Sportswear giant appoints Omnicom Media Group after competitive global review as brand prepares for FIFA World Cup marketing push and next phase of international growth
Global sportswear giant Adidas has appointed Omnicom Media Group (OMG) as its new global media agency following a competitive international review of its media business, ending an eight-year relationship with EssenceMediacom, the WPP-owned agency that previously managed the account.
Industry reports estimate the global media business to be worth approximately $512 million, making it one of the year’s most significant agency appointments. The review reportedly involved leading global agency networks, including Omnicom Media Group, WPP and Publicis Groupe, before Adidas selected Omnicom to oversee its worldwide media operations.
Under the new mandate, Omnicom Media Group will be responsible for global media strategy, planning and buying, alongside consumer insights, media measurement and cross-market media coordination across Adidas’ international business. The account is expected to be led by PHD, Omnicom’s media agency, which recently received the Media Grand Prix at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for its work on Uber Eats’ Build Your Own Super Bowl campaign.
EssenceMediacom had managed the Adidas media account since 2018, when MediaCom won the business from Carat, the Dentsu-owned media agency. The latest appointment further strengthens Omnicom Media Group’s recent momentum in the global media market, following major international assignments from technology company IBM and consumer electronics manufacturer Dyson.
The IBM assignment includes responsibility for media planning and buying across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. The agency transition comes at an important period for Adidas as the company prepares for the FIFA World Cup, one of the world’s largest global sporting and marketing platforms.
The sportswear company has already begun rolling out World Cup-related merchandise, official match balls, national team kits and associated marketing campaigns. Adidas is also expanding its product portfolio and commercial partnerships through collaborations involving Liverpool FC, Oasis, the Audi Formula One Team, the Argentine Football Federation, Penn State and NBA player Anthony Edwards.
The company reported record revenues of €24.8 billion in 2025 and has projected operating profit of approximately €2.3 billion for the current year. Although industry reports have confirmed the appointment, neither Adidas nor Omnicom Media Group had formally commented on the agency transition at the time the reports were published.
BrandiQ Analysis
Media Agencies Are Becoming Strategic Business Partners
Adidas’ decision illustrates how media agency appointments have evolved beyond traditional advertising buying. Today’s global media agencies increasingly function as strategic business partners responsible for integrating data, consumer insights, technology, measurement and cross-market coordination into a unified marketing strategy.
For multinational organisations operating across dozens of countries, media effectiveness has become as much about data intelligence and audience understanding as it is about purchasing advertising space. The scale of the Adidas account reflects the growing strategic importance of media investment in driving commercial performance.
The World Cup Raises the Stakes
Timing is another important dimension of the appointment. The transition comes as Adidas prepares for the FIFA World Cup, an event that consistently ranks among the world’s largest marketing opportunities. Global sporting tournaments create intense competition for consumer attention, making integrated media planning critical to maximising return on marketing investment.
Selecting a new agency ahead of such a major commercial cycle suggests Adidas is positioning its marketing organisation to execute a more coordinated global communications strategy.
Creative Excellence Is Influencing Agency Selection
The reported leadership role of PHD is also noteworthy. The agency’s recent recognition at the 2026 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity reinforces a broader industry trend in which creative effectiveness, data capabilities and measurable business outcomes increasingly influence agency selection.
Brands are no longer looking only for agencies capable of delivering advertising campaigns. They are seeking partners that combine creativity, technology, analytics and commercial insight to improve overall business performance.
What This Means for the Global Agency Industry
The movement of a global account valued at an estimated $512 million highlights the intensity of competition among the world’s largest communications groups.
Agency reviews of this scale are becoming more frequent as multinational companies reassess marketing effectiveness, optimise media investment and seek greater integration across global markets.
For agency networks, retaining or winning multinational accounts has become increasingly important, not only because of the revenue involved but also because such assignments strengthen global reputation and create opportunities to expand relationships across additional service lines.
The Bigger Picture
Adidas’ latest agency appointment reflects a broader transformation taking place across international marketing.
As consumer behaviour becomes increasingly fragmented across digital platforms, connected television, retail media and social commerce, media strategy has become a core component of business strategy rather than simply an advertising function.
For marketers, the lesson is increasingly clear. In today’s marketplace, competitive advantage is determined not only by the quality of products or creative campaigns but also by the ability to deliver the right message, to the right audience, through the right channels, at precisely the right moment.
The Adidas-Omnicom partnership will therefore be judged not merely by the campaigns it produces, but by how effectively it converts global media investment into stronger brand equity, consumer engagement and long-term business growth.
