'Media' Takes Center Stage In IPG Q3 Earnings Call

by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, October 22, 2024

"Media" took center stage in the third quarter earnings call remarks of Interpublic CEO Philippe Krakowsky this morning, according to a MediaPost analysis of a transcript provided by Interpublic.

Krakowsky referenced "media" 26 times, "marketing" 10 times and "creative" only five times in his remarks.

And in contrast to recent agency holding company earnings calls trumpeting the rapid ascendance of AI, Krakowsky cited the technology only five times and in largely passing references.

Among Interpublic's operating units, Krakowsky cited Mediabrands and Acxiom the most (10 times each), called out Deutsch and Octagon six times each, and cited McCann only five times.

The Interpublic chief also continued a recent theme in his earnings calls, touting Interpublic's embrace of principal media buying practices.

"In media, an area where we have always excelled, the recent shift in trading terms that has seen many clients accept and even embrace principal buying has clearly impacted our business," reads one of Krakowsky's verbatims.

"Given that marketplace evolution, we continue to scale our practice in principal media buying," reads another, noting, "This represents an incremental option for value creation for prospective clients, which has been a decisive factor in some large pitches where decisions went against us. It’s also an area of opportunity for growth with our existing client base."

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