Mindshare was the top global media agency in business development for the first half of 2022, according to agency research firm COMvergence. 

The GroupM agency accrued net new business assignments with total media expenditures of approximately $1.2 billion. The net figures include successfully defended accounts and deduct lost business. About three-quarters of Mindshare’s total (or $900 million) came from successfully defending business from key clients such as Master Kong and Dyson in China, and Ferrero in the US. 

Sibling agency Wavemaker ranked second with $903 million in accrued billings, primarily due to the global wins of Audible and Danone. 

Dentsu X ranked third, helped by strong new business wins in the US, including Heineken and JCPenney. Omnicom’s PHD and Publicis Groupe’s Starcom rounded out the top-5 with wins and retentions totalling $808 million and $540 million respectively. 

By holding company, GroupM was tops for the period with nearly $2.4 billion in net new business, followed by second-ranked Omnicom Media Group ($1.44 billion). Publicis Groupe ranked third ($1.21 billion). Rounding out the top 5 were Dentsu International ($749 million) and IPG’s Mediabrands ($295 million). 

COMvergence  assessed 1,850  media account moves and retentions (1,385 advertisers in total) across 48 countries worth an estimated $13.1 billion, which was in line with the previous-year period. 

The U.S. accounted for 33% of the total spend reviewed globally.

Local pitches accounted for $9.8 billion, or about 75% of the total, up from 70% in the first half of 2021. 

Global and multi-country reviews concluded in this year’s first half totaled $3.3billion. Those pitches included AB  InBev, LVMH and Audible.