Media Buying Briefing: Takeshi Sano is making the rounds for Dentsu - is it enough?

"On Friday, Heineken announced the winners of its global media, production and creative review, keeping its global media business parked at Dentsu. (Publicis will handle "global secondary production" as well as creative for the Heineken brand itself, while Publicis, WPP, and Stagwell will handle various creative work for its other brands - Amstel, Birra Moretti, Desperados, and Tiger.)"

"But that brief amount of time also saw Dentsu lose the massive Microsoft business to Publicis, which agreed to incorporate Microsoft AI into its operations as a sweetener to that deal. The software giant is said to have been a top-three client for the Japan-based holding company."

"Although it's hard to know if Sano's presence was what won over Heineken to keep its media with Dentsu, sources close to the CEO said he was involved and engaged in the pitch. And what's striking here is it's arguably the first time Dentsu's global CEO has been involved in a pitch."

"As Digiday has written recently, Sano is a relative gust of fresh air for a holding company that has largely dallied in the doldrums for the last few years. Although Dentsu's 2025 client wins and losses weren't terrible, they weren't great either, and the company has taken a reputational hit when prior CEO Hiroshi Igarashi failed to line up a strategic partner or a private equity investor."

Takeshi Sano became global CEO of Dentsu at the end of March and has led the company through its first six weeks. Heineken announced winners of its global media, production, and creative review, keeping global media with Dentsu. Publicis was selected for global secondary production and creative for the Heineken brand, while Publicis, WPP, and Stagwell were chosen for creative work for other brands including Amstel, Birra Moretti, Desperados, and Tiger. During the same period, Dentsu lost the Microsoft business to Publicis, with Microsoft AI integration included in the deal. Sources indicate Sano was involved and engaged in the Heineken pitch, and the next 12 months will determine whether Dentsu can retain key clients and win major new ones.

Read at Digiday