What:Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. has awarded WPP its US$600 million global retail, wholesale, health and beauty product brands businesses after a 1 year review.
Why it matters:‘Team WBA’ will provide services including traditional and digital advertising, media investment management, promotion & relationship marketing, public affairs, media relations and communications.
Pharmacy giant Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. has partnered with WPP and selected a team of WPP agencies to operate and develop multiple marketing and communications channels for its US $600 million global retail and wholesale, health and beauty product brands businesses.
‘Team WBA’, the bespoke WPP team, will provide services including traditional and digital advertising, media investment management, promotion & relationship marketing, public affairs, media relations and communications for the enterprise, realizing significant benefits globally.
Hub office locations for ‘Team WBA’ will be created by WPP in Chicago, London and New York to support Walgreens Boots Alliance and businesses including Walgreens, Boots and Alliance Healthcare businesses.
Team WBA becomes only the latest of WPP’s dedicated agency teams for clients, which also include Global Team Blue for Ford and Team Arrow Partners, the holding company’s GroupM agency for Target. In 2015, Walgreens spent more than $557 million on advertising, according to Ad Age’s Datacenter.
Stefano Pessina, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance, commented: “We are very pleased to confirm this new partnership with WPP and the creation of Team WBA. We have grown rapidly, so too have our marketing and communications needs, and this multi dimensional model and new way of working will better support our vision for the company and future growth plans. This more integrated way of working will help us to strengthen brand recognition, while unlocking potential synergies, creating increased efficiencies and helping streamline our activities globally.”
Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive, WPP, said: “We look forward to partnering with Walgreens Boots Alliance to help further enhance what are already iconic brands in the health and wellbeing category. Team WBA will be a custom solution that draws together the talent and resources from across WPP to develop effective communications that will differentiate WBA and drive results.”
The decision culminates a thorough review process which began in early 2016.
Walgreens Boots Alliance is the first global pharmacy created through the combination of Walgreens and Alliance Boots in December 2014.Walgreens Boots Alliance is pne the largest retail pharmacy, health and daily living destination across the USA and Europe. It has over 13,200* stores in 11* countries.
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