28 November 2008
	PROFILES OMD

Type of agency - Media Ownership - 54,9% Omnicom; 45,1% local Key person - Josh Dovey Billings - R3,8bn Accounts gained - 7 Accounts lost - 0 Total clients - 248 Number of staff - 138 Equity - 25,1% Biggest client - Standard Bank Josh Dovey's high point for 2007-2008 is simple: "Half a billion rand of new business." Even by OMD's standards, that's remarkable growth for this media-buying specialist. According to the rules of the global Omnicom group to which it belongs, OMD doesn't give out much financial information. However, it does reveal that it racked up billings of R3,8bn last year. That puts it a few million ahead of Media Shop but streets ahead of other competitors. Recma - the international Research Company Evaluating the Media Agency Industry - ranks OMD not only as SA's biggest agency but also the leader in pitch competitiveness. Last year it won seven out of seven. New accounts were the National Lottery, Danone, Distell, National Brands, Liberty Life, Visa and De Beers. The agency's biggest clients are Standard Bank, Distell, Tiger Brands, Mercedes/Chrysler and JD Group.