PEPSICO HANDS GLOBAL MEDIA MANDATE TO PUBLICIS GROUP, ENDING TWO-DECADE OMD PARTNERSHIP

PepsiCo has appointed Publicis Groupe as its exclusive global media partner, replacing Omnicom’s OMD after more than 20 years. The French holdco will build a new AI‑driven “One PepsiCo” model uniting strategy, planning, activation, identity and technology across 200 markets. The win strengthens Publicis and sidelines Coca‑Cola’s ongoing review.  

PepsiCo has made a landmark shift in its global marketing strategy, awarding Publicis Groupe the exclusive mandate to lead its worldwide media operations. The decision, confirmed to ADWEEK, marks the end of a partnership with Omnicom’s OMD that spanned more than two decades and shaped the media planning of some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands.  

At the heart of the new arrangement lies the creation of an AI‑ and data‑driven “One PepsiCo” media model. Designed to unify strategy, planning, activation, connected identity and technology, the model will operate across more than 200 markets and encompass PepsiCo’s flagship brands, including Pepsi, Gatorade and Lay’s. The ambition is to deliver a seamless, integrated framework that leverages advanced analytics and connected consumer intelligence to sharpen engagement and drive growth.  

PepsiCo’s marketing spend underscores the scale of the opportunity. In 2025, the company reported $5.4 billion in marketing expenditure, of which $3.4 billion was allocated to advertising. With such significant investment, the appointment of Publicis reflects a deliberate pivot towards technology‑led solutions that promise efficiency, precision and global consistency.  

The move is also strategically significant in the competitive landscape of global advertising. Sources suggest that Publicis’ win will lead the group to withdraw from the ongoing review of The Coca‑Cola Company’s remaining global media business, effectively signalling a choice to consolidate its focus on PepsiCo. For Coca‑Cola, this development narrows the field of contenders in its own review, while for Publicis, it represents a decisive strengthening of its relationship with one of the world’s largest advertisers.  

Omnicom, while losing the lead media role, will remain a strategic partner on other assignments with PepsiCo. The company acknowledged the long‑standing collaboration, which had seen OMD manage PepsiCo’s media planning and buying across key markets since the early 2000s. Yet the shift reflects a broader industry trend: global brands are increasingly consolidating agency partnerships to build streamlined, technology‑driven ecosystems capable of delivering both scale and agility.  

Publicis, for its part, has already supported PepsiCo in multiple markets across Asia and Eastern Europe, giving it a foundation of experience to expand upon. The new mandate elevates that relationship to a global level, positioning Publicis as a central architect of PepsiCo’s future media strategy.  

Industry observers note that the appointment underscores the intensifying competition among holding companies, where victories are increasingly determined by technological sophistication rather than traditional buying power. Publicis’ emphasis on AI‑driven frameworks and connected identity solutions appears to have resonated strongly with PepsiCo’s vision for modernisation.  

For PepsiCo, the transition is more than a change of agency; it is a strategic bet on integration, data and technology as the engines of future growth. By consolidating its global media under Publicis, the company is signalling its intent to build a unified, future‑ready marketing model that can adapt to the complexities of a rapidly evolving consumer landscape.