Publicis Groupe has kicked off 2025 with a strong performance, reporting a 9.4% rise in net revenue and 4.9% organic growth in the first quarter. The growth reflects the strength of the company’s strategic positioning, driven by high-profile client wins and continued investments in data, digital, and tech.
The French advertising giant secured over a dozen significant new clients across industries and regions, bolstering its global footprint. In parallel, Publicis invested €500 million in acquisitions aimed at expanding its capabilities in digital media, influencer marketing, and data-driven marketing solutions.
Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, said, “We kick-started 2025 with a record new business run, with a dozen material wins across diverse sectors, geographies and expertise. This performance, placing us at the top of the rankings, once again, will allow us to offset the potential effects of the deteriorating macroeconomic context. It makes us extremely confident in delivering our 4-5% organic growth guidance for the year, translating to 6-7% at constant currency, including acquisitions.”
Despite global economic uncertainties, Publicis reaffirms its full-year guidance, projecting an organic growth of 4% to 5% and aiming for a slight improvement over the 18% margin achieved in 2024. The company also anticipates generating €1.9 to €2.0 billion in free cash flow.
Sadoun expressed confidence in the company’s trajectory, stating that Publicis is well-positioned to support clients through both prosperous and challenging times, thanks to its diversified revenue mix and innovative solutions.
“The first months of 2025 were also busy in terms of M&A. We have invested half a billion euros in data, creators, and digital media, reinforcing our position as a Category of One to deliver innovation and differentiation for our clients, and opening new addressable markets for us.
Looking ahead, we have never been in a stronger position to help our clients, in the good times, and even more importantly, in the challenging ones. Thanks to the best identity graph in the industry, they can accelerate their growth by building direct relationships with their customers and their prospects. With our unique connected media ecosystem, they can optimize their investments and link them to business outcomes. Our production backbone enables them to minimize waste, and maximize creative asset reuse. And with our 25,000 engineers, they can future-proof their business in the age of AI.”
As the advertising industry undergoes consolidation, with competitors like Omnicom and Interpublic planning a merger, Publicis’s strategic initiatives and strong start to the year underscore its commitment to maintaining a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving market.
“… today we are confident in outperforming not only in 2025 – for the 6th year in a row – but also beyond, in what will be a shrinking competitive landscape,” Sadoun concluded.