The Coca-Cola Company has concluded the review of its global marketing operating model, keeping WPP Open X as media partner across most international markets and shifting North America media to Omnicom. The new structure begins phasing in from December 1, 2026.
Who does what now
WPP Open X retains the global media assignment outside North America, Japan and South Korea. Omnicom takes the North America media mandate, working alongside WPP StudioX to connect media, CRM, loyalty, data and creator marketing. Dentsu holds media in Japan and South Korea, which were not part of the review.
WPP also continues as Coca-Cola’s global creative partner. That role was not opened up, a reminder that creative and media can be run as separate conversations even within a long-running one-agency model.
Why Coca-Cola made the change
Since WPP created the dedicated Open X unit in 2021, it has supported Coca-Cola marketing across more than 200 countries and territories. This review, however, was less about consolidating buying and more about connecting data, technology and AI.
Manolo Arroyo, executive vice president and chief marketing and customer commercial officer at The Coca-Cola Company, said the review began with a “clear objective” to secure “the right partners, capabilities and operating model” for a fast-changing marketing landscape.
He also credited WPP’s “stellar performance during the reviews” and pointed to its data and AI capabilities. Coca-Cola cited WPP’s Open Intelligence data solution and its application during the FIFA World Cup 2026 activation as an example of that strength.
The North America reset
Omnicom’s arrival in North America is significant because the remit extends beyond channel planning. Coca-Cola says the arrangement is designed to move its largest marketing operation beyond channel-specific execution and toward connected consumer experiences.
In practice, that means media investments, consumer data, loyalty programmes and CRM will be coordinated more closely. For Coca-Cola, the aim is agility and the responsible application of emerging technologies; for the agency sector, it is a high-profile validation of integrated pitch models.
What marketers should take away
- Data and AI are the new pitch currency. Coca-Cola selected partners on integrated capabilities, not only media rates.
- Regional carve-outs are increasingly common. Even a 200-plus-market brand can split partners to match local infrastructure and scale.
- Creative continuity matters. WPP’s separate global creative role stayed untouched, even while media moved.
Coca-Cola described the review as designing the future of its marketing organisation. The outcome suggests that future belongs to partners that can combine global scale with local expertise and technology, rather than those offering the broadest single network.
The phased rollout starts December 1, 2026. For agencies, this is a prompt to make your data stack and AI proof points impossible to ignore. For brand marketers, it is the moment to ask whether your roster is built for integration or simply inherited from legacy planning.
Source: ETBrandEquity.com
