Some 865 agencies in 61 countries were evaluated and all the data (10 indicators for each agency) were consolidated in a pivot table. Regional and global rankings were pulled out from this Excel database.
All signs point to an industry in sustained growth (+9.2%) - a lower rate than in 2010 though (+13.8%) - partly fuelled by the continuing development of digital activities within the agency core business.
In the global network ranking 2011, Starcom MediaVest Group holds the lead it took over OMD last year but with a very tiny gap (less than US$0.2m). SMG increased its billings by +9% (or +$2.8bn) while OMD posted a +9.8% overall growth (or +$3bn).
Four networks recorded a double digit growth (vs. 11 networks last year): Maxus (+43.6%), PHD (+17.5%), ZenithOptimedia (+11.1%) and Carat (+10.1%).
As the undisputable industry leader, GroupM showed a below-the-average growth rate with uneven performances across the regions: low billings increase in the USA (+5% vs. +10% on average) but high in Asia-Pacific (+$2.3bn).
Internal hierarchy of the four WPP media networks remains unchanged: Mindshare, MediaCom, MEC and Maxus. The latter increasing its share thanks to strong performances in the USA (where it has doubled its billings), the UK and Germany.
On 12 July 2012, Aegis agreed to be acquired by Dentsu. The takeover of Aegis by Dentsu provides is a perfect geographical fit and does not have any impact in the billings tables of this report.
However the addition of Dentsu Media Japan to Aegis Media' global billings would allow this new Group to reach the third rank ahead of Omnicom Media Group (statement based on an estimated billing figure of US$10bn for Dentsu Media Japan (about a quarter of Japan total adspend).
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