WPP plc

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WPP is a UK-based multi-national advertising and public relations company with its main management office in London, England, and its executive office in Dublin, Ireland. WPP is the world's biggest advertising agency.

Corporate Political Engagement Rating:[1] Transparency International    C  

Timelines

  • Dec.2018: WPP got itself a new logo.[1]
  • 2000: Y&R, formerly Young & Rubicam, was acquired by the WPP plc. In Sept.2018, Y&R merged with VML to become VMLY&R.[2]
  • 1989: Ogilvy Group Inc was acquired by WPP plc, rather reluctantly.[3][4] Ogilvy was a New York City-based UK-registered advertising, marketing, and public relations agency, founded in 1850 by Edmund Mather. In 1964, the firm was renamed as Ogilvy & Mather, after merging with a New York City agency that was founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy.[5]
  • 1987: J Walter Thompson (JWT) was acquired by WPP plc. JWT was an advertisement holding company incorporated in 1896 by American advertising pioneer James Walter Thompson.[6]
    • Nov.2018: Wunderman Thompson: WPP merged J Walter Thompson with fellow agency Wunderman.[7][8][9]

Stock info

Articles

  • Jul.05.2018: The ongoing tragedy of Sir Martin Sorrell. What drives Sir Martin Sorrell? When is enough going to be enough? He’s 73, he has a net worth of around £500m and is regarded as one of the most prolific and successful British business leaders of the modern era. After more than three decades running the advertising and public relations company WPP, he was forced out in April amid a cloud of speculation about his personal conduct. Since then, allegations involving the use of prostitutes and the misappropriation of company funds (all of which Sir Martin denies) have floated into the public domain. ... Simon Kelner, The iNews.
  • Apr.14.2018: WPP lines up potential replacement for Sorrell. As the advertising group’s long-time chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell deals with an allegation of misconduct, its board of directors is considering two company veterans as his heir, at least on an interim basis. Mark Read, 51, head of Wunderman, a WPP-owned global digital marketing agency with offices in 60 countries, and Andrew Scott, 49, chief operating officer at WPP Europe, are vying for the role. WPP confirmed this month that it had hired Wilmerhale to investigate allegations of personal misconduct and misuse of company funds made against Sir Martin. The board is understood to have called in the American law firm after issues had been raised by a whistleblower. However, friends of Sir Martin claimed that the board was using the allegations as a pretext to try to oust him. Sir Martin has been at the helm of WPP since 1986, helping to transform Wire & Plastic Products, a little-known maker of wire shopping carts, into a global advertising empire. Comment: “Sir Martin Sorrell has overseen the transformation of WPP from a small maker of shopping trolleys to a global advertising giant.” This is a misleading caption – Sir Martin used WPP a quoted company, as a vehicle for his advertising business to save the costs of a floation (IPO). Previously he had been right-hand man to the Saatchi Brothers, not in the shopping trolley business. Robert Miller, The Times. See also The Times
  • Apr.07.2018: Facebook gives WPP new ways to Sail its Data Sea. WPP, home to some of the world's top media and data-centric ad agencies including GroupM, Kantar and Wunderman's KBM Group, is now home to more expansive Facebook data than ever before. A multi-year partnership extension gives WPP direct integration to Facebook's vast user base, allowing its agencies to build their own complex segments based on their attitudinal, purchase, location and weather data for targeting in Facebook. The deal also gives WPP new insights from Facebook topic data via a relationship with social data firm DataSift, and new ways to measure the long-term impact of Facebook marketing campaigns for brands. So, rather than going to Facebook and asking to target its off-the-shelf segment of, say, golfers, WPP can use its own array of data to create a specialized segment, then directly access the Facebook platform to find those people and know before planning a campaign how many of them there are. The company might combine purchase data from KBM with Kantar's attitudinal data and retail loyalty data from Kantar's Shopcom to build a segment of young people who buy mayonnaise but don't buy Hellmann's or Miracle Whip, for example. "It's like having a USB port into Facebook," said Nick Nyhan, CEO of WPP's Data Alliance, a cross-company organization that oversees data relationships and access for all WPP agencies. Facebook allows WPP to use its Kantar Worldpanel market and analytics data to measure total sales over time resulting from ads on the social network. The campaign measurement system will work similarly to the one Facebook has in place with Datalogix, which links Facebook ad exposure to in-store sales, but, said Mr. Nyhan, employing the Worldpanel data will give a measure over an extended period rather than serving as a gauge of direct response. Kate Kaye, Ad Age. (article also in facebook).
  • unknown: Presidents Dinner: WPP takes these reports very seriously and, while we will continue to support relevant charities, in light of the allegations we are ending our association with the event. Billy Bambrough, Scarlett Evans, Verdict.
  • Jan.23.2018: Men Only: Inside the charity fundraiser where hostesses are put on show. A furore has erupted over a men-only fundraising dinner in London for the Presidents Club charity after an FT investigation revealed hostesses at the event were groped, sexually harassed and propositioned. Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and CEO of the global advertising giant WPP, said the company would withdraw its longstanding support for the event. The company sponsored a table at this year's event, according to the FT, as it has in previous years. Madison Marriage, Financial Times.

References

  1. ^ Corporate Political Engagement Index 2018. The new index of 104 multi-national companies, many of whom regularly meet with govt, has found nearly 75% are failing to adequately disclose how they engage with politicians. Only one company received the highest grade, with the average grade being "E" – representing poor standards in transparency. Transparency International UK, Nov.2018.