a3068u
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 6-K
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Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the Month of March 2023
Commission File Number: 001-38303
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WPP plc
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
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Sea Containers, 18 Upper Ground
London, United Kingdom SE1 9GL
(Address of principal executive offices)
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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 X 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 U.S. 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, beliefs,
intentions, strategies, projections and anticipated future economic
performance based on assumptions and the like that are subject to
risks and uncertainties. These statements can be identified by the
fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current
facts. They use words such as ‘aim’,
‘anticipate’, ‘believe’,
‘estimate’, ‘expect’,
‘forecast’, ‘guidance’,
‘intend’, 'may', ‘will’,
‘should’, ‘potential’,
‘possible’, ‘predict’,
‘project’, ‘plan’, ‘target’,
and other words and similar references to future periods but are
not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. As such,
all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because
they relate to future events and circumstances that are beyond the
control of the Company. Actual results or outcomes may differ
materially from those discussed or implied in the forward-looking
statements. Therefore, you should not rely on such forward looking
statements, which speak only as of the date they are made, as a
prediction of actual results or otherwise. Important factors which
may cause actual results to differ include but are not limited to:
the impact of, epidemics or pandemics including restrictions on
businesses, social activities and travel; 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; changes in competitive
factors in the industries in which we operate and demand for our
products and services; changes in client advertising, marketing and
corporate communications requirements; our inability to realise the
future anticipated benefits of acquisitions; failure to realise our
assumptions regarding goodwill and indefinite lived intangible
assets; natural disasters or acts of terrorism; the Company’s
ability to attract new clients; the economic and geopolitical
impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine; the risk of global
economic downturn, slower growth, increasing interest rates and
high and sustained inflation; supply chain issues affecting the
distribution of our clients’ products; technological changes
and risks to the security of IT and operational infrastructure,
systems, data and information resulting from increased threat of
cyber and other attacks; the Company’s exposure to changes in
the values of other major currencies (because a substantial portion
of its revenues are derived and costs incurred outside of the UK);
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 2022 Annual Report on Form 20-F, 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 this document should not be regarded as a
representation by the Company that the Company’s plans and
objectives will be achieved. Neither the Company, nor any of its
directors, officers or employees, provides any representation,
assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of any events
anticipated, expressed or implied in any forward looking statements
will actually occur. 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.
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Description
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1
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Acquisition dated 27 March 2023, prepared by WPP plc.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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27 March 2023
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WPP PLC ("WPP")
WPP acquires social influencer marketing agency Obviously,
expanding tech-powered creator content capabilities
WPP today announced the acquisition of Obviously,
a technology-led social influencer marketing agency based in New
York, with operations in San Francisco and
Paris.
Founded by Mae Karwowski and Maxime Domain in 2014, Obviously's
proprietary next-generation tech platform increases campaign
efficiency and enables the company to service large-scale complex
campaigns for enterprise clients, including Google, Ford, Ulta
Beauty and Amazon. Obviously offers a full stack of end-to-end
services, including marketing strategy, influencer identification,
content creation, campaign management, and robust reporting and
analysis. Its team of nearly 100 people will join VMLY&R's
network, accelerating the WPP agency's investment in award-winning
data and social media work.
Obviously's tech offerings include automating processes;
streamlined workflow between influencers, clients and internal
teams; and enhancing data to deliver real-time campaign and
audience insights. The agency's unique data analytics
infrastructure also leverages AI to deliver predictive analysis and
assess campaign pricing and benchmarking.
Obviously has prioritised innovation and development in regulated
industries such as pharma, healthcare, finance and insurance. These
differentiated offerings have helped the agency capture a slice of
the rapidly growing U.S. influencer market, estimated to have been
worth $5 billion in 2022 (eMarketer).
Mae Karwowski, CEO of Obviously, said: "Obviously's
ability to match each client's unique needs while delivering at a
global scale has made us a leader in influencer marketing. Our
unique approach to creator-led marketing combined with our
proprietary technology has resulted in explosive growth. This
acquisition is the best of both worlds; we retain our agile and
entrepreneurial culture while benefiting from VMLY&R's depth of
experience and global scale - resulting in accelerated growth for
all. We
couldn't be more excited to join the WPP
network."
Jon Cook, CEO of VMLY&R, added: "Bringing
Obviously into our VMLY&R family is a clear win as clients
demand more intelligent data and results in the influencer space.
Obviously's tech and data capabilities are highly innovative, and
its ability to scale creator content quickly and efficiently, and
in every language, makes it instantly prepared to be leveraged
globally. I'm elated to start working with Mae, Max and the entire
Obviously team. We're excited for what's to come and the many
creative opportunities we'll unlock together for our client
partners."
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: "The
creator economy has experienced huge growth in recent years, and it
plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior. The Obviously
team brings an exceptional range of global influencer marketing
capabilities and a world-class technology platform that will
further strengthen our offer to clients."
Further information
Alex Davis-Isaac, WPP
+1 646-531-7724
Alex.DavisIsaac@wpp.com
About WPP
WPP is the creative transformation company. We use the power of
creativity to build better futures for our people, planet, clients
and communities. For more information, visit www.wpp.com.
About VMLY&R
VMLY&R is a global brand and customer experience agency that
harnesses creativity, technology, and culture to create connected
brands. Named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Global
Marketing Agencies for five consecutive years, VMLY&R is made
up of more than 13,000 employees worldwide with principal offices
in Kansas City, New York, Detroit, London, São Paulo,
Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney. The agency is behind award-winning
campaigns for blue-chip client partners including
Colgate-Palmolive, Danone, Dell, Ford, Intel, New Balance, Pfizer
and Wendy's. For more information, visit www.vmlyr.com.
VMLY&R is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP).
About Obviously
Obviously is a global leader in social influencer marketing.
Powered by our proprietary technology, we are a full-service agency
that works with world-class brands and influencers. We set
strategy, execute campaigns, and build authentic partnerships in
the social space. In
2019, Adweek named
Obviously the No.2 Fastest Growing Influencer Agency in the U.S.
and the No. 3 Fastest Growing Influencer Agency
Worldwide.
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.
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WPP
PLC
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(Registrant)
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Date:
27 March 2023
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By:
______________________
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Balbir
Kelly-Bisla
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Company
Secretary
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