WPP Acquires Canadian Commerce Agency Diff to Grow Its Partner Ecosystem in North America
09 December 2022 - 12:30AM
Business Wire
WPP (NYSE: WPP) today announces that it is acquiring Diff, a
leading commerce agency based in Montreal, Canada.
Diff is an award-winning developer of tailor-made commerce
solutions with specialized capabilities that address the rapidly
growing Shopify commerce ecosystem. Founded in 2011 by Benjamin
Crudo, the 115-strong company will join the Wunderman Thompson
global network, complementing its world-class commerce and
marketing services teams in North America.
With direct-to-consumer commerce sales in the United States
forecast to grow to almost $213 billion by 2023, more brands are
adopting D2C models as part of a multichannel approach. Diff
specializes in growth strategy, front-end design, site optimization
and system integrations which has enabled the agency to create some
of the most innovative, complex and high-performing online stores
on the Shopify platform, which now accounts for 10% of the United
States’ eCommerce market share. Among Diff’s high-growth D2C client
portfolio are Giant Tiger, Kith, Sakara Life, and more.
The acquisition will further strengthen WPP’s digital commerce
capabilities and reflects the company’s ongoing investment into its
commerce offer for clients as consumer needs continue to change. It
is aligned with WPP's accelerated growth strategy, building on
existing capabilities in the areas of commerce and technology. WPP
is ranked as a Leader in Forrester's latest global Commerce
Services Wave, and already manages more than $40bn of direct and
$20bn of marketplace GMV for clients, employing 13,500 commerce
specialists across its agencies.
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “The tremendous growth in
the digital commerce ecosystem means our clients are looking to us
to deliver the innovative solutions they need to reach new and
existing customers in meaningfully engaging ways. Diff’s Shopify
expertise, alongside its unique blend of strategy, optimization and
design, will be a welcome addition to our commerce portfolio and
will drive results for our clients in North America, which is WPP’s
largest market.”
Neil Stewart, CEO of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, said:
“This acquisition boosts Wunderman Thompson’s commerce and
technology ecosystem across North America, bringing Shopify
expertise to our roster of well-established technology
partnerships. Our global clients will now have access to the
expertise of one of Shopify’s longest standing partners and its
multichannel platform that caters to 600 million shoppers in more
than 175 countries. Together we offer brands and retailers extended
routes to market, including D2C, marketplaces, eRetail and social
commerce.”
Benjamin Crudo, CEO and Founder of Diff, said: “We
couldn’t be more excited to join the ranks of Wunderman Thompson,
bringing Shopify’s disruptive power to its global client base.
Ecommerce has been radically reshaping the way brands bring their
products and services to market, and Diff has been at the forefront
of this revolution. As one of Shopify’s founding and most
innovative agency partners we’re looking forward to continuing to
expand the platform’s reach.”
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.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221207005847/en/
Further information Martina Suess, WPP +1 917-456-5049
Martina.suess@wpp.com
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