Publicis will now takeover the coveted Pepsi global media account in a blow to Omnicom.
Pepsico’s global media account will now be handled by Publicis, a move which deals a significant blow to current account holder Omnicom, Adweek reports.
The $1.7bn account is one of the most desired accounts in the world, as the food and beverage company is among the biggest spenders in advertising – spending $5.4bn on marketing activities in 2025, with $3.4bn of that going to advertising, its annual report confirms.
Shares in Omnicom, the incumbent, dropped by roughly 5% yesterday to $81.78.
Publicis currently takes care of media for rival Coca-Cola, and is pitching for the Coca-Cola global media, data, and tech business against WPP, although reports suggest that Publicis may withdraw from the pitch. MediaSense is currently handling the review, which is thought to be worth roughly $4bn.
Omnicom’s OMD network has held the PepsiCo account in US and UK markets for over twenty years.
PepsiCo commented: “Omnicom remains a critical strategic partner across many of our marketing drivers, from creative to sports and PR. We are proud to work with an integrated ecosystem of world-class partners to power our brands and category growth strategies end to end.”
Pepsi confirmed that the move is part of a broader effort to transform “its media model globally for the next era of marketing.”
Publicis will help PepsiCo build a new media model that brings together “media strategy, planning, activation, data, connected identity and technology across markets” and will be powered by “data and AI.”
A statement from the beverage company confirmed that the new model will help deliver “more relevant consumer connections” and make “smarter marketing decisions” across paid, earned, and shared media.
The “One PepsiCo” model will serve the entire brand portfolio, including Pepsi, Lay’s (Walkers), and Gatorade in over 200 markets. Publicis has previously worked with PepsiCo in markets such as China, Thailand, India, South Korea, Taiwan, and countries in Eastern Europe.
