• by Wayne Friedman , March 9, 2011

AUSTIN -- Future agency holding companies' emphasis on digital versus traditional media issues will continue to yield growing pains.

In a morning meeting at the 4As Transformation event here, the big agency holding company chiefs weigh in on some of this transformation. Martin Sorrell, chief executive officer of WPP Group, for one, believes some new digital platforms have skewed results for marketers.

"The medium has become more important than the message," he says.

Integration of digital and traditional media efforts at the agency level continues to be a concern. Michael Roth, chairman/CEO of Interpublic Group of Cos., says the best way is to compensate leaders for integration success -- not for success in their own businesses.

For the consumer, much of this discussion is moot, according to John Wren, president/CEO of the Omnicom Group. "Two years from now, don't expect distinctions between traditional and digital," he notes.

One key evidence of this shift comes from where consumers are putting their focus. Wren added: "I can't think of a single major campaign that isn't driving consumers to Facebook or the Web."

When it comes to future growth of their own agency groups, Wren believes that acquisitions will always be part of their future; Sorrell says organic growth is more important. Roth believes acquisitions should be accomplished purely for strategic advancement.