Amazon has split its media business between Omnicom Media Group and WPP following a massive review that began in late 2023. 

The holding companies will split their remits by geography, with OMG handling the Americas and WPP managing EMEA and APAC, according to a statement from Amazon, which called the decision a “strategic move to benefit from the best of what both agencies have to offer.”

“The process took over six months from end to end and included an objective third-party review by MediaSense to validate our findings,” Amazon said in its statement. 

Interpublic Group of Cos.’ Initiative was the incumbent on the account. IPG will remain the global media partner for Amazon Web Services, Amazon Business and Amazon Ads, according to the e-commerce giant.

Amazon is the largest ad spender in both the U.S. and worldwide, according to Ad Age Datacenter.

In its latest annual regulatory filing, Amazon disclosed worldwide advertising and other promotional costs of $20.3 billion in 2023, down 1.5% from 2022. Amazon had U.S. measured-media spending of $6.2 billion in 2023, down 13% from 2022, according to Vivvix, including paid social data from Pathmatics.

Amazon’s broader push

Amazon has been expanding its ad tech program for publishers, with a focus on connected TV apps. It recently released a measurement product called Signal IQ that lets publishers track how third-party data affects their ad deals. The launch followed its first upfront week presentation.  

The e-commerce giant’s demand-side platform, Amazon DSP, is also competing for advertisers against Google’s Display and Video 360 and independent ad tech firm The Trade Desk. Amazon has been trying to reshape the narrative around its DSP, which has largely been viewed as a way to tap into Amazon properties with the benefits of Amazon’s shopping data. At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June, Amazon announced new ways to buy inventory through its DSP without third-party cookies.

Investing in Prime Video has been a core focus, too. Last September, Amazon announced it would automatically opt all Prime Video users in for advertising when watching shows such as “The Boys” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” beginning early this year. Less than three months later, Amazon signed a three-year deal with Mediabrands that granted the IPG network’s agencies first-look rights on upcoming ad formats and show sponsorships.

Amazon has worked with a number of Stagwell’s creative agencies recently. In May, Amazon Ads rolled out a spot from Anomaly depicting a marketer whose product launch is completely upstaged by a competitor. In early 2023, the company awarded 72andSunny a brand campaign that continued Amazon’s “Every Day Better” tagline, a push that has been running since 2022.