It was the worst-kept secret in marketing. Now, WPP has officially confirmed that its media business GroupM is being rebranded as WPP Media.
WPP Media
After 22 years, GroupM is no more. Following weeks of fevered speculation, WPP has now officially confirmed that its media arm is rebranding as WPP Media.
Today’s announcement, delivered to staff by WPP boss Mark Read and GroupM CEO Brian Lesser, comes after news of restructuring, rebranding and redundancies within WPP’s media arm leaked earlier this month.
“The move to WPP Media continues our strategy to simplify and integrate our offer for clients,” said Read. “While GroupM was built for a time when media scale mattered most, WPP Media reflects the power of AI, data and technology and simpler, more integrated solutions.”
Advertisement
From today, WPP Media replaces GroupM as the name of WPP’s global media organization. Agency brands Mindshare, Wavemaker and EssenceMediacom will continue to “provide clients with dedicated teams as brands within WPP Media.”
The vision, though, is for this to be a much more joined-up media business going forward, with WPP Open, the company’s AI platform, at its core.
“By investing in our AI-powered product, integrating our offer with data and technology, and equipping our people with future-facing skills, we’re helping our clients to stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behavior and unlock the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create,” Lesser told the media.
He had earlier today written to staff, saying: “Congratulations – you are now part of a company with an ambitious vision for the future – for you, for our clients, and for our industry.”
His memo, seen by The Drum, went on to say that the new name underscored the “central role in WPP’s integrated offering” and noted the “responsibility” for using AI to drive data, technology and media innovation across the company.
Lesser also announced that WPP Media has developed a company-wide strategy called Vision'30, which will provide staff with the “training and growth” opportunities to become the “next generation of marketing leaders” in an AI era.
The exec explained that Vision'30 is a five-year plan to “win in a world where media is everywhere and in everything”.
“AI is reshaping not just media but our entire industry,” Mark Read told staff in a further internal memo. “WPP is at the forefront of that transformation, which is essential to maintain our competitive edge, drive client growth and build sustainable careers.”
WPP Media manages more than $60 billion in annual media investment and works with more than 75% of the world’s leading advertisers in over 80 markets.
Advertisement