Industry Insight Report: Advertising & PR Agencies Q3-2025
Industry Insight Report: Advertising & PR Agencies Q3-2025
Advertising and PR agencies are navigating a period of consolidation and structural change as 2025 winds down. While industry sales remain stable, employment has stagnated and is being reshaped by AI adoption and shifting workforce dynamics. At Lion Business Advisors, we’re seeing buyer interest shift toward niche digital agencies with strong EBITDA margins, subscription-based client revenue, and scalable creative platforms.
Key Trends This Quarter
The headline event in Q3 was the blockbuster merger of Omnicom and Interpublic Group, which will create the largest global media-buying agency. The combined entity expects $750 million in cost reductions, primarily from headcount cuts, setting the tone for continued consolidation. AI is also transforming the agency model by streamlining research and automating creative production tasks, reducing demand for mid-tier talent. For agency owners considering an exit, these shifts suggest a strategic window: specialized or tech-enabled firms may command stronger valuations before broader margin compression takes hold.
Employment and Wage Trends
Employment in the advertising and PR sector was flat year-over-year in August 2025, per Vertical IQ. Over the past three years, employment actually declined by 0.8%, compared to a 3.7% gain across the private sector. While total jobs remained stagnant, average wages rose 1.8% to $37.35 per hour in July. That said, three-year wage growth of 5.0% lags well behind the 13.4% average for all private workers. These figures suggest a sector prioritizing cost efficiency and automation—factors that buyers view both as risk and opportunity depending on operational leverage.
Industry Forecast
Vertical IQ projects industry sales to grow at a 4.35% compound annual rate through 2029, on par with general economic growth. As traditional media spending stabilizes and digital continues to evolve, demand for results-driven marketing and integrated campaign execution should remain strong. No Texas-specific updates were reported this quarter, but the state remains home to several major regional and independent agencies.
The M&A landscape is increasingly favoring sellers who operate in performance marketing, B2B niche verticals, or data-driven creative. Strategic buyers and PE-backed roll-ups are still active, though valuation multiples are tightening for firms overly reliant on labor-heavy service models. Recurring revenue, client concentration below 20%, and proven results in digital or healthcare verticals are key value drivers in current deals.
As consolidation accelerates and cost structures evolve, Q4 may be an ideal time to evaluate your firm’s market position. A proactive valuation can help you determine if now is the right time to sell, or how to build value heading into 2026.
For Business Owners Considering Exit
If you own an independent agency that’s been impacted by client consolidation, AI adoption, or margin compression, now may be an ideal time to explore your strategic options. Buyers are still active in the sector, particularly for niche agencies with strong client relationships or specialized vertical expertise.
Lion Business Advisors’ quarterly industry insights incorporate data and trends sourced from internal deal flow and buyer activity, Vertical IQ, and market comparables from platforms such as Axial and BVR (Business Valuation Resources).
Industry Insight Report: Advertising & PR Agencies Q3-2025
Advertising and PR agencies are navigating a period of consolidation and structural change as 2025 winds down. While industry sales remain stable, employment has stagnated and is being reshaped by AI adoption and shifting workforce dynamics. At Lion Business Advisors, we’re seeing buyer interest shift toward niche digital agencies with strong EBITDA margins, subscription-based client revenue, and scalable creative platforms.
Key Trends This Quarter
The headline event in Q3 was the blockbuster merger of Omnicom and Interpublic Group, which will create the largest global media-buying agency. The combined entity expects $750 million in cost reductions, primarily from headcount cuts, setting the tone for continued consolidation. AI is also transforming the agency model by streamlining research and automating creative production tasks, reducing demand for mid-tier talent. For agency owners considering an exit, these shifts suggest a strategic window: specialized or tech-enabled firms may command stronger valuations before broader margin compression takes hold.
Employment and Wage Trends
Employment in the advertising and PR sector was flat year-over-year in August 2025, per Vertical IQ. Over the past three years, employment actually declined by 0.8%, compared to a 3.7% gain across the private sector. While total jobs remained stagnant, average wages rose 1.8% to $37.35 per hour in July. That said, three-year wage growth of 5.0% lags well behind the 13.4% average for all private workers. These figures suggest a sector prioritizing cost efficiency and automation—factors that buyers view both as risk and opportunity depending on operational leverage.
Industry Forecast
Vertical IQ projects industry sales to grow at a 4.35% compound annual rate through 2029, on par with general economic growth. As traditional media spending stabilizes and digital continues to evolve, demand for results-driven marketing and integrated campaign execution should remain strong. No Texas-specific updates were reported this quarter, but the state remains home to several major regional and independent agencies.
The M&A landscape is increasingly favoring sellers who operate in performance marketing, B2B niche verticals, or data-driven creative. Strategic buyers and PE-backed roll-ups are still active, though valuation multiples are tightening for firms overly reliant on labor-heavy service models. Recurring revenue, client concentration below 20%, and proven results in digital or healthcare verticals are key value drivers in current deals.
As consolidation accelerates and cost structures evolve, Q4 may be an ideal time to evaluate your firm’s market position. A proactive valuation can help you determine if now is the right time to sell, or how to build value heading into 2026.
For Business Owners Considering Exit
If you own an independent agency that’s been impacted by client consolidation, AI adoption, or margin compression, now may be an ideal time to explore your strategic options. Buyers are still active in the sector, particularly for niche agencies with strong client relationships or specialized vertical expertise.
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