Source: COMvergence

COMvergence has issued its latest net billings rankings report for the US based on Final 2022 media agency and group billings.  

With a total billings figure estimated at $9.2B and despite a negative growth of -5.8% vs. 2021, OMD remains the top media agency in the US, followed by Spark Foundry with a billings figure of $7.9B (-3.2%).  

Independent agency Horizon Media takes the 3rd place with a billings figure of $7.7B and a negative growth of -9.8% vs. 2021.  

Carat, Starcom, Zenith and Mindshare placed 4th-7th respectively.  

MediaCom, ranked 8th, has posted the highest growth (+50%) among the top 30 US agencies studied.  

Olivier Gauthier, COMvergence Founder and CEO notes that “the report records Essence and MediaCom as separate entities for 2022, with the merger of the two agencies coming into effect in early 2023. EssenceMediacom will be assessed as one agency in the 2023 billings tables.” 

The total 2022 billings figure of the 30 USA studied media agencies is $94.5B (+8% vs. 2021). This includes 19 media agency networks and 10 independent agencies. Altogether they represent 63% of market share.  

Digital media spending accounts for 48% (vs. 42% in 2021) of the media agency total billings. Essence (ranked 15th) alongside US independent PMG (ranked 20th) are showing the highest digital share among all agencies with 63%.  

At the group level, Publicis Media remains a strong leader with 14.6% market share and $21.9B in billings (+3.9% vs. 2021). GroupM retains the 2nd position ($17.7B in billings and 11.8% market share) with solid growth of +12% vs. 2021 - while OMG ranks 3rd ($16.2B in billings and 10.8% market share) and a growth rate of 4.2% vs. 2021. 

COMvergence says that USA media agency billings are calculated based on clients whose spend is at least $2 million. Industry market shares are calculated on the basis of the total market studied ($153B in 2022).  

Offline net estimated spend figures are sourced from Nielsen FY 2022 offline data, to which COMvergence applies an overall deflating factor of -15% across all media. To calculate digital media spends, COMvergence applies average digital shares per category or per client. These percentages are revised each year and adjusted according to agency declarations (supported by client statements or formal letter from the agency CFO certifying the accuracy of the data/information submitted to COMvergence). Within digital media, the following channels are included: display (incl. programmatic), online video, search and social. All client lists have been reviewed and validated by agencies.