Forrester is out with a new “Wave” report on media management service providers which found three “leaders” in the field: Omnicom Media, Publicis Groupe and Dentsu.  

The report analyzes the 12 providers that Forrester declares “matter the most.” 

Behind the leaders, the report found five “strong performers,” including GroupM, IPG Mediabrands, PMG, Tinuiti and Horizon Media.  

The report identified Stagwell, Havas Media Network, Dept and Wpromote as “contenders.”  

“The collapse of the traditional marketing funnel sets brand marketing and performance marketing practices on a collision course,” the report, written by Forrester analyst Jay Pattisall, states.   

That development “opens an opportunity for companies to create better marketing experiences that match consumers’ nonlinear purchase expectations and drive higher ROI.” 

Media management firms “are responding by expanding their capabilities to execute across the consumer purchase journey, consolidating brand and performance specialists, acquiring companies to assemble capabilities and global scale, investing in proprietary technology, and organically stretching into full-service offerings.”  The report notes that those efforts are a “a work in progress, as the tension between scale and skill continues to play out within providers.”  

 The report analyzes and scores capabilities including media planning and buying, commerce, retail media, addressable media, influencer marketing, content production and a number of other parts of each company’s offering. A number of strategic components are also assessed. Forrester also sought and evaluated feedback from clients of the firms detailed in the report.  

The full report is available for a fee.