Ford selects BBDO as lead creative agency in blow to UK’s WPP

by SpeedLux
BBDO logo

Ford has selected Omnicom’s BBDO as its lead creative advertising agency in a blow to its partner of 75 years, WPP.

The British group, the world’s largest advertising company, is on their way to rebuild after the sudden departure of its founder Martin Sorrell previously this year.

New boss Mark Read is preparing fresh investment in the creative talent of its huge agencies as the broader industry goes through a duration of unprecedented change. Clients are progressively taking work in house and using the giant online platforms of Google and Facebook to reach clients.

Named as 2018 Network of the Year at the annual Cannes awards, the New York-based BBDO switches WPP on the creative front at Ford from November 1, while independent agency Wieden + Kennedy are also going to be a creative partner on some projects.

WPP, which has collaborated with Ford since 1943, has however kept much of Ford’s most profitable work, such as media planning and purchasing and customer retention after a five-month review by the automaker.

It also frees up the group to bid more aggressively for collaboration with other carmakers. Its shares dropped 0.9 percent at 0930 GMT.

Liberum analyst Ian Whittaker stated the financial impact on WPP would be limited, as it had lost only less profitable creative work, although the selection could spark concerns as to whether it is the start of the end for WPP’s tight relationship with Ford.

“The greater impact is more symbolic than anything else – Ford has been WPP’s flagship client and, with the departure of Martin Sorrell, there will be inevitable questions over whether that was a reason,” he stated.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

SpeedLux

SpeedLux is a high-authority automotive blog providing the latest automotive news and reviews. SpeedLux covers everything related to cars, bikes, and motorcycles, from news and reviews, to troubleshooting guides, tips and tricks, and more. SpeedLux was born in 2009 and we have over 20,000 articles published on our blog. We thank all our readers, as well as our partners, without whom we could not have reached this level.

Subscribe

©2009 – 2024 SpeedLux – Daily Automotive News and Reviews. All Right Reserved.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More