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How Serious is WPP About Transforming? The Size of Any Future 'Big Bath' Restructuring & Transformation Charge Will Tell the Story
History tells us that successful Big Baths must be big -- equal to 20% of sales and up -- to signal serious CEO commitment. WPP needs a £3 billion ($4…
Jan 15
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Michael Farmer
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Ad Tech, which Creates 'Audience Balkanization,' is Ineffective for Many Advertisers and Unhealthy for Democracy
Ad tech is low cost, but it is not effective in driving brand growth for many advertisers. In politics, it fosters unhealthy polarizations. Madison…
Jan 13
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Michael Farmer
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What Can We Expect from Madison Avenue in 2026? Genuine Transformations, or More of What Has Not Worked for More than a Decade?
Cost reductions, agency consolidations and downsizings do not drive client or agency growth. Genuine transformations are needed.
Jan 6
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Michael Farmer
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Madison Avenue Revisited. The Final Verdict: Murder, not Manslaughter
We once believed that Holding Companies made accidental and inept decisions that weakened their agencies. Wrong. Agencies were deliberately milked…
Dec 8, 2025
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Michael Farmer
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Holding Companies at a Crossroad
What is a holding company? A financial owner of weakening portfolio companies -- or an operating company with declining financial performance? What…
Nov 17, 2025
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Michael Farmer
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How Did It All Go Wrong?
The advertising industry's Golden Age had prestige, success, profitability, and belief in the inherent value of creativity. There was magic in…
Oct 29, 2025
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Michael Farmer
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AI Will Decimate Agency Staffing and Fees. New Strategies are Required for Survival
AI can take at least 25% of creative agency fees and more than 40% of media agency fees. There is no way that agencies can "optimize" their way out of…
Oct 6, 2025
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Michael Farmer
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Madison Avenue's Coming Renaissance
AI will clean out the laggards. Agency survivers will prove to be strategic, consultative, creative, and focused on helping clients grow again…
Sep 3, 2025
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Michael Farmer
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