The latest media campaign Ireland snapshot shows a market that is becoming more competitive, more digitally weighted and more sharply defined by momentum rather than sheer size. RECMA’s Q1 2026 Ireland assessment places Zenith and Core firmly in front, while PHD stands out as the agency making one of the strongest upward moves in the market.
For brands, marketers and agency leaders, these rankings offer more than a league table. They provide a clear view of which agencies are winning pitches, building stronger client portfolios and investing in the specialist capabilities that increasingly shape media campaign Ireland performance.
Media Campaign Ireland Rankings: Who Leads in Q1 2026?
According to RECMA’s first qualitative Ireland report of 2026, Zenith sits at the top of the market with 20 points and is the only agency classified as “Dominant.” That distinction matters because RECMA’s methodology is designed to capture both market momentum and organisational strength, not just billing volume.
Behind Zenith, two Core agencies also performed strongly:
- Spark Foundry ranked second with 19 points
- Starcom ranked third with 14 points
- PHD climbed to fourth with 12 points after a notable nine-point gain
- Carat, Havas Media and OMD shared fifth place with 11 points each
The result underlines Core’s depth in the Irish market. While Zenith leads individually, Core’s wider agency stable gives the group significant influence across the media campaign Ireland landscape.
How RECMA Measures Agency Strength
RECMA’s qualitative assessment, known as Qualipack, scores agencies across 18 criteria split between two main pillars: Vitality and Structure. This framework is useful because it reflects how modern agencies are judged in practice.
Vitality: Momentum in the Market
Vitality focuses on the signals that show whether an agency is gaining traction. These include:
- Pitch performance
- New business gains and losses
- Client portfolio development
- Three-year activity growth
- Awards and visibility
- Leadership strength
In the separate vitality rankings, Spark Foundry actually led the table with 11 points, ahead of Zenith on 10. PHD, Havas Media and Starcom each scored eight, reinforcing the idea that competition for media campaign Ireland leadership remains active even with Zenith on top overall.
Structure: Capability and Stability
Structure evaluates the foundations that support long-term performance. RECMA looks at:
- Digital, data and content expertise
- The share of non-traditional activity
- Client diversity and concentration
- Portfolio longevity
- Retention strength
For any business planning a media campaign Ireland strategy, these structural indicators matter. An agency with strong digital, content and analytics capabilities is better equipped to manage increasingly fragmented media environments.
Core Dominates at Group Level
At holding-group level, Core remains the clear market leader with a combined qualitative score of 53 points. That puts it well ahead of its nearest rivals and confirms its continued dominance in Ireland.
The rest of the group standings were as follows:
- Core – 53 points
- Omnicom Media – 27 points
- dentsu – 16 points
- Havas Media Network – 11 points
- WPP Media – 10 points
Omnicom Media’s position reflects the reshaped market after Omnicom’s acquisition of IPG in 2025. Its portfolio now includes PHD, OMD, UM and Initiative, giving it a broader base from which to compete for future media campaign Ireland briefs.
PHD Emerges as the Standout Mover
While Zenith and Core held their lead, PHD arguably delivered the most eye-catching improvement. A nine-point jump pushed the agency into fourth place and into the “High Profile” tier.
That rise suggests more than a temporary boost. It points to stronger pitch momentum, healthier portfolio dynamics and improved competitive standing. In a market where qualitative momentum can influence future billings, PHD’s performance will be watched closely by marketers assessing their next media campaign Ireland partner.
It also signals that the market is not static. Leadership may be concentrated at the top, but agencies with the right mix of strategy, talent and specialist services can still shift the balance.
The Irish Media Market Is Growing and Becoming More Digital
RECMA’s separate 2025 activity report adds another important layer to the story. The Irish market covered by the study was valued at €905 million in 2025, up 6.1% from €853 million in 2024.
That growth was accompanied by a rise in non-traditional activity, which increased from 37% to 39%. This category includes:
- Online paid media
- Search
- Social media
- Content services
- Data and analytics
- E-commerce support
- Artificial intelligence-related services
This shift is highly relevant for any media campaign Ireland planning process. It shows that media investment is moving beyond traditional planning and buying into broader integrated services, where content, commerce and data play a larger role.
Who Leads by Market Volume?
On estimated overall activity volume in 2025, Zenith was the largest individual agency with €135 million, representing a 14.9% market share. Starcom followed with €110 million, while Spark Foundry posted €104 million. Carat and OMD rounded out the top five with €102 million and €100 million respectively.
At group level, Core handled €350 million and increased its market share from 36% to 38.7%. Omnicom Media accounted for €218 million and a 24.1% share, while WPP Media ranked third with €172 million.
These figures reinforce the qualitative findings. Core leads on scale, Zenith leads at agency level and the battle for the next tier of media campaign Ireland leadership remains intense.
What This Means for Brands and Marketers
The latest rankings suggest that Irish advertisers should look beyond size alone when choosing an agency. RECMA’s methodology highlights qualities that increasingly determine success in a modern media campaign Ireland environment:
- Consistent new-business momentum
- Strong digital and data capabilities
- Diverse, stable client portfolios
- Adaptability across paid, owned and content-led channels
For procurement teams and CMOs, the takeaway is simple: market leadership today depends on a mix of resilience, specialist expertise and visible momentum.
In conclusion, the latest media campaign Ireland picture is led by Zenith at agency level and Core at group level, with PHD emerging as the most notable riser. As the market grows and non-traditional services become more central, the agencies best positioned for success will be those that pair scale with agility, digital depth and sustained competitive energy.
