Who are the big 5 advertising agencies?

Advertising is one of the most important aspects of any business -- whether it's selling products or services online or off. It can be an effective way to attract new customers, but it also has its drawbacks. Advertising companies use different methods to reach their audience, which ultimately leads them down paths that may not always work out as planned.

The best place to start when researching your next advertising campaign is by looking at some of the biggest names in the industry. These five agencies have been around since before World War II, and they continue to dominate today. They're responsible for many of the ads you've seen throughout history and will probably see more in the future.

Before we get into what makes these agencies successful, let's take a look at how they operate.

What are the big 4 agencies?

There are four main groups in the advertising industry: WPP Plc, Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, and Dentsu Inc. Each group specializes in particular areas such as media buying, creative production, digital display, and social media advertising. All four agencies combine several strategies to create campaigns across multiple industries.

WPP Plc and Omnicom Group are considered "big" because they own numerous other smaller advertising agencies and brands. For example, JWT and IPG Media Research (both owned by WPP) account for over half of all global marketing spend. Together, they make up about 16 percent of the entire market.

Publicis Groupe and Dentsu Inc. each own dozens of smaller agencies, so together, they represent less than 2 percent of the total industry. However, this doesn't mean they don't play a huge role in shaping the overall direction of the industry.

Let’s dive deeper into the roles played by each agency.

While there are only four major agencies listed here, there are actually six other large advertising conglomerates. We'll talk about the others later on in this article.

What are the big 6 advertising agencies?

Beyond the above-mentioned organizations, there are two additional giants in the advertising space. While neither company owns any individual advertising agencies, both are known for having an impact on the world of advertising. Here are the details.

Interpublic Group of Cos.: This conglomerate was founded in 1946 after the merger between three separate publishing companies. Today, it represents nearly $40 billion in annual revenue from various businesses including sports and entertainment programming, consumer goods, automotive, financial services, and pharmaceuticals. Its portfolio includes nearly 200 brands like ESPN, CNN, Nickelodeon, and Sports Illustrated among others.

Dentsu Aegis Network Inc.: Founded in 1974, Dentsu Aegis Network operates under the umbrella of Dentsu Holdings Company Ltd. with headquarters located outside Tokyo, Japan. As of May 2021, the organization had revenues totaling roughly $24.5 billion. Like Interpublic Group, Dentsu Aegis Networks focuses primarily on providing services related to corporate communications, public relations, and research.

These two companies combined to form the "Big Six", representing just 14% of the worldwide market share. But don't worry, we'll go into detail about why they aren't included below!

What are the big 4 marketing firms?

There are plenty of other larger companies in the advertising space besides those mentioned above. Some serve specific niches within the industry while others focus more broadly on clients who need help promoting their brand. Let's explore some of the largest marketers in the world.

In order of size, here's a list of the top ten advertising agencies in the world:

1. WPP Plc

2. Publicis Groupe

3. Omnicom Group

4. Interpublic Group of Companies

5. Young & Rubicam

6. MECCA Worldwide

7. Lowe Lintas

8. Ogilvy&Mather

9. McCann Erickson

10. TBWA\+R Partners

If you want to find out more information about any of these companies, visit our guide to finding the right advertising firm. There's no shortage of resources available if you'd prefer taking matters into your own hands.

Is there a big 4 for marketing?

Despite being called the Big Four, there isn't really a single entity that encompasses all of the aforementioned companies. Instead, we have four distinct entities that collectively account for a significant portion of the market.

This is largely due to the fact that there are simply too many smaller competitors operating in the field to lump everything together. In addition, there are countless small agencies that fall somewhere on the spectrum between "smaller" and "mid-sized."

For instance, consider the following chart created using data collected during 2019:

As you can see, there are literally hundreds of smaller companies competing for attention. That means even though there are fewer overall advertisers, each company still needs to compete against thousands of other companies. So where do you fit in?

Well, first things first: If you're a startup with a good idea, then you should definitely register a domain name and build a website. Once you've done that, you can begin building a strong presence online through SEO techniques. You could try hiring an experienced web design team to develop a sleek user experience or opt for an affordable DIY approach instead. Whatever route you choose, it's essential to ensure that your site gets noticed by potential customers.

Once you've got visitors coming to your page, you'll likely encounter something else along the lines of Google Ads. And although Google AdWords might seem intimidating, there are plenty of ways to manage the process without needing to hire someone full time. Whether you decide to pay monthly fees or purchase a service outright, you shouldn't hesitate to give it a shot.

But regardless of how much money you put toward advertising, there's one thing that every advertiser must remember: No matter how well designed your website looks, if nobody knows about it, it won't bring in traffic. To drive targeted traffic back to your site, you'll need to invest in search engine optimization.

You can learn more about optimizing your site to increase organic rankings in our guide to improving SEO. Not sure where to start? Try starting with our beginner tips for beginners.

So now that I've given you a rundown of the top advertising agencies in the world, you know exactly where you stand relative to the competition. Now that you understand the basics of how to advertise successfully, you should feel equipped to tackle whatever project comes your way.

And if you ever run into trouble, you can always turn to our handy resource center for quick solutions to common problems.

The global advertising market has been on an upward trajectory for quite some time now. In 2021 alone, it grew by 4%. This growth is expected to continue into 2022 as well. As the demand increases for digital content, so does the need for marketers to find new ways to reach audiences. Advertising companies have stepped up their game with innovations that make campaigns more effective.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the most powerful and innovative advertising agencies around the globe. We'll also discuss how to identify which agency works best for your business.

Who is the biggest marketing company?

We've already mentioned WPP Plc (formerly known as Reed Elsevier) earlier in our list of the largest advertising agencies in the world. They're responsible for creating many of the iconic logos used across different industries today, including Nike, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, and even Microsoft.

They were founded in 1921 by Lord Rothermere, who was one of the first people to recognize the value of branding. He knew that brands could change lives if they were designed and marketed correctly. Since then, the company has grown exponentially from its humble beginnings. Today, it employs over 300,000 employees worldwide.

Next is Omnicom Group, headquartered in New York City. It owns numerous recognizable brands such as Grey Global Group, Mindshare, and OMD&;CO. These businesses focus primarily on media buying, but they also offer other services like creative development and brand management. Omnicom had revenues of $14 billion in 2020, while WPP posted revenues of $17.5 billion. Both firms boast impressive client lists, both domestic and international.

Publicis Groupe is another large player in the advertising space. Based out of Paris, France, they operate multiple subsidiaries all over the world. Their clients include Procter & Gamble, Nestle, and Volkswagen. Together, these three conglomerates account for roughly half of the total revenue generated by public relations and advertising agencies globally.

Dentsu Aegis Network is yet another major advertising firm based in Japan. Founded back in 1949, this company focuses primarily on providing digital solutions to the advertising sector. As of 2019, Dentsu Aegis had offices located around the world, operating in 47 countries and employing 200,000 workers. Clients include Hyundai Motor Company, Mercedes Benz, and Kia Motors Corporation.

10 types of advertising agencies

There are several types of advertising agencies available depending upon your needs. Some may be better suited than others for particular purposes. Let's explore them below.

1. Media planning agencies: These are the ones you can expect to work directly with clients to develop strategies and plans that will help advertise products or services. A lot of times, they will use data analytics tools to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

2. Marketing consulting agencies: Similar to media planning agencies, these agencies provide strategic guidance and advice regarding what kind of campaign would perform best within specific contexts. However, unlike media planning agencies, these agencies usually rely heavily on qualitative analysis rather than quantitative data.

3. Creative design agencies: Designing advertisements is often seen as more of a fun activity compared to working with numbers. That being said, there isn't much difference between these two kinds of agencies when it comes to how they function. Essentially, designers create concepts and ideas, which are later implemented through visual elements.

4. Data science agencies: While not necessarily related to designing advertisements, data scientists play a crucial role in helping advertisers analyze consumer behavior. By studying patterns in consumers' behaviors, these professionals come up with insights that allow them to target customers effectively.

5. Digital strategy agencies: These folks handle tasks related to managing websites, mobile apps, social networks, and online stores. For example, they might consult clients about whether they should set up a website or maintain a traditional storefront.

6. Social media agencies: These are the experts when it comes to using various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. To name just a few examples, they manage accounts, post updates, and respond to comments made by users.

7. Analytics agencies: Like data scientists, analysts collect information pertaining to customer preferences and behaviors. Unlike those individuals though, they don't study those patterns themselves. Instead, they hire specialists to gather relevant statistics and compile reports.

8. Brand positioning agencies: Brands have always wanted to stand out among competitors. One way to achieve this goal is by coming up with catchy slogans and memorable visuals. Positioning agencies specialize in developing unique identities for every single product or service offered.

9. Audience research agencies: People tend to gravitate towards certain things because they feel something familiar inside. With that knowledge in mind, audience researchers try to figure out why certain groups of people prefer certain brands.

10. Integrated marketing communications agencies: These agencies combine all aspects of marketing under one roof. Depending on how extensive their offerings are, they may employ teams composed entirely of specialists or staff members who are trained specifically in each area.

How do you know if a company is running LinkedIn ads?

LinkedIn is arguably the second most popular social network after Facebook. Many small businesses struggle to get noticed on the platform because there aren't enough organic posts that go viral. And since people spend less time on the site, they end up clicking away before reading any text whatsoever.

To combat this issue, many businesses turn to paid advertisement options. These options allow them to attract potential leads without having to invest too much money upfront. After all, only paying for results is far cheaper than investing significant amounts of cash.

However, there's no guarantee that these ads will actually convert into sales. So, how can you tell if a business is posting ads successfully?

You can check out their performance metrics. If they have a high clickthrough rate and low cost per click, chances are they're doing pretty well. You can also examine their engagement rates. Higher numbers indicate that their ads are performing well.

Finally, it's worth asking yourself if the person behind the campaign knows anything about marketing. When someone doesn't seem knowledgeable about the subject, it's probably safe to assume that he/she hired someone else to run his/her ad campaign instead of taking care of it personally.

Advertising is one of the oldest forms of marketing and remains at its core an influential tool for brands to reach their target audiences. Over time, this has evolved into more complex mediums that include TV commercials, radio spots, billboards, digital ads, social media posts, and even video games. But what exactly makes these advertisements effective? Who actually comes up with them? And how do they get made?

To find out the answers to all those questions, we’ve taken a look back on the history of the advertising business. We've also scoured through the most recent data available about the current state of the industry as well as some predictions about where it's headed next. Here you'll learn everything from who owns the biggest share of the market to which companies have been around the longest and why they're still going strong today. You can read our full report below or jump right to your favorite section by clicking on any of the links here.

What are the top 5 advertising agencies?

In terms of sheer size, WPP plc leads the pack when it comes to global advertising spend (see figure 1). It accounts for nearly half of total spending, followed closely by Publicis Groupe, Omnicom Group, Interpublic Group of Companies, and Dentsu Inc. These four firms together account for over 90 percent of the entire market. In fact, if you add in other major players like McCann Worldgroup and Y&R Worldwide Advertising, you end up with five of the top six largest advertisers worldwide.

For comparison, see how much each company spent on advertising last year.

The first thing you should know about these big names is that many of them aren't just “advertising agencies.” They operate across multiple sectors including public relations, branding, communications, and so on. This means that while you might think of them primarily as "advertisers," these companies often work alongside publishers, retailers, and others to create successful campaigns. And because of this, there isn't always a clear-cut distinction between agency vs. client -- sometimes clients use agencies too.

We asked several experts to weigh in on the matter and offer insights into how each of these organizations operates. Below are three key takeaways:

1) Most of these groups were founded before WWII and continue operating within similar structures. However, that doesn't mean things haven't changed since then. For example, some of the older agencies have begun adopting newer technology to streamline operations. Others have moved away from traditional print and have turned toward social media instead. Still others have started developing new strategies and approaches to better cater to modern consumers.

2) There are plenty of examples of agencies working directly with large corporations to help them sell products and services. But there are also cases where smaller businesses seek out larger agencies to provide expertise in areas such as strategy, creative development, audience targeting, etc.

3) As mentioned earlier, not every organization involved in creating brand awareness is necessarily considered an “agency.” Some of these entities focus solely on providing strategic consulting services, while others may only act as consultants but don't handle the day-to-day production of advertisements themselves. That said, we did try to make sure to distinguish between agencies & consultancies based on whether they own the rights to produce the final product (as opposed to being hired to simply advise on certain aspects of the campaign).

What are the top 5 advertising agencies in the world?

When looking at the top ten advertising agencies globally, you'll notice a few familiar faces among the list. Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, Dentsu Inc., Isobar, and Young & Rubicam come straight off the pages of Forbes' ranking of the best 100 companies in the world. All of them rank in the upper echelon of their respective industries. While none of them are quite as dominant as WPP plc, they collectively represent almost 40% of the total pie. (Note that this includes both agencies and consultancies.)

Who are the big 6 advertising agencies?

While everyone knows about WPP plc, Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, Dentsu Inc., Isobar, and Young & Rubicam, there are a couple of lesser known firms worth mentioning. One of them is ZenithOptimedia. Founded in 1996, it was spun off from Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Paramount Pictures Corporation. Today it claims to be the second-largest independent advertising agency group after WPP plc. Another newcomer to the scene is Grey Global Group. Established in 2012, it focuses mainly on North America.

It seems as though there will always be room for additional competitors in the field -- especially considering that other countries are beginning to catch up with the U.S.'s dominance in advertising. Take China for instance. Last year, Chinese conglomerate Tencent Holdings Ltd. purchased a majority stake in Saatchi & Saatchi PLC, marking yet another move towards consolidation in the global space. Other nations could follow suit soon enough. After all, no one would want a monopoly on the market!

What are the 5 different ad agencies?

As noted above, there's a lot of overlap between agencies and consultancies. So rather than lumping all of them under one category, we decided to break down each type of entity separately. Doing so provides insight into the differences between the various kinds of groups and helps shed light on the nuances behind the industry.

Media Agencies: A media agency creates and executes television, radio, online/mobile, and print ads for a variety of clients. Because media outlets tend to cover specific events, sports teams, holidays, movies, etc., they're particularly useful for reaching niche demographics. On the flip side, however, they can cost significantly more per impression compared to other options.

Public Relations Agencies: PR agencies typically specialize in promoting a particular brand or cause. Their goal is to increase exposure and build awareness in order to generate more sales. They usually engage with journalists, bloggers, influencers, celebrities, politicians, etc. to spread positive messages about whatever it is they represent.

Marketing Consultants: Marketing consultancies are essentially middlemen between marketers and vendors. They typically charge fees for helping companies craft messaging plans, develop promotional materials, run surveys, analyze consumer behavior, etc.

Creative Agencies: Creative agencies are responsible for designing logos, websites, apps, brochures, videos, and other visual content. They often hire freelancers to assist in the process. They also work closely with design houses to provide direction on color schemes, font styles, layouts, etc.

Digital Agencies: Digital agencies manage web sites, mobile apps, and other tech-related projects. Like creative agencies, they employ freelance workers to complete tasks ranging from coding to graphic design.

That wraps up our overview of the advertising industry. If you'd like to dive deeper into anything else related to the subject, check out our guide to SEO, our article on the basics of copywriting, or our tips for writing persuasive emails. And if you need more inspiration, explore the best Instagram photos of 2020 or these viral memes that prove creativity is contagious.