--- title: "Special Group vs VML: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?" description: "Which is more popular in search, Special Group or VML? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Creative and Integrated Agencies set 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." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/special-group-vs-vml-new-zealand" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Special Group vs VML: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand? Which is more popular in search, Special Group or VML? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Creative and Integrated Agencies set 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. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Special Group and VML - **Competitive set**: Creative and Integrated Agencies - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Aug 2026 - **Special Group Share of Search**: 6.2% - **VML Share of Search**: 4.2% ## Which is more popular in search, Special Group or VML? - In August 2026, Special Group had more branded searches than VML among creative and integrated agencies in New Zealand. Special Group was estimated to have 640 branded searches compared to VML’s 440, and held a 6.2% Share of Search versus VML’s 4.2%. - The lead changed hands 3 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Special Group took it in December 2025, VML took it in February 2026, Special Group took it in March 2026. - Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Special Group’s estimated Share of Search among creative and integrated agencies in New Zealand moved from 7% to 6.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 770 to 640. - Across the 11 months ending August 2026, VML’s estimated Share of Search among creative and integrated agencies in New Zealand moved from 10.4% to 4.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.1K to 440. ## How did search popularity change for New Zealand creative and integrated agencies in August 2026? - In August 2026, TBWA\New Zealand overtook Special Group to rank 4th among creative and integrated agencies in New Zealand, at 7.7%. - Estimated monthly branded searches for VML in New Zealand fell 61.4% over 11 measured months, from 1.1K to 440 in August 2026. - Estimated monthly branded searches for Special Group in New Zealand fell 16.9% over 11 measured months, from 770 to 640 in August 2026. ## Month by month | Month | Special Group estimated searches | Special Group Share of Search | Special Group rank | VML estimated searches | VML Share of Search | VML rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 770 | 7% | 5 | 1.1K | 10.4% | 3 | | Nov 2025 | 620 | 6.2% | 5 | 630 | 6.3% | 4 | | Dec 2025 | 420 | 5.4% | 5 | 360 | 4.6% | 7 | | Jan 2026 | 460 | 4.9% | 5 | 390 | 4.1% | 7 | | Feb 2026 | 440 | 4.4% | 8 | 450 | 4.5% | 7 | | Mar 2026 | 640 | 5.1% | 8 | 500 | 4% | 10 | | Apr 2026 | 510 | 5.1% | 7 | 400 | 4% | 10 | | May 2026 | 640 | 6.6% | 4 | 460 | 4.7% | 8 | | Jun 2026 | 760 | 7.6% | 4 | 490 | 4.9% | 9 | | Jul 2026 | 560 | 6% | 6 | 430 | 4.6% | 8 | | Aug 2026 | 640 | 6.2% | 6 | 440 | 4.2% | 8 | | Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Special Group’s and VML’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. - **Special Group**: Measured on the search terms “special group”, “special group advertising”, “special group agency”, “special group auckland”, “special group design”, “special group nz”, “special group wellington”, “specialgroup” and “the special group”, summed into one figure. - **VML**: Measured on the search terms “vml”, “vml agency”, “vml auckland”, “vml new zealand”, “vml nz”, “vml wellington”, “vmly&r” and “wunderman thompson nz”, summed into one figure. - [Special Group profile](/demand/nz/brands/special-group) - [VML profile](/demand/nz/brands/vml-new-zealand) - [All creative and integrated agencies in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/creative-integrated-agencies): The set both shares are measured inside, 16 brands. ## Methodology - [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Which is more popular in search, Special Group or VML? In August 2026, Special Group had more branded searches than VML among creative and integrated agencies in New Zealand. Special Group was estimated to have 640 branded searches compared to VML’s 440, and held a 6.2% Share of Search versus VML’s 4.2%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Special Group vs VML: Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/special-group-vs-vml-new-zealand This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/special-group-vs-vml-new-zealand. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.