Credit: James Yarema through Unsplash
Coca-Cola has launched a global media review protecting most of its prime markets, establishing a battle between incumbent WPP Open X and Publicis Groupe, AdNews can reveal.
The review covers media, knowledge science and expertise and will likely be facilitated by unbiased consultancy Mediasense.
A Coca-Cola spokesperson instructed AdNews the review is pushed by a need to modernise the way it reaches customers, shifting away from conventional media planning towards technology-led approaches, together with agentic instruments.
“As part of the design work, we will be conducting an agency partner capability review process with WPP and Publicis focused on media, data science and technology involving most of our top markets around the world,” the spokesperson stated.
The solely markets excluded are North America, the place Coca-Cola moved its media enterprise to Publicis in 2025, and Japan and Korea, the place it really works with Dentsu.
Coca-Cola confirmed it started its relationship with WPP Open X in 2021 and its media work with Publicis in North America in 2025.
The review is tied to a contractual milestone.
“This review coincides with a contract renewal cycle following the start of our five-year partnership with WPP Open X, which has helped to modernise our marketing approach and deliver significant business value,” the spokesperson stated.
Global inventive and PR disciplines are usually not in scope and can stay with WPP Open X.
In Australia, Coca-Cola’s media account sits with EssenceMediacom as a part of the WPP Open X association. Publicis took North America media, value an estimated $US785 million, from WPP final yr, however Coca-Cola’s complete global advert spend is reported to be greater than $4 billion.
WPP received Coca-Cola’s global advertising and marketing enterprise in 2021, forming Open X to service the account throughout greater than 200 nations.
Publicis completed second in that review. At the time of the partnership renewal earlier this yr, Coca-Cola CMO Manuel Arroyo spoke positively of what the association had delivered.
“We are living a special moment in marketing at The Coca-Cola Company, and I’m glad to have WPP Open X on our team to help us create the future of marketing,” Arroyo stated.
A choice on the review is predicted later this yr.
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