WPP Media Launches, Ushering in a New AI Era for Global Advertising

In a bold restructuring move, WPP has retired the GroupM name and unveiled WPP Media—a fully integrated, AI-native media company built to meet the demands of today’s intelligent, always-on marketing landscape.

The launch consolidates WPP’s media, data, and production muscle into a single global entity, aligned under the WPP Media brand. 

With more than $60 billion in media investment under management, and active operations in over 80 markets, WPP Media becomes the backbone of the group’s media business, serving more than 75% of the world’s top advertisers.

Importantly, this isn’t just a rebrand—it’s a structural pivot. Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom remain intact as individual brands, but are now plugged into a unified infrastructure connected by WPP Open, the company’s proprietary AI-powered marketing platform. That platform, backed by an annual £300 million investment and key partnerships with AI leaders, is positioned as the connective tissue between data, content, commerce, and personalized media delivery at scale.

“Consumers already expect advertising to be relevant and engaging and buying experiences to be seamless,” said Brian Lesser, CEO of WPP Media. “Those expectations are only going to accelerate in the age of AI. WPP Media is built for a world in which media is everywhere and in everything. By investing in our AI-powered product, integrating our offer with data and technology, and equipping our people with future-facing skills, we’re helping our clients to stay ahead of rapidly changing consumer behavior and unlock the limitless opportunities for growth that AI will create.” 

The move comes as part of WPP’s broader effort to simplify, integrate, and modernize its global offering—an effort especially relevant to brands in the MENA region navigating fragmented audiences, shifting consumption habits, and growing appetite for measurable performance.

For MENA-based marketers and agencies, the implications are twofold: access to a more unified suite of services from the world’s largest media investment group—and a clear signal that AI is no longer an emerging tool, but the operational core of global advertising.

WPP CEO Mark Read underscored the significance: “GroupM was born in a time when scale alone delivered value. Today, it’s about intelligence, integration, and agility. WPP Media reflects that shift—and our ambition to be the world’s most advanced marketing partner in the AI age.

“Our vision for the future is clear – marketing that is informed by data, led by seamlessly connected teams of brilliant people, and full of new opportunities for our clients,” added Read.

The announcement also coincides with WPP’s latest global B2B campaign spotlighting its AI credentials, targeting CMOs and decision-makers seeking future-ready solutions.