Mars picks MediaCom for $1.8bn global planning and buying in huge boost for WPP

Mars, which had previously cut and sliced its media across the world, has consolidated everything into WPP’s MediaCom, the biggest win so far for the new regime headed by Mark Read at WPP.

Mars is reported to spend $1.8bn (£1.4bn) on global media. The account was previously shared between MediaCom, Publicis Groupe’s Starcom and Zenith and Omnicom’s OMD.

MediaCom boss Steve Allan observed that some WPP agencies might find Sir Martin Sorrell’s departure “liberating” and MediaCom has certainly responded with a vengeance, seemingly winning everything that moves. Other WPP/GroupM media agencies might start wondering if there’s any need for them.

Mars chief marketing and customer officer Andrew Clarke (below), emerging as a marketing leader worldwide to rival P&G’s Marc Pritchard and Unilever’s Keith Weed, says: “This partnership will be a crucial accelerator in our ambition to be quicker, bolder and even more innovative when it comes to meeting our consumer needs. It brings thought leadership and actionable use of data and insights to meet our media needs.”

The Mars review was handled by consultants ID Comms and Ebiquity.