Dentsu unites creative shops in sweeping reorganization

With the shift, the holding company will also be looking to expand its entertainment, earned attention, attention and experience capabilities.

“We want to be [the] most modern creative partner out there,” Levron said during a Cannes Lions panel as he explained the three pillars that Dentsu will use as a guiding force to approach creativity—work that creates culture, changes society, and has a focus on technology.

Since Clark joined the agency network as CEO in September of 2020, the Japanese company has seen major changes. Dentsu's global agency brands were consolidated from 160 to six and Dentsu Media went from 11 shops to four. 

With the new configuration, there will be clear emphasis on Dentsu’s Japanese heritage in its company designs, intentionally call to mind its roots.

“The way we approach the vertical you’re going to see us embrace our Japanese heritage," Levron said during the panel. "We're fortunate to draw from our Japanese heritage steeped in a relentless focus on craft, innovation and creativity. This legacy inspired our vision for modern creativity that was born in Japan and raised in a connected world," Clark said.

Two former leaders of 360i, Bryan Wiener and Sarah Hofstetter, questioned the consolidation.

“At a time of continuous change that's disrupting the consumer-brand dynamic, it's hard to understand how there isn't room for this differentiated proposition in a portfolio,” they said in a joint statement to Ad Age. “The thousands of successful 360i alumni should be proud of the work done over the past 15+ years helping brands navigate where there are no roads."

Hofstetter spent 13 years at 360i, helping to build it into one of the most recognizable brands in the agency business before departing in 2018 after holding the chairwoman and CEO title. Wiener’s titles at 360i included CEO and executive chairman.