Procter & Gamble (P&G) is slashing the number of agencies it works with in a bid to save as much as $500m in fees and improve the effectiveness of its marketing. The cull is the latest in what has been two years of wholesale marketing changes at the company following AG Lafley's return for a second stint as its chief executive. Lafley expects that a leaner agency roster will bolster ongoing efforts to simplify the business, which has struggled for consistent growth in recent years.