WPP Acquires Branding Agency Passport to Expand Creative and Design Offerings
Summary
Founded in 2004 by Natalie Taormina and Jeremy Creighton, Passport brings extensive brand identity, design expertise and insight into WPP and works across a broad range of consumer categories and global markets, spanning Australia and Asia to North America. The acquisition is part of WPP’s accelerated growth strategy and focused M&A approach to advance its core creative capabilities in marketing, communications and design. Eric Campbell, VMLY&R Global President, said: “Our ambitions for network growth reflect the best-in-class range of capabilities we continually offer our clients. 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 Wendys.