MAM
Omnicom, JWT top Adage annual rankings
CHICAGO: Omnicom Group is the top global ad organisation and the J. Walter Thompson unit of the WPP Group is the largest core US agency brand in the Ad Age rankings.
The 59th annual Adage agency report states that the US ad business in the year 2002-3 grew by 0.6 per cent growth in advertising and unbundled media shop revenue to an estimated $10.22 billion. The US led the advance in 2002 as international revenue grew 0.1 per cent to an estimated $8.85 billion, leaving worldwide revenue up 0.4 per cent to $19.07 billion.
The report states that agencies and their unbundled media combines rallied — mostly at the end of the year — to cut into their 2.2 per cent decline in 2001, the worst year and only negative reading recorded since the industry dropped 4.4 per cent in 1987.
As might be expected with such low growth from the parents of the agency brands, it was a mixed year for their brands — the soul of the big ad organizations. Ad Age estimated WPP’s Big 3 agency brands, JWT, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and Y&R Advertising, at a collective $785.1 million in US ad-only revenue, down 3 per cent. JWT was the nation’s largest agency brand at an estimated $393.7 million in revenue, down 1.8 per cent. WPP Group, its total revenue down 0.3 per cent to $5.78 billion, found growth in media entertainment and healthcare.
Leo Burnett Worldwide finished a strong No. 2 among US shops at an estimated $379 million in ad-only revenue, up 8 per cent.
McCann-Erickson Worldwide, ranked No. 3 among agency brands, dropped 10.7 per cent to an estimated $327.1 million in ad-only revenue. Its parent, Interpublic, was buffeted by a spate of bad news in 2002 and 2003 — accounting irregularities at McCann in Europe and an investigation by the US Securities & Exchange Commission. McCann Erickson president Santosh Desai said that the US ad industry was in the doldrums last year owing to a series of corporate scandals, overall recession (especially in IT) and the looming war-like situation.
In India, however, things were much better, simply because things are still unfolding and new industries and services are coming up. Though there are no hard statistics available, the industry should have grown by 5 percent. But northern head of O&M, Vibha Desai pegged revenue growth of the Indian ad industry between 8-9 per cent. On the contrary, Grey’s Khanna said that agency income had fallen.
Foote, Cone & Belding Worldwide plunged to an estimated $193.2 million in ad-only revenue, down 29.5 per cent. FCB, which lost the $1.2 billion Daimler Chrysler account just months before it was bought by Interpublic in June 2001, proceeded to lose Quaker Oats and other business representing annualized billings of about $860 million. FCB also cut employment 28.1 per cent in the 12 months ended in October.
The report also states that the advertising-only component — the fee income agencies get for creating campaigns (and a number often tied to the sales performance of those efforts) — dropped 0.1 per cent from 2001 to $8.76 billion in US revenue. Internationally, the ad-only component was down 1.6 per cent with worldwide revenue down 0.8 per cent to $15.79 billion.
The tallies for the advertising and media segments of all marketing communications were the lion’s share of the business, which fell 0.6 per cent to an estimated $17.45 billion in US revenue. Marketing communications dropped 3 per cent to an estimated $16.86 billion internationally, to leave worldwide revenue down 1.8 per cent at $34.30 billion.
Integrated marketing remained mired in the slump it entered in 2001, recording an estimated $6.5 billion in US revenue in 2002, down 4.8 per cent. Its international revenue segment plunged 10.1 per cent to an estimated $3.04 billion, placing worldwide revenue at $9.54 billion, down 6.6 per cent.
Foreign exchange rate $1 = Rs 47.35.
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
