REG - WPP PLC - Acquisition

WPPAnnouncement

27/03/2023 15:00

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
http://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20230327:nRSa3059Ua&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 3059U  WPP PLC  27 March 2023

 

 

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                        27 March 2023

WPP PLC ("WPP")

 

WPP acquires social influencer marketing agency Obviously, expanding
tech-powered creator content capabilities

 

WPP today announced the acquisition of Obviously
(https://www.obvious.ly/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=866066629&utm_content=128555916434&utm_term=obviously&keyword=obviously&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2v-gBhC1ARIsAOQdKY1H7eRACaSln_5GlyErU-N9K4mGYxruqf2Ic1Dh4ZYlVExg9VktpzkaAiqmEALw_wcB)
, a technology-led social influencer marketing agency based in New York, with
operations in San Francisco and Paris.

 

Founded by Mae Karwowski and Maxime Domain in 2014, Obviously's proprietary
next-generation tech platform increases campaign efficiency and enables the
company to service large-scale complex campaigns for enterprise clients,
including Google, Ford, Ulta Beauty and Amazon. Obviously offers a full stack
of end-to-end services, including marketing strategy, influencer
identification, content creation, campaign management, and robust reporting
and analysis. Its team of nearly 100 people will join VMLY&R's network,
accelerating the WPP agency's investment in award-winning data and social
media work.

 

Obviously's tech offerings include automating processes; streamlined workflow
between influencers, clients and internal teams; and enhancing data to deliver
real-time campaign and audience insights. The agency's unique data analytics
infrastructure also leverages AI to deliver predictive analysis and assess
campaign pricing and benchmarking.

 

Obviously has prioritised innovation and development in regulated industries
such as pharma, healthcare, finance and insurance. These differentiated
offerings have helped the agency capture a slice of the rapidly growing U.S.
influencer market, estimated to have been worth $5 billion in 2022
(eMarketer).

 

Mae Karwowski, CEO of Obviously, said: "Obviously's ability to match each
client's unique needs while delivering at a global scale has made us a leader
in influencer marketing. Our unique approach to creator-led marketing combined
with our proprietary technology has resulted in explosive growth. This
acquisition is the best of both worlds; we retain our agile and
entrepreneurial culture while benefiting from VMLY&R's depth of experience
and global scale - resulting in accelerated growth for all. We couldn't be
more excited to join the WPP network."

 

Jon Cook, CEO of VMLY&R, added: "Bringing Obviously into our VMLY&R
family is a clear win as clients demand more intelligent data and results in
the influencer space. Obviously's tech and data capabilities are highly
innovative, and its ability to scale creator content quickly and efficiently,
and in every language, makes it instantly prepared to be leveraged globally.
I'm elated to start working with Mae, Max and the entire Obviously team. We're
excited for what's to come and the many creative opportunities we'll unlock
together for our client partners."

 

Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: "The creator economy has experienced huge growth
in recent years, and it plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior. The
Obviously team brings an exceptional range of global influencer marketing
capabilities and a world-class technology platform that will further
strengthen our offer to clients."

 

Further information

Alex Davis-Isaac, WPP

+1 646-531-7724

Alex.DavisIsaac@wpp.com (mailto:Alex.DavisIsaac@wpp.com)

 

About WPP

WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of creativity to
build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities. For more
information, visit www.wpp.com (http://www.wpp.com) .

 

About VMLY&R

VMLY&R is a global brand and customer experience agency that harnesses
creativity, technology, and culture to create connected brands. Named a Leader
in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies for five
consecutive years, VMLY&R is made up of more than 13,000 employees
worldwide with principal offices in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London,
São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. The agency is behind award-winning
campaigns for blue-chip client partners including Colgate-Palmolive, Danone,
Dell, Ford, Intel, New Balance, Pfizer and Wendy's. For more information,
visit www.vmlyr.com (http://www.vmlyr.com) . VMLY&R is a WPP company
(NYSE: WPP).

 

About Obviously

Obviously is a global leader in social influencer marketing. Powered by our
proprietary technology, we are a full-service agency that works with
world-class brands and influencers. We set strategy, execute campaigns, and
build authentic partnerships in the social space. In 2019, Adweek named
Obviously the No.2 Fastest Growing Influencer Agency in the U.S. and the No. 3
Fastest Growing Influencer Agency Worldwide.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  ACQPPUQPWUPWURM