Unilever Tops 2025 Effie Index As McDonald’s and AB InBev Follow

Effie Worldwide has released the 2025 Effie Index (Image supplied)

Unilever rose to the top of the rankings in 2025, in its third year of being within the top three global marketers.

McDonald’s secured the number two position following another year of strong performance, while AB InBev remained among the world’s most effective marketers in third place.

PepsiCo continued its longstanding presence among the leaders in fourth, with Nestlé rounding out the top five.

Marketing effectiveness

The Effie Index is the definitive global ranking of marketing effectiveness. This year’s rankings are representative of Effie Awards finalists and winners determined between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.

Now in its 15th year, the Index recognises the marketers, brands, agencies, and networks behind the world’s most effective work, drawing from finalist and winning entries submitted across regional, national, and global Effie Awards competitions.

Most Effective Brands

Top 5: McDonald’s, Burger King, Silpo, Dove, Ikea

McDonald’s once again earned the distinction of the world’s most effective brand, for the fifth consecutive year, extending its remarkable track record of effectiveness leadership.

Burger King rose to second place following a year of standout work, while Ukrainian retailer Silpo achieved one of the year’s most notable performances, climbing to third globally.

Dove and Ikea rounded out the top five, demonstrating the breadth of effective marketing across categories and markets.

Most Effective Agency Holding Groups

Top 5: Omnicom, WPP, Interpublic Group (IPG), Publicis Groupe, Havas

Omnicom retained its position as the most effective agency holding group globally for a third year, continuing a run of strong performance across its agencies and markets.

WPP secured second place, followed by Interpublic Group (IPG) in third. Publicis Groupe ranked fourth, while Havas entered the global top five this year.

Most Effective Agency Networks

Top 5: Leo, McCann Worldgroup, Omnicom Media Group, BBDO Worldwide, Ogilvy

Leo emerged as the world’s most effective agency network in 2025, driven by high-performing work across multiple regions and categories.

McCann Worldgroup ranked second once again, continuing its strong effectiveness legacy, while Omnicom Media Group secured third place.

BBDO Worldwide and Ogilvy completed the top five, reinforcing the continued strength of globally connected agency networks.

Most Effective Agency Offices

Top 5: AlmapBBDO (São Paulo, Brazil), Leo Burnett (Mumbai, India), Banda agency (Kyiv, Ukraine), SANCHO BBDO (Bogotá, Colombia), McCann (Tel Aviv, Israel)

At the agency office level, AlmapBBDO in São Paulo, Brazil, retained its position as the world’s most effective agency office for the third year in a row.

Leo Burnett Mumbai climbed to the second spot, highlighting India’s continued influence on the global effectiveness landscape.

Banda agency in Kyiv achieved an impressive third-place finish, followed by SANCHO BBDO in Bogotá and McCann Tel Aviv, underscoring the increasingly global nature of marketing effectiveness leadership.

Most Effective Independent Agencies

Top 5: Banda agency (Kyiv, Ukraine), Mischief @ No Fixed Address (Brooklyn, NY, United States), The Womb (Mumbai, India), Helium Marketing Services Co (Dubai, United Arab Emirates), Rafineri (Istanbul, Türkiye) and Reuveni Pridan (Bnei Brak, Israel)

One of the standout stories in this year’s Index is the rise of Banda agency. The Kyiv-based independent not only earned the title of the world’s most effective independent agency, but also ranked third among all agency offices globally and topped the European agency office rankings.

Mischief @ No Fixed Address secured second place among independents, followed by The Womb in Mumbai, while Helium Marketing Services Co, Rafineri, and Reuveni Pridan completed the global leaders list.

2025 Regional Rankings

• • Asia Pacific: PepsiCo (marketer), McDonald’s (brand), Publicis Groupe (holding group), Leo (agency network), Leo Burnett Mumbai (agency office), The Womb (independent agency).
  • Europe: McDonald’s (marketer), McDonald’s (brand), Omnicom (holding group), Leo (agency network), Banda agency (agency office), Banda agency (independent agency).
  • Latin America: AB InBev (marketer), Burger King (brand), Omnicom (holding group), BBDO Worldwide (agency network), AlmapBBDO (agency office), Valor Group (independent agency).
  • Middle East & Africa: Unilever (marketer), OMO and Puck (brand - tie), Omnicom (holding group), McCann Worldgroup (agency network), FP7 McCann Dubai (agency office), Dejavu (independent agency).
  • North America: L’Oréal and Molson Coors (marketer - tie), CeraVe and Change the Ref (brand - tie), Interpublic Group (IPG) (holding group), Ogilvy (agency network), Mischief @ No Fixed Address (agency office), Mischief @ No Fixed Address (independent agency).

Effectiveness driven by idea

This year’s rankings reflect a marketing landscape where effectiveness is being driven by a combination of enduring brand platforms, cultural relevance, and disciplined execution.

From global household names to emerging regional leaders, the 2025 Index highlights the organisations delivering measurable business results and setting the standard for marketing effectiveness around the world.

“The 2025 rankings tell a compelling story about marketing effectiveness today,” says Traci Alford, global CEO of Effie Worldwide.

“Alongside many of the industry’s most recognised brands and organisations, we see new entrants and emerging leaders proving that effective marketing can come from anywhere.

“Effectiveness is not defined by size, budget, or geography - it is driven by ideas that create real impact.

“We congratulate all of this year’s ranked marketers, brands, agencies, and networks for setting the standard for effectiveness around the world.”

To view the complete rankings and learn more about how rankings are compiled, visit effieindex.com.