Digital, emerging markets to be focus areas for Publicis-Omnicom

Building digital capabilities and seeking growth in emerging markets like India will be the key focus areas of the $8.8 billion French advertising network, Publicis Group, said CEO and Chairman, Maurice Levy, who is currently visiting India.

In the last two years, Publicis has acquired a host of digital companies like Resultrix, Razorfish and iStrat in India. "When I visited India in 2011, we had just about 100 people in various digital functions. Today, the number is 1500," said Levy.

It was in July this year that Publicis announced its merger with Omnicom. Once merger formalities are complete, the merged entity will be the world's largest  advertising network, surpassing the current leader WPP, which has a revenue of $16 billion. "The merger with Omnicom is moving along well. It should be through by the second quarter of 2014," said Levy.

The merged entity will boast revenues close to  $23 billion. "By combining the skills of the two companies, we will be able to offer our clients a broader range of resources and talent. While Omnicom's  clients would be able to access the vast digital capabilities of Publicis, Publicis clients would have access to Omnicom's CRM tools," he said.

However, till the time the merger is completed, the two companies would remain competitors, said Levy.

The Indian operations of Publicis currently contribute around five per cent to the advertising network's overall revenues. The goal was to increase it to 35per cent by 2017. "Now with the merged entity we hope to double that," said Levy.