Warc Media 100: WPP dominates top 10 agencies, networks and holding companies list in India

Warc published its Media 100 rankings today, with India maintaining its position in third place as the most awarded country for media. This latest ranking significantly shrinks the gap with the UK, who has held on to its second position.The US remained in first place for the seventh year in a row.

Two of India’s campaigns found themselves in the company of the top 10 global campaigns awarded for media excellence.

Securing the fifth spot was 'Thumbstopping Beauty Biases' by Mindshare Mumbai for Dove, while 'The Missing Chapter' for Whisper by EssenceMediacom Mumbai/Leo Burnett Gurugaon/Leo Burnett Mumbai stood in the eight place globally.

Continuing to create campaigns focused on redefining traditional beauty standards, Dove has emerged as the best performing brand for media, up from eighth place last year. Three of its campaigns were in the top 10 this year, with Mindshare Mumbai’s work being one of them. With a clear mandate to inspire women to feel more positive about the way they look, Dove applied the power of AI in smartphone keyboards to enable a choice for body shamers to stop beauty tests, encouraging them to teach young girls in India to build beauty confidence. All the while increasing brand recall and saliency.

EssenceMediacom’s campaign for Whisper, 'The Missing Chapter', effectively addressed the issue of education on menstrual health and access to pads. The integrated campaign by Whisper and EssenceMediacom resulted in a historical decision, with the government committing to change a century old education system by adding the missing chapter on periods in school books.

Whisper’s offline business grew when the rest of the category declined with online sales up 2.3 times.

Both these campaigns also took the top two spots in India’s top campaigns for media with Wavemaker Mumbai’s 'Secret Messages' for Cadbury standing third. The agency had four campaigns in the top 10, while Mindshare Mumbai had three.

WPP dominated the top 10 agencies category in India, with Wavemaker Mumbai, Mindshare Mumbai and EssenceMediacom Mumbai taking the podium spots. No surprise then these three also topped this year’s network rankings, in exactly the same order. FCB Gurugram and FCB stood fourth in the agency and network categories, albeit separated by a very wide gap with EssenceMediacom. Predictably WPP India was at the top of the holding company ranking, with four of its agencies and networks in the top 10, including three in the top five.

Globally though, after many years of steadily climbing the rankings, PHD Worldwide has risen one place to become the highest ranked network for the first time. The network had 20 agencies contribute to its points total, with seven of these ranking in the top 50.

The best performing Indian brand for media was Cadbury, with 210.6 points, with Dove and Whisper in the second and third places with 135.9 and 94.9 points respectively.

Globally though, Dove replaced Cadbury from its first seat, moving up from the eighth place last year. Cadbury dropped down to the second place with three campaigns in the top 100, whilst McDonald’s, the most improved brand, moves up from 10th to third place.

Upstox, India’s digital investment platform, has emerged as the top advertiser for media, with The Tata Group and Titan Company ranked second and third respectively.

Compiled by Warc Creative, the annual Media 100 Ranking reflects the work that was awarded by the most important global and regional media shows in 2023. The awards tracked are determined by a yearly global panel survey and in consultation with the Warc Rankings Advisory Board.

Amy Rodgers, head of content, Warc Creative, said: “The Warc Media 100, league tables of the best of the best campaigns and companies for media excellence, are an inspiration on how a campaign’s use of media can impact brand success and society.”