The advertising industry has concentrated worldwide. While there are numerous agencies that still bear the name of their founders. In fact, however, most agencies have been taken over by financially strong holding companies, so that there are actually very few agency groups left in the world. Competitors within a group are also served via the individual agency brands. Criticism has been raised that valuable information could be shared within agency groups.
The remaining "indies", i.e. the owner-operated agencies, are mostly "only" of regional importance. As a result, there are only a few "indies" among the top 10 agencies in Austria, even though their local importance and billings have grown slightly in recent years. Perhaps it has something to do with this: "Global advertising does not work," said Sir John Hergaty, one of the most important icons of the advertising industry at the Cannes Lions Festival 2014 on the subject of the future of the advertising industry. Indeed, experts believe that creativity cannot be captured in corporate structures and that the global economy needs many small, independently operating creative cells. Because "only diversity creates creativity," according to Sir John Hergaty. In Austria, by the way, 5 of the top 10 agencies (Focus Media Research 2013) are true "indies" (see list below) and thus the proportion of independent agencies is even above average in a European comparison, as I said, with an upward trend. :-) In Germany and Switzerland, the international agency multinationals dominate the market.
The Independents in Austria
Relevant independent advertising agencies (Top 10 Austria according to Focus Media Research)
Relevant independent media agencies:
Below we have summarized the affiliation of the agencies relevant for the German-speaking region to the respective agency networks.
Agency network No 1: WPP, London
Sir Martin Sorell (Founder, CEO)
Relevant advertising agencies of the WPP Group
Relevant Media agencies of the WPP Group (Group M)
Agency Network No 2: Omnicom, New York
(Management led)
Relevant Advertising agencies of the Omnicom Group:
Relevant Media agencies of the Omnicom Group:
Agency network No 3: Publicis Group, Paris
Maurice Lévy (Founder, CEO)
Relevant Advertising agencies of the Publicis Group:
Relevant Media agencies of the Publicis Group
Agency Network No 4: Inter Public Group, New York
(Management led)
Relevant IPG advertising agencies:
Relevant Media agencies of IPG:
Agency Network No 5: HAVAS, Paris
(Management led)
Relevant advertising agencies the Havas Group:
Relevant Media agencies of the Havas Group:
Agency Network No 6: Dentsu, Tokyo
(Management led)
Relevant advertising agencies the Dentsu Group:
Relevant Media agencies of the Dentsu Group: