WPP steps up data arms race with InfoSum acquisition

WPP is aiming to supercharge its data operations with the acquisition of “clean room” pioneer InfoSum, which will sit within media giant GroupM in what global CEO Mark Read insists is “a major step forward for our data capabilities and the results we can deliver for our clients”.

The move reunites InfoSum with its former boss Brian Lesser, who has been global CEO of GroupM since last July. While terms of the deal have not been disclosed, “sources close to WPP” said InfoSum’s last valuation was $300m.

Founded in 2016 in London but now co-headquartered in the States, the company’s major clients include Channel 4, DirecTV, ITV, Netflix, News Corp, and Samsung Ads, as well as major retailers around the world and identity and data partners including Experian, TransUnion, Circana, Dynata, and NCSolutions. WPP arch rival Omnicom is also a client, although this deal is unlikely to survive the acquisition.

Many see the move as WPP playing catch-up in the data-driven arms race among the major agency holding companies. It follows Publicis buying Lotame to add to Epsilon, and Omnicom aiming to acquire Interpublic Group, which owns Acxiom.

InfoSum’s “clean room” technology makes it possible to connect data sources across companies without moving or exposing data. By integrating InfoSum’s capabilities with WPP Open – WPP’s intelligent marketing operating system – WPP maintains its clients can safely unlock the full potential of their customer data, enriched through advanced AI.

WPP insists the acquisition accelerates its creation of ‘Intelligence Beyond Identity’ for clients, enabling marketers to use 100% of their business intelligence and leapfrog traditional identity-based solutions that depend on decades-old, deteriorating databases weakened by cookie deprecation, platform fragmentation, and splintering audience match rates.

Mark Read said: “At WPP, we have been building the technology and data infrastructure that will give our clients a unique competitive advantage in the AI era.

“Bringing InfoSum into WPP is a major step forward for our data capabilities and the results we can deliver for our clients. It allows clients to stay in complete control of their first-party data, while also giving them access to vastly greater quantities of high-quality, privacy-compliant data and pioneering technology that is not available anywhere else in the market today.”

GroupM’s Lesser added: “Directly integrating InfoSum’s global data network and technology infrastructure will allow our clients to create even more value from their first-party data and enable us to train client AI models against the most data, from the most places, at unprecedented scale and speed.

“Our approach recognises the importance of identity data to today’s marketing strategies while allowing us to take advantage of the limitless opportunities for growth we can create by moving beyond them. As more and more clients leverage our AI-first solutions, every client model, every audience, and every campaign will benefit from network effects that will exponentially increase their intelligence and competitive advantage.”

As part of the acquisition, Lauren Wetzel will remain CEO of InfoSum. Wetzel will take on the additional role as chief solutions officer for GroupM, working to develop data-driven products and solutions for clients of WPP and GroupM.

Wetzel said: “InfoSum’s mission has always been to reimagine how data powers marketing in a secure, privacy-first, and, most importantly, impactful way for advertisers and consumers.

“WPP and GroupM are the perfect partners to help us accelerate our impact on a truly global scale. We couldn’t be more excited to join forces with the team at GroupM as privacy and security become non-negotiables, and AI allows us to redefine what’s possible for advertisers and our network of media and data partners.”