Pointer Index analysis: Publicis well ahead, WPP Media down 41%

WPP Media's job advertising in Australia and New Zealand fell 41% last quarter, following reports that WPP cut more than 12% of its local staff, or 335 roles, in 2025, according to documents lodged with ASIC.

The data comes from the Pointer Index, a go-to-market (GTM) jobs index developed by recruitment firm Pointer Strategy. The index covers 45,864 GTM jobs, a category that includes marketing, advertised by 17,246 employers in the 90 days to 22 September. WPP advertised 37 jobs in that period.

Six advertising companies made the top 100 advertisers. Pointer Strategy founder and CEO Ricky Pearl said Publicis Groupe was well ahead of the rest. 

“They ranked eighth overall of all firms, not just advertising, with 105 jobs – more than one a day,” he said.

“That figure was 24% up on the previous quarter and put them between Microsoft, which advertised 108 roles, and Google, which advertised for 102 roles.”

Publicis Groupe advertised more roles than Salesforce in 13th place (82 jobs), Woolworths in 15th (75), News Corp in 26th (62), Xero in 29th (56), carsales in 30th (54), Telstra in 32nd (53) and REA Group in 79th (34).

Among the other agency groups in the top 100, Omnicom Media Group ranked 40th with 49 jobs, down 5% on the previous quarter. Dentsu was 67th with 38 jobs, up 2%. Havas Group was 74th with 36 jobs, up 10%, and Spark Foundry was 94th with 31 jobs, up 2%.

READ MORE: WPP ANZ revenue and headcount fall in 2025