A VIEW FROM PEERS AND RIVALS: The global networks keep a close watch on each other's business strategies, but here they say how they really view competitors.(Brief Article)

 
WPP 
ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE SPECIALISATIONS WITHIN THE GROUPS? 
'It has such a diverse range of companies within the group, from 
advertising to research to brand architecture. Research is the area that 
stands out.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S GEOGRAPHICAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'It has all the top markets covered off but outside of that it quickly 
falls off. Look at the detail of Eastern Europe or the Middle East, for 
example. It doesn't have the ownership or the quality of agencies that 
you'd expect.' ... 'Ogilvy is the model international network.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S OPERATING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'It has an impressive array of disciplines. But do all the bits add up? 
Are they really integrated?' ... 'It claims that 35 per cent of new 
business comes from cross- referrals from other WPP companies. If true, 
it's impressive.' ... 'Y&R has yet to be properly integrated into the 
group.' 
WHAT IS THE BALANCE AS REGARDS GLOBAL CLIENTS VERSUS LOCAL CLIENTS? 
'Within a couple of percentage points, all the holding companies are 
pretty much the same on this. The client conflict arithmetic makes it 
so.' 
IF THEY HAVE THEM, WHERE ARE THEIR POWERHOUSE AGENCIES? 
'This is one of WPP's blind spots - the management of power and the 
perception of power within its networks.' 
 
OMNICOM 
ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE SPECIALISATIONS WITHIN THE GROUPS? 
'Creativity is its thing. Everything is done with a creative 
orientation.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S GEOGRAPHICAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'Its agencies are largely in good shape in all the key areas.' ... 'The 
way that BBDO has grown is a telling example - it has always gone out 
and bought the best creative talent available in the market at any given 
time.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S OPERATING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'The succession at BBDO is an issue it has to face sooner or later. 
Managing expectations is an issue too - it has spent a fantastic length 
of time growing every year.' 
WHAT IS THE BALANCE AS REGARDS GLOBAL CLIENTS VERSUS LOCAL CLIENTS? 
'A legacy of its previous strategy of acquiring distinctive and creative 
agencies on a local basis has meant it has been better at winning big 
local accounts.' 
IF THEY HAVE THEM, WHERE ARE THEIR POWERHOUSE AGENCIES? 
'It has a greater geographical spread of good creative agencies than any 
other holding company.' 
 
INTERPUBLIC 
ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE SPECIALISATIONS WITHIN THE GROUPS? 
'No specialisations worth noting.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S GEOGRAPHICAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'Lowe is very patchy indeed.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S OPERATING STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'The McCann network is excellent but there are weaknesses in Lowe.' ... 
'IPG should be strong in media but it struggles to bring quality of 
thinking to bear.' ... 'From the outside, the McCann culture feels all 
wrong. There is a mechanical approach but it seems to work.' 
WHAT IS THE BALANCE AS REGARDS GLOBAL CLIENTS VERSUS LOCAL CLIENTS? 
'The culture is all about managing big multinationals on a network 
basis. It likes to pretend otherwise but the agenda is dictated by the 
global clients.' 
IF THEY HAVE THEM, WHERE ARE THEIR POWERHOUSE AGENCIES? 
'Creative hotspots come and go. I don't think anyone would particularly 
say that McCann had a creative strength in London - but then, that's not 
its thing.' 
 
BCOM3 
ARE THERE ANY NOTABLE SPECIALISATIONS WITHIN THE GROUPS? 
'Leo and his apples.' 
WHAT ARE THE GROUP'S GEOGRAPHICAL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES? 
'To say its properties are patchy on a geographical basis isn't saying 
much as no-one has ever cracked this nor do they need to. Clients have a 
relationship with the agency in their lead country. They don't worry 
about how network stuff gets ...