Buy a Media Buying Agency
Acquiring a media buying agency gives you access to negotiated media rates, vendor relationships, and buying volume that would take years to accumulate organically. Media buying agencies are valued for the total spend they manage and the rate advantages they have negotiated. Whether you are a PE firm building a marketing services platform, an established agency adding a new discipline, or an experienced operator looking for your first acquisition, understanding the specifics of media buying agency deals will help you evaluate opportunities and negotiate effectively.
The media buying agency acquisition market is active, with deal volume growing as more founders approach retirement age and private equity interest in the marketing services sector continues to accelerate. Quality agencies in this space are in demand, so buyers who move decisively and demonstrate credibility will win the best deals.
Why Buy a Media Buying Agency?
Acquiring rather than building a media buying agency from scratch gives you an immediate advantage: established client relationships, trained teams, proven processes, and revenue from day one. Building these same capabilities organically would take 3-5 years and carry significant execution risk.
For strategic acquirers, a media buying agency fills a specific capability gap and creates cross-selling opportunities across your existing client base. For financial buyers, the recurring retainer revenue and strong margins typical of well-run agencies in this space make them attractive cash-flow investments. The key is finding an agency where the whole is worth more than the sum of its parts — where your resources combined with their expertise create real synergies.
What to Look for When Buying a Media Buying Agency
Due diligence for a media buying agency acquisition should focus on these specific areas:
- Total media spend under management and trend over 3 years
- Vendor agreements and volume discount structures
- Mix of traditional (TV, radio, OOH) and digital (programmatic, CTV)
- Fee structure clarity — management fees vs pass-through spend
- Client concentration — losing one large client can crater revenue
- Programmatic and data capabilities
- Media planning capabilities alongside buying
Beyond the checklist, spend time understanding the agency’s culture, client relationships, and what makes them successful. The best acquisitions happen when the buyer truly understands the business they are buying.
Typical Deal Structure
Acquisitions of media buying agencies are typically structured as stock purchases for larger agencies because of the complexity of vendor agreements and media commitments. Expect 65-80% cash at close with a 20-35% earnout over 12-18 months tied to media spend retention. Buyers must verify that vendor agreements and rate cards transfer with the acquisition. Transition periods of 6-12 months are standard. Typical deal values range from $500K to $20M, though outliers exist on both ends.
Regardless of structure, every media buying agency deal should include clear provisions for client contract assignment, team retention, intellectual property transfer, and non-compete agreements. Work with an experienced M&A advisor who understands agency transactions to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Current Media Buying Agencies for Sale
Browse our current listings of media buying agencies available for acquisition. New listings are added weekly, and our team can notify you when an agency matching your criteria comes to market.
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Ready to Acquire a Media Buying Agency?
Whether you are looking for your first acquisition or adding to a growing portfolio, we can help you find the right media buying agency and close the deal. Our buyer network includes hundreds of agencies across every type and geography.