• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, November 22, 2017

Through the first nine months of the year GroupM’s MediaCom is top media agency in new business results, according to a report just issued from agency tracker COMvergence.

The research firm cited MediaCom wins including auto PSA and Walgreens Boots Alliance and Richemont, which contributed to the agency’s net new business tally of $1.6 billion (billings) through September 30. The agency also retained its P&G assignment in Germany and FAW Volkswagen in China. The tallies include client wins and pitches resulting in retention of clients, minus losses.

Two other GroupM agencies landed on COMvergence’s top-5 ranked list of new business winners. Wavemaker (formerly MEC/Maxus) was number two with net new business estimated at $730 million and Mindshare was fourth ($500 million).

Publicis Groupe’s Starcom placed third ($665 million) and Dentsu X (rebranded from Dentsu Media earlier this year) was fifth ($465 million).

Through the first three quarters, GroupM was number one among holding company groups ($2.8 billion). Dentsu Aegis Network was second-ranked ($1.2 billion) and Havas Media third ($415 million).

COMvergence’s latest New Business Barometer report assessed 750 global, regional and local media pitches and moves during the nine-month period for 21 markets worldwide and representing about $14.7 billion in media spending. The firm noted that pitch results confirmed after October 1 (including Anheuser-Busch InBev and Amazon) are not part of this report.

Independent agencies accounted for nearly 20% of the new business won during the period, with the most successful ones being Horizon Media (ranked first in the U.S.), Mediaplus and Pilot (ranked third and fifth in Germany, respectively) and Madison Media (ranked second in India).

The U.S. was the most active market (70 account moves) with the largest amount of spend up for grabs ($6.1 billion).

Local pitches accounted for over 70% of the account shifts and $10.3 billion in spend across the 21 markets covered in the report.