Zenith Media
Zenith Media Australia is a media planning and buying agency operating across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane with 150+ staff, serving enterprise brands as the Australian division of Publicis Media within Publicis Groupe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersPyrmont, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Zenith Media does
Zenith Media Australia is the Australian division of Zenith, operating as part of Publicis Media within the publicly traded Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: PUB). The legal entity is Publicis Media Australia Pty Ltd, and the business trades as 'Zenith Media,' 'Zenith Australia,' and 'The ROI Agency.' Headquartered in Pyrmont, Sydney, the agency operates across three Australian offices (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane) with a national headcount of more than 150 staff, drawing on a global network of 6,000+ specialists across 95 markets. The agency is led by CEO Jason Tonelli, appointed in 2023, who introduced the ROI3 framework (Insight, Imagination, Investment) as the agency's operating methodology.
The agency's core service is media planning and buying across digital, broadcast, print, and out-of-home channels, structured around six Publicis Media global practices: Data, Technology & Innovation; Content; Trading (PMX); Performance; Business Transformation; and Analytics, Research & Insights. Proprietary assets include Zen Academy (internal training program launched November 2021 achieving 9/10 satisfaction), Rubii (a campaign management automation tool built in partnership with Australian SaaS company Rubii, rolled out to 170+ staff and projected to free 30% of users' time), and a 1,000-strong Rolling Consumer Panel supporting the ZenPoll sentiment tool. The agency publishes Global Intelligence Magazine, Advertising Expenditure Forecasts, and Programmatic Forecasts as thought leadership.
Revenue is generated through professional services: media commissions, management fees, and performance-based arrangements under quote-based, typically multi-year contracts with enterprise clients. The customer base spans apparel (Modibodi), automotive (Honda), retail (ALDI), QSR (Subway), government (City of Melbourne), broadcasting (SBS), luxury fashion (Bottega Veneta/Kering), insurance clubs (RACQ), beverages (Bundaberg), animal health (Bravecto/MSD), fintech (Cashrewards), and meal delivery (Lite'n Easy). The go-to-market is enterprise field sales via dedicated account teams, supplemented by Publicis Groupe's global network and the integrated 'Power of One' cross-sell model. Revenue is not publicly disclosed as the entity sits within a larger public conglomerate.
Zenith Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zenith Media
- Legal name
- Publicis Media Australia Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://zenithmedia.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Zenith Media Australia is a media planning and buying agency operating across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane with 150+ staff, serving enterprise brands as the Australian division of Publicis Media within Publicis Groupe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zenith Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Agency Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Buying Agencies (54183)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Media Planning & Buying (MPAAABAA)
Keywords
Where Zenith Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pyrmont
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Zenith Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Media Planning and Buying Services: Core media agency revenue from planning, strategy, and buying across digital, broadcast, print, and out-of-home channels for enterprise clients. Revenue generated through media commissions, management fees, and performance-based arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise media services - custom quoting |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Zenith Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zenith Media is a full-service media agency providing media planning, strategy and buying across digital, broadcast, print, and out-of-home channels for enterprise brand clients. Services are organised into six Publicis Media global practices (Data, Technology & Innovation; Content; Trading/PMX; Performance; Business Transformation; Analytics, Research & Insights) and underpinned by the proprietary ROI3 framework (Insight, Imagination, Investment). Revenue is generated through media commissions, management fees, and performance-based arrangements on multi-year contracts.
Product overview
Zenith is the ROI agency — a media agency and part of Publicis Media, operating across 95 markets with over 6,000 specialists, and in Australia with offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and over 150 staff. The agency's core offering is not a single software product but a portfolio of specialist practices, internal tools, research publications, and strategic frameworks. The product suite includes: Zen Academy (an internal training program for junior talent), Rubii (an automation and data-visualisation tool built on a partnership with Australian SaaS company Rubii), and the Analytics, Research & Insights Practice (which operates a 1,000-strong rolling consumer panel and ZenPoll). Zenith's specialist capabilities are organized into Publicis Media Global Practices: Data, Technology & Innovation; Content; Trading (PMX); Performance; Business Transformation; and Analytics, Research & Insights. The agency also publishes research through Global Intelligence Magazine, Advertising Expenditure Forecasts, and Programmatic Forecasts. Its operating methodology is anchored in the ROI3 framework (Insight, Imagination, Investment).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Media Planning and Buying Services End-to-end media planning, strategy and buying across digital, broadcast, print and out-of-home channels, delivered to enterprise brand clients through dedicated account teams and global media execution.
- Content Strategy and Activation Full-service content strategy and activation across Publicis Media, covering content development, distribution and brand storytelling for enterprise brand clients.
- Performance Marketing World-class performance marketing operation focused on delivering measurable outcomes, ROI, and conversion-focused campaigns for clients across Publicis Media.
- Business Transformation Consulting Consulting practice that drives excellence in strategic thinking and works with clients to deliver commercial innovation beyond communications planning.
- Analytics, Research & Insights Services Tools, processes and resources that fuel strategy, planning and ROI for clients, including an in-house 1,000-strong rolling consumer panel and ZenPoll proprietary consumer sentiment tracking.
- Data, Technology & Innovation Services Global practice area giving Zenith access to cutting-edge data and technology resources to deliver speed, efficiency and growth for clients.
- Trading and Media Investment (PMX) Zenith's trading practice that expands investment capability to drive client value and business growth through media buying and negotiation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 178% of sales target achieved for Honda Civic launch
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Zenith Media
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Zenith Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature3 records
Zenith Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Subway Australia and New ZealandflagshipIndustry-first Power of One partnership in the Brisbane agency landscape. Subway ceasing operations with decade-long partner AKQA Media to integrate with Publicis Groupe's full service offering including Zenith Media for media strategy, planning and buying. Partnership effective April 2022.
- RubiicorePartnership with Australian SaaS technology company Rubii for real-time data-aggregator allowing measurement, optimisation, reporting and reconciling of campaigns across all digital channels and buying platforms.
- Spotifycore'Demand Different' campaign partnership leveraging Spotify's enhanced algorithms to create custom SBS playlists based on user music preferences, driving awareness to SBS On Demand platform.
- FoodoracoreMeal for a Meal partnership for SBS's Filthy Rich and Homeless campaign. Foodora customers could donate meals to homeless community when ordering takeaway, with $1 donation providing two meals.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zenith Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OMD Australia: Omnicom-owned full-service media planning and buying agency operating in Australia with similar enterprise client roster, holding-company backing, and 'ROI/outcomes-led' positioning.
- PHD Australia: Omnicom's other flagship global media agency with strong Australian operations; competes head-to-head with Zenith for the same enterprise clients and pitches.
- MediaCom Australia: WPP-owned media agency with established Sydney/Melbourne presence; competes directly on enterprise brand mandates and shares a similar full-service planning/buying proposition.
- Mindshare Australia: WPP's flagship media agency in Australia; comparable enterprise client base, data-led planning approach, and global network reach — a direct competitor in pitches.
- Starcom Australia: Publicis Media sibling media agency; competes for the same Publicis clients and overlaps on enterprise brand planning/buying despite shared parent.
- Carat Australia: Dentsu-owned media agency in Australia with comparable full-service planning and buying capabilities targeting enterprise advertisers.
- Wavemaker Australia: GroupM/WPP media agency with significant Australian operations; competes on data-driven planning and consumer insight-led buying, very similar positioning to Zenith.
- Initiative Australia: IPG-owned media agency with Australian presence; competes for similar enterprise brand mandates and emphasises culture and outcomes-led planning.
- Havas Media Australia: Havas's global media network with Australian operations; comparable full-service planning/buying offering and holding-company (now merged with Vivendi) ecosystem access.
Broad incumbents
- Dentsu Media Australia: Larger Dentsu Group media operation in Australia encompassing Carat, iProspect and dentsu X; broader portfolio but overlapping on enterprise planning/buying accounts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zenith Media social profiles
Digital presenceZenith Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zenith Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Zenith Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zenith Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Zenith Media
What does Zenith Media do?
Zenith Media is a full-service media agency providing media planning, strategy and buying across digital, broadcast, print, and out-of-home channels for enterprise brand clients. Services are organised into six Publicis Media global practices (Data, Technology & Innovation; Content; Trading/PMX; Performance; Business Transformation; Analytics, Research & Insights) and underpinned by the proprietary ROI3 framework (Insight, Imagination, Investment). Revenue is generated through media commissions, management fees, and performance-based arrangements on multi-year contracts.
Is Zenith Media a public or private company?
Zenith Media is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Zenith Media founded?
Zenith Media was founded in 1988. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Zenith Media based?
Zenith Media is headquartered in Pyrmont, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Zenith Media make money?
One revenue line is on record: media Planning and Buying Services.
Who are Zenith Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OMD Australia, PHD Australia, MediaCom Australia, Mindshare Australia, Starcom Australia, Carat Australia, Wavemaker Australia, Initiative Australia and Havas Media Australia. Dentsu Media Australia is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Zenith Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zenith Media.
What industry is Zenith Media in?
Zenith Media's product category is Media Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAABAA, Full-Service Media Planning & Buying. Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.