In a major shift in global media alignment, Mastercard has appointed WPP Media as its new global media partner, taking over from Dentsu Carat, which held the account for over a decade. The mandate covers media strategy, planning, and buying across 70 countries, marking a significant $180 million win for WPP, according to AdWeek.
In addition to the media account, Ogilvy-part of the WPP network-has bagged Mastercard’s global social media mandate, while McCann continues to serve as the brand’s global creative agency.
A Mastercard spokesperson told AdWeek, “WPP’s global scale, advanced AI and data capabilities, and integrated approach across paid media and social engagement will help us amplify impact across our entire marketing ecosystem.”
The win comes at a strategic moment for WPP, which has faced a challenging year marked by high-profile account losses including Coca-Cola, Mars, and Paramount to Publicis. Earlier this year, WPP rebranded its media division GroupM to WPP Media, and in recent months, it had slashed profit forecasts due to reduced client spending.
Adding to the momentum, Cindy Rose, former Microsoft executive, was recently named WPP’s new global CEO, replacing Mark Read.
Commenting on the Mastercard partnership, Rose said, “Mastercard is one of the most respected names in global commerce. Being chosen as their partner speaks volumes about the AI-powered, data-driven solutions we’re building to enable intelligent growth at WPP.”
This move signals Mastercard’s focus on tighter integration across media and social, fuelled by technology and scale.
