What you need to know in advertising today
The new organization, called Wunderman Thompson, will be led by Wunderman's global CEO, Mel Edwards, while Tamara Ingram, the CEO of J. Walter Thompson, will become chairman.
The merger comes on the heels of a similar union in September, where WPP brought together the agencies VML and Young & Rubicam to create a new entity called VMLY&R.
It's the latest illustration of CEO Mark Read's quest to simplify WPP's various networks, revive growth, and better integrate creative, digital, and media functions.
"It shows that there are no sacred cows, which is a good sign for WPP," said David Jones, the former Havas chief who founded the brand-tech company You & Mr. Jones.
Click here to read more about what the merger means for the future of the industry.
In other news:
Facebook has a bruising week ahead as British lawmakers say there's a 'high level of public interest' in releasing a cache of seized legal documents. The documents could contain explosive revelations about how Facebook's privacy policy allowed Cambridge Analytica to secure the data of 87 million users.
Speaking of Facebook, WhatsApp's chief business officer is the latest exec to leave Facebook. Neeraj Arora is the latest in a long line of senior execs to quit Facebook, from the cofounders of Instagram to Oculus.
Facebook Watch is reportedly shifting its strategy to focus on older users instead of teens and young adults, CNBC reports. The dedicated video platform has failed to get recognition with users, who aren't used to watching long videos on Facebook.
Here is a look at how Amazon is on track to become an advertising juggernaut, according to the Wall Street Journal. The company's ad sales have been growing at a steady clip in recent quarters, with the ad business expected to generate more income than its cloud business in the next few years, according to analysts.
Seeking nominations for the rising stars of Madison Avenue. Please submit your ideas via this survey by Nov. 30, 2018.