The 2025 Global Agency Benchmarking Report Highlights New Entrants, Big Consolidations and the Cost of Scale for B2B Marketers
BURR RIDGE, Ill., Aug. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The annually published Global Agencies Benchmarking Report, produced by B2B Marketing, offers insights from revenue and staffing trends to strategic growth dynamics, featuring a ranked list of the highest-grossing agencies worldwide. This year's report has revealed seismic shifts in the agency landscape, driven by private equity investment and holding company acquisitions.
The result is a widening gap between giant global networks and smaller boutique firms, meaning less choice for global B2B brands looking for agency support. This year's rankings reflect more than just revenue shifts - they signal a dramatic reshaping of the B2B industry's power structure.
Winners, Losers and Newcomers
Among the most striking developments in this year's rankings is the absorption of formerly independent B2B agencies into larger groups, with several previously top-ranked independents notably absent from the 2025 list. Ledger Bennett's acquisition by Havas and the continued integration of Merkle B2B under Dentsu (rebranded as Dentsu B2B) are emblematic of this trend.
"Consolidation is the dominant force shaping the B2B marketing landscape," said Tony Riley, President and CEO of The MX Group (MX). "But for clients, scale can mean trading depth for breadth without resulting in the growth B2B marketers need."
While consolidations add instant capabilities and revenue streams to parent companies, they often come at the expense of sharp market positioning and category expertise. Once-distinct agencies begin to look and feel the same. Clients get more offices and headcount, but not necessarily more value.
"When agencies optimize for shareholder value instead of client outcomes, you end up with teams who may check the boxes but lack the on-the-ground expertise and nuances of B2B," said Sam Crocker, Managing Partner at Bray Leino.
Agility Outpaces Size
Amid these shifts, some agencies are redefining what independence looks like on the global stage. The partnership model between Bray Leino and MX charts a different course. The strategic alliance, the first of its kind, combines the stability of two established best-in-class agencies with the nimbleness of true independents for global scale and local responsiveness where decisions are driven solely by client success.
In 2025, they moved up to the 5th largest global B2B agency and are also recognized as the 5th largest global B2B brand specialist agency - a testament to their ability to help businesses build differentiated, resonant brands across markets.
What sets this agency apart from every other name on the list is its model. Purpose-built for B2B companies navigating complex global challenges, Bray Leino + MX offers what the big networks cannot: a flexible, deeply embedded team that's right-sized to the needs of modern marketers.
"Our Global Agility model provides companies with global reach, flexibility and a team accountable for growth," said Kate Cox, CEO of Bray Leino. "Our partnership was specifically built to celebrate each client's uniqueness. In a market where consolidation is eliminating choice, our offer is more valuable than ever."
As holding companies scale through acquisition, many B2B clients are left choosing between two extremes: a massive network with diluted focus, or a boutique agency without the depth, experience or global infrastructure to deliver.
Looking Ahead
With AI disrupting execution and procurement driving cost pressures, the coming year is likely to separate those with true differentiation from those relying on size alone. The question is not just who will rise in the rankings, but who will remain relevant.
About the Rankings
The Global Agency Benchmarking Report, produced by B2B Marketing, ranks agencies by gross income from B2B activity across geographies.
About Bray Leino + MX
Bray Leino + MX is a transatlantic alliance of two independent, award-winning B2B agencies. Purpose-built for global impact without the overhead of legacy holding companies, the partnership delivers strategic, creative and digital solutions to leading brands across North America, Europe, and Asia. Learn more at globalagility.agency/GAMBR.
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