WPP Expands Global Partnerships to Bolster Media Revenue
The agency is consolidating global accounts with major clients to reverse recent net sales declines.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Advertising
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WPP has renewed its global partnership with Coca-Cola and expanded its advertising scope with DoorDash across more than 40 markets. The agency reported a 0.5% revenue increase for the third quarter of 2026, though overall net sales fell 2.1% on a like-for-like basis.
Why it matters
WPP is securing high-profile client contracts as part of a multi-year strategy to return to growth by 2027. These account wins represent a critical attempt to stabilize revenue in the media segment following consecutive quarterly declines earlier this year.
WPP posted third-quarter revenue growth of 0.5% while net sales fell 2.1% on a like-for-like basis. Performance varied by unit, with production revenue up 2.5% and creative revenue down 5.1%.
The players
WPP
A global advertising and marketing services company that provides media, creative, and production solutions to multinational brands.
Coca-Cola
A multinational beverage corporation and one of the world's largest purchasers of global media and marketing services.
DoorDash
A global food delivery and logistics platform that utilizes localized marketing campaigns to maintain market share.
Waymo
An autonomous driving technology company developing high-tech transportation solutions that require specialized marketing support.
Godrej Consumer Products
A major fast-moving consumer goods company with a significant footprint across emerging markets in Asia and Africa.
The details
WPP secured the Coca-Cola account following a competitive tender process that involved a thorough review of the client's marketing operating model. The expanded relationship with DoorDash builds on an existing eight-year partnership, while the new Waymo collaboration spans North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Separately, WPP is integrating media activities for Godrej Consumer Products in markets including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Nigeria, and Argentina.
Timeline
Q1 2026: WPP Media revenue declined 8.3%.
Q2 2026: WPP Media revenue declined 2.8%.
October 29, 2026: WPP held its third-quarter earnings call.
2027: WPP expects to return to growth.
Market Landscape
WPP's strategy aligns with the broader industry transition toward consolidating global media and data services for multinational clients. The agency's contract wins suggest it is competing for scale by integrating complex service requirements into singular, centralized partnerships.
Operators should watch for how consolidated global media contracts impact pricing and service expectations in local markets. Agencies and vendors must evaluate whether they can compete with these multi-region, data-integrated bundles or if they need to pivot to specialized, high-margin service niches.
The takeaway
WPP's recent wins highlight a trend of large clients centralizing global media operations to gain better visibility and efficiency. Operators should track the agency's 2027 growth projections as a signal of whether these integration strategies are effectively curbing the current decline in net sales.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts in agency-client relationships, visit our Advertising section.
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