Omnicom PR's 7.5% Decline and How Asia's CMOs Can Prevent Slumps
Omnicom's 7.5% PR drop and how to fortify budgets beyond event cycles to protect growth in 2025.
Omnicom Public Relations Group (OPRG) posted Q3 2025 revenue of US$377.2 million. That was a 7.5% drop, as the absence of major global events weakened PR demand for the group. The results spotlight risks for Asia’s growth markets that rely on event-driven spending.
CFO Philip Angelastro asserted that media was strong, but PR and experiential were hit by the lack of election and sports cycles, saying “Media growth was strong across all geographies, while the absence of major spending drivers such as a U.S. national election and the Summer Olympics weighed on PR and experiential performance."
Omnicom results underscore event cycle exposure
OPRG’s revenue decline is a contrast to its 4.3% to US$414.4 million in the same quarter last year. That said, the firm's overall Q3 revenue rose 2.6% organically to US$4 billion. Media and advertising grew 9.1% to nearly US$2.4 billion. Healthcare fell 1.9% to US$331.2 million. Branding and retail commerce fell 16.9% to US$144.8 million. Experiential fell 17.7% to US$152.2 million.
Regionally, the US grew 4.6% to US$2.1 billion, and the UK rose 3.7%. Asia Pacific declined, with APAC revenue down 3.7% in Q3, highlighting regional pressures beyond the global event cycle. Latin America increased by a staggering 27.3%, while the Middle East and Africa rose 5.9%.
Omnicom is set to acquire Interpublic Group, parent of outfits like The Weber Shandwick Collective and Golin, with the deal expected to close this year following Federal Trade Commission approval. The pending acquisition is detailed by industry stakeholders, highlighting integration considerations around the merger. Interpublic will not hold a Q3 earnings call due to the pending acquisition, and Omnicom’s integration costs are being weighed on profit during the quarter.
Asia’s market context and growth signals
The dependence on major events was visible globally. US political advertising during the 2024 elections reached about US$9 billion, boosting agencies tied to election work. Yet the broader marketing mix is shifting. Global ad spend surpassed US$1 trillion in 2025, with digital ads accounting for 75%, which favors firms with strong digital comms and measurement capabilities.
PR remains a growth industry over the medium term. The global public relations market was worth about US$105.1 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$132.5 billion by 2029, a 6% CAGR. Asia is positioned to outpace that. The Asia-Pacific PR tools market is forecast to grow at a 12.3% CAGR through 2031, reflecting demand for workflow software, analytics, and social monitoring.
India is a bright spot. The industry grew to around US$300 million in FY 2023 and is projected to expand at a 12.8% CAGR, with corporate communicators increasingly focused on business impact.
Case studies in Asia also point to digital-first resilience. An interesting example of this includes Hong Kong Airlines turning a pricing crisis into a 4,900% engagement surge using real-time social listening.
Leighton Cosseboom
Key signals for Asian comms leaders to monitor
- Event-driven spikes, including national elections and major sports, can uplift or depress quarterly PR revenue
- Adoption of AI and predictive analytics can optimize budgets and shift to value-based pricing
Background and outlook for Asia's marketers
OPRG’s Q3 2025 PR decline, reported as an organic revenue drop of 7.5%, contrasts with steady gains in media buying. Omnicom’s 2.6% organic growth indicates that diversified revenue mixes are vital for cushioning segment downturns.
For Asia, the combination of fast-growing digital ad budgets and expanding PR software markets suggests room to balance cyclical risks with ongoing, data-led programs. Any impact from the Interpublic acquisition will become clearer once integration milestones and client overlaps are disclosed.
Omnicom expects the deal to close this year, pending final regulatory steps, with investors watching for updates in the next earnings cycle.
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