Rahul Mathew calls for culture shift, not replication, at merged McCann entity

Rahul Mathew assumes the creative leadership role at McCann Worlgroup as the advertising industry witnessed a significant consolidation in November last year with the retirement of DDB Mudra Group. For Mathew, the transition carries a certain symmetry.

McCann is where he first learned the craft of advertising, the place that, as he puts it, taught him "how to anchor myself strategically, while I explore creatively." DDB Mudra, meanwhile, became the agency where he grew himself as a creative leader. Now, with the consolidation of the two agencies, he finds himself bridging both worlds.

"It's quite poetic that I now get to take over the creative reins of McCann," Mathew reflected in a post announcing the change, adding that both agencies shaped different aspects of his professional identity.

The focus, he emphasised, remains squarely on clients navigating the merger. "We want our clients to feel the muscle of this consolidation, not its aches," Mathew stated, noting that teams currently serving clients will continue doing so with even greater support.

Perhaps the most significant indication of what's to come lies in Mathew's description of the culture he and Dheeraj plan to build. It won't be a replica of either predecessor agency.

"We won't be trying to build another DDB or FCB. Neither will we be keeping things as is," he stated. "We're here to build creativity as an attitude, and not just a department."

That philosophy, he acknowledged, will require change, "pinches of change," as he put it, with a realistic caveat: "And hey, pinches do come with pain."

The leadership also confronted an uncomfortable industry reality. "It's also a good time to admit, we have some way to go for that as an industry. Be it our gender ratios or where all we hire from," Mathew wrote, committing to continue diversity efforts begun at previous agencies.

The goal, as he outlined it, is comprehensive: "A culture of excellence. Of great client partnerships. Of strong consumer understanding. Of mentorships. Of being honest with each other. Of accountability. Of merit. A culture where the standards are high. And where winning is a habit."

Mathew drew a through-line between the philosophies of both agencies, noting that DDB taught him "it's only truly a creative business when we use our creativity to build businesses." That principle, he observed, aligns naturally with McCann's founding ethos of "Truth Well Told."

It's this intersection, where DDB's culture-building approach meets McCann's strategic foundation, that Mathew seems to be staking the future on. Not by choosing one over the other, but by attempting to forge something new from both legacies.

He also highlighted a change that involves Prasoon Joshi, who held the McCann Chief Creative Officer position for over two decades. Joshi's role now extends beyond McCann to Omnicom, the parent company. "Prasoon's influence, creativity and attention will no longer be the sole property of McCann. He is now an Omnicom treasure," Mathew explained.

"Of course, the winning first starts with winning the trust of everyone," he concluded. "Those who work with us. And those who should be working with us."