"WPP Media": Possible rebrand of GroupM signals strategic reset amid intensifying industry consolidation

WPP is reportedly preparing to rebrand its global media investment arm, GroupM, as WPP Media—a move seen as part of the advertising giant’s broader strategy to simplify its portfolio, align more closely with rivals, and regain momentum amid a softening revenue outlook.

Although WPP has not officially confirmed the rebrand, telling Storyboard18 that “we do not comment on speculations”, the move has triggered wide industry speculation and commentary. According to multiple experts, the rebrand isn’t just cosmetic; it reflects an ongoing recalibration of identity, operations, and leadership strategy.

The move follows years of internal consolidation at WPP. Legacy creative networks like J. Walter Thompson and Y&R were merged into Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R, and then more recently into a unified VML brand. Similarly, Essence and MediaCom were combined into EssenceMediacom in 2022. Rebranding GroupM as WPP Media seems to be the next step in this ongoing journey of simplification, transparency, and accountability.

"Rebranding GroupM as WPP Media is a bold but necessary move. In a world where lines between creative, media, and tech are blurring, a unified, stronger master brand helps drive simplicity and confidence for clients. It also reflects the reality that media is no longer just about buying spaces — it’s about creating business outcomes, and clients increasingly expect integrated thinking," said Nisha Singhania, CEO and Managing Partner, Infectious Advertising.

“WPP has been working towards streamlining their portfolio for some time now, and it was expected that more names would be rebranded after dropping legacy labels like Grey,” said Naresh Gupta, Co-Founder of Bang In The Middle. “This comes at a time when WPP has reported a decline in revenue, and with the Omnicom–IPG merger, they have to find a way to consolidate their strengths and reclaim leadership.”

WPP reported a slight decline in first-quarter revenue for 2025, as global economic pressures, restrained client spending, and the continued overhaul of its operations tempered growth. Despite the downturn, the company reaffirmed its full-year outlook, pointing to momentum in new business and investments in technology.

GroupM, which oversees media planning, buying, and analytics for some of the world’s most prominent brands, is the largest media-buying entity globally. The division is responsible for negotiating billions of dollars in advertising placements across television, digital platforms, print, and other formats. The agency currently employs approximately 40,000 people, more than a third of WPP’s total global workforce.

WPP Chief Executive Mark Read has previously described 2025 as a “year of transition,” with sweeping changes anticipated under GroupM’s Global CEO, Brian Lesser.

GroupM currently encompasses powerhouse media agencies such as Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom, each with individual leadership, profit-and-loss structures, and competing client rosters.

According to KV Sridhar, Global Chief Creative Officer at Nihilent, the rebrand could increase brand salience and operational efficiency—but not without trade-offs.

“As you become a mega brand, integration becomes inevitable. One name, one company, one unit — this enables rationalisation across backend functions like finance, HR and IT,” Sridhar said. “It also boosts external brand visibility, making WPP appear more unified and powerful across media, creative, digital, and PR.”

The rebranding, if confirmed, would place WPP more squarely in alignment with rivals such as Publicis Media and Omnicom Media Group, which have already streamlined their media operations under single, strong brand umbrellas.

Aligning with competitor naming conventions may not be the only driver, but one of the drivers for this move, pointed out Anadi Sah - National Creative Director, Chief Innovation Officer and Founding Partner, tgthr.

The decision may aim to present a more cohesive and easily navigable organisational structure to clients, investors, and the broader industry. This alignment can mitigate potential confusion regarding the relationship between WPP and its media buying operations, potentially enhancing its competitive standing during client pitches and industry evaluations.

Beyond that, he added, following the path of Publicis and Omnicom might also help WPP to provide centralised and integrated media solutions, potentially simplifying client access to the full spectrum of WPP's capabilities through a more clearly defined media division.

Kunal Vora, Founder-Partner at brand consultancy ABND, views the move as long overdue but potentially transformative.

“It’s not just a name change; it’s a recalibration of identity. GroupM was always the engine room of WPP’s media power, but the name lacked direct brand association. Calling it WPP Media brings the mothership into full view,” Vora said. “It’s like finally using your full name at work after years of going by a nickname.”

In a world where clients want fewer layers and more accountability, ‘WPP Media’ is clear, direct, and easy to sell in boardrooms,” said Vora. “If they execute this right—not just as a merger of logos but as a new operating system—they might not just catch up; they could leapfrog.”

"The Execution Will Not Be Easy"

The industry consensus is clear: WPP’s transformation of GroupM into WPP Media, if implemented, will mark a watershed moment in the evolution of holding company structures, and may well redefine the way integrated marketing services are delivered on a global scale.

Having lived through rebranding and consolidation at scale in his stint at dentsu, Sah summed- "it’s a challenging journey. There are difficult calls that the organisation takes: at one level, there is a dilemma to dilute the equity of a powerful brand(s) that have taken years to build, which for GroupM are Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom, having their own distinct identities and client relationships. Then there is resistance and fear of restructuring talent and services to remove redundancies, and form a more robust and efficient system."

At the same time, one has to navigate through the market sentiments, especially the clients who would not see or perceive this as merely a cosmetic change but a tangible benefit beyond just a new name. Not to forget that there are enough and more brands who have done this right and have come out as stronger, innovative and effective entities post similar exercise.