WPP’s inventive companies lag Publicis Groupe in billings stakes – and Chime

The Marketing campaign/Nielsen annual billings tables nonetheless give probably the most dependable information to company fortunes (albeit partial due to digital) and so they’re right here (subscription required.)

There are some eyebrow raisers within the snakes on this recreation of snakes and ladders (MullenLowe’s billings collapsing after the top of its NHS covid work though it appears to be selecting up enterprise), Unusual in thirtieth place.

An eye fixed-opener is WPP’s inventive companies billings lower than Chime (which it as soon as partly-owned.) Chime is especially, however not solely, high billing company VCCP. Everyone knows that WPP CEO Mark Learn is setting his sights on ecommerce lately (commerce as WPP calls it) when it comes to acquisitions however, even so, it’s shocking to see as soon as mighty names of their new incarnations – Gray (now a part of AKQA), Ogilvy VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson languishing. And about half the dimensions of holding firm chief Publicis Groupe which is prospering underneath final boss Annette King, as soon as of Ogilvy.

If WPP is to actually reside as much as its new mantra of the “inventive transformation” firm then we’d discover Learn broadening his acquisition horizons later this 12 months.

Whereas holding corporations ranked by media company billings demonstrated little motion in contrast with final 12 months, there was extra motion within the advert holding corporations desk additional down the rankings.

Publicis Groupe held on to its place as the biggest holding group by promoting billings after increasing by 6% to £1.1bn, however there was extra motion among the many teams additional down the desk.

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The promoting billings attributable to Omnicom companies, which embrace Adam & Eve/DDB and TBWALondon, declined by 2% to £786m, although the US group remained within the silver spot within the desk.

The third largest group in 2022 was VCCP-owner Chime, which delivered a mixed billings of £536m, up 35% 12 months on 12 months. VCCP overtook Adam & Eve/DDB to change into the biggest inventive company by billings in 2022.

WPP’s companies, which embrace Ogilvy, VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, delivered mixed billings of £521m, up 5% 12 months on 12 months. It remained the fourth largest promoting group by billings.

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Interpublic’s advert companies, which embrace MullenLowe Group and McCann, moved from third to fifth within the desk after their mixed billings decreased by 31% 12 months on 12 months to £403m.

Havas’ inventive billings rose 26% to £171m, placing it in sixth place, adopted by The Mission, Dentsu and MSQ Companions. Dentsu reported the very best proportional fall within the desk, down 34% to £32m, whereas MSQ Companions delivered the steepest proportional rise (54%) to £20m.

The UK-based holding firm WPP, which owns EssenceMediacom and Wavemaker, continued to dominate when the holding corporations are ranked by their media companies, with £3.2bn in billings, up 3% 12 months on 12 months, based on Nielsen.

Every of the six different teams additionally remained in the identical place within the desk. Media billings on the second largest group, Omnicom, which incorporates OMD Group and PHD, elevated by 7% to £1.7bn.

Publicis Groupe remained in third place regardless of the very best proportional rise, an 11% climb to £1.4bn.

Interpublic’s media companies, which embrace UM, Initiative and Rapport, reported the second-highest proportional improve, as their mixed billings expanded 8% to £713m, although it remained in fifth place by measurement.

Dentsu was the fourth-biggest holding firm by media (£734m, down 5% 12 months on 12 months), Havas remained in fifth (£523m, up 7%), and the7stars, which incorporates Bountiful Cow, rose 18% to £491m.