Publicis continues to lead BSW ranking

For the first time in the history of BSW Leading Swiss Agencies, the association is publishing a newly compiled ranking. This summarizes companies that appear on the market under the same brand or own subsidiaries that are also BSW members - for example, media agencies that are dominated by communications agencies.

Despite this new recording method, little has changed in the ranking of the largest advertising, media, branding and communications agencies at the top. The first two places are held by the same names as last year, Publicis Communications Switzerland and the Wirz Group. Behind them are the Y&R Group, Leo Burnett Switzerland and the Havas Group Switzerland, followed by Jung von Matt and Contexta.

The ranking of BSW agencies primarily serves to provide transparency, but also as an orientation aid for clients when choosing an agency. Less than 10 percent of all advertising agencies based in Switzerland meet the association's high quality standards and have been accepted as members of BSW leading swiss agencies, according to a statement. Currently, the association counts a total of 72 individual agencies, two more than in the previous year.

Advertising, branding and communication agencies

The 2014 ranking of the leading communications agencies in Switzerland is based on the gross operating revenues (GOS) of 2013 (see "Explanations on the ranking"). With a few exceptions, all members of the association participated in the ranking. The 56 advertising, branding and communications agencies of BSW generated a total of around CHF 312 million in gross operating revenues in 2013, 3.7 percent less than in 2012.

2014 Advertising and communications agencies by size

Basis BBE 2013

BBE = gross operating income: agency's own services charged to clients, incl. freelancers: fees from consulting of all kinds, compensation for textual, graphic and other work according to the income statement, excluding VAT and transitory items or income of other kinds. The agencies are listed within the respective category according to effectively achieved BBE.

Agencies that do not participate in the BSW ranking:

DD Com, Zurich / Hofer, Berne / JWT/Fabrikant Werbeagentur, Zurich / Marti Communications, Zurich / Netvertising, Zurich / Ottiger & Partner, Lucerne / Synthèse Stratégie et communication d'entreprise, Lausanne / TBWA Switzerland, Zurich

Media agencies

Since 2008, bsw's media agencies have published their own ranking. Media agencies have a different business model from advertising agencies and are therefore not directly comparable with them. The 16 BSW media agencies generated CHF 71.1 million in gross operating revenues in 2013, 1.1 percent more than in the previous year.