Artificial intelligence
(AI), agentic services, privacy regulations, social media, media buying, and geopolitical causes are how brands communicate to shape business worldwide. This year
at Davos, advertising and marketing executives have a voice.
Dentsu Group, Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, and WPP are among those listed as partners for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.
Sir Martin Sorrell of
S4Capital, an ad holding company, was present and discussed industry topics, including the
merger between Omnicom and IPG.
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He said that this year it's a very U.S.-centric Davos -- the first year that the United States has had this type of presence -- adding that companies are doing
quite well, despite all the chaos in the world.
Goldman Sachs Research forecasts that the EPS will achieve a total return of 12% in 2026, which Sorrell called "stunning."
"Advertising is affected by geopolitical events," Sorrell said. "People in our industry tend to think it's isolated. I think it's driven by it."
Sorrell also provided an
opinion on President Trump's thinking around U.S. efforts to acquire Greenland, saying, "I actually think President Trump has a point about Greenland. The question is, is this the best way to go about
it? Maybe it's better to work through NATO than to work against. But he is a real estate guy and believes in ownership."
Some of the advertising-based themes being discussed are AI
transformations, authenticity and human connections, as well as first-party data and privacy measures.
At WEF, global leaders and advertising executives are primarily focused on the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue." Discussions are centered on
five key global challenges: cooperation in a contested world, unlocking growth, investing in people, responsible innovation, and building prosperity within planetary boundaries, according to the the
event's website.
Some companies have paid for major
sponsorships. For example, Microsoft and McKinsey are among the U.S. companies that spent up to $1 million each to sponsor a Davos venue that will serve as the base for U.S. government officials,
ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit, according to Fortune.
Executives at other companies, and the companies they work for, pay five- and six-figure sums each year to secure a
coveted place inside Davos’ most exclusive club. They hope that a few days of access in the Swiss Alps will translate into deals, influence, and brand exposure that justify the cost, Fortune
writes.
Aside from President Donald Trump, who will speak on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be in attendance, along with global CEOs from
technology, finance, energy, and consumer goods companies such as JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, and Microsoft CEO Satya
Nadella.
The World Economic Forum reported nearly 850 of the world’s top CEOs and chairs, and almost 100 leading unicorns and tech pioneers in attendance.
Davos, a ski resort near Zurich in Switzerland, hosts the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum,
which began on Monday.