Omnicom & Interpublic Group join hands for Chevrolet ads

NEW DELHI: Omnicom Group and Interpublic Group have come together to form the first joint venture between two global advertising giants to handle creative duties for General Motors’ Chevrolet brand across the world.

The equal joint venture, ‘Commonwealth’, will combine San Franciscobased Goodby, Silverstein & Partners of Omnicom and New York-based McCann Erickson Worldwide of Interpublic Group.

“Commonwealth will be based here in Detroit, and its only focus will be on strengthening and growing Chevrolet into an iconic global brand,” GM Vice-President and Global Chief Marketing Officer Joel Ewanick said in a press release issued late Tuesday night.

The agency will have a global board of eight, including Prasoon Joshi, executive chairman & CEO, McCann Worldgroup, India, and president, South Asia. Jeff Goodby will serve as the creative chairman of Commonwealth while Washington Olivetto and Linus Karlsson will be among the board members.

“It’s unprecedented and I am excited to be a part of it,” Joshi said. “GM will benefit from such a collaboration of great minds,” he added. GM said the agency’s appointment, combined with the recent selection of Carat as its agency for media planning and buying operations, is part of efforts to drive efficiencies.

“These agency consolidations are expected to create about $2 billion in savings over the next five years,” Ewanick said. While agency companies have been teaming up to service business on a global scale, such co-operation is unusual for bagging new business.