Australia’s largest media agency in terms of billings capped another solid year in 2023. 

OMD, which has been the highest billing agency for a decade, increased billings by 6.2 per cent and its market share grew to 17.5 per cent, according to RECMA data. The cherry on top of it all was its being named Gold Australian Media Agency of the Year by Campaign in December.

On the new business front, OMD was appointed as Amart’s media agency of record in June 2023 following a competitive process. The account has media billings north of $20 million.

The agency also welcomed Burberry, Patties Foods and Moderna to the team and successfully defended longstanding partnerships with Beiersdorf and Frucor Suntory. 

Late in the year, OMD’s long standing partnership with Telstra evolved with the creation of +61, a new bespoke agency with TBWA and Bear Meets Eagle on Fire.

OMD had a notable loss in June when Cricket Australia pulled stumps and moved the media account to Initiative.

After winning the consolidated NSW Government media account in 2022, OMD’s focus has been on diversifying revenue streams.

OMD Behaviour Change expanded to become a national capability after demonstrating the positive impact the application of behavioural science can have on driving business outcomes through media. 

The agency also strengthened its OMD Marketing Intelligence specialist research and insights offering, elevating the importance of meaningful and human insights to make the right business-driving decisions for clients.

In March, OMD overhauled its agency foundations by evolving its Digital practice into separate ‘Transformation’ and ‘Performance’ specialisms. The agency said this new structure empowers clients to “accelerate their marketing ambitions through a seamless mix of data, technology, foresight and expertise”.

The agency also evolved its trading department to become ‘Investment Strategy’. Automation technology was put in place to free up the agency’s specialists to spend more time strategically building the best solutions for the agency’s clients with media partners.

OMD Australia added a slew of senior players to its roster to deliver the new structure. Major appointments included Marelle Salib to chief investment officer and Alison Costello to chief transformation officer (prior to being appointed as managing director, Brisbane, in 2024).

Jane Combes was appointed national head of strategic investments, Nicholas Chin to national head of performance, Taylor Svarc to group head of transformation Melbourne and Brisbane, and Tom Kirkham to head of transformation, Sydney. In fact, a quarter of OMD’s workforce received a promotion in 2023.

Standout work included OMD’s partnership with Suncorp. Its AAMI ‘Crash Index’ and ‘Save the AFL Grand Final’ work picked up silverware at a number of award shows.

Co-CEOs Laura Nice and Sian Whitnall will be pleased with another solid year of growth and transformation that keeps OMD as the leader of the pack while modernising its svice structure to keep it there for years to come.