EssenceMediacom has earned the number one slot on a list of 30 contenders when it comes to net new business, including client retention, in the COMvergence 2024 Canada New Business Barometer.

The GroupM agency takes the lead thanks to more than $88 million USD in new business, which includes two high-profile government accounts, Canada and Ontario. Plus Company’s Cossette Media is in second place with $79 million USD in new business due to client wins that include Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Rona and i-Health.

UM, part of IPG Mediabrands, followed closely in third with $71 million USD after its success in winning Yum! Brands and Lyft.

At the agency group level, IPG Mediabrands leads the Total New Business Barometer, including retentions, driven by 15 wins – including Unilever, Lyft, Honda and LVMH – as well as seven key accounts retentions such as Destination Ontario and OCS.

In second place, Omnicom Media Group (OMG) earned 13 wins that count major brands Amazon, Tim Hortons and Gap, and the retention of the Volkswagen Group account. Company secured third place with 15 new client wins for Cossette Media and Jungle Media, including BRP, Rona and i-Health.

Some of the most notable Canadian media reviews last year, in U.S. dollars, include Tim Hortons ($75 million), the Canadian Government ($74 million), Amazon ($60 million), BRP ($52 million), Volkswagen ($48 million), Lyft ($43 million), Gap ($40 million) and Unilever ($40 million).

For the 2024 report, COMvergence, an independent research and data consultancy, analyzed 106 media account moves and retentions, totaling $1.08 billion USD. Among the most significant media reviews completed in Canada this year. Information on account moves comes from industry news websites and then validated by all the agencies studied, a total of 900-plus agencies across 48 countries cooperating with COMvergence).