Mastercard has chosen WPP Media to steer international media technique, planning, and shopping for throughout greater than 70 worldwide markets, ending its 10-year relationship with incumbent Carat after a aggressive evaluate.
The appointment additionally expands WPP’s remit with the monetary providers model, as Ogilvy takes over international group administration duties. McCann stays Mastercard’s artistic company of report.
R3 ran the evaluate. Mastercard declined to share additional particulars on the pitch course of or timeline.
The win marks a key coup for WPP Media after a turbulent 12 months that included the lack of Coca-Cola and Mars accounts, CEO Mark Learn stepping down, and the appointment of Cindy Rose as his successor.
It additionally comes simply months after GroupM’s rebrand to WPP Media, a restructuring aimed to extra intently combine its media businesses and centralize their entry to tech and knowledge.
In line with Mastercard, the transfer is supposed to assist Mastercard adapt for the AI period by “increasing the position of our media partnerships to tackle a brand new form and help extra built-in enterprise wants.”
“WPP’s highly effective international attain and superior AI and knowledge capabilities—together with their linked method throughout paid media, social engagement, and enterprise enablement—will assist us drive higher impression throughout our complete advertising and marketing ecosystem,” a spokesperson stated.
It’s understood that the Mastercard win follows WPP Media’s determination in April to resign PayPal’s account, releasing the company to pursue and finally safe the Mastercard enterprise, in line with sources.
“Mastercard is likely one of the world’s most revered and trusted manufacturers, on the coronary heart of world commerce. To be chosen as their associate is an honor and testomony to the AI-based knowledge options we’re constructing at WPP to gas clever development,” Cindy Rose, incoming WPP CEO, stated in an announcement shared with ADWEEK.
Mastercard spent an estimated $180 million globally on media in 2024, in line with COMvergence. The corporate’s whole promoting and advertising and marketing bills amounted to $815 million that 12 months, down 1% from the prior 12 months, in line with its newest annual report. Mastercard’s web income, in the meantime, climbed 12% to $28.2 billion throughout the identical interval.
The transfer to WPP ends Mastercard’s decade-long relationship with Dentsu-owned Carat. The model thanked Mastercard for its “belief and collaboration” and wished the group “a lot success of their continued efforts and future initiatives.”
As WPP Media prepares to tackle Mastercard, challenges stay for its mum or dad. The corporate just lately lowered its income outlook and introduced a strategic evaluate of its enterprise.
CORRECTION: This story was up to date on Monday 8/18/2025 at 10am ET to replicate that Ogilvy will take over group administration duties globally for Mastercard versus social media duties.
