Pharma giant Pfizer has selected Publicis Groupe and Interpublic as its global marketing partners after a review that began earlier in the year, the company has confirmed. 

Pfizer spent $1.476 billion on measured media last year, according to agency research firm COMvergence. About 40% of that outlay is earmarked for digital.  

North America accounts for the biggest single piece of spending and is estimated at $1.2 billion, per the COMvergence breakout. EMEA is allocated close to $40 million, while APAC and LATAM are allotted lesser amounts. 

Total advertising costs in 2021 (including creative and production) were $2 billion, according to the firm's annual report for that year. 

The Publicis Groupe assignment includes media, data and production. IPG will serve as the pharma company’s global creative partner. For IPG, it’s the second big win in the pharma category in recent weeks. Last month it won the U.S. media AOR for Bristol Myers Squibb.  

The review was managed internally by CMO Drew Panayiotou, who joined the company last year from Alphabet’s Verily. 

The firm has worked with numerous agencies globally, including Assembly and Carat for media and VMLY&R and Grey for creative.