Reports surfaced this week that Omnicom is considering shelving iconic ad agency DDB, the 76-year-old agency that was founded as Doyle Dane Bernbach.  

Omnicom didn’t deny the reports and instead issued a comment asserting that all brands within the two firms are being assessed for the value they may or may not bring to the table as go-to-market propositions in the future. 

“As regulatory approvals are still pending and until the transaction is closed, we are still operating as two independent companies. However, we can share that, as it relates to our brands, we are undertaking a rigorous and considered process to ensure we have the very best solutions for the future for us and for our clients.” 

Once the plans are finalized, clients and staff will be the first to know, the firm added, followed soon after by public disclosure. 

IPG’s FCB is 152 years old and Omnicom’s BBDO is 134 years old, making them two of the oldest agencies in the industry. McCann is 102 years old.  

That’s a lot of heritage, which must be difficult to value in the age of AI.  

If any or all of them go, they wouldn’t be the first household agency names to be shelved.  

In stages, WPP merged Young & Rubicam (founded 1923), J. Walter Thompson (1864) and Wunderman (1958) with VML, born in the digital age and the surviving go-to-market brand.  

That was done as part of WPP’s plan to simplify and streamline its offering for clients. (Results are still pending).  

WPP also jettisoned its GroupM media brand in favor of WPP Media. 

Omnicom last year created the Omnicom Advertising Group, led by Troy Ruhanen that brought together BBDO, DDB, and TBWA under a single leadership structure to share resources, technology, and AI investments.   

Is the logical next step to retire the legacy brands and go with Omnicom Advertising Group? 

I guess we’ll find out soon, after clients and staff are informed.