What’s the future of data collaboration platforms?

Agency holding companies spent big last quarter, bringing the future of such technologies into question.

Apr 22, 2025 - 05:06

Two deals stood out during the Q1 wave of consolidation in the ad tech and martech landscape, with activity from agency holding companies piquing interest: Publicis Groupe bought Lotame, while WPP acquired InfoSum.

These deals were notable as they represented holding companies writing big checks for ad tech or martech assets — let’s put the pending InterPublic Group (read Acxiom) merger with Omnicom to one side for now — rare occurrences in recent years, compared to similar M&A in the 2010s.

In both cases, the Madison Avenue stalwarts bought close bedfellows (see below), in quick succession. As one source, who requested anonymity as they were not cleared to speak with the press, said, “You usually see holdcos [sic] copy holdcos with acquisitions.”

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