WPP has announced that Wunderman and J. Walter Thompson will unite to form Wunderman Thompson, a creative, data and technology agency. Wunderman Thompson will be an agency of more than 20,000 people in 90 markets. It will be fully operational in early 2019.
Wunderman and J. Walter Thompson share many core clients, who will now have simpler access to the expertise of both agencies. And, as technology reshapes marketing, Wunderman Thompson will also capitalize on close and longstanding partnerships with Adobe, Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Salesforce and SAP.
The newly formed agency will be led by global CEO Mel Edwards, who is currently the global CEO of Wunderman. Tamara Ingram, CEO of J. Walter Thompson, will become chairman.
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “Wunderman Thompson is a formidable combination, bringing together the capabilities our clients are demanding–award-winning creativity alongside deep expertise in technology, data and commerce–in a single organization.
“Clients want greater simplicity from their partners and this development, like others at WPP, is designed to reshape our company around their needs,” he continued. “It’s great news for our clients that we can combine the best of JWT and Wunderman in a single agency, and it’s great news for WPP as it allows us to compete more effectively in the sectors with the most significant opportunities for future growth.”
Edwards stated: “To achieve transformative outcomes, clients today need inspiration that is rooted in data-driven insight. I’m really excited to be able to deliver that within one agency. Wunderman Thompson offers precisely what clients want: brilliant creativity, expertise in data and sophisticated technology skills. I couldn’t be more honored to lead this new organization and its exceptional people.”
Ingram added: “Both JWT and Wunderman have been built by the commitment of many talented people, whose combined capabilities will further distinguish us in the market. Coming together was a decision driven by the opportunity to better serve our clients, expand our offering and create an agency effectively positioned for the future. As Wunderman Thompson we will deliver world-class services in every geography, and work that is more meaningful and more impactful than ever.”
