Dentsu is intending to cut 3,400 employees. IPG has cut 6,500 (across 2024 and 2025). WPP,  7000. Omnicom, 3000, and Publicis,150 to 200 (across digital) in 2024.    

Dentsu’s 8% staff cut responds to a revenue slump in H1 2025. Even with an international restructuring, it was beset by a 0.2% H1 organic decline and a lowered full-year forecast. The Group has lowered its full-year 2025 guidance from an anticipated 1% growth to broadly flat, while maintaining a target operating margin of 12%. Japan has avoided the company’s revenue problem with strong organic revenue growth of 5.3% in H1, driven by double-digit gains in internet media and business transformation services. The APAC region, excluding Japan, however, experienced a 12.7% fall in organic revenue during Q2, extending its first-half decline to 8.9%, with China and Australia hit hardest, while Taiwan and Thailand delivered steadier performances. The Americas’ H1 2025 organic revenue dipped 3.4% while EMEA’s H1 organic growth slipped 2.4%.

IPG cut 2,400 jobs in the first half of 2025, representing a 4.5% of its global workforce, part of a broader restructuring effort in preparation for its acquisition by Omnicom, with job losses including executive, regional, and account management roles, as well as administrative, creative, and media production personnel. It had already cut 4,100 staff in 2024, a number that included staff departures due to the sale of agencies such as Hill Holliday and Deutsch New York. The greatest hits were felt in the US and the UK, the company’s two largest markets. IPG’s total staff is now 50,900. 

Omnicom did not reveal any updated employee figures in its own second-quarter earnings report. In 2024, Omnicom had reduced its workforce by 3,000, ending the year with 74,900 staff.

WPP has cut 3.7%, or about 7,000 of its people since the start of 2025. Its headcount is now 104,000. In early August, the board of directors cut dividends by half to 7.5p. Outgoing CEO, Mark Read’s half year results revealed a drop in revenue less pass through costs of 4.3% to £5.026 billion (US$6.813) on a like-for-like basis in the first half of the year and an organic June quarter drop of 5.8% organic drop in net sales, with Australia and the UK down -6.5%, and WPP Media down -4.7% globally. WPP forecasts organic net revenue growth of -3% to -5% for the full year.

Cover image by Anastasiia T. on Unsplash