TOP Ad Agencies in China – Ad World Masters Agency of the Year 2022 Winners!

As the year 2023 begins, Ad World Masters is proud to announce its Agencies of the Year. Our rigorous selection process, which assesses the potential value of each agency, has resulted in the recognition of some of the most outstanding and accomplished agencies in the industry.

The selection process is based on the Agency Score, which is calculated using our proprietary Artificial Intelligence Algorithms. Agencies had until December 31st, 2021 to improve their score and compete for the coveted title of Agency of the Year.

The title of Agency of the Year is granted based on the Agency Score and is divided into three levels of recognition: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Gold is awarded to agencies with scores of 9.2 or higher, Silver is awarded to agencies with scores of 8.7 or higher, and Bronze is awarded to agencies with scores of 8.5 or higher. Each awarded agency will receive a digital badge of “Agency of the Year” for the level they are in.

The results of the competition are categorized by country, depending on the agency’s main location. In China, the Ad World Masters Agencies of the Year competition features 1 Gold, and 4 Silver winners. These agencies represent the very best in the industry and are a testament to the creativity, innovation, and excellence that define the advertising field.

We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of the winners and thank all of the participating agencies for their dedication and hard work. We look forward to seeing the impact of their work in the coming year and beyond.

Curious to discover the results of other markets? Explore the results per country and learn more about the competition. If you don’t see your agency listed, sign up, list or claim your agency and you could be nominated for next year!

Insights into the advertising industry in China

The advertising market in China is one of the largest in the world, with a value of around $300 billion in 2021. The market is dominated by a few large agencies such as WPP, Omnicom, and Publicis, which together account for a significant portion of the market share. However, there are also many local agencies and media companies such as Wenhua, Focus Media and Bluefocus, which are also significant players in the market.

Television is still the most important medium for advertising in China, with a share of around 40% of total ad spend. However, the digital advertising market is growing rapidly and now accounts for around 50% of ad spend, driven by the high penetration of mobile and internet usage in China.

The e-commerce market in China is also one of the largest in the world, with an estimated value of around $2 trillion in 2021. This has led to an increase in digital advertising, particularly on social media platforms such as Weibo, Douyin (TikTok), and WeChat.

According to IAB China, the mobile internet penetration in the country is over 90% and mobile advertising is expected to grow by around 30% in 2021, accounting for more than 70% of digital advertising spend.
According to a report by eMarketer, online video advertising in China is expected to grow by over 40% in 2021, driven by the increasing popularity of platforms like Douyin, Tencent Video, and iQiyi.

Another important trend in China’s advertising market is the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence and 5G technology, which is enabling more precise targeting and interactive advertising experiences for consumers.
Statista reports that, in 2020, the top five advertising categories in China were retail, fast-moving consumer goods, automotive, finance, and technology.

According to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), there are over 904 million internet users in China, and the number of mobile internet users reached 940 million in 2020.

In summary, China’s advertising market is one of the largest in the world, valued at around $300 billion, and is driven by the growth of e-commerce and the increasing use of digital channels. Television is still the most important medium, but digital advertising is growing rapidly, with mobile advertising expected to account for more than 70% of digital advertising spend in 2021. The market is also characterized by the presence of both international and local players, with the latter being more dominant in certain areas such as social media and digital advertising.