WPP Retires Hogarth Brand, Launches WPP Production Feb 23
WPP consolidates Hogarth, Ogilvy, and VML production teams into unified AI-powered platform with £300M investment. What the rebrand means for Asian markets.
WPP will retire its Hogarth creative production brand on February 23, replacing it with WPP Production, a unified global platform that integrates production teams from Hogarth, Ogilvy, and VML. The move, backed by £300 million (~US$370 million) in annual investment, consolidates 18 years of Hogarth operations into a single AI-powered workflow system.
Consolidation Under New Leadership
Richard Glasson, former Hogarth CEO, will lead WPP Production as global chief executive. The platform aims to centralize production capabilities across WPP's agency network, connecting creative teams with media planning and data analytics tools.
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"Bringing all of WPP's craft expertise together in WPP Production reinforces our position at the heart of WPP's integrated offering," Glasson said in a statement announcing the transition.
The consolidation integrates production teams that previously operated separately within WPP's major agencies. Clients working with multiple WPP brands will now access production services through a single point of contact, with workflows managed through WPP Open, the holding company's AI-enabled operating system.
WPP's £300 million investment supports the unified platform's technology infrastructure, including virtual production studios and real-time content optimization tools. The company is expanding its London virtual production facilities, signaling potential future investments in other regional hubs.
Asian Market Implications
For Asian markets, the transition affects how regional teams coordinate production workflows and access new capabilities. Helen McRae, CEO of WPP Media Southeast Asia, has positioned the region as a strategic hub for social commerce and influencer marketing innovation.
"Southeast Asia is leading in social commerce and KOL innovation. These are practices we can scale globally," McRae said at WPP's November 21, 2025, Now & Next Partners Summit in Manila.
The Philippines event highlighted WPP's focus on Southeast Asian markets, where digital media adoption and creator-driven commerce are reshaping production demands. The unified platform aims to streamline how Asian marketing teams access AI-driven content creation tools and coordinate campaigns across multiple markets.
Recent client wins demonstrate the integrated approach. Mastercard's global media account, spanning more than 70 markets, uses WPP Production's collaboration with Ogilvy's creative teams and WPP Media's data capabilities. The account requires coordinated production across diverse Asian markets, from Japan to Indonesia.
Australian Operations and Leadership Changes
Australia's transition may see minimal immediate disruption. WPP AUNZ centralized most production responsibilities under Hogarth in 2018, operating as a single registered entity with unified financial reporting.
However, leadership turnover has marked the Australian operations. Justin Ricketts led Hogarth Australia before his October 2024 promotion to global chief transformation officer. Anna Quinn, former head of Max Media Lab, served as managing director but departed within six months to join Are Media.
Dan Robathan, who succeeded Quinn, will now lead Australian operations under the WPP Production brand. The restructure adds media integration capabilities to the local production unit, connecting content creation with audience data and performance optimization tools.
The February 23 transition date gives Asian marketing teams roughly one month to adjust internal processes and agency coordination workflows as WPP completes the global rollout.
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