Publicis Groupe has been named PepsiCo’s exclusive global media partner, taking over from Omnicom, which had led the business in major markets like the US and UK for over 20 years. The decision came out of a media capabilities review rather than a competitive pitch, according to ADWEEK.
Under the new global model, Publicis will unify media strategy, planning, activation, identity and technology for PepsiCo across more than 200 markets, covering brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade and Lay’s. PepsiCo’s 2025 marketing spend stood at $5.4 billion, of which $3.4 billion went toward advertising, per its latest annual report.
The win carries fallout for Coca-Cola’s global media review, currently run by MediaSense and pegged at roughly $4 billion. Sources familiar with the matter say Publicis will step back from the remaining stages of that pitch, even though it continues to manage Coca-Cola’s media business in the US and Canada. Publicis has not commented publicly on the move.
PepsiCo confirmed that Omnicom will stay on as a partner for creative, sports and PR mandates, with a company spokesperson calling it a “critical strategic partner” on those fronts.
Publicis already has an established PepsiCo relationship across markets including India, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and parts of Eastern Europe.
Separately, PepsiCo is running a global review for AI marketing transformation, with Omnicom, Accenture, Deloitte and Publicis Groupe’s Sapient unit reportedly in contention.
