Mars ends partnership with WPP and unveils new ecosystem
'One Mars' aims to bring best-in-class capabilities across the industry’s most innovative and talented media, production and creative networks.
Mars Incorporated has appointed Publicis Groupe and IPG after four years with WPP Media, following a six month global agency review.
In 2022, WPP's MediaCom, as it was known at the time, retained the lucrative account after holding the account for over three years.
Mars said its new agency ecosystem aims to fuel a reimagined approach to that puts consumers and pet owners at the centre of every its brand experience.
Publicis Groupe will oversee media, production, paid social and influencer and connected commerce capabilities, with IPG’s Weber Shandwick set to oversee a supercharged approach to brand PR.
Both agencies will be tasked with bringing culture and conversation even closer to the portfolio of iconic brands at Mars.
The new agency ecosystem will be implemented in full across the two largest businesses of Mars - Mars Snacking and Mars Petcare. Mars Food & Nutrition will join Snacking and Petcare, shifting its media business to Publicis.
Meanwhile the company’s long-standing creative partners, Omnicom, will continue to lead brand creative, which was not part of the review. While T&P will continue to lead brand creative for Food & Nutrition.
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The new fully integrated agency model - called 'One Mars' - aims to bring best-in-class capabilities across the industry’s most innovative and talented media, production and creative networks.
The new silo-free agency setup will position Mars at the frontier of an AI-driven growth model and see the company invest in its people, technology and partner with disruptors who are defining the context of the next generation.
Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe, said: “We are delighted to reinvent the consumer business playbook with Mars, rekindling our longstanding partnership as we embark on this significant growth transformation journey.
"Mars’ iconic brands and our unmatched capabilities - powered by the depth of our Connected ID, core AI and human insights - we are ready, energized and eager to bring to life the One Mars platform and help deliver the next generation of brand building for this special company, as we redefine the industry in the age of AI together."
“When it comes to building brands, we know that to remain iconic, we must remain in motion,” Gülen Bengi, CMO at Mars and chief growth officer at Mars Snacking, said.
“That’s why we’re reimagining the Growth Playbook with a transformative vision for brand building - one that is bold by design and rewired for accelerated value creation. As always, consumers and pets are at the center of everything we do.
"And now, we’re putting our fans and communities in the driver’s seat through unprecedented co-creation of brand experiences, seamlessly connected across the consumer journey and personalised at scale. Our new industry-leading agency ecosystem is the next piece in our plan to bring this vision to life. The Mars way.”
Bengi applauded the agencies involved in the pitch and the rigor of the global review. He added: "I’m deeply grateful for the diligence and dedication of our Associates who orchestrated this process, and to our incumbent partners for their collaboration and commitment to our business.
"They have certainly played an indispensable role in creating the firm foundations we’re proud to be building on today.”
The new agency ecosystem will go live in January 2026, spanning six continents and more than 70 markets worldwide. The pitch process was managed by Flock Associates.
