The Meaning-Makers: WPP

Posted on | June 28, 2010 | No Comments

Share

Despite a major contraction in 2008 of over 10%, global advertising sales are expected to increase during 2010 by 4.2% to total of $377 billion according to MagnaGlobal.

This is my second post for The Meaning-Makers series. The first discussed advertising behemoth, Omnicom, one of the top four global holding companies in the advertising, PR, and media buying field along with the Interpublic Group and the Publicis Groupe. This industry continues to be dominated by 4 major holding companies and the case can be made that they have significant power over the production of cultural and political meanings in our world.

From the UK comes another of the big four advertising/PR/media holding companies, WPP. A $US 14 billion dollar company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland that is publicly traded in London and on NASDAQ. With over a 105,000 employees, WPP operates all around the globe and its noted for its flagship companies, Kantar, Ogilvy & Mather and Young & Rubicam.

WPP’s holdings offer creative campaign development, brand management, public relations, services as well as media buying and planning support. Its Kantar Group division is one of the world’s leading market research organizations.

Anthony J. Pennings, PhD has been on the NYU faculty since 2001 teaching digital media, information systems management, and global political economy.

Comments