Omnicom and Aegis top the AdNews ratings while Blue Freeway is in a “death spiral”

Omnicom and Aegis are Australia’s best-performing marketing groups, while Blue Freeway is far the worst, according to an assessment published in today’s print edition of AdNews.  

The magazine says Omnicom – which includes creative shop DDB and media agency OMD – and Aegis, which owns media agency Carat, both score 4.5 marks out of a possible five.

Meanwhile, AdNews’s annual Agency Report Card ranks Blue Freeway as the poorest-performing holding company, with just one mark out of five.

The scores:

Aegis

• 4.5/5
• Interests include Carat, iProspect and Apollo
• AdNews assessment: Although the delay in launching second media agency Vizeum is dragging on, Carat deserves praise for retaining the Tourism Australia account

Omnicom

• 4.5/5
• Interests include stake in Clemenger Communication Group, DDB, Davinci, PHD, Traffik, NetX, OMD, Porter Novelli, Whybin TBWA, Mango PR
• AdNews assessment: “DDB continues to go from strength to strength… Tribal DDB’s profile has diminished”.

Photon

• 4/5
• Interests include BMF, BWM, Naked Communications, AdPartners, Bellamy Hayden, Frank PR, City PR
• AdNews assessment: BMF was a “star buy” for Photon although the group has been overshadowed by an 80% fall in share price

WPP

• 3.5/5
• Interests include: GPY&R, JWT, Ogilvy, The Campaign Palace, Wunderman, PPR, Mediacom, Hill & Knowlton, Grey
• AdNews assessment: GPY&R had a “horror year” while Toby Jenner has “revitalised” Mediacom Sydney

Mitchell Communications Group

• 3.5/5
• Interests include Mitchell & partners, MPG, emitch, Visual Jazz, Spark Impact
• AdNews assessment: “Room for improvement in the creativity stakes”

Publicis Groupe

• 3/5
• Interests include ZenithOptimedia, Publicis Mojo, Saatchi & Saatchi, Starcom Mediavest, Leo Burnett
• AdNews assessment: Saatchi & Saatchi has had a “rocky” six months losing staff and clients; Leo Burnett is now in “great shape”

Interpublic

• 3/5
• Agency interests include McCann Erickson, MRM Worldwide, Draft FCB, Initiative, Universal McCann, Lowe, Weber Shandwick
• AdNews assessment: Draft FCB needs to try harder, Lowe is most improved

Havas

• 3/5
• Interests include Euro RSCH, The Furnace, The Red Agency, MPG
• AdNews’ assessment: Euro needs to replace Volvo but red Agency is “growing in stature”

Blue Freeway

• 1/5
• Interests include Holler, Max Australia, Spectrum, Viva9, Clear Light Digital, Spin
• AdNews assessment: In an “apparent death spiral” although Holler is performing well