Publicis To Quit All Award Shows For 2018 (While Releasing Hilarious Company Video At Cannes)

Publicis To Quit All Award Shows For 2018 (While Releasing Hilarious Company Video At Cannes)

Publicis Groupe globally has announced it won’t be entering any award shows for all of 2018 in a bid to rein in spending.

The decision was announced over night by new company CEO Arthur Sadoun (centre of main photo) and forbids any of its global agencies participating in awards shows, trade shows or other paid promotional efforts.

The news follows on from a promotional video released at Cannes over the weekend that playfully mocks both the agency and its new French boss, Sadoun. Check it out below:

According to an internal Publicis memo the company is “looking for 2.5 per cent cost synergies for 2018” and hopes to achieve that by “eliminating all award/trade shows for the next year.”

Rather than win award gongs, Publicis is investing its cash in its new Marcel platform, software that is designed to enable its 80,000 employees across 30 different countries to be “the first-ever professional assistant that uses AI and machine learning technology.”

Marcel is all part of Publicis’ “Power of One” strategy that wants the group to function as a “platform” rather than a network. You can check out more about Marcel in the company video below:

Meanwhile, Sadoun has given a frank interview to The Wall Street Journal outlining the difficulties faced by media agencies around the globe. You can read the full interview here.

In the interview, Sadoun said: “If the industry does not bring back growth to our clients’ business, we will be in danger. We have to overcome the fragmentation that now makes marketing splintered. We must be delivering expertise in technology and data and think very broadly about creativity.”




Latest News

Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
  • Advertising

Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch

Digital publisher network Scroll Media has employed ex-Amazon Twitch gaming executive Costa Panagos (lead image) to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability. Panagos is highly experienced in game advertising and media sales professional with two years in account management at Twitch and three years in media sales at News Corp, so will bring his extensive media agency […]

Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
  • Technology

Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs

School-leaver service Year13 has launched a new Artificial Intelligence course to upskill young people in AI, made in collaboration with Microsoft and KPMG, at an event to rally industry support behind youth AI fluency. The free online course AI Amplified which is part of Year13’s Academy aims to provide all young people with the opportunity […]

General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
  • Advertising

General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania

General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]