WPP is preparing to retire the GroupM brand — one of the most recognized names in media buying — and replace it with WPP Media, according to multiple industry reports. The change is expected to be completed by mid-2025, as part of a broader restructuring aimed at simplifying operations and aligning WPP’s media business more closely with its strategic focus on data and AI.
As reported by Adweek, Ad Age, and The Drum, this shift comes after more than two decades of GroupM serving as the holding company for WPP’s global media agencies.
GroupM currently manages $60 billion in annual media spend and employs around 40,000 people, more than a third of WPP’s global workforce (The Media Leader). Agencies including Mindshare, EssenceMediacom, Wavemaker, and T&Pm will no longer operate as separate P&L units under distinct brand identities. Instead, they will be brought together under a unified operating model.
Simplifying the Model
The new structure, led by WPP Media CEO Brian Lesser, aims to present a more coordinated offer to the market and remove silos between agencies. In an internal memo obtained by The Drum, Lesser told staff that “sunsetting agency-specific titles” would reduce internal barriers and create more consistent collaboration across client teams.
The reorganization includes job reductions, though WPP has not disclosed the number of roles affected. Lesser said that WPP would support impacted staff through extended access to the company’s Employee Assistance Program (The Drum). The UK market has already begun consolidating finance, growth, and marketing functions across agency brands, as confirmed by GroupM UK CEO Kate Rowlinson in The Media Leader.
These changes reflect a shift in how media is bought today. As Ad Age pointed out, holding companies increasingly pitch as single entities, rather than through standalone agency brands — making this kind of centralization a logical next step.
A Strategic Bet on AI and Data
The WPP Media rollout is deeply tied to WPP’s investment in AI and automation. CEO Mark Read has described 2025 as a “year of transition,” and a large part of that transition is WPP’s growing use of its in-house WPP Open platform (Adweek). The platform is powered by large language models from Google, Anthropic, and WPP’s own development teams, and is already in use by about 50% of WPP’s global workforce (The Times).
To support this strategy, WPP acquired InfoSum, a privacy-first data collaboration platform, in April 2025 (Wall Street Journal). InfoSum enables advertisers to connect and activate first-party data without transferring it, which WPP plans to integrate into the Open platform to improve targeting and AI model performance.
These moves are central to what Lesser has described as a five-year plan focused on “predictive performance” — the use of AI and cross-platform data to inform media planning and measurement (Axios).
Financial Pressure and Organizational Change
The rebrand comes at a time when WPP is working to reset expectations. In Q1 2025, the company reported a 5% revenue drop and a 2.7% decline in revenue less pass-through costs, according to its earnings report. GroupM, previously a growth driver, posted a 0.9% year-over-year revenue decline in the same period (Adweek).
Account losses have also contributed to the urgency. WPP recently lost Coca-Cola’s North American media account to Publicis — a deal worth roughly $800 million per year — although it retains Coca-Cola responsibilities elsewhere (Financial Times). Other losses include Sky in the UK, PayPal, and eBay. While WPP has won new business with Amazon, these shifts underscore the need for a more agile and focused structure.
As The Drum and Ad Age reported, WPP has also reshuffled its media leadership team. Longtime agency leaders have departed, and new roles have been created to oversee client and business functions across the consolidated group.
Looking Ahead
The transition from GroupM to WPP Media reflects a broader shift in how large agency networks operate. The focus is no longer on maintaining a stable of separate brands, but on delivering connected services, centralized data, and more direct accountability — especially in an environment where tech platforms and consultancies are competing aggressively for media budgets.
Whether WPP Media succeeds depends on more than just structure. The company will need to show that its investments in AI, leadership, and consolidation can translate into performance — for clients, and for the business.
