Unveiling TBWA's Fresh Worldwide Management: Marketing Chaos in Volatile Epochs
Rebellion Sells, Especially in Volatile Times: TBWA's Unwavering Stand on Disruption
In the world of advertising, TBWA sticks to its mantra of disruption. But does this approach sell when brands are all about playing it safe in these turbulent times? Absolutely, says TBWA's global CEO, Erin Riley.
Amidst agency mergers, consolidations, and new ventures, TBWA prides itself on having a solid grounding point of view, Riley remarks. The agency boasts over five decades of running a playbook that has managed to adapt to seismic shifts, instilling confidence in both its employees and clients.
After nearly a decade with TBWA, Riley was promoted to global CEO in January, succeeding Troy Ruhanen who was elevated to lead Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG), a new entity encompassing OAG's creative agencies. Prior to her current role, Riley was President and CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day LA before being named CEO at TBWA U.S., a move aimed at connecting the network's regional offices.
In 2024, TBWA recorded mid-single-digit growth, retained its top 20 clients, and gained more than 200 new accounts, all while sticking to its positioning around disruption. The agency was named ADWEEK's Global Agency of the Year in 2024.
"Joining this role, I didn't feel the need to reinvent things, but I had to find the most potent version of it and turbocharge it," Riley stated.
While disruption continues to be TBWA's key selling point, Riley acknowledges that today's brands need more rigor and data supporting their big marketing ventures that aim for disruptive change. Global chief strategy officer, Jen Costello, has been researching the cost of non-disruption, and she found it's not cheap.
"We've seen firsthand how expensive playing it safe can be, and how much more media money is required to break through," Costello stated.
Marketers today are reinvesting in brand and content, looking to media for efficiencies as principal buying arrangements become popular. However, Riley notes that they understand their investment mix may need to change.
Navigating AI-Altered Landscapes
In an AI-driven world where culture tends to flatten, having a distinctive brand becomes crucial. Riley points to a "sea of sameness" in brands today, reaching alarming levels. Not only is this monotony dull, it kills commercial value.
TBWA has been researching how brands contribute to "culture rot" and coined terms like "enshittification" and "AI slop" to describe the internet. The goal is to help clients build enduring platforms that leave a lasting cultural impact, rather than chasing fleeting trends.
Costello points to TBWA's work for Levi's as an example. The work reimagines iconic Levi's advertising by showcasing it through the Black female gaze, drawing and amplifying Beyoncé's narrative lens. Going beyond ads, the campaign extends into culture through editorial partnerships with Complex Media and HypeBae, and agile marketing moves like Levi's changing their social handles to "Levii's" after Beyoncé dropped the song "Levii's Jeans."
"The power was in the idea. The craft was strong, and it permeated across multiple environments," Costello said.
Executing concepts like these requires new skills in PR and earned attention, as it becomes harder to separate great ideas from their amplification plans, Costello explains.
In-house, TBWA uses AI to automate tasks like research, reporting, and note-taking, freeing up time for creative, strategic, and amplification thinking. The agency has also expanded into new specialties like B2B and design.
Adapting to Uncertainty
TBWA's clients aren't the only ones experiencing change. Over the past year, TBWA has undergone leadership transitions, entered a new operating unit under OAG, and awaits the fate of Omnicom's proposed acquisition of rival holding company IPG.
"There's no denying that we're in an especially uncertain environment," Riley conceded. "But we need to grow comfortable with change."
This comfort with change also applies to TBWA's leadership team, which is learning to collaborate across OAG agencies instead of competing against them.
"At first, it got a bit confusing," Riley admitted about the new structure. "But now, we're like, 'it's people we know and respect.' It's just expanded our community of smart brains that we can harness."
TBWA, BBDO, and DDB Unite Under Newly Created Omnicom Advertising GroupOAG agencies are not just sharing tools. They're also sharing clients. For example, McDonald's, working with TBWA and DDB in various markets, benefits from a global leadership team spanning both agencies for account management.
Similarly, TBWA is putting global talent on local accounts, giving clients access to local teams as well as influxes of top talent without any friction.
As TBWA integrates into the OAG structure, the agency remains focused on the work as the regulatory approval process for the proposed Omnicom-IPG merger continues to unfold.
"We don't forget the work because growth is a pretty good insulator," Riley said. "We must view this as a moment for us to come out ahead, or it's paralyzing."
- TBWA's global CEO, Erin Riley, maintains that the agency's disruption-centered approach continues to be effective, even in volatile times.
- Despite industry-wide mergers and consolidations, TBWA prides itself on its consistent perspective, having successfully navigated seismic shifts during its five-decade history.
- In her new role as global CEO, Riley emphasizes the need to refine and enhance TBWA's disruptive approach rather than reinvent it.
- In 2024, TBWA recorded mid-single-digit growth, retained top clients, and gained over 200 new accounts, all while maintaining its focus on disruption.
- Global chief strategy officer, Jen Costello, is researching the cost of non-disruption and has found that playing it safe can be costly, requiring more media money for breakthroughs.
- TBWA is adapting to the AI-driven world by automating tasks, expanding into new specialties like B2B and design, and executing concepts that require new skills in PR and earned attention.
- TBWA's clients and leadership team are learning to collaborate and share resources across agencies under the new Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG) structure, fostering a community of smart minds to drive growth and innovation.
