Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 390,442	$ 349,254	$ 337,047	$ 309,042	$ 359,013	$ 328,415	$ 336,606	$ 302,222	$ 1,385,785	$ 1,326,256	$ 1,223,512
Cost of services sold	260,193	235,659	228,835	211,446	231,330	212,925	225,042	210,419	936,133	879,716	798,518
Office and general expenses									306,251	322,207	290,073
Depreciation and amortization									46,446	52,223	47,172
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									48,524	0	0
Operating income									48,431	72,110	87,749
Other Income (Expense):
Other income, net									414	7,238	689
Foreign exchange loss									(213)	(39,328)	(18,482)
Interest expense, finance charges, and loss on redemption of notes, net									(98,348)	(57,436)	(54,847)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates									(49,716)	(17,416)	15,109
Income tax benefit									7,301	(5,664)	(12,422)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates									(42,415)	(23,080)	2,687
Equity in losses of non-consolidated affiliates									(309)	1,058	1,406
Income (loss) from continuing operations	9,754	(32,471)	2,427	(22,434)	(24,511)	(5,166)	31,072	(23,417)	(42,724)	(22,022)	4,093
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc., net of taxes									0	(6,281)	(21,260)
Net loss									(42,724)	(28,303)	(17,167)
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests									(5,218)	(9,054)	(6,890)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc.	7,708	$ (33,530)	$ 1,173	$ (23,293)	(26,222)	$ (8,604)	$ 29,560	$ (32,091)	(47,942)	(37,357)	(24,057)
Stock-based compensation									21,003	17,796	17,696
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									29,432	23,575	26,416
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)	929,830				942,683				929,830	942,683	937,494
Total assets	1,577,378				1,577,625				1,577,378	1,577,625	1,648,890
Reportable Segment [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									1,147,173	1,101,675	991,245
Cost of services sold									775,129	724,749	631,635
Office and general expenses									223,823	208,837	188,757
Depreciation and amortization									33,848	32,501	30,631
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									0
Operating income									114,373	135,588	140,222
Other Income (Expense):
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests									(3,676)	(7,202)	(5,398)
Stock-based compensation									14,143	10,231	8,559
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									26,856	21,434	23,280
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)	742,454				699,730				742,454	699,730	715,092
Total assets	1,150,318				1,057,512				1,150,318	1,057,512	1,052,419
All Other Segment [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									238,612	224,581	232,267
Cost of services sold									161,004	154,967	166,883
Office and general expenses									39,895	49,972	35,024
Depreciation and amortization									11,013	17,948	14,756
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									48,524
Operating income									(21,824)	1,694	15,604
Other Income (Expense):
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests									(1,542)	(1,822)	(1,492)
Stock-based compensation									4,335	4,825	3,474
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									2,543	1,770	1,799
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)	187,376				242,953				187,376	242,953	222,402
Total assets	266,316				317,861				266,316	317,861	315,717
Corporate Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0	0
Cost of services sold									0	0	0
Office and general expenses									42,533	63,398	66,292
Depreciation and amortization									1,585	1,774	1,785
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									0
Operating income									(44,118)	(65,172)	(68,077)
Other Income (Expense):
Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interests									0	(30)	0
Stock-based compensation									2,525	2,740	5,663
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									33	371	1,337
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)	0				0				0	0	0
Total assets	$ 160,744				$ 202,252				$ 160,744	$ 202,252	$ 280,754