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Publicis reported a strong Q3 on Thursday, notching a 5.3% bump in organic revenue.
In its US market, the agency clocked a 3.2% revenue increase, as well as a 10.7% bump in Europe and improving revenues in the Asia Pacific region, which grew 3.8%. The holding company beat analyst expectations of a 3.7% increase in Q3 and upped its organic growth guidance for the year to between 5.5% and 6%. (Last quarter, it had projected 5% YoY growth.)
Publicis attributed its success to new business, varied sources of revenue, and the agency’s own pandemic recovery. It also noted its tech platform Epsilon’s data offering, and its digital consulting and AI arm, Publicis Sapient, did well despite macroeconomic challenges.
“At a moment when the comparable consulting firms experienced project delays, Publicis Sapient nonetheless continued to grow, and Creative confirmed its resilience once again, in spite of industry-wide cuts to classic advertising activities,” Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO, said in a press release.
The holding company said its immediate priorities include “bringing our teams back together in person” and continuing to build out AI capabilities. The agency confirmed to Ad Age that employees will be required to return to the office for at least three days a week starting in January.
On the AI front, Publicis has been making strides. This summer, the agency acquired Corra, an e-commerce platform, to strengthen Publicis Sapient. Earlier this year, Publicis fully acquired Publicis Sapient AI Labs from consulting groups that helped form the group in 2020. According to Adweek, Publicis said its AI services have helped it win “major business deals.” Publicis’s Profitero division also debuted its own AI-powered commerce analytics software, called Ask Profitero, this summer.
Other marketing highlights for the holding company this quarter: It hired Julia Neumann to helm its creative collective, Le Truc, in September, and Publicis Group Romania opened a PR and communications agency called Publicis Relations in August.