Subscribe: Apple Podcasts • Spotify The era of the traditional holding company is over. At least, that’s how Ralph Pardo sees it.
It’s less a bold call and more an apt observation coming from Pardo. He’s the CEO of Omnicom Media Group North America, an agency that’s currently in the process of rewriting the holdco pitch to clients in the age of AI.
“We’re not holding anything. We are actually capability companies, is the better way I would describe it,” Pardo said. The CEO joined a recent episode of the Digiday Podcast to share Omnicom Media’s business roadmap. He spoke during this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Historically, holding companies have picked up clients because they offered scale, reach and capabilities all under the same roof. AI has flattened that. Automated AI tools are taking over more of the media buying process — everything from execution, optimization and data analysis.
The uptick in AI comes at a time when holding companies are already facing systemic challenges. Brands want more control over their data, faster and more streamlined processes and greater insights into exactly how their ad dollars are working. Omnicom itself just wrapped up its $13.25 billion all-stock acquisition of Interpublic Group, creating the world’s largest agency holding company, last fall.
In light of all this, it may seem like holdcos are caught on their backfoot, but Pardo thinks there’s an opportunity to be had and case to be made for agencies.
“AI is lowering the barriers to entry in almost every category — probably including our own to some degree. But when the barriers to competitive entry are lower, you end up with more competition,” Pardo said.
How an agency stands out from AI competition: differentiation.
So, here’s where Pardo’s team fits in: The agency is handing over the more repetitive tasks to automated tools and taking on more of a strategists role. The agency is dismantling legacy silos that once stood between things like digital, influencer, data and other parts of the business to work together more seamlessly. In terms of talent, Pardo’s hiring plans prioritize strategic thinkers or “folks that are M-shaped” who can work across multiple subjects while simultaneously having deep expertise in at least two different areas.
As Pardo sees it, the industry isn’t killing off the holdco. The role they play, however, is changing.
“I still see a strong value prop for agencies, for the solutions and services we provide, but certainly we’ll be adapting that to meet clients where they need us to go,” he said.
More in Media Buying
[
W3C Attribution API prompts debate over the future of web measurement ](https://digiday.com/media-buying/w3c-attribution-api-prompts-debate-over-the-future-of-web-measurement/)
The proposal aims to provide a browser-based mechanism for measuring advertising performance without relying on cross-site tracking.
[
‘We’re starting to wonder’: Ad industry chases AI value as usage outpaces proof ](https://digiday.com/media-buying/were-starting-to-wonder-ad-industry-chases-ai-value-as-usage-outpaces-proof/)
The ad industry wants more from its AI spend but usage is outpacing proof of value.
[
WTF: W3C’s Attribution API? ](https://digiday.com/media-buying/wtf-w3cs-attribution-api/)
What marketers, publishers, and ad tech companies need to know about some of the latest proposals in browser-based ad measurement.