Troy Ruhanen Sets the Vision for Omnicom Advertising Group

Holding company Omnicom is opening the doors on a new era with the launch of Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG), a new organisation that’s bringing its creative agencies together under one umbrella.

Troy Ruhanen is the man charged with rallying the OAG into action as its new CEO. He believes, with marketers’ needs growing and becoming ever more complex, the time is ripe for a change that will empower talent to deliver more.

 

“Our clients need more from us,” says Troy. “The growth of marketing channels, consumer expectations, data, technology and AI mean that we need the best creative talent in the world, along with more capabilities, more technologies, and more tools than ever before to be competitive. We can’t invest in all of this individually. While our agencies are the hubs of talent, OAG will provide the foundation of technology, capabilities and innovation that will enhance how we grow and sell creative ideas and solutions.”

 

Omnicom is by no means the only advertising holding company to seek to unlock tech and innovation gains with a restructure in recent years, but Troy says that what makes OAG’s set up unique within the market is the way it seeks to make the most of the unique, diverse creative cultures within the group.

 

“OAG will ensure that its agencies’ creative cultures continue to thrive,” he says. “Clients will still be serviced by the same teams they are working with, but now with access to more tools and capabilities. The talent within our agency brands will have access to more job mobility and more opportunities to experiment and innovate.”

Indeed Omnicom is home to some of the most iconic agency brands in the world, bearing the legacies of some of the industry’s most creative minds. There’s TBWA, BBDO and, of course, the home of VW Lemon, DDB - and then within its Advertising Collective, there’s the likes of Goodby Silverstein & Partners, GSD&M, Merkley & Partners and Zimmerman. According to Troy, while this move will bring those agencies and networks closer together, the brands will remain as valuable crown jewels. “The first priority is always our agency brands and the agency brands will continue to operate distinctly,” he says.

It’s early days for OAG, although Omnicom does have a big brother to look towards in the shape of Omnicom Media Group, which brought together the holding company’s media agencies all the way back in 2000. But this move isn’t about looking back, but looking forward. 

Troy envisions OAG as a growth engine that will also enable the teams around the world to lead in an environment of fast-paced change.

“This move is meant to accelerate growth. Our clients expect us to be pacesetters as we help them navigate change in the industry,” says Troy. “They demand proactivity, innovation and of course, the best creativity in the world. We believe this sets us up for a shared foundation that agencies can use to attract the best talent and an enviable list of clients for whom they can deliver highly impactful work - the only meaningful path to further, future growth.”