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Brief
Starcom

Starcom

Media Planning & BuyingAgencystarcomglobal.com

Starcom connects the world's leading brands to consumers through human-centric, data-driven media strategy and buying, leveraging Publicis Groupe's proprietary data and technology ecosystem for measurable business outcomes.

Last updated Sep 19, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment · Connections updated Sep 21, 2026

Founded
1999
HQ
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Parent
Publicis Groupe
Connections
24

At a glance

Employees
5001-10000
Revenue
$1B+
15integrations6competitors1corporate family

About

Top-3 global media agency by billings; flagship brand of Publicis Media within Publicis Groupe

Starcom is a leading global media agency and a flagship brand within Publicis Media, the media division of Publicis Groupe. Founded in 1999 as a spinoff from Leo Burnett, Starcom has grown into one of the top three global media agencies by billings, with a presence spanning dozens of markets worldwide. The agency specializes in human experience planning, connecting brands to consumers through data-driven media strategy, planning, buying, and analytics across all channels including digital, social, TV, out-of-home, and emerging platforms. Starcom's client roster includes some of the world's most recognized brands, such as McDonald's, Samsung, Bank of America, and Procter & Gamble in select markets. The agency differentiates itself through its proprietary planning tools, deep audience intelligence capabilities, and a philosophy centered on understanding human behavior to drive meaningful brand connections. Its integration within Publicis Media gives it access to shared technology infrastructure, including Publicis's Epsilon data platform and AI-powered tools under the Marcel and CoreAI ecosystems. With an employee count in the 5,001–10,000 range, Starcom operates as a major force in the global media agency landscape, competing directly with WPP's Mindshare, Omnicom's OMD, and IPG's Initiative. The agency's scale, proprietary data assets, and global network make it a preferred partner for multinational brands seeking integrated, insight-led media solutions across diverse markets.

Business model

Agency

Target market

Enterprise

What they offer

  • Human Experience Planning

    Starcom's proprietary planning methodology that centers media strategy around deep understanding of human behavior and audience motivations.

  • Audience Intelligence Platform

    Data-driven audience segmentation and insights tools that inform media planning and targeting across channels.

  • Performance Media

    End-to-end performance media buying and optimization services across digital, programmatic, search, and social channels.

  • Content & Partnerships

    Strategic content creation and media partnership solutions that integrate brand messaging into culturally relevant contexts.

  • Measurement & Analytics

    Cross-channel measurement frameworks and attribution modeling to quantify media effectiveness and business impact.

  • Epsilon Data Integration

    Access to Publicis Groupe's Epsilon first-party data platform for enhanced audience targeting and personalization at scale.

Key features

Human experience-led media planning philosophyAccess to Publicis Epsilon first-party data platformIntegrated programmatic and data-driven buying capabilitiesGlobal network spanning 100+ marketsAdvanced cross-channel measurement and attributionAI-powered planning tools via Publicis CoreAIStrong entertainment, sports, and cultural partnership capabilities

Use cases

Global media strategy and planning for multinational brandsCross-channel media buying including TV, digital, OOH, and socialAudience segmentation and targeting using first-party dataBrand awareness and performance campaign managementSports and entertainment media partnershipsE-commerce and retail media strategyCross-market campaign coordination for global advertisers

Customer segments

Fortune 500 and global enterprise brandsQuick service restaurant (QSR) chainsConsumer electronics manufacturersFinancial services institutionsConsumer packaged goods (CPG) companiesRetail and e-commerce brandsEntertainment and media companies

Tech & specs

Technology stack

Publicis Epsilon data platformPublicis CoreAIMarcel (AI collaboration platform)Programmatic DSPs (DV360, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP)Advanced TV and CTV buying platformsCustom audience intelligence and planning toolsCross-channel measurement and attribution platforms

Security & compliance

GDPRCCPABrand Safety Standards (GARM)

Deployment

Cloud

API

Limited

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