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Paramount snaps ties with WPP Media after a 20-year partnership
In a surprise shakeup amid its pending merger with Skydance Media, Paramount has ended its long-standing relationship with WPP Media, handing over media duties to rival holding company Publicis.
The change arrives at a critical moment for Paramount, as it braces for a potential merger with Skydance Media.
Paramount has parted ways with WPP Media, its media agency of record for over 20 years, and handed the account to Publicis - marking a significant shake-up in the entertainment titan's long-standing media strategy, as per media reports.
The decision did not follow a formal agency review and reportedly caught industry insiders off guard.
The change arrives at a critical moment for Paramount, as it braces for a potential merger with Skydance Media. The high-profile deal, announced in July 2024, would see Skydance founder David Ellison take the reins as chairman and CEO of the merged company, the report added.
While regulatory approvals have been secured from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the European Commission, the merger's finalization remains stalled amid pending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) review and an unresolved lawsuit by U.S. President Donald Trump against Paramount's CBS unit.
The agency swap appears tied to cost-cutting measures, with reports suggesting budget optimization as a key motivator.
None of the three companies - Paramount, WPP, or Publicis have offered official statements on the development, the report added.
Paramount’s relationship with WPP began in 2004 when it hired Mediaedge:cia for media planning and buying. The agency underwent multiple rebrandings over the years, becoming MEC in 2010 and later merging with Maxus in 2017 to form Wavemaker.
Wavemaker expanded its remit in 2021 when it was appointed the media agency for ViacomCBS, now part of Paramount Global. In May 2025, WPP consolidated its media operations under the new banner "WPP Media," phasing out the GroupM name.
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