencer campaigns. EMarketer analyst Minda Smiley said that Omnicom has been building out its influencer expertise through creator and influencer marketing agency Creo. Creo has formed partnerships with major social media platforms in the past year. IPG, meanwhile, has social media agency Promoqube. Promoqube offers services such as content creation, marketing, strategy, and consulting for brands. "Moving forward, Omnicom will be focused on determining what influencer marketing capabilities IPG is bringing to the table and where they need to fill in the gaps as the space rapidly grows and evolves," said Smiley. Omnicom and IPG handle ad spend for brands like Amazon and Kellanova, and both have media-buying relationships with Amazon, Snap, TikTok, and others. In theory, advertisers would have access to more creators and platform deals through a combined Omnicom and IPG. A combined company could also wield bigger negotiations with vendors, meaning that advertisers could potentially push for lowered ad rates. EMarketer's Smiley pointed to Publicis' acquisition of Influential in July as an example of influencer marketing's growing role in campaigns. WPP also owns influencer marketing agencies Obviously and The Goat Agency. "Holding companies are certainly taking influencer marketing into account when making any major acquisitions, mergers, or restructurings," Smiley said. "They'll also be focused on determining how their major data operations will complement investments in this sector." Supercharging first-party data A main impetus for the merger was to bring together scaled tech and data services that can help the new entity future-proof for new innovations like generative AI. By bringing together first-party data from IPG's Acxiom and Omnicom's retail media company Flywheel, Omnicom will have a richer data set to target and measure ads, including influencer campaigns. "A merger between the two would significantly increase the amount and quality of data available," said Dr. Timothy de Waal Malefyt, a marketing professor at Fordham University and former vp and director of cultural discoveries for BBDO Worldwide. First-party data helps influencer marketers better target ads and zero in on creators with specific demographics and behaviors. For example, if a brand wants to target millennial moms in the Midwest who regularly use coupons to shop, first-party data gives them insights into which creators to work with. Bigger isn't always better Smaller agencies could benefit from the fact that many creators prefer to work with boutique-sized creator agencies. For Kahlea Wade, CEO and founder of boutique talent agency Alora Society, the agency pitches real-time monitoring of influencer campaigns to differentiate itself. The agency's small headcount also means that creators get more time working with talent managers. Smaller teams can also cut down on the approval steps that influencer marketing requires with brands. Smaller, hands-on teams is a service that larger firms struggle to provide, she said. "While the scale of a merged Omnicom-Interpublic entity is impressive," Wade said, "an intensely personalized, creator-focused approach" will be difficult to achieve. Natalie Silverstein, chief innovation officer at Collectively, agreed that bigger isn't always better for influencer marketing. "Speed and agility are critical for influencer marketing—the challenge is to stay nimble even as the team and programming remits scale up," Silverstein said.

Influencers & Creators

How Omnicom and IPG's Data Assets Could Supercharge Its Creator Marketing Capabilities

The merger may create a scaled player in influencer marketing, but bigger isn't always better

Colin Daniels

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