GroupM Name To Go

WPP is to retire the GroupM name, rebranding the division as WPP Media. According to reports in AdAge, the division will also be reducing its current headcount of around 40,000, as part of a drive to restructure and simplify its operating model.

Headquartered in New York, GroupM is the world's largest media buying agency, formed by WPP in 2003. Its main components are EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker, all of which employ teams of data science professionals and place a strong emphasis on measurement and consumer understanding. WPP has been consolidating its brands in other divisions - including grouping JWT, Y&R and Wunderman under VML - and analysts suggest these may join others and fuse into WPP Creative in the near future.

Lesser (pictured) joined in the GroupM CEO role last July, from InfoSum - which WPP then acquired a month ago. Industry publication Ad Age said this week it had verified an internal memo in which Lesser told staff about the forthcoming cuts - precise numbers are not known at this time.

Web site: www.groupm.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.