Global media agency group WPP topped both the total and net new business rankings in Q1 2026, according to the latest Global New Business Barometer released by COMvergence.
The report said WPP Media generated $1.5 billion in new client billings during the first quarter of 2026. Major account wins for the group included Jaguar Land Rover and Estée Lauder globally, along with SC Johnson in North America.
The newly consolidated Omnicom Media Group ranked second after combining results from six agency networks — Initiative, Hearts & Science, Mediahub, OMD, PHD, and UM. The group recorded $1 billion in new business wins and another $1 billion in retentions, helped by accounts such as Delta Air Lines and Dyson.
Publicis Media secured third place, although its new business gains were lower compared with WPP Media and Omnicom Media Group.
Commenting on the findings, Olivier Gauthier, Founder and CEO of COMvergence, said: “Of the $7 billion in total reviewed media spend, 25% — representing $1.8 billion — was awarded to bespoke solutions operated directly by one of the Big 3 holding groups: WPP Media, Omnicom Media, and Publicis Media. WPP Media secured $1.2 billion, followed by Omnicom Media with $520 million and Publicis Media with $80 million. Our Global Q1 2026 New Business Barometer marks the first time that group-dedicated teams have represented such a significant share of total reviewed spend, reflecting the growing consolidation of media business within bespoke, centralized group solutions.”
At the agency network level, Wavemaker emerged as the top-ranked network with a total new business value of $382 million. The performance was driven largely by the retention of Huawei in China and Reckitt in India.
EssenceMediacom ranked second, supported by the retention of the Estée Lauder account in China, while Hearts & Science secured third place following the retention of Cox Automotive in the United States and the acquisition of Xiaomi in China.
In the net new business category, independent media agency consortium Local Planet led globally with $146 million in incremental billings, mainly due to strong performances by Germany-based agency Pilot.
According to the report, COMvergence assessed 600 media account moves and retentions across 49 countries in Q1 2026. The reviews involved 390 advertisers and represented total media spend of $7 billion, marking a 6 percent increase compared with the same period last year.
The United States accounted for 33 percent of the total spend reviewed globally, followed by China with 23 percent. The overall client retention rate stood at 38 percent, one of the highest levels recorded in recent years.
Among the Big Five agency groups, Publicis Media posted the strongest retention rate after competitive pitches, followed by Omnicom Media at 70 percent and WPP Media at 62 percent.
The report also noted that independent agencies collectively captured $1.4 billion, or 20 percent of the total spend reviewed. Around one-third of this volume was attributed to Horizon Media, supported by wins including Discover and WeightWatchers.
