PHD vs The Media Lab:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, PHD had more branded searches than The Media Lab among media agencies in New Zealand. PHD had about 780 branded searches, while The Media Lab had 150. PHD made up 28.3% of all media agency searches we track, and The Media Lab accounted for 5.4%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about media agencies, PHD appeared in three of the four answers and The Media Lab in two. PHD was mentioned before The Media Lab in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
PHD, about 5 searches for every 1 for The Media Lab
Who does AI mention more?
PHD, mentioned in 3 of 4 answers, The Media Lab in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
PHD, named ahead of The Media Lab in 2 of 3 answers
Follow PHD vs The Media Lab and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top media agencies in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, PHD was mentioned in three out of four: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. The Media Lab was mentioned in two out of four: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. PHD was listed before The Media Lab in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Together1st- PHD2nd
The Media Lab3rd
MBM4th
OMD5th
dentsu–
WPP Media–
Spark Foundry–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- PHD3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Together3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- The Media Lab2 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- MBM2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- OMD1 of 4Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- dentsu0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- WPP Media0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Spark Foundry0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about media agencies
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which media agency should I hire in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best media agencies in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best media agency in New Zealand for advertising campaigns?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“media agencies nz”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“advertising agency nz”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is PHD or The Media Lab more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for PHD and The Media Lab by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight media agencies we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for PHD, The Media Lab. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | dentsu | PHD | WPP Media | The Media Lab | Together | Spark Foundry | MBM | OMD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 33.9% | 30.6% | 21.1% | 4.9% | 2.6% | 3% | 1.6% | 2.3% |
| Nov 2025 | 33.5% | 33.5% | 17.6% | 4.3% | 4.7% | 1.8% | 1.4% | 3.2% |
| Dec 2025 | 38.6% | 26.4% | 19.3% | 5.1% | 3% | 2.5% | 3% | 2% |
| Jan 2026 | 37.4% | 26.8% | 18.7% | 5.1% | 3% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 3% |
| Feb 2026 | 34.9% | 31.2% | 21% | 3.1% | 4.4% | 2.4% | 1.4% | 1.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 36.4% | 28.4% | 19.8% | 4.6% | 3.7% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.2% | 25.9% | 23.1% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 3.1% | 1.4% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 33.1% | 27.4% | 23.8% | 4.3% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| Jun 2026 | 32.1% | 28.7% | 20.4% | 6.8% | 4.5% | 3.4% | 1.5% | 2.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 38.9% | 27.9% | 19.3% | 5.4% | 3.2% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Aug 2026 | 35.9% | 31.3% | 18.1% | 5.9% | 3.6% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 35.5% | 28.3% | 20.3% | 5.4% | 4% | 2.5% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
How has the PHD and The Media Lab comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- PHD was ahead of The Media Lab in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, PHD’s share of searches among media agencies in New Zealand moved from 30.6% to 28.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 930 to 780.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, The Media Lab’s share of searches among media agencies in New Zealand moved from 4.9% to 5.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 150.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand media agencies in September 2026?
1 change
In September 2026, PHD lost share of searches among media agencies in New Zealand, from 31.3% to 28.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
5 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PHD’s and The Media Lab’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.
PHD
3 branded search terms
- phd agency
- phd aotearoa
- phd media
The Media Lab
2 branded search terms
- The Media Lab
- themedialab
Other head-to-heads among media agencies
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.