2025 AGENCY SCORECARDS
OMD
Team PROFILE
Agency type
media
Ownership
Omnicom
tagline
we create what's next
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Laura Nice & Sian Whitnall
TEAM CAPTAINs
marelle salib
chief investment officer
brian cronk
chief product officer
kenny stewart
group md, victoria & qld
alison costello
md, brisbane
amanda watts
md, sydney
antonia glezakos
md, melbourne
KEY STATS
offices
Sydney, Melbourne, canberra, brisbane
HEADCOUNT
670+
Gender balance
Not disclosed
recma compitches
B
recma profile classification
dominant
CLIENT WINS
6
CLIENT RETENTIONS
1
LARGEST CLIENTS
coles
mcdonalds
suncorp
TROPHY CABINET
Campaign awards
3
Award Awards
1
cannes lions
1
mfa Awards
4
Cairns Crocodiles
1
festival of media
3
B&T's season report
Australia’s largest media agency “doubled down” on client relationships, which can be interpreted as code for “had a quiet year”, but that definitely undersells some of the outstanding work the agency delivered in 2024.
On the new business front, OMD lost Dulux Group and a part of its Target account, both to IPG Mediabrands outfits, but won six new accounts, including the likes of Michelin and a decent-sized tech account it cannot reveal.
More importantly, OMD either retained or extended its relationship with nine others.
When you have the likes of McDonald’s, Telstra, Suncorp, Qantas, Coles, Apple, Mazda, NSW Government, Victoria Government and Bonds on your books, client retention is probably more important than client acquisition.
And with so many massive clients across so many categories, getting new runs on the board is not always straightforward.
And it’s not hard to see why clients stick around. OMD is one of only two agencies that has a ‘Dominant’ ranking in RECMA’s Profile Classification.
This is the industry’s benchmark of how well an agency has performed across 19 criteria, including an agency’s dynamism and market momentum (including factors such as Compitches rankings over three years, New Business Balance, awards and leadership stability); and Structure, which measures agency resources in terms of digital and diversified expertise, as well as client portfolio strength.
OMD reported its highest-ever client relationships score and continues to lead the market in terms of billings and headcount.
What underpinned OMD’s 2024 season is the quality of its work. The agency’s work for its McDonald’s Squid Game meal campaign, Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa and its AAMI AFL Grand Final spot are standouts that delivered huge (but confidential) results for three very important clients.
These campaigns have been rewarded with silverware not just in 2024, but well into 2025. In fact in 2024, OMD picked up AWARD Awards and was Media Network of the Year at Cannes Lions. It also cleaned up at the MFA Awards, Festival of Media and the 2025 Cairns Crocodiles Awards—three of the top local awards programs.
OMD has also made strides on culture,. It unified its culture across physical and virtual environments; breaking down silos and bringing together diverse perspectives in both in-person and remote settings; and revitalising the OMD Academy with “tailored training” in areas such as AI, commercial acumen and wellbeing. These efforts resulted in 41 per cent of staff being promoted during the year.
It also embedded its DE+I Charter and tripled multicultural media investment, ensuring client communications reflect the diversity of Australia.
Perhaps that last point is why OMD is consistently fighting for titles, it delivers great work, looks after its team and makes sure the fans (the diverse range of Aussie consumers) are top of mind.
campaign HIGHLIGHTS REEL
McDonald’s: Squid Games
When Gen Z and Millennials were young, they thought of McDonald’s as a place to play. With the highly anticipated return of Squid Games S4, OMD saw the perfect opportunity to create a playful and unexpected partnership.
In late 2024, OMD—in partnership with Akcelo—created an immersive experience that was grounded in nostalgia and fandom, leveraging the most viral moment from season one – the dalgona candy challenge. Introducing the Macca’s Squid Game Meal, featuring the iconic Dalgona Candy Challenge with a special Macca’s twist—replacing the show’s impossibly hard Umbrella candy shape with an even more challenging Golden Arches ‘M’.
Although not listed in the 2024 trophy cabinet, the campaign won a truckload of Cairns Crocodiles in 2025, including the Grand Prix.
Telstra: Free Calls To Santa
Telco companies were being commoditised and their impact was being forgotten; Telstra needed to reconnect with their broad audience in ways and times that mattered most to them.
A Santa shortage threatened the most important Christmas connection; and as a connections business, Telstra would have the permission and power to plug this gap. Introducing: Telstra Free Calls to Santa: powered by Generative AI and Google in collaboration with Telstra PR. Democratising, connection to Santa through 15,000 owned media payphones nationally.
AAMI: Saves The Grand Final
AAMI has grown from a challenger brand to a leading brand. But to become iconic, AAMI needed to be a part of culture and in a scaled way. Marquee TV moments like the AFL Grand Final have become more culturally significant as general entertainment audiences decline.
Conjuring up an unmissable ‘clanger’ (mishap) where the Grand Final match ball delivery goes horribly wrong. Alongside the AAMI women, several cultural icons come to the rescue for fans. From broadcast to the MCG, we executed meticulously: dominating stadium LED and owning the broadcast moment just before first bounce.
We’re most proud of how this campaign transformed invisible wellness into visible beauty—elevating a functional product with emotional, scientific storytelling.
OMD's Analysis of 2024
While the metrics can tell a great story of growth and achievements hard-won – OMD’s 2024 was more than the numbers.
This year we made a deliberate decision to double down on what matters most: prioritising our relationships, understanding our clients’ ambitions, and delivering growth through every campaign. We saw the results in our 95 per cent client retention rate, $15 million in new business, and our continued position as number 1 in billings and market share (even amidst an uncertain market).
But the real impact showed up in the work itself. From the nostalgia-driven Macca’s Squid Game Meal, which sold out nationwide and delivered a 50 per cent increase in basket size for McDonald’s, to Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa, making nearly 600,000 magical Christmas connections. We hope beyond our standout numbers you see a story of teamwork and true partnership.
mvp award
Lisa Leicester, head of omd create – social & innovation
Lisa has had a stellar year at OMD with her outstanding work recognised on the awards circuit and with a promotion to Head of Create – Social and Innovation.
Lisa excels at building deep, trusting
relationships with clients and colleagues alike. She collaborates meaningfully, leveraging team strengths to create innovative, high-quality work.
A natural innovator, Lisa consistently thinks outside the box, transforming ambitious ideas into actionable strategies. Her creativity shines
in ideation sessions and groundbreaking
campaigns, such as Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa, leveraging AI technology.
Lisa’s determination and refusal to see obstacles ensure she delivers impactful, forward-thinking solutions for her clients. Her approachable demeanour and thoughtful recommendations inspire confidence and push boundaries, fostering strong partnerships both within and outside the agency.
B&T's agency score
omd: 8.5
COACH's COMMENT:
The largest media team in the league kept its eye on the ball, winning some, retaining more. But its top-drawer work for existing clients showed that it can kick goals at the moments that really matter for clients.
