Dentsu Group Inc.

Top-five global advertising holding company, dominant in Japan and a major force internationally through Dentsu International and Merkle

Dentsu Group Inc. (TYO: 4324) is a Tokyo-listed global advertising and marketing services holding company with roots dating back to 1901, when it was founded as Nippon Kokoku. Today, Dentsu operates one of the most expansive agency networks in the world, spanning creative, media, customer experience management (CXM), and data/technology services across more than 145 countries. The group is organized into two primary operating segments: Dentsu Japan Network, which serves the domestic Japanese market and remains one of the dominant forces in Japanese advertising, and Dentsu International, which encompasses the group's global operations including brands such as Carat, dentsu X, iProspect, Merkle, and Dentsu Creative. In the AdTech and MarTech ecosystem, Dentsu is particularly notable for its data-driven marketing capabilities, anchored by Merkle — a leading performance marketing and CXM agency acquired in 2016 — and its proprietary technology platforms including M1 (a people-based marketing platform) and Dentsu Aegis Network's programmatic and media investment tools. The group has made significant investments in digital transformation, first-party data strategy, and connected commerce, positioning itself as an end-to-end partner for enterprise marketers navigating complex omnichannel environments. Dentsu competes directly with WPP, Publicis Groupe, Interpublic Group (IPG), and Omnicom for global advertising budgets, and has faced both growth opportunities and restructuring challenges in recent years, including a major cost-reduction program announced in the early 2020s. With annual revenues exceeding one trillion Japanese yen, Dentsu remains a top-five global advertising holding company and a significant force in programmatic media, performance marketing, and data-driven customer engagement.