“We shape the next era of media where advertising works better for people.” This is the vision of GroupM, the world’s leading media investment company responsible for one out of 3 advertising campaigns on a global scale. GroupM is the media company of WPP, a British creative transformation company headquartered in London that believes in the power of creativity to build better future for people and clients. Currently, it is considered the world’s largest advertising company and it counts more than 107.000 people in almost 112 countries all over the world. WPP is also the first marketing services company to publish a sustainability report in 2002 and throughout its history it has valued and championed creative talents and then applied them to achieve business results for clients – which is why WPP was not only the Most Creative Group at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity from 2011 to 2017, but also the Most Effective Group in the Effie Index from 2012 to 2020.
Since 2003, GroupM has been present in over 80 markets worldwide, and now with a team composed by more than 36.000 professionals (out of which more than 1.000 are located in Italy). The Italian Headquarter, overseen by CEO and Chairman Massimo Beduschi, is located in Assago, just on the outskirts of Milan. It also counts other offices in other Italian cities: Rome, Verona, Florence and Turin.
Focused on innovation and offering cutting-edge services and technology, GroupM– setting as its main goal performance maximization in favour of its clients, shareholders and stakeholders – creates competitive advantage for advertisers and it is partner of all WPP’s media agencies in their fundamental activities. From purchasing to advertising planning, research to econometric models, big data management to brand safety-related themes, performance marketing to digital media, not forgetting entertainment, content creation, events, sport marketing and timely analysis of return on investments, GroupM adopts a different approach, by means of an integrated system able to guarantee state-of-the-art competencies.
Powered by GroupM are the global media companies Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, Xaxis – the group’s “programming arm” -, all making use of competencies and expertise coming from GroupM Digital, Research, Trading & Buying, and the vertical and specialty businesses such as Motion Content Group (branded content and content partnerships), ESP (Sport Marketing), Access (Live Communication) and Kinetic (Out of Home).
Mindshare was born in Asia in 1997, as WPP start up with a desire to change the media world. Now, they are a global network with 116 offices in 86 countries and billings of $24B. Mindshare aims to be its client’s lead business partner, to grow its clients’ business and drive profitability through adaptive and inventive marketing. Mindshare does this through speed, teamwork and provocation because in today’s world everything begins and ends in media. It creates new things and has fun doing it.
MediaCom helps brands unlock growth through media. By applying its System Thinking approach to data, technology and creativity it designs communication strategies that grow brands and generate sales. As a part of WPP and GroupM, it has access to the richest data sets and most robust benchmarks in the business. Its success is underpinned by the belief “People First, Better Results”, because if MediaCom invests in its people, it will deliver better results not only for its teams but also for its clients.
Wavemaker believes there always is a better way to grow. It positively provokes growth for its clients by reshaping consumer decision-making and experiences through media, content and technology. The Wavemaker way is globally consistent. Fueled by the world’s most powerful consumer data, it understands where and how marketing can intervene decisively to help brands win more sales. With more than 7,200 people across 88 markets have the deep knowledge, confidence and courage to provoke growth for some of the world’s leading brands and businesses.
Xaxis combines purpose-built AI, advanced multichannel solutions, and dedicated programmatic expertise to transform digital media into business outcomes for more than 3.000 brands worldwide.
Such big and globally renowned members are definitely part of GroupM’s success. Counting around $63 billion in annual media spend (Source: COMvergence), it continues to provide intricate and international networks to its clients, creating and integrating technology-enabled services for premium partners, including Google, Facebook, Amazon and more. But how is this done?
GroupM focuses on 5 key aspects:
GroupM service principle is singular: when clients win, we win. Simple in structure consistent in quality, and laser focused on business outcomes, premium client service is its primary duty.
GroupM focus is in engaging the consumer that matter most to the client’s businesses. It has a modern and precise understanding of its audiences and the value brands can bring to them. As populations and consumer transform around the world, GroupM makes advertising work better through cultural and data-based insights and sound media strategies.
Combined with GroupM’s global scale, the media investments – guided by brand safety, leading privacy principles and premium relationships – represent 1 out of 3 ads in the global marketplace. Through modern investment services, GroupM puts money against goals that move businesses forward.
GroupM future-proofing its audience-based planning through “synthetic” data. While no silver bullet technology will meet every media challenge, its perspective on client data augmentation provides an alternative identity-based solution.
GroupM’s technology mission is two-fold: use its scale to provide tested and effective products for clients and create a unified technology and data approached that helps brands deliver the future of media today.
