Segment Information - Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment (Details) - USD ($)	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	$ 390,442,000	$ 349,254,000	$ 337,047,000	$ 309,042,000	$ 359,013,000	$ 328,415,000	$ 336,606,000	$ 302,222,000	$ 1,385,785,000	$ 1,326,256,000	$ 1,223,512,000
Cost of services sold	260,193,000	235,659,000	228,835,000	211,446,000	231,330,000	212,925,000	225,042,000	210,419,000	936,133,000	879,716,000	798,518,000
Office and general expenses									306,251,000	322,207,000	290,073,000
Depreciation and amortization									46,446,000	52,223,000	47,172,000
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									48,524,000	0	0
Operating income									48,431,000	72,110,000	87,749,000
Other Income (Expense):
Other income, net									414,000	7,238,000	689,000
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax	10,081				9,531				(213,000)	(39,328,000)	(18,482,000)
Interest expense, finance charges, and loss on redemption of notes, net									98,348,000	57,436,000	54,847,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates									(49,716,000)	(17,416,000)	15,109,000
Income tax benefit									9,404,000	(3,761,000)	(9,776,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in earnings of non-consolidated affiliates									(40,312,000)	(21,177,000)	5,333,000
Equity in losses of non-consolidated affiliates									(309,000)	1,058,000	1,406,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	11,143,000	(31,081,000)	2,089,000	(22,772,000)	(24,036,000)	(4,690,000)	31,548,000	(22,941,000)	(40,621,000)	(20,119,000)	6,739,000
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to MDC Partners Inc., net of taxes									0	(6,281,000)	(21,260,000)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc.									(40,621,000)	(26,400,000)	(14,521,000)
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									29,432,000	23,575,000	26,416,000
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)	929,830,000				942,683,000				929,830,000	942,683,000
Total assets	1,577,378,000				1,577,625,000				1,577,378,000	1,577,625,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(5,218,000)	(9,054,000)	(6,890,000)
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners Inc.	9,097,000	$ (32,140,000)	$ 835,000	$ (23,631,000)	(25,747,000)	$ (8,128,000)	$ 30,036,000	$ (31,615,000)	(45,839,000)	(35,454,000)	(21,411,000)
Share-based Compensation	$ 5,560				$ 4,771				21,003,000	17,796,000	17,696,000
Global Integrated Agencies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									696,410,000	652,987,000	600,150,000
Depreciation and amortization									21,447,000	20,599,000	17,410,000
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									0
Operating income									58,505,000	66,161,000	67,290,000
Other Income (Expense):
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									16,439,000	17,043,000	19,669,000
Share-based Compensation									12,141,000	6,981,000	5,043,000
All Other [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									29,631,000
Domestic Creative Agencies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									85,953,000	91,658,000	83,196,000
Depreciation and amortization									1,653,000	1,855,000	1,809,000
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									0
Operating income									16,583,000	17,535,000	14,266,000
Other Income (Expense):
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									1,055,000	1,321,000	818,000
Share-based Compensation									634,000	644,000	394,000
Specialist Communications [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									170,285,000	153,920,000	124,938,000
Depreciation and amortization									6,637,000	11,201,000	8,272,000
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									18,893,000
Operating income									1,939,000	18,047,000	16,242,000
Other Income (Expense):
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									2,741,000	1,311,000	632,000
Share-based Compensation									3,629,000	1,510,000	2,050,000
Media Services [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									131,498,000	132,419,000	120,852,000
Depreciation and amortization									5,718,000	4,660,000	6,113,000
Goodwill, Impairment Loss									0
Operating income									6,154,000	20,116,000	29,706,000
Other Income (Expense):
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									5,110,000	825,000	475,000
Share-based Compensation									301,000	471,000	918,000
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									301,639,000	295,272,000	294,376,000
Depreciation and amortization									9,406,000	12,134,000	11,783,000
Operating income									9,368,000	15,423,000	28,322,000
Other Income (Expense):
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									4,054,000	2,704,000	3,485,000
Share-based Compensation									1,773,000	5,450,000	3,628,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue									0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization									1,585,000	1,774,000	1,785,000
Operating income									(44,118,000)	(65,172,000)	(68,077,000)
Other Income (Expense):
Capital expenditures from continuing operations									33,000	371,000	1,337,000
Share-based Compensation									$ 2,525,000	$ 2,740,000	$ 5,663,000