Latest news with #McCannWorldgroup
Forbes
11-07-2025
- Health
- Forbes
3 Subtle Self-Sabotaging Habits You Shouldn't Ignore, By A Psychologist
These three habits might seem harmless, but could be the reason your mental health and quality of ... More life is secretly deteriorating. getty For many people, the most obvious solution to psychological pain is escape. It's a common defense mechanism, built on the belief that if you ignore the problem long enough, it'll eventually disappear. According to a 2024 global study by McCann Worldgroup Truth Central, 91% of people say they feel the need to mentally escape at times, and 1 in 2 specifically report going online to escape reality. Another 2023 study found that this tendency to escape from discomfort is encompassed by three dimensions: Reality detachment. The motivation to mentally detach from real-world stressors or negative realities. The motivation to mentally detach from real-world stressors or negative realities. Cognitive distraction. The tendency to divert attention away from distressing thoughts or feelings. The tendency to divert attention away from distressing thoughts or feelings. Anticipated relief. Expecting temporary relief from discomfort and unpleasant states through consumption, and needing to take a break from stressors. But the illusion of escape is always short-lived. To prolong its effects, people develop habits and with time, those habits accumulate into long-term consequences. Here are three such habits that might seem harmless in the moment but, in hindsight, are ticking time bombs quietly sabotaging your mental health and your life. 1. Procrastination With Emotional Avoidance You know the task is important. But doing it right away would mean facing something you are not yet ready to face. It could be fear of failure, self-doubt, fear of success or meeting the weight of societal or personal expectations. So you avoid it, whether you realize it or not. You engage in procrastination; doing things that are not a priority, finishing chores that are not time-intensive, keeping yourself occupied, distracting yourself or numbing out the discomfort. You try to escape the nagging voice in the back of your head that reminds you that something is pending. When you can no longer ignore the task and finally sit down to finish it, you're out of time. The stress you experience then reinforces the idea that it was a terrible decision to attempt it in the first place, which justifies staying overwhelmed and numb. A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychology explains that people use procrastination as a maladaptive coping mechanism; often a result of poor emotional regulation skills. When a task inflicts aversive emotional states and individuals procrastinate to escape them, it reinforces avoidance that can have long-term negative effects on mental health and other areas of life. Researchers found that emotional regulation plays an important role in working through this. When people can manage difficult emotions like guilt, fear, shame, boredom, worry, anxiety and frustration, they're more likely to overcome procrastination. 2. Consistently Sabotaging Your Sleep You may stay up late scrolling, watching YouTube or doing 'just one more thing,' but you're not necessarily enjoying it; rather, you're avoiding the quiet of bedtime that might bring up thoughts you've been pushing away all day. Exhaustion becomes a form of sedation. And it gives you another excuse to say, 'I just can't think right now.' Another day springs up, and you wake feeling tired again. Falling into this habit builds long-term fatigue, and sooner or later, it may lead to burnout. A 2023 study investigated why individuals tend to put off going to bed even when they're aware of the need for sleep. Researchers were interested in pre-sleep arousal, especially mental arousal like worrying and inner racing of the mind. They found that those who are more mentally aroused are likely to procrastinate at bedtime and delay sleeping. Surprisingly, cognitive arousal in the form of worrying and ruminating was a better predictor of bedtime delay than was physical arousal, suggesting that people may be using bedtime procrastination as a coping strategy, just like other forms of procrastination often are. 3. Overcommitting Or Overcomplicating You sign up for things you don't want to do. You say yes when you actually mean no. You crowd your schedule with obligations that leave no time for rest or reflection. And in the white noise of being constantly 'needed,' you forget to pay attention to your own voice. These behaviors create a crisis that feels easier to manage than your underlying emotional truth. As long as there's something that still needs to get done, you never have to stop and ask yourself, 'What do I actually feel right now?' A 2023 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that overcommitment and emotional rumination, especially when people are unable to detach from their responsibilities, were among the strongest predictors of emotional fatigue, burnout and even psychosomatic symptoms. By overcommitting to external obligations, many often rent out the space they might otherwise offer to themselves. You may even find yourself staying in difficult relationships, one-sided friendships or situations that drain your energy. When escape seems like the only answer to their emotional pain, individuals often turn to self-sabotaging habits that harm their mental health and long-term well-being. But these maladaptive coping mechanisms are unsustainable and inevitably come to a stop. When you find yourself automatically falling into the same old habits, take a moment to pause and try these strategies instead: Ask yourself, 'What emotions am I trying to escape from right now?' Naming them out loud helps reduce their hold over you. Practice self-compassion. This means treating yourself the way you would treat a friend. When you feel swamped with responsibilities, take a break. When you feel worried, write it down. When you feel scared, reach out to a friend and share your concerns. Allow yourself to receive the support you need. Lastly, practice emotional regulation. This includes positive coping strategies such as reframing negative thoughts, practicing grounding techniques and seeking professional mental health support. This can look like: Becoming aware of your feelings in the moment. 'I think I'm worried right now.' 'I think I'm worried right now.' Getting to the source. 'This is because I don't want to mess up my presentation tomorrow.' 'This is because I don't want to mess up my presentation tomorrow.' Choosing your response. Instead of avoiding a task, face the core of your worry, reframe the negative thoughts that fuel your avoidance and get back to the task with intention. Recognizing your self-sabotaging habits can be difficult, but once you're aware of them, you have the power to choose differently. Putting helpful coping strategies into practice can take time, but it's worth it in the long-run. If you suspect procrastination is interfering with your goals, take this science-backed test to see how deeply it's affecting your daily life: General Procrastination Scale
Cision Canada
10-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
McCann Worldgroup Appoints Ida Rezvani President, Global Chief Client Officer
NEW YORK, July 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- McCann Worldgroup today announced the appointment of Ida Rezvani as President, Global Chief Client Officer, McCann & McCann Worldgroup. In this newly created role, Rezvani will enhance value and innovation across the network's global portfolio of clients, leveraging her 20+ years of client leadership experience working with iconic global brands at Publicis and Dentsu. Reporting to Daryl Lee, Global CEO, McCann & McCann Worldgroup, Rezvani will accelerate and scale new capabilities and practices that deepen client relationships and expand the strategic and creative services provided to global clients. Those services include McCann Content Studios and McCann Truth Central, amongst others. "At McCann, we are restless in our pursuit of client value and seek to constantly innovate the creativity and capabilities we bring to our global clients and their brands," said Lee. "Ida is a black belt in client stewardship and a fierce champion of the power of global brands. We are excited to be welcoming this true global citizen to our McCann team." Rezvani joins McCann Worldgroup from Publicis, where she served as the Global Client Lead for Pfizer, leading a fully integrated team that drove marketing transformation and delivered significant ROI. Prior to that, she held leadership positions at Dentsu Americas and WPP, consistently driving revenue growth, client satisfaction, and leading award-winning creative work including Effies and IPA Effectiveness for brands including Subway, Virgin Trains, and Grand Prix for M&S, and a Cannes Lion for Crayola. "I am thrilled to join McCann, the Truth Well Told agency, and a team that is so deeply committed to the power of brands to reshape the world," said Rezvani. "I look forward to working with the incredible people around the globe to deliver radical creativity that drives real impact for our global clients and community." Rezvani's appointment follows several high-profile recognitions for the network, including at this year's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where McCann successfully showcased its commitment to building enduring global brands with award-winning work for L'Oreal Paris, Mastercard and Xbox. McCann Worldgroup was also named to Fast Company's coveted list of Most Innovative Companies 2025 for its work with Microsoft and Mastercard. About McCann McCann builds enduring brands and businesses that drive growth and leave a lasting impact on culture. Founded over 100 years ago and guided by the enduring brand platform, "Truth Well Told," McCann is the world's leading advertising agency network, generating some of the most creatively and commercially impactful advertising globally. McCann is the founding agency of McCann Worldgroup and part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). About McCann Worldgroup McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), is a leading global creative solutions company. The company is united across 100+ countries by a mission to build enduring brands together. In 2024, McCann Worldgroup was named Global Network of the Year by the Effie Awards, Network of the Year by the ANDYs and Network of the Year by the EPICA Awards for the sixth time. The core McCann Worldgroup network is comprised of McCann, MRM, CRAFT, and FutureBrand, and partners with Momentum Worldwide, Weber Shandwick and UM to deliver solutions across the entire marketing spectrum. For more information, visit
Wall Street Journal
23-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
FTC Approves Omnicom-IPG Merger After Ad Giants Pledge Not to Boycott Over Politics
Advertising holding company Omnicom Group can proceed with its proposed acquisition of rival Interpublic Group after the companies promised not to collude on politically motivated ad boycotts, the Federal Trade Commission said. Omnicom, which owns agencies including BBDO and TBWA, in December agreed to buy IPG, whose portfolio includes McCann Worldgroup, in a transaction that would create the world's largest advertising company. The all-stock deal values IPG at around $13 billion and will create a conglomerate with approximately $25 billion in net revenue, based on 2024 figures for each company. Executives at Omnicom and IPG had expressed confidence that the government would approve their plan, calling the incoming Trump administration more business-friendly. However, the FTC in March requested additional information from Omnicom and IPG, signaling a review of the deal. The commission has also been investigating whether advertising holding companies and left-leaning advocacy groups broke antitrust laws by steering ad spending away from platforms such as Elon Musk's X. In the agreement announced Monday, the companies pledged not to collude with other firms to move advertising dollars away from media outlets based on their perceived political or ideological alignment. The agreement doesn't include any admission of violations by Omnicom or IPG. 'Today's decision and order eliminates the potential for costly litigation while ensuring that Omnicom and IPG abide by the antitrust laws postmerger,' FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said in a statement. 'Moreover, this agreement requires Omnicom and IPG to cooperate with the commission in any investigation relating to media-buying services—and I have already noted that investigating and policing censorship practices that run afoul of the antitrust laws is a top priority of the Trump-Vance FTC.' Omnicom also agreed not to develop so-called exclusion lists of sites or platforms where it doesn't recommend advertising, and said it would submit an annual report for the next five years demonstrating its compliance with the agreement. 'This is an important step toward the completion of the proposed acquisition and creating a new era in which we help clients grow with a comprehensive range of marketing and sales solutions, incorporating both creativity and technology,' John Wren, chief executive of Omnicom, said in a statement. The FTC's approval is technically provisional, subject to 30 days of public comment and a final vote from the commission. The agreement, when final, will also release Omnicom and IPG from demands for information the commission made this month as part of its probe into alleged politically motivated ad boycotts against sites like X. Other disputes over advertising and ideology continue. After a significant pullback in advertising on X, formerly known as Twitter, the social-media company sued both marketers and watchdog organizations such as Media Matters for allegedly colluding in an illegal ad boycott. X has threatened to drag more advertisers into court if they don't increase their spending on its platform, The Wall Street Journal reported this month. Media Matters on Monday sued the FTC, arguing that the commission was trying to silence the group on behalf of Musk. 'This is a significant free speech issue, and Media Matters will not back down from this fight,' Chairman and President Angelo Carusone said in a statement. And probes of the Omnicom-IPG merger remain open elsewhere. Regulatory agencies in the U.K. and Australia have each opened the deal to public comment to determine whether it would violate existing laws by creating an uneven playing field among companies that offer advertising- and media-buying services. Omnicom and IPG have said that they expect the deal to close during the second half of this year. Write to Patrick Coffee at
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Entertain or Fade Away: The New Imperative for Brands
By Prasoon Joshi Lines between advertising and entertainment have been blurring for quite some time now. Today, we openly acknowledge the role of entertainment in messaging—reflected in its recognition as a separate category at festivals like Cannes. But if we look back at the fundamentals of advertising, entertainment has always been rooted in its essence. We needed creativity to communicate. The subtle art of crafting a message was always valued. But somewhere along the way, we tried to crack a formula or templatize the process, and it became predictable. We forgot how to reward the audience. That's where entertainment re-emerged, reminding us of a basic truth. While judging at Cannes this year, one thought kept returning to me: to share an idea, you must first engage. You need to entertain. McCann Worldgroup's 17-minute documentary on Ilon Specht, which won multiple honors, served as a reminder that long-form storytelling, when done with authenticity and emotional depth, can build brand equity with lasting resonance. It might not look like a conventional ad, but it communicates with grace and intention. It also reminded us that entertaining doesn't always mean making people laugh or dance. It can be serious—but it still needs to connect, to strike a chord. And this documentary did that beautifully. Today, creative power rests with filmmakers, gamers, poets, editors, and storytellers. Collaboration is essential. Some of the strongest work this year came from hybrid teams—strategists, filmmakers, copywriters, producers—blending perspectives and expertise. Today's creatives are hybrids: producer-directors, strategist-anthropologists, creator-editors. Advertising is no longer just a medium; it is a cultural stage where content and collective experience merge. The future of branded content lies in human stories created within platform-native ecosystems. The Entertainment Lions for Music and Sport are brimming with brand-artist collaborations, sonic branding, and narrative music videos that feel like mainstream releases. More than ever, brands are not just observers of entertainment culture—they are active participants. This calls for a shift from announcement to narrative, from presence to participation. As creative leaders, our goal is not merely to craft better ads—but to build ecosystems of meaning. Campaigns that people choose to engage with. That become part of their lives. That feel less like marketing and more like memory. Our opportunity lies in creating not just ads, but culture-rich, resonant, and measurable entertainment ecosystems. Audiences are demanding, and platforms are evolving. And as the Cannes Lions Festival underscored: entertain—or fade away. (The writer, Chief Creative Officer & CEO, McCann Worldgroup India and Chairman McCann Worldgroup APAC, is an attendee at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025. Views expressed are personal.)
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Virat Kohli delivers charm and impact with Asian Paints' Apcolite All Protek
Apcolite All Protek , powered by the advanced Lotus Effect Technology , is the latest chapter in reaffirming Asian Paints ' position as the definitive gold standard in paints and coatings. The launch is accompanied by a new ad film starring Virat Kohli , the brand's ambassador, who brings the product's promise to life with charm and energy. Conceptualised by McCann Worldgroup , the ad takes viewers into a playful yet relatable setting, where Kohli's beautifully done-up home is put to the test by a mischievous child armed with juice, milkshakes and more. In every instance, Apcolite All Protek rises to the challenge effortlessly repelling every stain. The film captures the product's power in a light-hearted narrative that resonates with modern families navigating playful, unpredictable moments with style. Amit Syngle, managing director and chief executive officer, Asian Paints said, 'With Apcolite All Protek and its Lotus Effect Technology, we've created a solution that responds to this reality. It takes the stress out of keeping walls clean with best-in-class stain repellency. It's a step towards smarter, more seamless living, where homes reflect elegance and endure daily wear with ease.' Prasoon Joshi - chief creative officer and chief executive officer McCann Worldgroup India, and Chairman McCann Worldgroup APAC said 'With its revolutionary 'Lotus Effect Technology,' it prevents stains before they even stick, which is a true shift in the stain 'removal' category. Bringing this innovative feature to life visually needed a fresh approach, and with Virat Kohli leading the charge, this campaign delivers both charm and impact.' With this launch, Asian Paints redefines expectations in the super-premium interior paint category yet again demonstrating that when it comes to paints and décor, the brand is not just participating in the industry but shaping its future, the press note stated. Watch the video here:
