Mastercard Shifts Media Business to WPP as AI Drives New Opportunities
Mastercard has appointed WPP Media as its global media partner, ending a decade-long relationship with Dentsu. Alongside this, Mastercard has engaged WPP’s Ogilvy agency to develop and manage its online communities.
Since 2014, Dentsu’s Carat handled Mastercard’s media account, while Interpublic’s McCann continues as the lead for creative and social strategies. The payments giant’s media spend last year was approximately $180 million, according to COMvergence estimates.
A Vital Win for WPP Media Amid Client Losses
This new partnership comes at a crucial time for WPP Media, which has faced significant client departures this year, including Coca-Cola in North America and Mars. After rebranding from GroupM to WPP Media in June, the agency has focused on expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities, a move that appears to have strengthened its appeal to Mastercard.
WPP Media CEO Brian Lesser called the win “landmark,” highlighting the agency’s integrated offering and investments in AI as key factors in securing Mastercard’s business.
AI-Powered Tools Shape the Future of Media Buying
Following its rebrand, WPP Media launched Open Intelligence, an AI-driven marketing model that predicts audience behavior and campaign market performance. This tool helps reduce reliance on traditional ID-based ad targeting methods, aligning with wider industry shifts.
Securing Mastercard’s account provides momentum for WPP Media after a challenging first half of the year. The agency’s revenue, excluding pass-through costs, dropped 5.8% in Q2 on a like-for-like basis. WPP forecasts full-year declines between 3% and 5%, citing tough economic conditions and fewer new business wins.
Leadership Changes Reflect a Tech-Focused Strategy
WPP is also undergoing top-level changes. Cindy Rose, formerly at Microsoft, will replace Mark Read as CEO starting in September. Her appointment signals WPP’s commitment to integrating technology and AI into its core operations.
In a statement, Rose emphasized Mastercard’s prominence in global commerce and expressed pride in being selected as their partner, crediting WPP’s AI-based data solutions for helping drive intelligent growth.
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