• WPP, a world-renowned marketing communications company, has acquired Obviously, a technology-led social influencer marketing agency based in New York, expanding its capabilities in digital marketing.

• Obviously’s proprietary technology platform enhances campaign efficiency, automating processes, and providing real-time campaign and audience insights, making it a leader in the influencer marketing space.

• With Obviously now part of WPP’s network, the company is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of enterprise clients while driving innovation in the digital marketing industry.

WPP, the world-renowned marketing communications company, has acquired Obviously, a technology-led social influencer marketing agency based in New York, with operations in San Francisco and Paris. The acquisition marks a significant expansion of WPP’s tech-powered creator content capabilities.

Founded 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. Its full stack of end-to-end services includes marketing strategy, influencer identification, content creation, campaign management, and robust reporting and analysis.

The acquisition of Obviously brings WPP’s expertise in influencer marketing, content marketing, and advertising, to a new level of capability, while expanding its reach in media. With the integration of Obviously’s unique technology offerings into WPP’s offerings, WPP is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of enterprise clients, while remaining at the forefront of digital marketing innovation.

In 2022, WPP reported significant growth and success, with reported revenue up by 12.7% compared to the previous year, and like-for-like (LFL) revenue growing by 6.7%. WPP’s major agencies have been delivering strong performances, with GroupM seeing an FY LFL revenue less pass-through costs growth of +9.1%. Additionally, the company won $5.9 billion of net new business and was recognized for creativity, being named the most-awarded company at the 2022 Cannes Lions Festival for the second year in a row.

Mae Karwowski, CEO of Obviously, expressed her excitement about the acquisition by WPP, stating, “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.”

The acquisition of Obviously by WPP underscores the importance of influencer marketing, content marketing, advertising, and media in the evolving landscape of digital marketing. It also highlights the value of innovative technology solutions that can streamline workflow and provide real-time campaign and audience insights. With Obviously now part of WPP’s network, the company is poised to continue its growth trajectory while driving innovation in the digital marketing industry.