Observed Signal · Sep 17, 2026 · Agency Review · Source: Adweek · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Coca-Cola CMO Reveals Criteria for Next Agency Partner
Coca-Cola's Chief Marketing and Customer Commercial Officer, Manolo Arroyo, outlined his agency selection criteria at ADWEEK's Brandweek conference. With the beverage giant's $4 billion global media, data, and tech account in review, Arroyo emphasized the need for deeper integration with creators/influencers, retail media, and strong capabilities in tying investment to sales. He noted the importance of shifting metrics from brand love to actions and consumption. Incumbent WPP is favored to retain the business, with Publicis Groupe withdrawing to focus on PepsiCo's account. The remarks signal a strategic focus on performance-driven marketing and commerce integration in the next agency partnership.
This news is highly relevant to the AdTech/MarTech ecosystem as it reveals the strategic priorities of a major global advertiser (Coca-Cola) during an agency review, which will influence how agencies structure their offerings around retail media, creator marketing, and performance measurement.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Coca-Cola's global media, data, and tech account worth $4 billion is in review.
- Coca-Cola CMO Manolo Arroyo said at Brandweek he prioritizes creator/influencer integration, retail media, and sales attribution in agency partners.
- WPP is the incumbent and favored to win the global account; Publicis Groupe withdrew from the pitch.
- Coca-Cola shifted its marketing metrics from brand love to consumption behavior.
- Arroyo's comments reflect a broader pivot towards performance-based and commerce-oriented marketing strategies.
Connected Companies & Entities
“The beverage giant currently has its $4 billion global media, data, and tech account in review, with incumbent WPP favored to win.”
“Publicis Groupe out of the picture as it won PepsiCo's global media business.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Coca‑Cola Prepares $4B Media & Data Account Review
Digiday reports that Coca‑Cola’s combined media and data account, valued at roughly $4 billion, will be reviewed later in the year. Incumbent agencies including WPP and Publicis Groupe are expected to compete to retain or win the business. The story frames the review as about more than media spend: agencies will need to demonstrate robust data infrastructure and capabilities to support Coca‑Cola’s advertising operations. The piece appears in Digiday’s Media Buying Briefing and was published on June 15, 2026.
Omnicom Wins Coca-Cola North America, WPP Retains Global
Coca-Cola has concluded its media agency review, retaining WPP for its global media account while appointing Omnicom for its North America media business. The decisions followed two separate competitive pitches after Publicis resigned the North America media account to avoid a conflict with PepsiCo. WPP, the incumbent, initially won Coca-Cola's global integrated marketing account in 2020, valued at $4 billion. WPP retains its global media, data, and tech remit, excluding Japan and South Korea, which remain with Dentsu. Omnicom wins the U.S. and Canada media account, estimated at $700-800 million annually, leveraging scale from the IPG absorption. The account transition begins December 1. This outcome underscores intense competition among holding companies for large-scale client relationships.
WPP Wins Coca-Cola Global Media, Publicis Shifts to PepsiCo
WPP is set to win Coca-Cola's global media, data, and tech business, a significant win for CEO Cindy Rose as she works to turn the holding company around. Publicis, the only other contender, dropped out early to focus on PepsiCo's global media account, leaving WPP unopposed. Despite topping JP Morgan's new business rankings, WPP's like-for-like net sales declined 4.7% in the first half, and questions remain about its AI platform WPP Open's effectiveness. The article analyzes WPP's strategic choices, including skipping Coke's North American business, and compares its position to Publicis, which can afford to walk away from pitches due to past successes. Legal challenges, including a whistleblower suit and securities class action, also loom. Overall, the win provides a chance for WPP to prove its turnaround, though it still faces structural and cultural hurdles.
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