Tag: WPP

Singapore – Global advertising company WPP has announced a global partnership with audio streaming services company Spotify, allowing WPP’s clients to have access to Spotify’s ad products, first-party intelligence and creative ways to reach engaged audiences at scale.

The partnership will have WPP looking to use Spotify to develop integrations that provide Spotify’s first-party occasions insights to help clients understand aggregated listening patterns in order to inform more creative and effective digital audio advertising strategies.

Moreover, WPP will work with Spotify to deliver market-leading thought leadership and scaled training programmes for its employees and clients that focus on digital audio creativity and Spotify’s innovative ad products. WPP’s teams and clients will also benefit from early access to Spotify’s neuro-insights research focused on audience trends and insights.  

Stephan Pretorius, chief technology officer of WPP, said, “In the fast-evolving media and entertainment landscape, audio streaming has become an integral part of everyday life. At WPP, we recognise the power of audio as a critical component of marketing. The intent of this first-of-its-kind partnership is to integrate Spotify’s insights with the Choreograph platform to create more innovative and relevant ways to connect our clients with their customers.”  

Meanwhile, Brian Berner, global head of advertising sales at Spotify, commented, “We’ve long partnered with WPP to enable agency planners and buyers to make more informed decisions when planning for digital audio. With our new global partnership, we’re helping WPP clients modernise their strategy and planning.”

He added, “More than 550 million people across 184 markets come to Spotify every month to be entertained, to learn and to discover for nearly 2.5 hours each day. As we continue to drive innovation in audio and the advertising industry at large, partners like WPP are critical to delivering for advertisers, creators and audiences wherever they are.”  

China – China Duty Free (cdf) Haikou has unveiled a new shopping centre in partnership with WPP’s Design Bridge and Partners. The ongoing collaboration can be seen in the development of its distinctive visual identity and fascinating environment. The brand’s dreamy presence will be retained while establishing a comprehensive ‘one-stop duty-free leisure destination’ with the updated brand design.

Design Bridge and Partners came up with a concept that goes beyond standard browsing after taking into account the changing expectations of Chinese consumers. The “Ultimate dream island” concept is employed to create a refined and energising shopping experience.

The cdf Haikou retail shopping experience fosters a link between reality and fantasy by mimicking a live island suspended between the skies and the sea. Visitors get a chance to explore the enchanted “Ultimate Dream Island,” travelling from the ocean’s depths to the ethereal skies and entering another dimension.

Moreover, the 280,000 square metre cdf Haikou International Duty Free City Shopping Complex lies on the west coast of Haikou City, Hainan. It provides people with a wide range of luxury products, tax-free dining and shopping experiences, as well as special online/offline premium membership services. The primary visuals for cdf Haikou’s grand launch integrate with the duty-free areas while evoking Peter Pan’s Neverland and emphasising the marine and natural aspects of the city. 

Design Bridge and Partners came up with a concept that goes beyond standard browsing after taking into account the changing expectations of Chinese consumers. The “Ultimate dream island” concept is employed to create a refined and energising shopping experience.

The cdf Haikou retail shopping experience fosters a link between reality and fantasy by mimicking a live island suspended between the skies and the sea. Visitors get a chance to explore the enchanted “Ultimate Dream Island,” travelling from the ocean’s depths to the ethereal skies and entering another dimension. Moreover, the complex’s virtual setting is built to adapt and produce one-of-a-kind scenes that seamlessly merge with brand narratives, providing guests with limitless excursions and engrossing tales to explore.

Nikki Lin, managing director at Design Bridge and Partners China, said, “This project is a perfect example of revolutionary design and how our teams create experiences based on consumer insight and brand ethos. Design becomes the heart of the story with the power and ability to connect touchpoints,” 

“We are now working closely together with China Duty Free on a few projects, including the rebranding of CDF group and the membership branding, which will continuously enhance our long term partnership,” he added.

Singapore – Go-Ventures, an investment firm focused on the Southeast Asia region, has announced its rebranding effort to Argor, signaling the firm’s strategic direction and independence as it targets high-growth start-ups across the region.

The Argor rebrand was made possible by WPP’s Design Bridge and Partners, and is underpinned by the brand message ‘genuine performance, representing the firm’s mission to be truly authentic in its commitment to founders and investors.

The new brand name ‘Argor’ – derived from the words “ardor”, “rigor” and “Go” – was created by Design Bridge and Partners to convey the dynamism, transparency and relentless pursuit of excellence that Argor encapsulates in its mission to support Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing companies. The name has been brought to life through a new logo – a bold and sleek wordmark – crafted to reflect Argor’s determination to always create impact in everything they do.

Moreover, a fresh, distinctive and contemporary colour palette and combined typeface have also been designed to serve as a manifestation of the brand. The dark green colours throughout the identity deliver on trust, experience and gravitas while the light blue indicates Argor’s openness towards different partnerships and experiences. Injecting a distinct pop of vibrance to the colour palette is bright orange, which represents the brand’s tenacity and the bold ambitions they have set sight on. The fonts, Canela Text and Archivo, a modern and sophisticated combination, have been chosen as the brand’s typography to be used across all brand communications.

Lastly, Argor’s new photography style will further enhance its brand mission. Abstract images establish them as a strong but quiet force, capturing the trails of impact they leave behind, whilst environmental imagery can be used to tell the brand story and mission, focusing on unique perspectives and capturing the alluring charm of Indonesia’s landscapes. People’s photography will be natural and relatable, showcasing its collaborative spirit and attention to detail.

Ambrish Chaudhry, head of strategy at Design Bridge and Partners, said, “It was a privilege to support Argor in its journey to re-establish its identity at a time of strong growth for the brand. Together we have built an exciting and refreshing identity that captures its commitment to founders and the investor community, maintains its important connection to GoTo and bakes authenticity and passion into its very DNA.” 

Germany – British multinational advertising and communications holding company WPP has announced the acquisition of global sonic branding agency amp. Said agency will be now integrated into WPP’s brand and design consultancy Landor & Fitch.

The acquisition adds up to the agency’s expertise in delivering immersive brand identities that transform customer and employee experiences and set brands apart in a competitive marketplace.

amp’s expertise will strengthen WPP’s offer in experiential branding and its ability to create high-quality, differentiated, and ownable sound experiences for clients.

Founded in 2009 by Michele Arnese, amp is based in the US, Europe and Asia, with main office hubs in Germany and the US. Its global team of more than 60 people has created award-winning sonic identities for some of the world’s most influential brands, including Mastercard, Mercedes-Benz, Kraft Heinz, Deloitte, Shell, and General Motors.

Speaking on the acquisition, Arnese said that they are excited to join the WPP family, adding that this industry-first move shows the significance of sound as a must-have brand design and experience component. 

“Integrating more closely with Landor & Fitch, true pioneers in brand design and consulting, will give us the opportunity to scale our award-winning Sonic DNA® design framework and our sonic AI platform Sonic Hub within a broader brand identity context. Our global team of creatives, sonic experts, producers, client leads and researchers will team up with Landor & Fitch and WPP to unleash the power of audio, making brands sound better. We are beyond thrilled to begin this new chapter,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Mark Read, CEO at WPP, said, “With the rise of streaming, podcasting and short-form media, audio has become a critical component of the marketing mix. The acquisition of amp enhances our offer to clients, helping them create immersive experiences that engage consumers on a deeper level and drive their competitive advantage.”

Lastly, Jane Geraghty, global CEO at Landor & Fitch, said, “I’m delighted to welcome amp into the fold. The team is truly best-in-class and has effectively defined the rapidly growing sonic branding space with its work on clients like Mastercard and Mercedes-Benz. This acquisition gives us an unparalleled breadth of capability – graphic, digital, motion, physical, product and experiential – and now sonic. It will also help us accelerate our rapidly growing accessible design practice. I’m enormously excited about what we can achieve together.”

Singapore – Integrated communications network WPP has officially launched its new global design company, Design Bridge and Partners. The new firm is a result of a merger between Design Bridge and Superunion, which was announced in 2022. 

The two complementary companies come together with a vision to fundamentally redefine the role of design “for a new era,” positioning it at the forefront of business growth and social change through consumer, business and experience design. 

John Morris, formerly CEO of Design Bridge, will serve as Group CEO, and Jim Prior, who was previously CEO of Superunion, will become the new company’s chairman. Meanwhile, Mark Budden will pick up duties as chairman for Asia-Pacific. 

“We fundamentally believe that design is one of the most powerful tools in business, and yet it’s historically been underutilized. As Design Bridge and Partners, we’re on a mission to change that, and simultaneously help shape the future of organizations worldwide by unleashing the full power of design,” said Morris. “For us, it’s not just a matter of what design is, but also what design can do, for brands, businesses, people and the planet —and the role design can play in answering the fundamental questions of the world today.” 

Budden added, “We believe that design is the singular thread that can unify any brand, able to create distinct meaning inside every moment, interaction and customer touchpoint. At Design Bridge and Partners, we’re helping brands across sectors harness this incredible power and simultaneously redefining the role of design in our world at the same time.” 

WPP shares that Design Bridge and Partners is uniquely positioned at the leading edge of design to address client challenges. It will be pulling together top talent from across its 850-person strong network operating in 12 countries to help “unlock potential” for brands, businesses, and people alike.

In Asia, Design Bridge and Partners currently has studios in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and China with clients such as Diageo, HSBC, Tencent, Colgate-Palmolive, The Coca-Cola Company, Trust Bank, Resorts World, Unilever, Mondelēz and Shangri-La in their remit. 

Alexandra Cerruti, the managing director for Singapore, Southeast Asia, and India, said, “With a team of 100 people united under the same roof in Singapore and growing satellites in the region, we are now this powerhouse of design and can expand our partnerships with top clients in the region but also recruit the best talents.” 

The company boasts centres of excellence in strategic locations such as New York, London, São Paulo, Amsterdam, Singapore, Madrid, Berlin, and Shanghai. It will be offering brand strategy, identity, experience, and brand guardianship, which will include graphic, motion, digital, physical, and communication design. 

“It’s no secret that our world is at a tipping point, globally tied together and yet fragmented in ways which we might not have imagined previously. Design will not only help answer the big questions, how we progress as people, as businesses, but ultimately help to create both harmony and connection as well,” added Morris. 

One-half of the merger, Superunion, had been responsible for the brand management of top brands in the region prior to being consolidated into the new firm. These include Shangri-La Group, World Table Tennis, Trust Bank, and even taking after the branding of cities such as Shenzhen’s Nantou City. 

Hong Kong – Global brand and design consultancy Landor & Fitch has named Teemu Suviala as its new chief creative officer. Suviala was most recently the global head of brand design at Meta’s Reality Labs.

In his new role, he will take responsibility for Landor & Fitch’s award-winning creative teams in studios across more than 20 countries worldwide, working with clients such as Apple, Netflix, Coca-Cola, LEGO and the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Reporting to Jane Geraghty, global CEO at Landor & Fitch, Suviala will lead the continued expansion and evolution of the company’s design offer, with a particular focus on integrating new technologies.

During his previous stint at Meta, he and his team worked closely on the company’s high-profile rebrand from Facebook, including the naming, branding and visual identity. Alongside this, Suviala led the expansive brand design work in bringing Meta’s metaverse concepts to the fore across breakthrough technologies such as augmented and virtual reality. 

He is an entrepreneur and adventurous designer, bringing over 25 years of creative and management experience. An impressive portfolio includes creatives for clients including Amnesty International, Google, Spotify and Uniqlo.

Speaking on his new role, Suviala said, “An incredible set of clients. Award-winning work. Stubbornly future-forward thinking. Landor & Fitch holds huge appeal to a creative mind, and the opportunity for growth is unlimited. But it was the culture here that spoke to me most – a singular vision and commitment to working as one to deliver the extraordinary and make a positive difference.”

He added, “I’m excited to join a culture that not only obsesses about creativity and innovation to achieve success but aspires to reach it together. I’m keen to explore how we can be at the forefront of the Imagination Age with new technologies such as A.I. and by blurring the lines between our physical and virtual worlds to create the better, bolder brand experiences which appeal to the consumers, clients, and stakeholders of today and tomorrow.” 

Geraghty said, “I am delighted that Teemu is joining our team. He’s an exceptional designer with a long track record of delivering transformative work and a compassionate leader with a truly global view. The breadth of his experience will be invaluable as we continue to expand and evolve our offer to meet the needs of our ambitious clients. With our recent rapid growth and influx of new talent, Teemu’s passion for nurturing creative cultures makes him the perfect creative leader for us.”

Rob Reilly, global chief creative officer at WPP, said: “It’s hard to find a global talent with as long a track record of creative excellence as Teemu. But what impresses me most about him is his commitment to bringing greater diversity to the design industry. We can’t wait to see the impact he has on our people and clients.” 

Shanghai, China — Marketing and communications network WPP has brought in industry veteran Caroline Slocombe to lead OpenX, the entirely new offering created for The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) that carries an integrated agency model comprised of creative, media, social, data, tech, PR, and commerce experts from across WPP.

In her new role, Slocombe will be overseeing the relationship of TCCC and its portfolio of iconic brands across all WPP’s agencies in Greater China. 

For 25 years, Slocombe has built her strong working experience with agencies. From directing multi-market and multi-functional teams, she has served for some of the world’s biggest CPG and FMCG brands. 

She was previously an executive director for Red Fuse Communications in APAC where she drove growth for a portfolio of over 10 brands across 15 markets. She was also a general manager in LOWE, currently known as MullenLowe Profero, in Hong Kong where she oversaw office operations and manage the Johnson & Johnson business across APAC.

Considering China as an important part of growth and innovation, Laurent Ezekiel, global CEO of OpenX from WPP & WPP CMO said that Slocombe will be an asset for supporting the company’s transformation in the country. 

Commenting on Slocombe’s appointment, Chris Reitermann, chief executive officer of Ogilvy Asia & Greater China added, “Her strategic marketing understanding, combined with her extensive experience in the region — having worked in Asia for more than two decades — made her an ideal fit for this vital role within the OpenX from WPP framework, which is all about delivering giant ideas that create giant value for The Coca-Cola Company.” 

Meanwhile, Slocombe commends The Coca-cola Company for its portfolio of iconic brands and recognizing its global success. 

She added, “Being able to help lead their marketing transformation agenda forward in this part of the world, which is so vibrant and innovative, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I couldn’t be more excited to be working with all the talented experts that make up the OpenX from WPP team and together push the boundaries of possibility.” 

Sydney, Australia – Global creative transformation company WPP has launched a new training program in Australia called ‘Breakthrough Cadetship’ to provide emerging talents with a passion for creativity the opportunity to kickstart their career within WPP in Australia.

The ‘Breakthrough Cadetship’ is part of WPP’s talent transformation agenda enabling WPP to source Australia’s future-ready talents.

The inaugural program, run out of Sydney, sees eight candidates experiencing four three-month rotations across WPP’s award-winning creative and production agencies Hogarth, VMLY&R, whiteGREY and Wunderman Thompson. 

The program offers the Breakthrough Cadets the opportunity to develop skills in client servicing, branding, strategy, customer experience, and production, with the opportunity for full-time permanent employment at the end of the program for successful candidates. The candidates commenced their cadetship in September, with an initial one-week orientation.

In addition, the training program was designed for people with a passion for creativity and a curiosity to learn – formal tertiary qualifications and prior industry experience were not required as part of the selection process. Candidates were selected after three rounds, with the final round consisting of an in-person immersion day at WPP’s Sydney Campus. 

The successful candidates bring with them a diversity of experience and skills, including electronics and engineering, zoology, digital health, start-up commerce, innovation, and film production.

Morag Eyles, chief people officer for ANZ at WPP, said, “WPP’s purpose is to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities, therefore we need exceptional people to join us on this mission. With the Breakthrough Cadetship, we are developing a new pipeline of talent as part of our ambition to diversify how we work and the work we deliver. We are ecstatic to welcome the 2022 Breakthrough Cadets to WPP and look forward to growing together with them on their journey.”

Meanwhile, Rose Herceg, president for ANZ at WPP, commented, “At WPP, you can build a career for life; it is something we are proud to support through learning and development, mobility and open doors across our network of companies. We created this Cadetship to attract and develop the next generation of leadership within our industry, ensuring we maintain the skillsets needed as our clients’ creative transformation partner. I am delighted to welcome the first cohort of Breakthrough cadets and wish them well on their career pathway within WPP.”

Hong Kong – More and more brands are heeding the call for sustainability, and toothpaste brand Colgate is strengthening its commitment to social impact through finally making its toothpaste tubes recyclable. In line with this, the brand has released an engaging campaign that introduces its newly revamped packaging – via the personification of ‘Colley’. 

Through advert shorts, ‘Colley’ is seen as laidback and funny where it says recycling is ‘fun’ except when it’s a ‘joke’ you’re repurposing. The campaign is developed by Red Fuse, WPP’s integrated global team dedicated to Colgate-Palmolive brands. 

Called ‘Share the Answers’, the campaign ultimately champions Colgate’s use of HPDE recyclable toothpaste tubes.

“We are committed to [helping] find solutions to the problem plastic represents for the planet. And we want to do it holistically [by] making our products recyclable whilst simultaneously educating people and collaborating with organizations on the ground,” said Yves Briantias, Colgate’s VP of marketing for APAC. 

Regional ECD of Red Fuse Kenny Choo said Colley, the recyclable tube, is full of energy and optimism and will often be found chatting about recyclable plastic with Genny, the animated tube character that is a complete contrast – not recyclable.

Choo said, “We want to help people understand the new technology of Colgate’s recyclable tube in a fun and engaging way, and Colley brings that ‘refreshing’ appeal to the toothpaste category…we feel that these characters will permeate through cultures and across continents for both Colgate and consumers. We have developed content that will appeal to all generations and that will help to encourage more discussion around recycling and sustainable habits.” 

Colgate has actually pledged to design and deliver circular and alternative solutions for all its products as part of its 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy. 

The present campaign with ‘Colley’ was first launched in Australia and is expected to be adopted across other APAC markets. It has already been rolled out across Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok and will also be including in-store promotions. 

Mumbai, India – Global creative network WPP has announced that it has acquired the remaining 26 per cent stake in MediaCom Communications in India. MediaCom in India is treated as a JV between WPP and independent communications group Madison World. Following WPP’s decision to merge Essence and MediaCom globally, top management of Madison World has agreed to exit MediaCom to enable the merger. 

The initial agreement between WPP and Madison World dates back to 2008, under which the company owned 51%. In 2017, Madison World sold 25% to WPP. The unique deal between WPP and Madison World contributed to the rapid growth that MediaCom experienced in India. 

MediaCom Communications in India had offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru with a team of 165. It has done media planning and buying for a number of top brands such as Procter & Gamble and Dell.

Sam Balsara, chairman of Madison World, said, “This innovative partnership we invested in nearly 15 years ago has been a great success for all parties. It has established MediaCom in India as a fast-growing and highly respected agency by advertisers.”

Nick Lawson, Global CEO of MediaCom, commented, “It has been a pleasure working with Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara as we grew this successful business in India. We will build on that legacy to deliver the agency model our clients want for the future – founded on brilliant strategy and brand-building capabilities, with pioneering digital expertise running throughout.”

Sam Balasara and Lara Balasara are Madison World’s chairman and executive director, respectively.

It was in April 2022 when the EssenceMediacom merger was officially announced. The fusion combines the digital and data-driven capabilities of Essence with MediaCom’s scaled multichannel, audience planning, and strategic media expertise.