OMD

COMvergence: WPP Tops Publicis in 2025 Rankings

COMvergence's global report for 2025 shows the combined billings of the Big-6 holdings and major independent media agencies totalled $265 billion, up 1.7% year-over-year. WPP Media retained the top group position with $63.9 billion in billings (about 13% market share), narrowly ahead of Publicis Media, which grew to $62.4 billion (the strongest growth among the Big 6). Omnicom ranked third with $48.5 billion. COMvergence estimates global net media spend across 49 markets at $478 billion and reports digital media accounted for 57% of agency billings among the large groups and independents. The report also highlights consolidation: Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG at the end of 2025 would create a Big‑5 configuration with Omnicom in the lead under that scenario.

Platforms Say Planning, Programmatic Will Grow Digital Audio Budgets

Industry panelists at The Trade Desk’s audio OpenForum in New York argued that digital audio remains under-monetized despite high consumption and growing programmatic support. Citing GWI and eMarketer data, speakers noted audio accounts for roughly 30% of U.S. adults’ media time but receives only about 3% of U.S. ad spend. Panelists from The Trade Desk, SiriusXM, Spotify and others said the missing pieces are deeper upstream integration of audio into agency planning tools, more programmatic guaranteed and always-on buying, and adoption of omnichannel planning and agentic buying workflows. Podcast formats and host‑read creative remain constraints for programmatic insertion, while integrations (e.g., SiriusXM with VideoAmp) and DSP support aim to move audio earlier into campaign plans.

2026 Upfronts Shift, Sports Driving Early Deals

Digiday reports the 2026 upfront marketplace has begun to move, with holding-company media agencies and some independents cutting deals primarily with sellers that control both linear TV and streaming. Sports inventory — led by the upcoming Super Bowl LXI — is central to early negotiations, though Disney’s initial asking price (reported around $10 million per 30-second spot) has slowed some talks. The selling season (more than $20 billion annually) is roughly 10–15% complete, concentrated on linear sellers (NBC Universal, Paramount, Disney, Fox, Warner Bros. Discovery) with some deals involving digital-first platforms. Programmatic CTV and addressable TV are prominent on the buy side (one agency reports ~70% of TV spend executed programmatically for certain clients), while vendor pitches for “agentic” buying tools are not yet a major driver of buys. Account and personnel moves among agencies and integrations (e.g., Teads into Havas’ platform) are also noted.