Publicis Groupe to forego all trade shows & awards in money saving exercise
Publicis Groupe has announced that it will be noteable only by its absence at all trade shows and awards programmes from 1 July as its leadership knuckle down to focus on the organisations AI-enabled ‘professional assistant’ platform Marcel.
Publicis Groupe to forego all trade shows & awards in money saving exercise
The French advertising and public relations giant is engaged in a cloth cutting exercise which will see it absent itself from all major gatherings; including Cannes and CES, after newly installed CEO and chairman Arthur Sadoun put his foot down by scrapping ‘anything that has to do with promoting ourselves in order to make sure that our people and our money is put in the right place’.
The antisocial policy was enacted as part of a new company strategy which outline half a dozen ‘focus areas’ which includes ‘reinvent our cost structure’, in a bid to keep a lid on outgoings.
An internal memo from chief executive Frank Voris, explained the upcoming changes in no uncertain terms to staff, stating: “For perspective, the Groupe is looking for 2.5% cost synergies for 2018 and will be ELIMINATING all Award / Trade shows for the next year. As a result, Re:Sources will not participate in any Vendor conferences, Industry tradeshows and/or Award shows effective 1 July. This is mandatory and exceptions will not be approved.”
Publicis will focus instead on people, technology, clients, growth and ‘owning the transformation space’.
Sadoun assumed the mantle of Publicis CEO from Maurice Levy with effect from 1 June.