D'Arcy was part of the Bcom3 group, which was acquired by Publicis in a $3bn deal in September creating the world's fourth largest advertising holding company.
With five advertising networks, more than any of the other holding companies, D'Arcy was widely tipped to be wound up. It has lost clients such as Mars and Pampers this year, and reports say that closing the agency could save Publicis millions of dollars.
Publicis chairman and CEO Maurice Levy had already hinted at closures at the group after the merger, with promises to shareholders he would deliver higher profit margins and cut costs across the group.
With the merger of Publicis and Bcom3, the consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble sees the majority of its advertising agencies now held by the same group. The brands still handled by D'Arcy, including Crest toothpaste, Tempo tissues and Charmin toilet paper, could be spread among other Publicis agencies. Its other big client in the US is General Motors.
D'Arcy has been a presence in advertising since 1906, when it was founded in St Louis. It is the 11th largest agency in the US, and globally it has 6,000 staff based in 121 offices across 72 countries.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .