Automobile Major, Ford, has launched a global review of its creative account, which currently sits within WPP. The Motor Company has revealed the same after almost 75 years of working together.
The announcement comes less than a week after the departure of CEO Martin Sorrell and marks a major blow for the beleaguered advertising giant and according to an article on Forbes, WPP handles more than $4 billion in advertising business for Ford globally in more than 40 countries.
Ford is one of WPP’s biggest clients and it spends more than one billion dollars annually on marketing in the US alone. Currently, the Ford business is handled by a specially created agency called Global Team Blue (GTB) which is made up of various WPP members from JWT, Y&R and O&M. It has bases in New Delhi, Shanghai and Melbourne.
The announcement follows the Ford’s November 2017 announcement which saw the automotive brand verbally informing WPP that it is considering its future internal and external marketing model. According to a statement on WPP’s website, the network is considering the proposal and is in talks with Ford on the next steps.
Paul Grubb currently leads the South East Asian operation of Ford account from Bangkok. WPP has formed it in 2015 as a joint venture between Wunderman, Ogilvy and Mindshare.
A spokesperson from GTB, said the agency was “informed that its creative business with Ford is up for review. WPP/GTB is the most capable, passionate, informed and dedicated partner to build Ford’s vision of the future. We will be enthusiastically responding to Ford’s request for review in the days ahead.”
A Ford spokesperson also told the US publication in a statement: “They are trusted partners and curators of the Ford brand. We don’t share private business matters but can tell you we have offered WPP more specifics about our marketing redesign and operational fitness aspirations.”
The spokesperson added that the company will “place some portions of our advertising business up for bid with other agencies, including WPP, beginning in the coming weeks. No decisions have been made.”
