Omnicom wins Coca-Cola North America media as WPP keeps the global account

Omnicom has won Coca-Cola’s North American media account, while WPP has held on to the brand’s global media business, after two separate reviews. The pitches were triggered when Publicis resigned the North American media business, which it ran for Coca-Cola, after winning PepsiCo, as Adweek reported.

Who keeps what

WPP has been Coca-Cola’s main agency partner since 2020, when it won a global integrated marketing account then valued at $4bn. As well as the global media account, it keeps Coca-Cola’s creative and production work and its creator marketing. WPP chief executive Cindy Rose said the company was proud to build on the partnership: “Our focus is on earning that trust every day.”

Neither side has disclosed the value of the media accounts, and Omnicom has not said which of its agencies will run the business.

Why it matters

For WPP, keeping Coca-Cola matters more than usual. After a difficult run of account losses, holding the world’s best-known drinks brand outside North America is a much-needed win. For Omnicom, now the largest of the holding companies after buying IPG, it is a high-profile gain on Coke’s home turf.

It also shows how the cola war has spread to agency rosters. Publicis gave up Coca-Cola to take on PepsiCo, and the split leaves Coke with two holding companies on its media for the first time in years, just as it pushes harder into loyalty with schemes such as The Club.