Publicis denies Trade Desk rivalry, touts Microsoft pact as tech proof

Publicis Groupe has broken its silence on its fallout with demand-side platform (DSP) The Trade Desk, stressing that it has no intention of building a competing self‑serve DSP offering, even as it advises clients to reassess their use of the platform.

On an analyst call, Arthur Sadoun, chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, framed the situation as part of a wider vendor audit process rather than a competitive land grab.

“On the Trade Desk, as you know, we didn't make any comment. But what I can tell you is that we audit the relationships we have with every client and vendor,” he said.

“In this case, when BQT ran the audit, they found that the Trade Desk did not pass it. And what we've done and what we'll always do, is to inform our clients of the filing as we believe it is our responsibility. That's it," he added. 

Don't miss: The Trade Desk denies audit failure as Publicis warns clients against platform

Sadoun added that Publicis continues to work with “a range of leading DSPs” and is not trying to steer spend towards an in‑house alternative.

“We don't have any competing offer when it comes to self‑serve DSP products that could be a direct competitor to the Trade Desk, and we are not planning to build any,” he said. “It’s too early to say how investment will flow for the future. But what I can tell you is that we will do it very transparently, and we have absolutely no intention to build a competitive offer to the Trade Desk. We want to keep in our position.”

Sadoun also positioned Publicis’ expanded strategic partnership with Microsoft as proof that agency groups can complement big tech rather than be displaced by it.

As part of the partnership, Publicis is putting Microsoft 365 Copilot and the Microsoft Azure cloud service in the hands of all its employees worldwide. By working with Microsoft, Publicis hopes to strengthn its ability to deliver personalisation at scale and expanding Marcel’s role from pioneering AI in marketing to powering the next generation of enterprise-wide AI.

Publicis has also been selected as Microsoft’s global media agency.

“We have been hearing so much over the last two or three years that the tech companies might eat our industry for breakfast and that they won't need us in the future,” he said.

“Hopefully, this is a great demonstration that when you have the right capabilities, when you have made real investments in data, technology and AI, then you can offer something that is a complement to those big companies.”

Sadoun said the partnership grew out of joint work on an “agentic solution” for mutual clients, where both sides saw their capabilities align. 

While he declined to share specific commercial projections, Sadoun said the solution is already being implemented with Microsoft and is “ready for our clients to be developed”.

“Now we're entering into the phase where we have to commercialise our offer. It's too early to know the kind of revenue we can expect. But expect this to be a driver for Sapient in the future for sure. And in two ways: through the revenue, and through the credibility,” he said, positioning the tie‑up as a signal of where system integrators’ offerings are heading.

Commenting on the shutdown of OpenAI’s Sora video model and what it means for agencies and brands, Sadoun pointed back to the market reaction when Sora first launched at the end of 2024.

“You might remember that when Sora launched at the end of 2024, the market got very concerned. And actually, our share price got heavily impacted. It's bad memories but this is what happened,” he said.

“I think this termination is actually quite symbolic, because it fully confirms what we have been saying all along and that we are continuing to say, that consumer adoption is moving faster than enterprise adoption. It doesn't mean that we don't have to move. It means that it's more complex.”

Publicis Groupe had just delivered its 20th consecutive quarter of growth for the first quarter of 2026, despite the ongoing Middle East conflict, as it reported a 4.5% organic net revenue increase YoY in Q1. The company also reaffirmed its full year guidance of 4 to 5% growth. 

Loris Nold, chief financial officer, said "Despite the lower macro visibility, clients are prioritising solutions that drive measurable outcomes and efficiency. That explains the sequential acceleration we expect in Q2."

This acceleration in Q2, Nold explained, is due to a positive year-end adjustment in Q4 2025, creating a favourable sequential base in Q1 ahead of Q2. He added that its 2025 new businesses, and sustained demand for Publicis' AI products and services will improve earnings into the second quarter.

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