Industry Contributor
8 Jul 2019 -
2 min read
Publicis CEO: Epsilon gives us the edge on Accenture – and rivals
By Paul McIntyre
- Executive Editor
Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun says the $4bn deal gives it an edge on rival holding groups – and the consultancies muscling in (AdWeek).
Key points:
- Deal complete for $3.95bn
- Epsilon will sit at the heart of the Publicis network
- The addition means Sapient will be able to best “Accenture in particular” at business transformation
- “This is something we’ve been doing on a smaller scale that we can now do on a larger scale” - Arthur Sadoun
- Publicis’s creative agencies will be able to “seamlessly” access both Sapient and Epsilon to go beyond advertising solutions
- Epsilon won’t be rebranded
Arthur Sadoun says first party data is far more valuable than second or third party stuff – and Epsilon will sit at the heart of the network, available to add smarts to traditional creative as well as media work. Now the company has to integrate that data and thousands of new staff, as well as execute.
$4bn suggests Sadoun and friends are confident lessons from its painful Sapient integration have been learned. Shareholders are less convinced, with Publicis's share price bumping around five year lows in recent weeks.
Should Accenture et al be worried? Your thoughts welcome.
