Dive Brief:
- Omnicom Group and Interpublic Group were the only two advertising industry companies to crack this year’s Fortune 500 list. Omnicom came in at 186 and Interpublic at 355, and both moved up a number of notches from last year’s list.
- Last year, Omnicom Group was listed at 200; it has made the list for 20 years. Interpublic Group moved up 17 spots from 372; it has been on the list for 19 years.
- The top five companies on this year's list include: Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, Apple, Berkshire Hathaway and McKesson.
Dive Insight:
As the list marks its sixty-second year, the standings imply that in advertising, marketers at big brands still hold the purse strings. In light of last year's unprecedented reviewageddon, it also serve as a stark reminder that in the digital age, brands have the ability to bypass agencies altogether if they choose.
Fortune ranks companies on the 500 list based on total revenues for the fiscal year. According to Fortune, companies on the list make up $12 trillion in revenues, $840 billion in profits and $17 trillion in market value. The Fortune 500 companies also employ nearly 28 million people around the globe.
As brands and agencies continue to define their relationships as they navigate the new digital landscape, and shops undergo digital transformations, it's possible Fortune's list will see new names make the cut.