Amy Rodgers. Credit: WARC
PHD London has been ranked the top agency and WPP the top holding company in the WARC 2026 Media 100, compiled by combining results from the most important global and regional awards shows.
Mindshare Sydney was among seven global offices contributing to Mindshare Worldwide's fifth consecutive win as top media network, alongside Mumbai, New York, London, Shanghai, Warsaw and Jakarta.
The most awarded campaign for media excellence in 2025 was "Beauty Test Stops With Me" for Dove, by Mindshare Mumbai.
The campaign challenged beauty biases in India's matchmaking culture, positioning mothers as agents of change against appearance-based discrimination. Dove has now topped the brand rankings three consecutive years.
Three themes dominate this year's top 100: brands tapping into fan communities, advertising that captures attention through surprise and intrigue, and media used as a vehicle for social advocacy.
"The rapid evolution of the media landscape driven by technology, shifting consumer behaviours and new platforms is reshaping how brands and their partner agencies engage with audiences in meaningful and impactful ways," head of content, WARC Creative, Amy Rodgers, said.
Second place went to PHD London's "If you're into it, it's in the V&A" for the Victoria & Albert Museum, which used mass-reach and contextual channels to attract younger audiences.
Third was PHD London's "The Redditor Edit" for Skoda, which turned Reddit's fanbase into brand advocates.
PHD London topped the agency rankings for the first time, having peaked at third in 2022, with four campaigns in the top 100.
"Being ranked as global no.1 agency in the WARC Media 100 is testament to the creative media skills and ingenuity of everyone at PHD UK, the clients who put their trust in us, and the media owner and agency partners who were pivotal in the success of our award-winning work," CEO at PHD UK, Paul Knight, said.
Mindshare Mumbai jumped from sixth to second. Mediaplus Munich placed third and claimed the top independent agency title for the fourth consecutive year, with five campaigns in the top 100. Rethink Toronto and GUT São Paulo placed second and third in the independent agency ranking.
"Seeing Mediaplus named the #1 independent agency worldwide for four consecutive years is a testament to teams pushing boundaries with work that drives real impact and growth for our clients," global chief creative officer and partner at Mediaplus Group, Max Schöngen, said.
Mindshare Worldwide claimed the top network title for the fifth time, with PHD Worldwide and OMD Worldwide placing second and third. Serviceplan Group held the top independent network position for a ninth consecutive year.
WPP has led the holding company rankings every year since the Media 100 launched in 2018. Omnicom placed second, Publicis Groupe third.
Unilever has held the top advertiser position for seven consecutive years, represented by 24 brands in the full database, with Dove, Vaseline, Knorr and OMO in the top 50.
McDonald's rose to second, Volkswagen to third.
The US held its position as top country for media since 2018, with 16 of the top 100 campaigns. The UK produced 11, India retained third, followed by Canada and Germany.
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