Agency Spy interviews Sir Martin Sorrell from WPP group plc
February 16, 2009
We can’t believe this! Matt from Agency Spy has interviewed the George Parker Coined Sir Martin Sorrell from WPP group plc / Poisoned Dwarf!! Amazing Stuff some tidbits from the interview that we wanted to point out.
Q: WPP’s integration is different than your average corporate integration, it’s not really horizontal or vertical.
A : What has become apparent in the last few years is that clients want access to all of a groups resources, not just those of one brand. Why have access to only 10,000 talented people, when you can have access to over 130,000. This started with accounts such as hsbc and vodafone and migrated to samsung, bank of america, p&g, ford, dell, j&j pharma and hp. Increasingly, the parent companies or holding companies are becoming the full service agencies of the 21st. Century. This is the major and unparalleled opportunity.
He mentioned Dell and by default Enfatico , the advertising agency that was created for Dell as their “own agency”. His actions are in complete incompatibility with his statements in the interview.
If Dell wanted WPP group plc to be their ad agency, then WPP group plc would be their ad agency… not Enfatico, a division of WPP. This is somewhat mind boggling.
It’s also worth noting that he didn’t mention Digital at all in the interview, as if it’s the last thing on his mind… though that may be the key to reversing it’s declining net-worth as a company.
What is this building? It’s where Enfatico signed a 10 year least for a 3 year contract.

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Did you read the same interview as me?
Question 1 “second, were focussed on new media, also almost 25% of our revenues”
Question 2 “In fact, new media and social networks, in particular, have been and will be an opportunity, not a threat.”
Question 3 “We need to expand our capabilties [sic] even further in new media.”
Question 4 “In 2009 there are still going to be functional and geographical areas that grow like brazil, china, india, many of the next 11 markets, new media…”
etc
I can’t say I agree with his approach to advertising but fair play for doing the interview in the first place, not exactly a friendly crowd! As for digital there are plenty of mentions as per above, maybe just maybe digital isn’t the answer to EVERYTHING!
I think his answer to question 1, 2 and 3 was applying to 30 second spots on Hulu.com …. in other words… standard TV spots… notice how he said “new media” … he didn’t mention search, he didn’t mention social media… because search isn’t new at all… search is 15 years old in it’s somewhat modern form (since altavista) … that isn’t new… new might apply to CBS.com 30 second spots.. or Hulu.com 30 second spots.. those are relatively new.. 2-3 years old.