WPP has been awarded Amazon’s substantial media account for APAC and EMEA regions, while OMG will manage it in the Americas. This marks a significant shift for Amazon, which has been with IPG Mediabrands for the past 11 years.
The decision to split the account, considered one of the most coveted in the advertising industry, followed a six-month review process. During this period, GroupM (part of WPP) and Omnicom were the leading contenders for Amazon’s global media business.
Amazon’s media account is the most valuable in the industry, with global paid media expenditures reaching approximately $4.8 billion USD (about $7.14 billion AUD) in 2023, as reported by COMvergence. Prior to the review, Initiative/Rufus managed all brand-driven advertising, including programmatic and online video, with a total billing of $2.5 billion USD (about $3.72 billion AUD)
Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan stated, “After a thorough review process for our consumer business, we have chosen to partner with OMG and WPP.” She emphasized that the decision was based on a comprehensive evaluation of each agency’s marketplace expertise, media planning capabilities, pricing, measurement skills, and regional account management.
Callahan clarified that the switch to new agencies was not due to dissatisfaction with past performance but was aimed at securing the best future alignment for Amazon. “We appreciate the discussions with all the world-class agencies we considered,” she added. IPG will continue to serve as Amazon’s global media partner for Amazon Web Services, Amazon Business, and Amazon Ads, maintaining its role in other significant areas of Amazon’s advertising efforts.