M&C Saatchi Group Kickstarts New Era of Cultural Power

M&C Saatchi Group, the world’s largest independent creative network, has announced our transformative new strategic proposition, Cultural Power. In today’s world, culture is the driving force behind how people see, think, and act. Brands and organisations who get this, win, and our new proposition sees the group galvanising around the principle of creating and curating Cultural Power for its clients. This prelude sets the stage for a full global rebrand in March 2025, signalling our evolution into a new cultural era.

Why Cultural Power? 

The business of marketing is experiencing seismic change, and CMOs are feeling the pressure. The once-centralised power of traditional media institutions is eroding, as audiences gravitate toward creators, makers, and the vibrant communities they inspire. These decentralised cultural hubs now hold unprecedented influence, reshaping how people discover, engage with, and advocate for brands. Legacy marketing models, built for a bygone era, are faltering in the face of this disruption. 

We believe a bold new approach is needed to help brands navigate the complexities of this fragmented media landscape and thrive in a world where connection and relevance are no longer optional, but essential.

Cultural Power positions the group as the leading force in helping brands shape culture to create a sustainable advantage. We do this through our unique understanding of the forces that impact behaviour and culture, creating bespoke teams with deep specialist expertise to generate and sustain cultural power in line with our clients’ ambitions.

“True Cultural Power is capable of impacting society, shaping governments, changing consumer behaviour, building brands, transforming businesses, and starting movements,” said Jo Bacon, CEO, M&C Saatchi UK Group. “It’s the one thing we have always been good at cultivating, and the one thing that all of our clients need in order to have the impact they desire in today’s world. This is Cultural Power – and it’s in the DNA of M&C Saatchi.”

 
From committing global leaders to eradicate polio, launching global beauty juggernaut Sephora in the UK, changing the outcome of the UN’s Plastic Treaty, immersing Heineken into cultural experiences with F1 and UEFA Champions League, campaigning with The Archewell Foundation to improve online safety, to creating an iconic menu experience for McDonald’s - M&C Saatchi has a long and proud history of generating cultural power for some of the world’s leading companies. Our illustrious client roster also includes Disney, Google, Amazon, The White House, adidas, Samsung, Virgin Atlantic, Tesco, Nestle, Absolut, Bulgari, NHS, Barclays, Porsche, Soundcloud, and Unilever.

“Cultural Power solves one of the biggest challenges for CMOs: how to create real impact and value in a complicated world,” continues Bacon. “It cuts through complexity and puts the focus back on how to win in the world, what people truly care about, and how to create impact in society.”

 A Network of Cultural Pioneers

Underpinning the new Cultural Power proposition is M&C Saatchi Plus, our integrated operating model, built on an ecosystem of specialist agencies and talent spanning brand strategy, data and analytics, advertising and integrated communications, consulting, digital, innovation, design, PR, sports and entertainment, social advocacy, talent and influencer marketing, customer experience, and media.

The model is designed to bring together diverse talent and deep expertise from across its 23 global markets to address clients’ most complex challenge, ensuring that every project delivers maximum cultural and commercial advantage for clients. 

To complement and add rigour to our creative expertise, we have developed a suite of cutting edge proprietary cultural and customer data tools. These include:

• Cultural Forces, which maps societal trends and shifts that brands can harness.
• The Cultural Power Index, which tracks the brands and organisations that possess the greatest cultural power.

Together, these tools provide evidence-based insights to guide marketers in making impactful, data-driven decisions about where and how to shape culture.

Joint global chief creative officers, Rob Doubal and Laurence Thomson, said: “Possessing Cultural Power is key to any brand or business looking to exert influence and make change. 

“Whether in marketing, business, or public affairs, cultural power is really the only currency that unlocks behaviours and commercial outcomes that enable clients to make the changes they want to see in the world. We can’t wait to unleash the creativity across the group’s specialisms in order to create cultural power for our clients worldwide.”

Global roll-out 

The soft launch of the Cultural Power proposition is a preview of the full-scale rollout planned for 2025, our 30th anniversary. The global launch in March will include a revitalised M&C Saatchi visual identity and website, underscoring our commitment to leading in a world where culture shapes success.

“Our global launch will mark a milestone for M&C Saatchi,” said global CEO, Zaid Al-Qassab. “This is more than a new proposition - it’s a whole new way of working, one that ensures our clients stay ahead by being at the forefront of culture. The more ways we can create cultural power in the world, the more power we can create for your brand.”

See more news from M&C Saatchi Group here.