Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments | segment			4
Revenue	$ 390,532	$ 337,047	$ 735,232	$ 646,089
Cost of services sold	267,822	228,835	505,385	440,281
Office and general expenses	85,563	72,709	173,403	150,537
Depreciation and amortization	10,766	11,436	21,664	22,656
Operating profit	26,381	24,067	34,780	32,615
Other Income (Expense):
Other income, net	6,596	26	9,163	15,538
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, equity in affiliates	17,467	7,122	11,892	(17,513)
Income tax expense	4,641	4,744	8,610	3,110
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in affiliates	12,826	2,378	3,282	(20,623)
Income before equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates	641	(290)	502	(61)
Net income (loss)	13,467	2,088	3,784	(20,684)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,214)	(1,254)	(3,097)	(2,113)	$ (5,218)
Net income (loss) attributable to MDC Partners Inc.	11,253	834	687	(22,797)
Stock-based compensation	5,540	5,530	10,490	10,215
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures		7,909	21,156	13,448
Total Assets	1,650,254		1,650,254		$ 1,577,378
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization		510
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation		650
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures		4
Global Integrated Agencies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating profit		11,069
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation		3,730
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures		4,384
Domestic Creative Agencies [Member]
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures		463
Specialized Communications [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Depreciation and amortization		2,476
Operating profit		4,428
Media Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	35,695	31,373	70,939	62,200
Depreciation and amortization	1,011	1,057	2,016	2,099
Operating profit	3,555	1,753	6,197	3,044
Other Income (Expense):
Stock-based compensation	154	58	314	117
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures	$ 271	337	$ 1,284	$ 626
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		78,312
Supplemental Segment Information:
Capital expenditures		$ 1,340