Omnicom reported a first-quarter revenue hike of 3.4% on Tuesday, an increase the holding company says was propelled by “strong growth” in its media and advertising business.

The New York-based company reported first-quarter profits of US$486.4 million, excluding acquisition costs, that represent a 1.6% increase for the quarter ended March 31.

Omnicom, which boasts an agency network that includes BBDO, DDB and TBWA, still lowered its full-year organic growth guidance for because of economic instability.

In Tuesday’s earnings call, Omnicom CEO John Wren said U.S. tariff  policy has led to “quite a bit of uncertainty” in the business overall. However, Wren did stress that the client situation remains stable as the company awaits clarity from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

Regarding its guidance, Omnicom is taking a conservative approach in lowering the bottom-end forecast.

While Wren touched on the strength in the advertising, media and customer relationship management sectors, he said there are “doubts” surrounding Omnicom’s events business.

Year-over-year organic growth by discipline for the first quarter of 2025 saw increases of 7.2% for media and advertising, 5.8% for precision marketing and 1.9% for execution and support.

However, Omnicom’s media strength was partly offset by declines of 10.0% for branding and retail commerce.

Wren said the pharma and health sector experienced a slight revenue decline in part owing to the loss of Pfizer as a client.

By geography, organic growth in Latin America led the way at 14.8% followed by Asia Pacific at 6%, the U.S. at 4.6% and Europe at 1.7%.

The gains were was offset by drops of 9.3% in the Middle East and Africa, 3.6% in North America’s other regions (including Canada) and 0.7% in the U.K.

Finally, Wren said no clients of significance are expected to be lost in the wake of December’s Omnicom-IPG merger and that discussion about such moves are “nonsense fed by my competitors to the trade rags.”