1) Independent agencies are growing faster than holding companies, driven by factors like digital growth, advertisers valuing local control and trust, and technology. 2) Independent agencies prioritize clients and people/employees over shareholders, which fosters a culture that is driven, independent, scrappy, and client-focused rather than political. 3) In a digitally connected world, independence and collaboration are seen as positives by clients, and physical networks are less important than a similar mindset and approach.

1. Independence is a
virtue
ANDREW MCLEAN – MERCURY MEDIA

2. Insights from both holding
companies and independent
 MEC
 GroupM
 PHD
 Omnicom
 Mercury Media

3. The journey to independence is
always tough

4. Independent agencies are growing
faster than holding companies
Ave. Independent
Agency Growth %
Ave. Holding Company
Agency Growth %
Source : Annual reports / Ad Age

5. Driven by
 Digital Growth
 Advertisers – Trust and local control
 Technology

6. But more by People and Culture
 Driven
 Independent
 Control
 Scrappy
 Can do attitude
 Not political
 Clients first
 Proud

7. Priorities impact people who
create the culture
Holding Company
 Shareholders
 Clients
 People / Employees
Independent Agencies
 Clients
 People

8. “
”
The worst thing that ever happened to
agencies was becoming public companies –
The day that happened clients were
replaced by shareholders as the most
important people in the relationship
RUBIN MARKS
CEO COLGATE
n

9. A reaction to business challenges
and slow growth?

10. Culture beats size

11. “
”
I saw a red agency, a green one,
purple, blue one…and they
showed be all the same things
GLOBAL CMO DURING RECENT REVIEW
Perceived lack of differentiation at
holding companies

12. Independence and diversity are seen as
positives by clients and some
arrangements trouble them

13. Agencies need a good mix of local
and internatonal clients

14. Media distribution is now
democratized

15. Advertisers and clients are
complicit in this
 Procurement – cost NOT value
 Appreciating local market differences
 Over focus on small number of large markets

16. This old phrase is no longer relevant

17. Digital buying is about outcomes not
audiences – scale doesn’t mean lowest
pricing

18. Holding companies always buy
rather than building

19. Digitally connected world
makes collaboration easier
and means we don’t need
physical networks

20. There is a growing negative
perception amongst advertisers

21. You don’t need flags in a
map to be part of a network
You need to have a similar mindset
and approach

22. Independence – more
valuable than ever, hard
fought and worth more