Agency Performance Review 2025: Zenith

Snapshot

Agency type/ownership: Media agency; owned by Publicis Groupe

Organic growth rate: Declined to provide

New clients: 8

Total accounts: 47

U.S. headcount: 1,400

Employee turnover: Declined to provide

Key U.S. personnel: Lauren Hanrahan, CEO; Adil Zaim, chief transformation officer; David Burke, EVP, operations and integration; Kathleen Dundas, president, data strategy and analytics; Colleen Hotchkiss, president, growth practices; Billy Panopoulos, CFO; Sandra Labonte, EVP, chief talent officer; Molly Finnerty, chief investment officer; Alex Jackson, EVP, business development, marketing and communications

Women on staff: Declined to provide

Women in C-suite: Declined to provide

BIPOC on staff: Declined to provide

BIPOC in C-suite: Declined to provide

Top-line Review

Zenith did not share financials for 2024, making progress difficult to judge. 


The agency reported no losses in 2024 and won eight new clients, including Penn Entertainment, Rocket Companies, Spotify, H&M, two retailers, a CPG business and a confidential client.

The Breakdown

Business performance

The media agency added eight new accounts and retained its existing client business, though the agency declined to provide its growth numbers. 

It stated that it did not lose any accounts in 2024 and is expanding its presence in Detroit in 2025.

New business

Zenith won eight accounts in 2024: Penn Entertainment ($10 million, per COMvergence); Rocket Companies ($360 million); Spotify ($40 million); H&M ($50 million); a confidential client ($101 million); two unnamed retailers ($30 million and $125 million); and an unnamed CPG client ($50 million).

Clients

Top AOR clients include Disney, Eli Lilly, Toyota, Verizon and Walmart. It did not lose any accounts last year.

The agency said that a high percentage of its existing accounts have a connected media remit beyond an AOR relationship.

Zenith leverages a client health program powered by InMoment to deliver actionable insights across all key client relationships.

Talent

Zenith declined to share turnover figures, but listed several key hires.

Gregg Manias was added as EVP, performance media; Adil Zaim, as chief transformation officer; and Stephanie Dials, as EVP, strategic intelligence and innovation. 

DEI

Zenith declined to share diversity figures for staff or its C-suite, but stated it recruits diverse talent through employee networks, internships with diversity partner programs and ensuing unbiased interviews with inclusive hiring training for all managers. 

It launched a sponsorship program to advocate for high-potential BIPOC talent. The Rise ERG was formed as a space for Black talent at Zenith to build a community and nurture their professional and personal growth, and the Zenith D&I Council continues to foster an inclusive workplace.

Innovation

Zenith invested in senior leadership by bringing on Zaim as chief transformation officer to oversee how Zenith U.S. applies and scales Publicis Groupe capabilities for clients and teams. Its growth practices offering, which includes the content, commerce and cultural convergence departments, continues to be an area of focus to drive differential business outcomes for clients.

Zenith continues to host its annual thought leadership event for clients, Basecamp Summit, every June. In 2024, the theme was “Mapping an Inclusive Journey.”

Creativity

Zenith helped Buffalo Wild Wings promote its burgers, centering its strategy on reaching brand naysayers through their love of football, with a campaign featuring Brock Purdy, Jason and Travis Kelce. Burger sales rose 74% per store each day of the promotion.

The agency helped Walmart incorporate inspirational holiday creator video content living within a custom Walmart hub on The Roku Channel in which all videos were fully shoppable for the holidays.

The agency’s “Welcome to Arby’s, Home of the Good Burger 2 Meal” featured imagery from the original Good Burgermovie alongside a restaurant pop-up experience. The campaign increased foot traffic during the weekend by more than 6%. Arby’s achieved its goal and saw immediate brand impact with positive conversation and sentiment up 73% among millennials.

Sustainability

Zenith is in line with Publicis Groupe’s climate commitments.

Top CEO Challenges

  1. Getting the most out of client data.

  2. Winning with younger audiences.

  3. Balancing short term and long-term ROI for our clients.

Top distinctions

STRUCTURALLY SOUND

Read the original article in Campaign US here.

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