PHD Media NZ

What PHD Media NZ does

PHD Media NZ is the Auckland-based country subsidiary of PHD, a London-headquartered global media planning and buying agency founded in 1990. The firm operates with 51-100 staff at Level 2, Eden Business Centre, 14 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, Auckland 1024, and is part of Omnicom Media Group, a division of NYSE-listed Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC). Through the PHD global network, present in 50+ countries, the NZ office delivers strategic media planning, investment, buying, and campaign execution to enterprise brand marketers, with named local and regional work including the PAK'nSAVE PAK'nRAVE campaign.

At the network level, PHD's central technology is Omni Studio, a proprietary gamified planning tool embedded within Omnicom Group's Omni marketing orchestration and insights platform. Omni Studio enables real-time collaboration among approximately 6,000 agency professionals globally and reportedly generates more than 70,000 unique campaign ideas per year. The combined service portfolio spans 15 capabilities including strategic and investment planning, media negotiation and bid management, audience and inventory management, data analytics, commerce strategy and execution, media and ad operations, measurement and reporting, technology and organisational consultancy, content, and sponsorships. PHD also publishes the Ascension Magazine thought-leadership platform and a portfolio of forward-looking publications (Overthrow, Merge, Predestination, Sentience, Mind Trip).

Commercially, PHD operates as a B2B enterprise services business. Revenue is generated through retainer fees, project-based fees, and media commissions, with pricing quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is built on direct enterprise sales teams and country-level offices supported by Omni Studio cross-market collaboration. Marquee enterprise clients include HSBC, Google, Uber, Porsche, Red Bull, Chanel, OpenAI, and Virgin. The network has accumulated industry recognition including the 2026 WARC Media 100 #1 globally, ADWEEK Global Media Agency of the Year in 2024 and 2025, and multiple Festival of Media and M&M Global Agency Network of the Year titles. PHD NZ also maintains EU-US Privacy Shield, GDPR, and CCPA compliance frameworks inherited from the PHD Media LLC operating entity.

Name

PHD Media NZ

Legal name

Omnicom Media Group Holdings, Inc.

Website

https://phdmedia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PHD Media NZ is the Auckland-based local office of PHD, the London-headquartered global media planning and buying agency within Omnicom Media Group. It delivers strategic media planning, buying, and execution to enterprise brand marketers, including HSBC, Google, and PAK'nSAVE, leveraging the Omni Studio platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Media Planning and Strategy Services: Fees for strategic media planning, audience management, investment planning, and campaign strategy development
2. Media Buying and Negotiation: Commission and fees from media buying, negotiation, and bid management across advertising channels
3. Implementation and Operations: Fees for implementation planning, media and ad operations, measurement and reporting services

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PHD Media NZ is a media planning and buying agency delivering strategic media services including investment planning, audience management, media negotiation, buying and bid management, data analytics, commerce strategy, and campaign measurement for global brand marketers. The agency operates as part of the PHD global network and leverages the proprietary Omni Studio collaboration platform within Omnicom Group's Omni orchestration system to deliver intelligence-connected media strategies across markets.

Product overview

PHD Media NZ operates as part of the PHD global media network and offers a comprehensive suite of media and marketing services. The core offering includes Omni Studio, a proprietary planning and collaboration tool integrated within Omnicom Group's Omni marketing orchestration platform. PHD's service portfolio spans 15 distinct capabilities including Investment Planning, Strategic Planning, Implementation Planning, Media Negotiation, Buying and Bid Management, Audience Management, Inventory Management, Data Analytics, Commerce Strategy, Commerce Planning and Execution, Media and Ad Operations, Measurement and Reporting, Technology Consultancy, Organizational Consultancy, Content Development, and Sponsorship and Partnerships. The network also produces thought leadership through publications including Ascension Magazine and research papers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Omni Studio Proprietary gamified campaign planning and collaboration platform integrated within Omnicom Group's Omni marketing orchestration and insights platform. It connects 6,000 minds globally to generate 70,000+ unique ideas per year and enables real-time collaborative campaign building from research and audience building through channel selection and optimization. Used by PHD teams and clients (including HSBC) to create integrated briefing and planning ecosystems.
• Shift A PHD sub-brand designed to help marketers and their agencies rethink marketing for tomorrow, today, supporting global business transformation engagements.
• Ascension Magazine Thought leadership publication providing insights on media trends, AI implications for marketing, and future-focused strategic thinking for clients. Also includes long-form publications such as Overthrow, Merge, Predestination, Sentience, and Mind Trip exploring challenger brands, technology merger with humanity, future tech trends, AI revolution, and futurist thinking.
• Media Planning and Strategy Services Strategic media planning services including investment planning, strategic planning, implementation planning, audience management, and campaign strategy development for global brand marketers. Delivered via retainer agreements, project-based fees, or media commission structures.
• Media Buying and Negotiation Services Media buying, negotiation, and bid management services across advertising channels including commerce strategy, commerce planning and execution, media and ad operations, inventory management, and content development for brand clients.
• Measurement, Reporting and Analytics Services Data analytics, measurement and reporting services including technology consultancy, organizational consultancy, and sponsorship and partnerships capabilities, supporting clients in evaluating media performance and ROI across campaigns and markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70,000+ unique ideas generated per year through Omni Studio
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Omnicom Media GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHD is part of Omnicom Media Group, a global network designed for growth. Through this network, PHD taps into expertise, intelligence, and talent across markets and disciplines, combining scale with insight to deliver impactful work. At the heart of the approach are Growth Ecosystems, tailored to each client's ambitions and built to deploy exactly what's needed.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• OMD Worldwide: Sister agency within Omnicom Media Group, directly competing for overlapping global media planning and buying mandates. Operates the same holding company infrastructure and competing for the same client roster.
• Hearts & Science: Omnicom Media Group sibling agency focused on data-driven audience buying, competing for the same enterprise global media clients. Shared parent and platform, direct substitute in pitches.
• Mindshare: WPP-owned global media agency network with analogous planning, buying, and audience management offerings. Serves similarly global brand marketers across multiple regions.
• MediaCom: WPP-owned global media network with comparable integrated communications planning and CONNECT platform. Competes head-to-head for large enterprise clients like HSBC, P&G, and Sony.
• Wavemaker: WPP-owned global media, content, and technology agency, similarly structured around data, content, and media planning for major advertisers across markets.
• Zenith: Publicis Media-owned global media agency network offering ROI-driven media planning and buying with comparable multi-market delivery and similar client roster.
• Starcom: Publicis Media-owned global media network with analogous human experience planning and global agency footprint, commonly competing in the same enterprise brand reviews.
• Initiative: IPG Mediabrands-owned global media network with comparable planning and activation services for enterprise clients, frequently bidding on the same multinational accounts.
• UM (Universal McCann): IPG Mediabrands-owned global media agency, also founded in 1990s-era challenger DNA, often co-bidding with PHD for major holding-company-managed global accounts.

Broad incumbents

• GroupM: Largest global media investment group (WPP), housing Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, and Essence. Competes with PHD across the majority of multinational pitches and represents the largest direct competitor at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phd-aotearoa
• Instagraminstagram.com/phdworldwide
• Xx.com/phdworldwide
• Facebookfacebook.com/PHDMediaIndia

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PHD Media NZ