WPP, the owner of agencies such as Ogilvy, MediaCom, and Wavemaker,  recognised the opportunities for brands that both short-form video and digital content continue to offer. The partnership with TikTok allows WPP to gain early access to advertising products in development, such as augmented reality offerings. Their clients will now benefit from the unique access and capabilities offered by TikTok.

This ensures that the company and its clients remain at the forefront of innovation as TikTok further develops its suite of products for brands. In fact, Subvrsive, a WPP company, was one of the first TikTok Effects Partners. TikTok currently works with a variety of agency partners, but this will be the app’s first global agency partnership.

TikTok will also collaborate with its creator community to build a diverse network of creators to partner with WPP. The aim here is to facilitate exclusive opportunities for collaboration with select advertisers.

An industry first partnership

WPP will become the Lead Agency Development Partner to new creator-focused Application Programming Interfaces (API). The development will incorporate WPP’s brand safety approach while leveraging unique brand and marketer data signals. New solutions such as these work to enable brands to gain deeper insights into creators, as well as connecting with diverse voices.

In addition to this, WPP and TikTok will collaborate to create a training and accreditation programme for WPP agencies. The programme will secure prioritised access to content tailored to media and creative disciplines. WPP’s talent will be certified in leading the development of creative and media solutions on the TikTok platform.

Mark Read, CEO of WPP, is delighted to have formed an industry-first partnership with TikTok, he said: “Our clients want new and innovative ways to reach consumers. TikTok has quickly demonstrated the power of mobile video and the many opportunities that exist for brands to engage in meaningful and creative ways on its platform.”

Blake Chandlee, VP of Global Business Solutions of TikTok, has said: “Creative and media agencies play a major role in fuelling these creative campaigns, and we’re excited to partner with a global innovator like WPP as we build for the future.”

Increasing brand impact

The brands share a common goal in driving authentic campaigns. Brands all over the world are increasingly experiencing the impact TikTok has to create moments that not only shape culture but also drive business value.

In order to further build brand safety solutions on the platform, GroupM, the media buying arm of WPP, and TikTok will continue to work on complete integration with third-party verification vendors. This will develop meaningful first-party inclusion and exclusion controls, and alignment with the GARM Brand Safety and Suitability Framework.

Both companies, WPP and TikTok, also intend to conduct market research together. This will help to guide brands on TikTok towards the practices that will assist them with employing data-informed strategies for driving engagement on the platform. A partnership like this allows us to recognise how TikTok is growing as a business entity, and developing its product suites to enable brands to work successfully.

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