WPP brings T&Pm fully within its global network

In a move aimed at sharpening its approach to marketing innovation, WPP has acquired the remaining minority shares in T&Pm, which will now be fully integrated into its expansive network. T&Pm, The agency, pronounced 'T and P to the power of M', will continue to function as an independent, multidisciplinary agency, but it is set to deepen its collaboration with other WPP entities to bring AI-driven solutions to clients across diverse sectors.

The acquisition represents a milestone in the relationship between WPP and T&Pm, a partnership that began with WPP’s initial 49.9% investment in 2007 and transitioned to a majority stake by 2019. Founded in 2001 by Johnny Hornby and his partners, T&Pm has built a global presence, with a team of 1,800 employees working across 42 locations worldwide. With embedded, agile teams that work on-site with clients, it has used this integrated approach to forge longstanding relationships with major brands like Amazon, Toyota, British Gas, and Mars.

As part of WPP’s strategy to modernise and streamline its structure, T&Pm will now place WPP Open, the network’s AI-powered marketing operating system, at the core of its service offerings. WPP Open, which CEO Mark Read describes as a “transformational tool for marketing,” will serve as a backbone for T&Pm’s operations, allowing the agency to deploy AI-driven solutions with heightened efficiency, agility, and creativity.

Read shared insight into the collaboration, noting that two years ago he presented Johnny Hornby with early versions of WPP Open. “Johnny immediately recognised its potential and has since become one of its biggest advocates,” he said. “T&Pm is an ideal example of how we are positioning AI at the centre of the groundbreaking work we deliver for clients.”

The adoption of WPP Open will not only enhance T&Pm’s internal processes but is expected to drive new levels of growth for clients, offering integrated solutions across media, technology, creative, and customer experience. T&Pm has already incorporated elements of WPP Open’s AI tools within its agile content systems, achieving faster, more efficient production pipelines, while maintaining high standards of creativity and customisation for clients.

The decision to fully acquire T&Pm and bring it into the WPP network is a continuation of WPP’s strategy to provide clients with comprehensive, integrated marketing solutions. Over the past year, T&Pm’s integration into the network has progressed, including the merging of mSix&Partners, its media planning and buying agency, under the new T&Pm brand. This consolidation created an agency with end-to-end capabilities designed to meet the increasingly complex demands of modern marketing, particularly as the industry sees significant disruption through AI technology.

According to Hornby, T&Pm’s founder and CEO, this latest phase is an exciting step in T&Pm’s growth. “Our belief in the superior agility of integrated teams has fuelled our global success,” he said. “Now, AI is transforming the speed at which we can partner with clients to create growth, and WPP’s early investment in Open gives us a big advantage.”

This integrated approach allows T&Pm to respond flexibly and quickly to the shifting demands of digital marketing, providing the agility to deliver solutions that can scale across regions and media channels. Its embedded team approach has allowed T&Pm to synchronise various marketing functions into a single, cohesive unit, a strategy that has resonated well with clients looking for nimble, responsive solutions.

As AI becomes a cornerstone of marketing, WPP sees T&Pm’s adoption of WPP Open as a way to lead the industry in AI-enhanced advertising solutions. The system, which has been designed to integrate AI across marketing functions, aims to reduce silos and accelerate data-driven decision-making. Through WPP Open, T&Pm can streamline the creation, deployment, and optimisation of content, meeting the growing demand for personalised and timely customer engagement.

The agency has already implemented these AI-driven capabilities for clients like Toyota, Mars, and News Corp, who rely on T&Pm for a blend of creativity and rapid adaptability. By working closely with other WPP agencies, it is poised to harness the full potential of the network’s resources, providing clients with access to a vast array of capabilities across content, media, and technology.

In a statement, T&Pm reinforced its commitment to leveraging technology as a driver of brand growth. “T&Pm’s ability to synthesise diverse marketing functions within single, dedicated teams has been essential to our growth and success with clients,” the company noted.

For WPP, the complete acquisition of T&Pm signals a continued commitment to AI and integrated marketing. By embedding AI within the agency’s processes, WPP and T&Pm hope to better address the challenges of an increasingly digital landscape. This alignment also aligns with WPP’s broader objectives of streamlining its offerings and reducing the complexities of multi-agency collaboration.

By bridging creative and technological expertise, T&Pm and WPP are betting that AI can deliver not only efficiencies but also elevate the impact of marketing for brands navigating an ever-shifting consumer landscape. As Hornby observed, “The next phase of our journey with WPP Open is all about enhancing client growth through innovative, agile solutions, and our early investment in AI-driven capabilities makes us well-placed to lead the industry forward.”