Publicis Takes Mars’ $1.7 Billion Media Account From WPP

Publicis Groupe has won Mars’ sprawling media business from WPP, ADWEEK has learned.

The French network will now handle the CPG’s media, production, commerce, paid social media, and influencer marketing business in more than 70 markets. To do so, it will create a bespoke team called “OneMars.”

Meanwhile, Mars has handed its global brand PR brief to Interpublic Group. IPG’s Weber Shandwick Collective, which already works with the company, will be the lead agency.

The results follow a nearly six-month review that involved major holding companies, including Publicis, Omnicom, and incumbent WPP, bringing to an end one of the biggest pitches of 2025. 

Creative, held by Omnicom’s BBDO and DDB agencies, was not under review.

“When it comes to building brands, we know that to remain iconic, we must remain in motion,” Gülen Bengi, lead chief marketing officer at Mars and chief growth officer at Mars Snacking, said in a statement.

She said the company was putting our fans and communities in the “driver’s seat,” through brand experiences and personalization at scale. “Our new industry-leading agency ecosystem is the next piece in our plan to bring this vision to life,” she added.

Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis, said the new relationship would combine the agency’s AI tools with human insights to deliver the “next generation of brand building” for Mars.

WPP did not respond immediately to ADWEEK’s request for comment.

Beginning in late 2024, the pitch spanned the conglomerate’s snacking and pet care divisions, covering brands including Snickers, M&Ms, Royal Canin, and Pedigree. Mars Food & Nutrition, which houses brands like Ben’s Original, was not under review. 

EssenceMediacom previously held the media account, valued at $1.7 billion per COMvergence. The agency retained the business in 2022 following a 10-month competitive review that resulted in a four-year contract. 

Mars’ agency review kicked off shortly after the company agreed to acquire rival Kellanova for $35.9 billion in August 2024, which will add brands like Pringles, Cheez-Its, Pop-Tarts, and Rice Krispies Treats to its snacking portfolio. The review was intended to streamline its agency relationships.

Mars has an existing relationship with Publicis through Mars United Commerce (formerly The Mars Agency), the CPG’s commerce marketing firm, which Publicis acquired for a reported $600 million, in September 2024.

The consulting business offers commerce media expertise and shopper intelligence to more than 100 big-name brands, including Mars Snacking.

Another Blow to WPP

The loss of Mars’ media account is another blow to WPP following a turbulent start to 2025 that this week culminated in the announcement that longtime CEO Mark Read will step down in December.

The U.K.-headquartered ad network has posted disappointing earnings since the end of 2024. In Q1 2025, it reported a 5% dip in revenue and forecast flat to declining revenues for 2025. 

The company has been banking on its newly rebranded WPP Media division to turn its fortunes around. However, Mars is the third major client brief lost by WPP Media, and specifically EssenceMediacom, this year.

In March, the U.K.-headquartered agency giant lost Coca-Cola’s $700 million North America media business to rival Publicis, chipping away at its $4 billion relationship with the beverage giant. 

Then, at the start of June, Paramount fired WPP Media after two decades working together and hired Publicis. This changeup was not the result of a review and reportedly surprised many.

In a statement announcing his exit, Read said he is “leaving WPP with an exceptional leadership team and a secure financial position that allows [it] to face the future confidently and capture the opportunities ahead.”

A search for his successor is underway.