Omnicom's PR operations soared eight percent to $368.1M in the fourth quarter of 2014, an 8.5% organic climb across units like Ketchum, FleishmanHillard, Porter Novelli and Brodeur.
OMC's Q4 revenues companywide, which beat Wall Street forecasts, rose 3.4% to $4.2B, including an 8.8% jump in the US to $2.2B that offset a 2.2% decline in the rest of the world to just under $2B. Net income rose 9.7% to $329.5M. Omnicom's 2013 Q4 included a $13.3M charge for its merger with Publicis, which was scuttled last year.
In the fourth quarter, PR's gains outpaced advertising (+5.1% to $2.1B) and CRM (-1.3% to $1.4B).
For 2014, PR revenues were up 5% (4.1% organically) to $1.4B.
OMC revenues for the full year were up 5% to $15.3B and up 7.7% in the US. Net income rose 11.4% to top $1.1B.
Debt rose to nearly $4.6B in 2014 from $4B a year earlier, against $2.4B in cash and short-term investments. It spent $227.6M on acquisitions in 2014, including $83.2M paid in earn-outs on deals made after 2008.
Abandon traditional content plans focused on a linear buyer progression and instead embrace a consumer journey where no matter which direction they travel, they get what they need, stressed marketing pro Ashley Faus during O'Dwyer's webinar Apr. 2.
Freelance marketers and the companies that hire them are both satisfied with the current work arrangements they have and anticipate the volume of freelance opportunities to increase in the future, according to new data on the growing freelance marketing economy.
Home Depot's new attempt to occupy two market positions at once will require careful positioning strategy and execution to make it work.
Verizon snags Peloton Interactive chief marketing officer Leslie Berland as its new CMO, effective Jan. 9. Berland succeeds Diego Scotti, who left Verizon earlier this year. 
Norm de Greve, who has been CMO at CVS Health since 2015, is taking the top marketing job at General Motors, effective July 31.
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