Publicis Worldwide and Leo Burnett merge to form new agency Leo

The merger has formed a new creative mega-agency called Leo. With a few exceptions – France, the UK and Canada – all offices worldwide will now trade under the Leo brand. 

In a press release, Publicis Groupe calls the new agency a “constellation” which comprises around 15,000 employees operating in 90 countries. Leo is being led by Co-Presidents Marco Venturelli and Agathe Bousquet, and Chief Strategy Officer Gareth Goodall.  

The release emphasises that the merger is not a rationalisation of the business or a cost-saving exercise. Rather, it is a response to the evolving needs of the market and a desire to elevate the creative product overall.    

Creative efficiency is not about fewer brands 

“I have never believed that creative efficiency should mean fewer brands and fewer operations,” says Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe, in the release.  

“It is about big ideas from creative minds that are nurtured by a strong agency culture, to have an impact on our clients’ business. In today’s world, it is also about more collaboration and more access to capabilities.” 

In an interview with the advertising industry news website, Campaign UK, Carla Serrano, Global Chief Strategy Officer of Publicis Groupe, also emphasised that the merger is not about cutting costs. 

“It’s about exponential creativity – bringing together human ingenuity and the potential of AI to tackle today’s complex business challenges,” she said. 

Comments the marketing industry news website, Marketing Dive: “The creation of Leo comes as agency holding companies grapple with how to meet client needs around data-driven creative, especially in the age of AI.”