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Intangible assets - Cash-generating Units with Significant Goodwill (Detail) - GBP (£)
£ in Millions
Dec. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill £ 10,170.7 £ 13,202.8 £ 12,952.9
Brands with an indefinite useful life 1,078.2 1,132.8  
GroupM [member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill 2,936.0 2,942.9  
Kantar [member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill   2,522.9  
Wunderman Thompson [Member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill 2,138.9 2,118.8  
Brands with an indefinite useful life 409.7 424.8  
VMLY&R [member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill 901.0 930.4  
Brands with an indefinite useful life 199.1 206.6  
Ogilvy [Member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill 762.9 618.7  
Brands with an indefinite useful life 211.1 219.1  
Burson Cohn Wolfe [Member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill 741.4 714.0  
Brands with an indefinite useful life 130.2 135.4  
Other [member]      
Disclosure of information for cash-generating units [line items]      
Goodwill 2,690.5 3,355.1  
Brands with an indefinite useful life £ 128.1 £ 146.9