A 100% Mekko chart is the percentage-axis version of the Mekko (Marimekko) chart — the column widths still show each category’s relative size, but every column is normalised to 100% so the stacked segments read as shares of the total rather than absolute values. Ampler Charts builds it natively in PowerPoint.
Quick answer: Click Ampler Charts and select 100% Mekko, drag the chart to size, then enter your data — the column widths show each category’s size and every column is scaled to 100% so the segments read as percentages.
How to create it
In a 100% Mekko chart, column width shows category size while every column is normalised to 100% for share comparison.
- Click Ampler Charts in the ribbon and select 100% Mekko from the chart menu.
- Left-click and drag the chart to the size you want — or hold Ctrl to place it in a pre-defined position.
- Enter your data in the data sheet: each column’s width still reflects its category’s total size, while every column is normalised to 100% so the segments show composition as percentages.
When to use it
Use a 100% Mekko when you want to compare composition — share or mix — across categories of different sizes, and the absolute totals aren’t the point: for example segment share across markets of different sizes. If each category’s absolute total also matters, use the standard Mekko; if the categories are all the same notional size, a 100% stacked column is simpler.
How consultants use it
The 100% Mekko is the Marimekko consultants reach for when the question is about share, not size. A few practices apply:
- Compare share across unequal categories: every column is scaled to 100%, so composition can be read across markets or segments of very different sizes
- Keep size in view through width: the column widths still encode how big each category is, so a small-share segment in a big market isn’t mistaken for a big opportunity
- Group the long tail: beyond about seven categories the reading gets noisy — roll small ones into an ‘Other’
The 100% Mekko answers ‘who holds what share, across markets of different sizes’ in a single chart.
Tips & best practices
- Use the standard Mekko instead when absolute totals matter, not just share.
- Keep the widths meaningful — they still carry category size even though the heights are percentages.
- Group small categories into an ‘Other’ column to keep the chart legible.
What you can add to this chart
Decorators and elements you can layer onto a 100% Mekko chart in Ampler Charts:
- Add total and level differences
- Add, position and format a value line
- Add a ridge line
- Add the Mekko total label
- Add a percent indicator
Availability
Part of Ampler Charts, included in Ampler for PowerPoint and the Ampler Suite, on Windows desktop PowerPoint.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 100% Mekko chart?
A 100% Mekko (Marimekko) chart is a Mekko in which every column is normalised to 100%, so the column widths show each category’s size while the stacked segments show composition as shares of the total.
How do you make a 100% Mekko chart in PowerPoint?
In Ampler Charts, click Ampler Charts, select 100% Mekko, drag it to size, then enter your data — the widths show category size and each column is scaled to 100%.
What’s the difference between a 100% Mekko and a standard Mekko?
A standard Mekko shows absolute values on the height axis; a 100% Mekko normalises every column to 100% so you compare share rather than absolute size — while both keep variable column widths for category size.
100% Mekko or 100% stacked column — which should I use?
Use a 100% Mekko when the categories differ in size and that size matters (width carries it); use a 100% stacked column when the categories are comparable in size and you only need to compare composition.