FORM 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the Month of November 2016
Commission File Number: 0-16350
WPP PLC
(Translation of registrant’s name into English)
27 Farm Street, London W1J 5RJ, England
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
Form 20-F ☒ Form 40-F ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ☐
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ☐
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
Forward-Looking Statements
In connection with the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”), the Company may include forward-looking statements (as defined in the Reform Act) in oral or written public statements issued by or on behalf of the Company. These forward-looking statements may include, among other things, plans, objectives, projections and anticipated future economic performance based on assumptions and the like that are subject to risks and uncertainties. As such, actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ include but are not limited to: the unanticipated loss of a material client or key personnel, delays or reductions in client advertising budgets, shifts in industry rates of compensation, regulatory compliance costs or litigation, natural disasters or acts of terrorism, the Company’s exposure to changes in the values of major currencies other than the UK pound sterling (because a substantial portion of its revenues are derived and costs incurred outside of the United Kingdom) and the overall level of economic activity in the Company’s major markets (which varies depending on, among other things, regional, national and international political and economic conditions and government regulations in the world’s advertising markets). In addition, you should consider the risks described in Item 3D, captioned “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2015, which could also cause actual results to differ from forward-looking information. In light of these and other uncertainties, the forward-looking statements included in the oral or written public statements should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that the Company’s plans and objectives will be achieved.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit No. |
Description | |
| 1 | Press Release dated 8 November 2016, made by WPP plc. | |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| WPP PLC | ||||||
| (Registrant) | ||||||
| Date: 10 November 2016 |
By: | /s/ Paul W.G. Richardson | ||||
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| Paul W.G. Richardson | ||||||
| Group Finance Director | ||||||
Exhibit 1
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | 8 November 2016 |
WPP PLC (“WPP”)
WPP Signs Exclusive Affiliation Agreement with PPG,
the leading digital marketing group in Iran
WPP, the world’s largest communications services group, has signed an affiliation agreement with PPG, the leader in digital marketing in Iran, which operates more than 15 top digital services companies in the country. This agreement will give WPP and its clients access, on an exclusive basis, to the most effective digital marketing channels in the Iranian market and provides PPG with access to a huge amount of knowledge through connections with the world leader in marketing communications.
PPG employs more than 200 people and comprises several leading Iranian digital businesses, including Anetwork, ADRO, RASANEX, ADAD, DMC, and a host of other leading content, technology, data, mobile and digital consultancy businesses.
| • | Anetwork, Iran’s leading online advertising network, serves 6+ billion impressions per month, reaching more than 36 million Iranians. |
| • | ADRO is the first real-time bidding advertising exchange platform for web and mobile adverts in Iran, connected to all local networks. It has over 184,000 sites and apps, and offers re-targeting pixel for local and international traffic. |
| • | RASANEX is the first and leading DSP (Demand Side Platform) in Iran serving 7 of the largest agencies through its media spend. |
| • | ADAD is the dominant mobile advertising network in Iran. It is directly integrated with Café Bazaar, the leading local android app marketplace and brand, to monetize over 9000 apps currently in this market. |
| • | DMC is the leading full service digital media house which works in partnership with Digikala, the leading ecommerce brand in Iran, and has exclusive monetization rights to Digikala’s media. DMC’s Performance Marketing knowledge and tools, access to the top digital sites in the country, and innovative strategies, enables its clients to achieve the best performance for their smart digital media planning and placement. |
This initiative continues WPP’s strategy of focusing on three key areas that differentiate the Group’s offering to clients: content, technology and data. WPP’s digital assets include companies like Acceleration (marketing technology consultancy), Cognifide (content management technology), Salmon (e-commerce), Hogarth (digital production technology) and Xaxis (the world’s largest global programmatic media and technology company). WPP also has investments in a number of innovative technology services companies such as Globant, Mutual Mobile, Kuvera (an ecommerce company specializing in Chinese ecommerce platforms) and ad technology companies such as AppNexus, comScore (data investment management), DOMO, mySupermarket and Percolate.
Collectively, WPP’s digital revenues were over US$7 billion in 2015, representing 37% of the Group’s total revenues of US$19 billion. WPP has set a target of 40-45% of revenue to be derived from digital in the next five years.
In the Middle East and Africa, WPP companies including associates generate revenues of over US$1 billion and employ around 37,000 people.
Contact WPP:
| Feona McEwan, WPP | +44(0) 20 7408 2204 | |
| Chris Wade, WPP |
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Contact PPG:
| Farbod Sadeghian, CEO | PPG | fs@ppg.media | |
| Joanna Crawford, Cicero | +44 (0) 20 7343 1600 | |