Publicis Media dominates 2025 German media rankings with $819M in new accounts

According to the COMvergence study—which tracks both new and retained client wins—Publicis Media secured first place thanks to 23 new business victories worth $819 million, including accounts such as Aldi, Dr. Oetker, Mars, and Paramount Global.

In the holding company rankings, COMvergence also highlights Mediaplus, part of the Serviceplan Group, which took second place behind Publicis Media. The agency achieved a strong retention rate (48%) with existing clients, generating $157 million in revenue, while new business wins brought its total to $161 million. Dentsu ranked third among holding groups, with eleven new client gains offset by eleven losses.

At the individual agency level, two Publicis Media networks dominate the rankings. Starcom claimed the top spot, delivering the best performance among the 36 agencies analyzed, driven by wins like Mars, Dr. Oetker, and Reckitt. Fellow Publicis agency Zenith secured second place, bolstered by a major new contract with Aldi.

From the IPG network—now part of Omnicom—Initiative took third place, primarily due to accounts from Bayer and Aida Cruises. Mediaplus, Germany's largest independent agency, ranked fourth, followed by Dentsu's Carat.

In 2025, COMvergence examined 219 media account switches and retentions (successful pitches with existing clients) in Germany, totaling $2.738 billion—comparable to the country's $2.989 billion media spend in 2024. Some 74 advertisers opted for independent agencies outside the six major holding groups. Meanwhile, 127 account moves and pitches were local tenders, worth a combined $1.063 billion. Among Germany's independent agencies, Mediaplus (+$148.7 million), Pilot (+$47 million), and JOM (+$13 million) led in new business growth.