By uniting its agencies in one hub, Publicis Groupe Aotearoa is set to strengthen collaboration and spark new growth for its people and clients.
Publicis Groupe Aotearoa has planted its flag in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, creating a new space that brings its ‘connected platform’ strategy to life under one roof.
The move unites its businesses Saatchi & Saatchi, MBM, Spark Foundry, Digitas, Publicis Media Exchange, Herd MSL, KiwiPlates, Breakout Room and Publicis Sapient at the new Sale Street office.
“As the Groupe has continued to grow and evolve in the NZ market, we recognised the need for a bigger, future‑focused space that reflects each brand’s scale, spirit and identity,” says Nicky Greville, Spark Foundry NZ managing director.
“By working as closely as possible with all creative, CX, technology and PR partners we ensure that our teams are continuously thinking about creativity living and breathing in all facets of our work.”
Lee-Ann Morris, CEO MBM, adds: “Bringing diverse influences together in one space breaks repetitive patterns and pushes us beyond conventional boundaries. It challenges ideas and solutions for greater innovation and impact.”
Publicis Groupe’s connected model is positioned to help clients navigate marketing and digital business transformation. This approach has seen it significantly outperform the industry on the global stage for five consecutive years to 2024, through to the end of H1 2025.
In COMvergence’s H1 2025 Global New Business Barometer, a key benchmark of advertising agency success, Publicis Media ranked first globally. In New Zealand it achieved second place for the first time, reflecting strong year‑on‑year growth.
Collaboration that fuels innovation
The Groupe’s connected platform of companies, capabilities and talent is built for seamless, modular collaboration, where teams combine expertise and deliver smarter solutions.
Recently, this involved the launch of Publicis Groupe Aotearoa’s new Data Intelligence Hub, a cross‑functional model that brings together data and technology to deliver end‑to‑end services – from dashboards and market research to advanced analytics, UX and e‑commerce.
Mark Cochrane, CEO Saatchi & Saatchi NZ and Publicis Groupe NZ chief connection officer, says the hub provides a central source of data and insight for its agencies and client teams. “And with the power of our connected identity solutions, we are unrivalled in our ability to provide data that unlocks deeper cultural insights, exponential thinking and new opportunities.”
In 2024, Publicis Groupe globally committed €300 million over three years to accelerate its AI capabilities as part of its ambition to become the industry’s first “Intelligent System”.
Its latest move in NZ reflects that strategy, introducing technology designed to sharpen collaboration between agencies and strengthen its connected client model.
Morris says: “Clients get the best of both worlds – local expertise combined with seamless execution across the full data spectrum, supported by Publicis Groupe’s tools and capabilities. The hub helps future‑proof data strategies so businesses can take advantage of emerging AI technologies.”
A connected culture
The new space embodies the ‘Publicis city’ concept; each agency has its own home, while remaining connected through the shared collaborative spirit of the ‘city’.
“I see it as a vibrant campus that helps us create our best work,” Cochrane says. “A walk through the office, a hallway chat or a quick stop at a collaborative booth, and creativity evolves organically.”
With the Groupe’s agencies now working side-by-side, the connected culture is set to deepen, creating opportunities for growth – both for its clients and people.
As Pauly Grant, chief talent officer APAC and ANZ, says, “Our connected platform is more than an operational framework; it’s a cultural blueprint that unites people around a shared purpose. This new space gives us more scope to support our people and build a stronger, more cohesive culture across all our agencies – offering real, diverse career opportunities.”
