dentsu vs Directive:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, dentsu had more branded searches than Directive among media buying agencies worldwide. dentsu had about 110,000 branded searches, while Directive had 1,300. dentsu made up 36.1% of all media buying agency searches we track, and Directive accounted for 0.43%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about media buying agencies, Directive appeared in two of the five answers and dentsu in none.
Who do people search for more?
dentsu, about 85 searches for every 1 for Directive
Who does AI mention more?
Directive, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, dentsu in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Directive, the only one of the two named
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Top media buying agencies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Directive was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. dentsu did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Tinuiti2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Disruptive Advertising2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Directive2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Hotspex Media2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- dentsu0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
WPP Media0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Omnicom Media Group0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
IPG Mediabrands0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Publicis Media0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Havas Media0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about media buying agencies
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which media buying agency should I hire?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best media buying agencies?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best media buying agency for ad campaigns?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“media buying agencies”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“digital media buying agency”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is dentsu or Directive more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for dentsu and Directive by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all ten media buying agencies we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for dentsu, Directive. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | dentsu | WPP Media | Omnicom Media Group | IPG Mediabrands | Publicis Media | Havas Media | Tinuiti | Disruptive Advertising | Directive | Hotspex Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 37% | 25.8% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 6.1% | 5% | 2.3% | 0.82% | 0.64% | 0.11% |
| Nov 2025 | 37.9% | 24.7% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 6.2% | 5.1% | 2% | 0.67% | 0.45% | 0.11% |
| Dec 2025 | 35.6% | 23.1% | 15.9% | 10.7% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 2.7% | 0.76% | 0.51% | 0.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 36.1% | 27.1% | 13.3% | 8.9% | 5.9% | 4.9% | 2.3% | 0.82% | 0.62% | 0.1% |
| Feb 2026 | 36.6% | 26.1% | 13.5% | 9% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.3% | 0.83% | 0.63% | 0.09% |
| Mar 2026 | 36.3% | 26% | 13.4% | 9% | 6% | 4.9% | 2.8% | 0.98% | 0.63% | 0.11% |
| Apr 2026 | 36.6% | 26.1% | 13.5% | 9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 0.82% | 0.63% | 0.09% |
| May 2026 | 32.5% | 28.3% | 14.6% | 9.7% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 3% | 0.59% | 0.58% | 0.09% |
| Jun 2026 | 33.8% | 29.4% | 12.4% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 5.5% | 2.6% | 0.62% | 0.6% | 0.08% |
| Jul 2026 | 32.6% | 32% | 14.6% | 6.5% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 2.5% | 0.59% | 0.58% | 0.08% |
| Aug 2026 | 33% | 32.4% | 14.8% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 2.5% | 0.59% | 0.47% | 0.06% |
| Sep 2026 | 36.1% | 30.3% | 13.3% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 4.9% | 2.3% | 0.79% | 0.43% | 0.06% |
How has the dentsu and Directive comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- dentsu was ahead of Directive in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, dentsu’s share of searches among media buying agencies worldwide moved from 37% to 36.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 110K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Directive’s share of searches among media buying agencies worldwide moved from 0.64% to 0.43%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.9K to 1.3K.
How did search popularity change for media buying agencies worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, dentsu gained share of searches among media buying agencies worldwide, from 33% to 36.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Directive worldwide fell 31.6% over 12 measured months, from 1.9K to 1.3K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using dentsu’s and Directive’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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