Observed Signal · Jul 1, 2026 · Account Win · Source: Horizont · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Adidas Names New Global Media Agency, Drops WPP
Adidas has completed a global media-agency pitch that began in mid‑April and will replace WPP as its worldwide media agency. After six years with WPP, the sportswear brand awarded its roughly $500 million global media account to a media network based in the United States; the winning network was not named in the report. HORIZONT reported the change on July 1, 2026. The move represents a significant global account shift but the article does not disclose the identity of the winning US-based media network or further contractual details.
A major global media account (approx. $500M) changed agency, impacting agency revenues, competitive rankings and global media buying flows; however it is not a platform policy or technical change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Adidas ran a global media-agency pitch that started in mid‑April 2026.
- Adidas awarded its global media account, valued at about $500 million, to a US‑based media network.
- WPP (the British advertising holding) will lose Adidas as a media client after six years.
- The reporting outlet is HORIZONT; the article was published on 2026-07-01.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Adidas is replacing its worldwide media agency and awarded its roughly $500 million global media account to a US-based media network....”
“The British advertising holding WPP must remove the Three-Stripes brand (Adidas) from its client list after losing the account....”
“The article states the information 'according to HORIZONT' (the reporting outlet)....”
“Page footer shows copyright attribution: © dfv Mediengruppe (publisher group of HORIZONT)....”
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Adidas Moves Global Media Account to Omnicom
Adidas has awarded its global media account to Omnicom following a competitive pitch. Omnicom’s PHD network will manage the account, replacing incumbent WPP Media; Publicis Media was also a finalist. Media analysts at COMvergence estimate the Adidas media budget at about $510 million. In Germany, EssenceMediacom has planned and bought the brand’s recent World Cup campaign and had held the local account for roughly a decade. Omnicom — whose subsidiary Lola USA also produced the World Cup campaign mentioned — gains a major global client, adding to its new-business momentum according to the article.
Omnicom Set to Win Adidas $512M Global Media Account
Omnicom Media Group is reported to be winning Adidas’ $512 million global media account after competing pitches from WPP and Publicis Groupe. The account was previously managed by WPP’s EssenceMediacom (Mediacom initially won it in 2018 before merging with Essence in 2023). Adidas’ media business will be led by Omnicom’s PHD agency, which counts Volkswagen, Google and 7‑Eleven among its clients. The report also notes PHD recently won the Media Grand Prix at Cannes Lions for an Uber Eats campaign. WPP, Publicis and Adidas did not comment, per the article.
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