Omnicom Group said today it will combine two of its strategic management consultancies, which is seen as a growing business opportunity for the major Adland holding companies.
The Group said it will fold Ketchum Change, the consultancy arm of PR firm Ketchum into sibling company Daggerwing Group.
The merger brings together what the group stated were “complementary core capabilities to provide a more competitive end-to-end offering for clients” in one firm. Daggerwing Group specializes in C-suite-level consulting, while Ketchum Change helps clients refine their corporate mandates and assists in communicating the changes throughout organizations with employee engagement programs.
"Management consulting at the C-suite level is a lynchpin in our holistic offering for clients, especially at this time of heightened complexity in the marketing and communications industry," stated Dale Adams, chairman and CEO, at Omnicom’s DAS Group of Companies. "We're pleased to see Daggerwing Group and Ketchum formalize their connection through this merger, creating a simple yet robust offering for clients that combine the strengths and capabilities of both firms."
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While much has been made of steps by big management consultants to encroach on Adland’s turf, conversely the ad holding companies see increasing opportunities in the consulting sector.
Last year WPP's Government & Public Sector Practice launched a consultancy offer headed by Sean Larkins and also launched a separate marketing consultancy called Gain Theory. Interpublic also has a number consulting firms in its portfolio including CMI and KRC Research.
Individual agencies are also getting into the consulting game. Dentsu Aegis Network's 360i has an organizational consulting practice that was cited by Forrester Research when it named the shop one of its “Lead Agencies” in a report issued last month.