GroupM is consolidating the reporting and analysis of its commercial and business development data with COMvergence. COMvergence is an independent, international research company collecting and analyzing data from the global marketing services groups, and the marketplace, to provide quarterly reports and more accurate benchmarks for the scale of media agencies’ client billings.

GroupM has worked with COMvergence as a data source for more than three years, adding additional markets each year in a progressive push to consolidate its data reporting with the most accurate resource available. According to the terms of the new global agreement, COMvergence will ensure the accuracy of its methodologies and reporting with annual third-party auditing by an accredited auditing firm.

“COMvergence has taken an open approach to building its methodology and partnerships for data collection and tabulation, giving us the confidence that when we share data from their benchmark reports to clients and their pitch consultants, it is the most accurate and validated view of the size and scope of our business and competitive set across the globe,” said Elizabeth McCune, GroupM’s global chief growth officer. “Our industry truly needs a focus on accuracy and transparency in this area.”

According to COMvergence’s most recent global billings and market share reports, GroupM is the number one media investment group for 2018, with $45bn (£34.7bn) of cumulative billings and 28.8 per cent market share (based on the total billings for the big six groups). In addition, three of GroupM’s agencies – Mindshare, Wavemaker and MediaCom – are in the top 10 rankings for global media agencies.

Feeding COMvergence’s analysis and reports are data from independent, third-parties like Kantar and Nielsen, as well as other research firms, agency performance evaluation companies, and financial analysts.

COMvergence also tracks and digests information from the most reliable and respected international and local trade press titles, as well as industry associations including the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s). The company also conducts face-to-face meetings and proprietary surveys with CMOs and advertising and procurement directors from the top 100 international advertisers.