CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Class A	Common Class B	Common Stock Common Class A	Common Stock Common Class B	Share Capital to Be Issued	Additional Paid-in Capital	Charges in Excess of Capital	Retained Earnings [Member]	Stock Subscription Receivable	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	MDC Partners Inc. Shareholders’ Deficit	Noncontrolling Interests
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Business Combination	$ 11,090												$ 11,090
Increase (Decrease) in Noncontrolling Interests from Business Acquisitions	(4,939)						$ 11,074					$ 11,074	(16,013)
Stockholders' equity, beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2012	(84,810)			$ 253,869	$ 1	$ 424	0	$ (72,913)	$ (316,713)	$ (55)	$ (7,445)	(142,832)	58,022
Common stock outstanding, beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012				46,611,252	3,755	42,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners	(148,863)								(148,863)			(148,863)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	6,637										6,648	6,648	(11)
Equity Value Appreciation Awards				$ 16,210			(16,210)
Equity Value Appreciation Awards (in shares)				2,201,676
Stock Appreciation Rights Exercised				$ 387			(387)
Stock Appreciation Rights Exercised (in shares)				221,384
Issuance of restricted stock				$ 6,006			(6,006)
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)				651,271
Shares acquired and cancelled	(13,817)			$ (13,817)								(13,817)
Shares acquired and cancelled (in shares)				(593,156)
Stock-based compensation	16,083						16,083					16,083
Temporary Equity, Accretion to Redemption Value	(35,689)						(35,689)					(35,689)
Dividends paid and to be paid	22,865						22,865					22,865
Other	(561)						(561)					(561)
Transfer to charges in excess of capital							53,439	(53,439)
Common stock outstanding, ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013				49,092,427	3,755	42,000
Stockholders' equity, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2013	(276,612)			$ 262,655	$ 1	$ 424	0	(126,352)	(465,576)	(55)	(797)	(329,700)	53,088
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Business Combination	50,118												50,118
Increase (Decrease) in Noncontrolling Interests from Business Acquisitions	(17,831)						(8,992)					(8,992)	(8,839)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners	(24,057)								(24,057)			(24,057)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(8,667)										(6,955)	(6,955)	(1,712)
Issuance of restricted stock				$ 7,661			(7,661)
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)				761,686
Shares acquired and cancelled	(5,414)			$ (5,414)								(5,414)
Shares acquired and cancelled (in shares)				(216,004)
Stock Subscription Receivable	55									55		55
Stock-based compensation	9,868						9,868					9,868
Temporary Equity, Accretion to Redemption Value	(38,850)						(38,850)					(38,850)
Dividends paid and to be paid	37,244						37,244					37,244
Other	(54)			$ (915)		$ 424	437					(54)
Other (in shares)				(42,000)		42,000
Transfer to charges in excess of capital							83,316	(83,316)
Common stock outstanding, ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014		49,680,109	3,755	49,680,109	3,755	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	(348,580)			$ 265,817	$ 1	$ 0	0	(209,668)	(489,633)	0	(7,752)	(441,235)	92,655
Increase (Decrease) in Noncontrolling Interests from Business Acquisitions	(51,488)						(42,780)					(42,780)	(8,708)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net loss attributable to MDC Partners	(37,357)											(37,357)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	9,141										14,009	14,009	(4,868)
Issuance of restricted stock				$ 6,069			(6,069)
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)				365,873
Shares acquired and cancelled	(2,388)			$ (2,388)								(2,388)
Shares acquired and cancelled (in shares)				(96,777)
Stock issued during period, shares, options exercised				37,500
Options Exercised	224			$ 343			(119)					224
Stock-based compensation	8,437						8,437					8,437
Temporary Equity, Accretion to Redemption Value	22,809						(22,809)					(22,809)
Dividends paid and to be paid	(42,253)						(42,253)					(42,253)
Transfer to charges in excess of capital							105,593	(105,593)
Common stock outstanding, ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		49,986,705	3,755	49,986,705	3,755	0
Stockholders' equity, ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ (487,073)			$ 269,841	$ 1	$ 0	$ 0	$ (315,261)	$ (526,990)	$ 0	$ 6,257	$ (566,152)	$ 79,079