Credit: WPP Media
WPP Media has held its position at the top of RECMA's Australia qualitative rankings, while EssenceMediacom is the only agency in the country rated Dominant.
The newly combined Omnicom-IPG Mediabrands group also entered the table for the first time since completing its merger.
The 1st edition 2026 results, seen by AdNews, place WPP Media on 56 points at group level, unchanged from the prior edition.
Omnicom Media sits second on 54, its total boosted by the incorporation of IPG Mediabrands agencies following the December 2025 acquisition.
Publicis is third on 48 and OMG fourth on 41.
The total market points across all groups rose to 227 from 172, a jump that reflects the expanded Omnicom footprint as much as organic gains.
EssenceMediacom leads the individual agency table on 23 points, the only agency in Australia to hold a Dominant profile.
OMD follows on 19, Mindshare third on 18, PHD fourth on 17 and Atomic 212 fifth on 16.
Mindshare has been the market's standout mover.
The agency scored 14 in the 2nd edition of 2024 and has climbed to 18, topping RECMA's Net New Business Balance for the full year.
Wins included Suncorp via its bespoke Open Era division, MG Motors and the Australian Labor Party.
OMD recovered ground after sliding to 21 points in the 1st edition of 2025, pushing back to 19 and holding a High profile. PHD also rebounded to 17 from a low of 15 in 2024.
Initiative took the sharpest fall, dropping to 9.
UM fell to 4 from 5, continuing a gradual decline. Both agencies now sit under the Omnicom Media umbrella following the IPG acquisition, a point RECMA flags on its trend charts given the agencies built their scores under separate ownership.
WPP Media's consistency across the past three years is the headline story, its group total has grown to 56 from 36 since the 1st edition of 2023.
The Omnicom-IPG combined entity's debut on 54 points makes it the closest challenger, though how much reflects the folding in of Mediabrands agencies will become clearer in future editions.
Dentsu and Mediabrands sit on 13 points each. Havas is on 2.
WPP Media CEO for Australia and New Zealand Aimee Buchanan said the results reflect what the group has built across its three agency brands.
"The consistency, capability and ingenuity of our people shows the strength of our collective," Buchanan said.
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