WPP's MediaCom and Essence team up to retain hold on Mars global media

WPP has maintained its hold on Mars' media business, with MediaCom continuing to manage global media, and Essence on board to specialise in programmatic video, social and search. 

Mars has extended its relationship with WPP from the start of this year until the end of 2025, covering Mars Wrigley, Mars Petcare and Mars Food.

MediaCom's reappointment comes in the wake of a media review that took place throughout 2021, in what appears to have been an internal process not involving outside agencies. Mars described it as a "new vision" for marketing, called "Building brands for mutual value".

This strategic platform includes new approaches to consumer engagement, data insight, digital marketing and brand purpose in three areas. These include: a media transformation plan across all Mars' businesses, brands and regions; supporting Mars as a "champion of brand safety"; and using Essence to develop Mars' approach to auction-based media.

Mars consolidated its global media with WPP in 2018, with Publicis and OMD losing the business.

Rankin Carroll, chief brand and content officer at Mars Wrigley and executive sponsor for media at Mars Inc, said: "We set out a detailed vision and operating plan for our next wave of media transformation at Mars. We were impressed by WPP's commitment to evolving their own integrated team to deliver that vision, building on our trusted partnership with MediaCom but adding in fresh, digital-first thinking from other GroupM partners, including Essence."

Simon Sadie, WPP's global client leader for Mars and client president of MediaCom, added: "After a decade of partnership, we are incredibly proud to extend our relationship with Mars, and excited to embark on the next stage of the journey together.

"The coming years will see accelerated changes in how Mars approaches media, reflecting changing media habits and the fast-evolving data-driven media opportunities. We are dedicated to seeing the bigger picture for Mars to deliver smarter and forward-thinking media solutions."