Creative transformation company WPP announced the acquisition of Goat, a data-driven influencer marketing agency, to expand its digital marketing capabilities and provide clients with more comprehensive solutions.
Goat will merge with INCA, WPP's influencer marketing solution and join GroupM, WPP's media investment group. The acquisition will enable WPP to capitalize on the increasing demand for influencer marketing services.
@WPP acquires data-driven influencer marketing agency @TheGoatAgency 👉 https://t.co/G0QgBHvljG@GroupMWorldwidepic.twitter.com/BNhwfEjbf7
— WPP (@WPP) March 22, 2023
By joining forces, WPP claimed this would create the industry's first global influencer marketing agency, with over 300 employees in more than 30 markets worldwide.
WPP's CEO, Mark Read, said, "Goat’s proven track record in the influencer marketing space paired with GroupM’s record of excellence will continue to build on our unparalleled expertise in this area." He believes influencer marketing is a key growth priority for the industry and WPP.
Meanwhile, Arron Shepherd, Founder and CEO of Goat, expressed his excitement about the acquisition, saying, “We couldn't be happier to be joining WPP and GroupM to bring our leading global influencer marketing and digital solutions to some of the best brands in the world.”
The acquisition of Goat underscores the significance of data-driven marketing strategies and the growing influence of social media and influencer marketing in the advertising industry.
Christian Juhl, Global CEO of GroupM, states that influencer marketing is an exciting growth area for their business and clients.
He further explained that adding Goat to GroupM as part of GroupM Nexus will enable them to deliver accountable, cross-channel and data-driven influencer solutions for their clients.
Goat was founded in 2015 and has rapidly become a leading influencer marketing agency, focusing on data-driven strategies that help brands connect with their target audiences.
The company has helped some of the world's largest brands grow and has tracked the performance of over 50,000 influencer channels and 250,000 pieces of content.