# Publicis Media
> Paris, France / New York, NY
- Profile type: Company
- Profile status: baseline
- Last updated: 2026-05-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Canonical URL: https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/publicis-media/
- Also known as: Publicis Media Group, PM
## Summary
Publicis Media is the media-planning and -buying solutions hub of Publicis Groupe, organized in 2015 from the Groupe's prior media operations. It houses Starcom, Zenith, Spark Foundry, the Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) trading desk, and digital-performance arm Performics, and is the buy-side counterpart to Epsilon's identity stack inside Publicis Connected Media. It is one of the big four holdco media networks alongside Omnicom Media Group, WPP Media, and IPG Mediabrands.

## Company facts

- Founded: 2015
- Headquarters: Paris, France / New York, NY
- Domain: publicismedia.com
- CEO: dave penski (https://thestateofstreaming.com/people/dave-penski/)


## Key facts

- Publicis Groupe announced the formation of Publicis Media as one of its four solution hubs on December 9, 2015, consolidating its media operations - and unfolding the new organization around four global agency brands (Starcom, Zenith, Mediavest | Spark, and Optimedia | Blue 449) plus global accelerator PMX - in a January 27, 2016 announcement. — Publicis Groupe press release: https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/publicis-media-unfolds-its-organisation-powered-by-four-global-brands-starcom-zenith-mediavest-spark-and-optimedia-blue-449
- In 2017 Publicis Media consolidated Mediavest | Spark and Blue 449 into a single global brand, Spark Foundry, narrowing the network to its current front-door agencies of Starcom, Zenith, and Spark Foundry, all backed by PMX (trading) and Performics (performance). — Publicis Groupe press release - Spark Foundry rebrand: https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/mediavest-spark-rebrands-as-spark-foundry-globally-en-1
- Dave Penski has been CEO of Publicis Media in the U.S. since February 2021, succeeding Tim Jones as the network's Americas chief and retaining global oversight of PMX. In December 2024 Publicis Groupe promoted Penski to Global CEO of Publicis Connected Media - a broader unit combining Publicis Media with Epsilon, PMX, Influential, and the Groupe's digital experience agencies. — Adweek - Executive Moves Hint at Big Plans for Publicis Connected Media: https://www.adweek.com/agencies/publicis-connected-media-promotions/
- Steve King, the long-time CEO of Publicis Media (2016-2019) and later COO of Publicis Groupe and Chairman of Europe, departed Publicis at the end of 2024 after nearly four decades with the Groupe and its predecessor networks. — MediaPost - Long-time Publicis Media Exec King Departing: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/401328/long-time-publicis-media-exec-king-departing.html
- Publicis Media is positioned within parent Publicis Groupe's Connecting Company model as one of the Groupe's four solution hubs (alongside Publicis Communications, Publicis Sapient, and Epsilon), and is the buy-side engine that activates Epsilon's people-based identity graph of 250 million-plus U.S. consumers acquired by the Groupe in 2019 for $4.4 billion. — Epsilon press release - Publicis Groupe acquisition close: https://www.epsilon.com/us/about-us/pressroom/publicis-groupe-finalizes-the-acquisition-of-epsilon
- Parent Publicis Groupe reported full-year 2025 net revenue of EUR 14,547 million on +5.6 percent organic growth and an 18.2 percent operating margin, with approximately 114,000 employees globally. Publicis Media sits inside that consolidated reporting; the Groupe does not break out Publicis Media revenue separately in its earnings releases. — Publicis Groupe FY 2025 Results press release: https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/publicis-groupe-2025-full-year-results


## Related

- publicis groupe (parent) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/publicis-groupe/
- dave penski (Global CEO) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/people/dave-penski/
- arthur sadoun (Chairman and CEO) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/people/arthur-sadoun/
- starcom (subsidiary agency (front-door planning/buying)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/starcom/
- zenith (subsidiary agency (front-door planning/buying)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/zenith/
- spark foundry (subsidiary agency (front-door planning/buying)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/spark-foundry/
- publicis media exchange (subsidiary - global trading desk (PMX)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/publicis-media-exchange/
- performics (subsidiary - performance/digital marketing) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/performics/
- epsilon (sister hub within Publicis Connected Media (identity/data)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/epsilon/
- omnicom media group (peer holdco media network competitor) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/omnicom-media-group/
- wpp media (peer holdco media network competitor) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/wpp-media/
- mediabrands (peer holdco media network competitor) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/mediabrands/
- dentsu (peer holdco media network competitor) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/companies/dentsu/
- programmatic advertising (core capability (PMX trading)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/tech/programmatic-advertising/
- addressable advertising (core capability (CTV/linear addressable buying)) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/tech/addressable-advertising/
- identity resolution (core capability via Epsilon integration) — https://thestateofstreaming.com/tech/identity-resolution/


## External coverage

- Publicis Media: Publicis Media official site (https://www.publicismedia.com/)
- 2016-01-27 — Publicis Groupe: Publicis Media unfolds its organisation powered by four global brands (https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/publicis-media-unfolds-its-organisation-powered-by-four-global-brands-starcom-zenith-mediavest-spark-and-optimedia-blue-449)
- 2017-09-18 — Publicis Groupe: Mediavest | Spark Rebrands As Spark Foundry Globally (https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/mediavest-spark-rebrands-as-spark-foundry-globally-en-1)
- 2024-12-04 — Adweek: Executive Moves Hint at Big Plans for Publicis Connected Media (https://www.adweek.com/agencies/publicis-connected-media-promotions/)
- 2024-11-22 — MediaPost: Long-time Publicis Media Exec King Departing (https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/401328/long-time-publicis-media-exec-king-departing.html)
- The Media Leader: Dave Penski, CEO of Publicis Media, talks AI and future of advertising at Tribeca X (https://uk.themedialeader.com/dave-penski-ceo-of-publicis-media-talks-ai-and-future-of-advertising-at-tribeca-x/)

## Profile
Publicis Media is the media-planning and -buying solutions hub of [Publicis Groupe](/companies/publicis-groupe/), organized in [December 2015](https://www.publicisgroupe.com/en/news/press-releases/publicis-media-unfolds-its-organisation-powered-by-four-global-brands-starcom-zenith-mediavest-spark-and-optimedia-blue-449) when the Groupe consolidated its prior media operations into one of four solution hubs (alongside Publicis Communications, Publicis Sapient, and Epsilon). The network's front-door agencies are Starcom, Zenith, and Spark Foundry, each backed by the combined buying power of [Publicis Media Exchange (PMX)](/companies/publicis-media-exchange/) - the Groupe's global trading desk - and the digital-performance practice Performics.

The strategically distinctive piece is the wiring to Epsilon. Since the [July 2019 close of Publicis' $4.4 billion Epsilon acquisition](https://www.epsilon.com/us/about-us/pressroom/publicis-groupe-finalizes-the-acquisition-of-epsilon), Publicis Media has been the activation surface for Epsilon's people-based identity graph - the deepest first-party identity stack inside any of the big-four agency holdcos and the asset Publicis cites most often in explaining its run of organic-growth outperformance. In December 2024 Publicis Groupe formalized that integration by promoting Dave Penski - then CEO of Publicis Media - to [Global CEO of Publicis Connected Media](https://www.adweek.com/agencies/publicis-connected-media-promotions/), a broader unit combining Publicis Media with Epsilon, PMX, Influential, and the Groupe's digital experience agencies. Long-time media chief Steve King [departed Publicis at the end of 2024](https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/401328/long-time-publicis-media-exec-king-departing.html) after nearly four decades.

For competitive context: Publicis Media is one of the four major holdco media networks, alongside [Omnicom Media Group](/companies/omnicom-media-group/), [WPP Media](/companies/wpp-media/), and [IPG Mediabrands](/companies/mediabrands/). The November 2025 close of the Omnicom-Interpublic merger reordered the holdco scoreboard - and the holdco-vs.-direct-advertiser fault line is increasingly visible in standards bodies; see our coverage of the [IAB Tech Lab PGC launch](/advertising-adtech/2026/04/iab-tech-lab-pgc-leap-launch/) for the seating chart.

## Tags

- agency
- media-agency
- holdco-media-network
- media-buying
- media-planning
- programmatic
- publicis
- paris
- new-york

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