The French group Publicis Groupe is changing its strategy, directly addressing CEOs of companies who are concerned about the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and changes in consumer behavior. This was announced by the group’s chairman and CEO, Arthur Sadoun. “We are increasingly seeing CEOs getting involved in our work,” Sadoun told analysts during the third-quarter earnings call. He added that CEOs show great interest in AI, understanding that to maintain leadership in their companies, they need to understand this technology.
Publicis: A New Approach to Selling AI Solutions Directly to CEOs
Why Are CEOs Interested in AI?
According to Sadoun, top management’s concern about AI has driven client spending and new contracts for Publicis in the third quarter. This is confirmed by a recent victory over PepsiCo, which Publicis won without a traditional tender. At the same time, the group declined to participate in a competitive tender for Coca-Cola’s media business.
“It has to start from the top,” Sadoun emphasized, speaking about the implementation of AI strategies.
Publicis Sapient, the technology services division, played a “key role” in securing “the two biggest contracts of the year without a pitch.” It also helped the group secure three “AI-powered transformation assignments this year outside of traditional tender processes.”
Record Results and Revenue Growth
This tactic brought Publicis a “record” number of new business wins in the third quarter, according to the group’s earnings report. Sadoun noted that new clients contributed to a 2% net organic growth, equivalent to 300 million euros (335.5 million dollars) in additional revenue by 2027.
- Publicis led the industry in new business wins in the first half of 2026, according to COMvergence.
- This was influenced by the “new market reality” after Omnicom acquired Interpublic Group last year.
Fewer competitors mean more opportunities to compete on capabilities and business cases, rather than price. The shrinking competitive field also contributes to some clients opting out of formal reviews.
Managing Conflicts and Client Expectations
Sadoun believes this will not lead to an increase in client conflicts. “The three players [Publicis, Omnicom, and WPP] are large enough to manage conflicts,” he said, provided that agencies are transparent with brands and maintain data “firewalls” to ensure client confidentiality.
Turbulence among major competitors was not in vain. “Some have opted to outsource their IT specialists,” Sadoun noted, hinting at Omnicom’s recent decision to outsource hundreds of IT and development jobs. “Clients don’t expect us to reorganize, lay off people, or stop acquisitions. They expect us to invest on their behalf,” he added.
AI’s Impact on Revenue and Strategy
Increased spending, driven by AI, led to a 5% increase in net revenue to 3.529 billion euros ($3.95 billion) compared to the same period in 2025. Net revenue in North America grew by 4.4% and accounted for 59% of the group’s revenue.
Publicis’ media business accounted for 62% of its revenue in the quarter. Sadoun emphasized that much of the underlying revenue growth was driven by client spending to get ahead of consumer AI use for product discovery and shopping.
“Clients need to adapt how they reach and engage with [consumers],” he said. “The need to adapt is immediate. Clients are willing to allocate budgets faster because moving too slowly can mean losing market share.”
Ramon Laguarta of Pepsico recently spoke to investors, defending the company’s decision to hand its global media account to Publicis Groupe. Agencies like Goodway Group are implementing synthetic data stacks into media planning, while clients are using the technology for product design and creative strategy.
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