Publicis Groupe marks centenary with AI-driven visual storytelling

Publicis Groupe is entering its second century with a project that combines its historical archives with generative AI. The film, titled "A Lion Never Gives Up," was produced by Publicis Conseil to mark the firm's transition from its founding in 1926 to its current status as a global communication holding company.

The project utilized approximately 4,500 historical assets, with 75% of the final output generated via AI tools. This approach allowed for a non-linear editing process, where individual scenes could be regenerated throughout production—a significant shift from traditional filming methods that typically lock assets during editing.

Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO, stated that the film serves as a synthesis of the group's historical resilience and its focus on AI integration. He described the project as a move to demonstrate how internal creative teams can leverage proprietary AI platforms to enhance production capabilities.

Founded as a small shop in Montmartre, Publicis Groupe now employs around 114,000 people globally. As the group heads into 2026, it aims to maintain its market position by continuing to invest in data, technology, and marketing transformation.