GLOBAL – JULY 2011 – A 14% increase in billings catapulted Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) to the top of the RECMA annual billings rankings of media agencies around the globe. The media network posted a total of $31 B in billings for 2010, besting previous leader OMD which settled for second place at $30 B. The Overall Billing Rankings 2010 report includes 830 agencies in 58 countries.
ZenithOptimedia, Mindshare, and MediaCom also emerged as the third, fourth, and fifth most lucrative agencies respectively. Universal McCann experienced the greatest growth spurt after reporting a 23.3% increase in billings, raising its haul to $16.8 B. The numbers helped the network secure an eighth place finish. Other top 10 placers include Carat (sixth), MEC (seventh), MPG (ninth) and Initiative (10th).
While it had to relinquish its crown as top network, OMD reigned supreme at the international agency brands category, where it finished on first place. Mindshare ended up second in this category, while MediaCom, and Zenith Optimedia tied for third. Carat also placed fifth. Ironically, the year’s biggest network was out of the elite circle of five as SMG settled in seventh place.
With Mindshare, MEC, and MediaCom under its wing, WPP-owned GroupM shot to the top of the group of networks category, claiming 28.7% of total industry shares. Not far behind is Publicis’ VivaKi group which now holds 20.8% of total market shares, thanks to having SMG and Zenith Optimedia under its wing. Other leders in the group of networks category were Omnicom’s OMG (13.4%), Aegis Media (10.9%), Interpublic’s Mediabrands (10.6%), and Havas Media (5.2%). Altogether, RECMA pegs the total media industry’s worth for 2010 at roughly $286.5 B.
All in all, it was a good year for the media agencies, with all signs pointing to an industry sustained in growth, thanks to increasing advertising investments. In what was dubbed as the “year of recovery”, the entire industry grew by 13.7% as it moves further from the 2009 recession, and digital departments begin to contribute to income generation.
