PHD vs WPP Media:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, PHD had more branded searches than WPP Media among media agencies in New Zealand. PHD was estimated to have 1K branded searches compared to WPP Media’s 690, and held a 22.1% Share of Search versus WPP Media’s 15.2%.
Follow PHD vs WPP Media 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
Which is more popular in search, PHD or WPP Media?
Compare media agencies that plan and buy advertising for New Zealand brands, using branded searches made in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for PHD, WPP Media. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | dentsu | PHD | OMD | WPP Media | MBM | Spark Foundry | Together |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 25.8% | 21.3% | 23.3% | 15.6% | 5.8% | 6.5% | 1.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 25.1% | 22% | 24.4% | 13% | 5.5% | 7% | 2.9% |
| Dec 2025 | 29.3% | 18.2% | 19.9% | 15.6% | 7.5% | 7.5% | 2% |
| Jan 2026 | 28.2% | 18.1% | 24.1% | 14.2% | 7.3% | 6.2% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 27.5% | 21.2% | 23% | 15.2% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 2.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 29.7% | 18.9% | 20.6% | 15.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 2.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 31.6% | 18.6% | 17.4% | 18.4% | 6% | 5.6% | 2.3% |
| May 2026 | 25.2% | 18.8% | 20.9% | 19% | 7.6% | 6% | 2.5% |
| Jun 2026 | 24.8% | 19.5% | 24.3% | 16.4% | 5.7% | 6.4% | 2.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 31% | 19.9% | 21.7% | 15.6% | 6.9% | 2.8% | 2.1% |
| Aug 2026 | 28.7% | 22.1% | 20.5% | 15.2% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 2.4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the PHD and WPP Media comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: WPP Media took it in May 2026, PHD took it in June 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, PHD’s estimated Share of Search among media agencies in New Zealand moved from 21.3% to 22.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 1K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, WPP Media’s estimated Share of Search among media agencies in New Zealand moved from 15.6% to 15.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 750 to 690.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand media agencies in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, PHD overtook OMD to rank 2nd among media agencies in New Zealand, at 22.1%.
WPP Media’s estimated Share of Search among media agencies in New Zealand has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 19% to 15.2% in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using PHD’s and WPP Media’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
7 branded search terms
- phd agency
- phd aotearoa
- phd aotearoa nz
- phd media
- phd media auckland
- phd media new zealand
- phd media nz
WPP Media
17 branded search terms
- essencemediacom
- group m nz
- groupm
- groupm new zealand
- groupm nz
- mediacom new zealand
- mediacom nz
- mindshare new zealand
- mindshare nz
- wavemaker new zealand
- wavemaker nz
- wpp media
- wpp media agencies
- wpp media agency
- wpp media auckland
- wpp media new zealand
- wpp media nz
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.