WPP and Microsoft to Creatively Transform Content Production Through New Cloud Studio Partnership
May 05 2021 - 8:01AM
Business Wire
Developed on Microsoft Azure, WPP’s new
platform will enable greater collaboration between creative teams,
regardless of location
WPP (NYSE: WPP) and Microsoft Corp. have announced a partnership
to transform creative content production, beginning with the launch
of Cloud Studio, an innovative cloud platform that allows creative
teams from across WPP’s global network to produce campaigns for
clients from any location around the world.
Cloud Studio is the advertising industry’s first bespoke
platform for virtual production that arms creatives with the
technology to collaborate and create impactful work for clients,
moving content creation, production and editing out of on-premises
environments and into the cloud. Over the next three years, WPP
will roll out Cloud Studio to 5,000 employees across its network,
notably within WPP’s creative production operation Hogarth, giving
them the ability to access production tools and services from
standard internet-connected devices via Azure without the need for
traditional hardware or physical equipment. Longer term, WPP has
plans to expand the platform more broadly, with a potential
deployment of up to 25,000 users.
“Digital technology is rapidly transforming every aspect of the
media and advertising industry, including how content is produced,”
said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft. “Together with WPP, we will
apply the power of Azure’s scalable, intelligent infrastructure to
support next-generation content production and ensure thousands of
WPP employees remain agile, collaborative and creative from
anywhere.”
“Technology is what powers WPP’s creativity; it allows us to
realise our ideas, uncover insights and embrace innovative ways of
working. The pandemic has shown how WPP teams can successfully
collaborate to create extraordinary work for our clients, all while
being physically apart,” said Mark Read, CEO of WPP. “Partnering
with Microsoft on Cloud Studio is the next step in our journey to
arm creative teams with the latest in cutting-edge production
tools, and draw upon the best talent, regardless of where they
are.”
Cloud Studio enables WPP to fully embrace today’s new world of
hybrid working environments while providing business continuity and
the ability to deliver outstanding work for clients across teams
and markets. For example, the platform will enable greater
collaboration and more efficient content production by providing
easier access and visibility into content via advanced Azure
AI-powered indexing of metadata from a central location accessible
from anywhere, at any time. This intelligent categorization of
content will enable WPP to give teams the assurance of version
control, eliminate duplication of content and empower creatives
working across markets and time zones with access to the right
assets for the right product or market.
Cloud Studio further supports WPP’s wider sustainability agenda
and its recent net zero commitments in offering greater efficiency
and minimizing energy consumption by reducing creative teams’ need
for traditional production studios to deliver large-scale,
high-quality marketing content. The platform’s use of content and
digital asset discovery will also lead to a reduction in wasted
materials and unused collateral from previous shoots. WPP and
Microsoft both have ambitious company commitments around
sustainability and have previously collaborated on
sustainability-related initiatives.
Azure services will provide the foundation for Cloud Studio,
including the use of Azure compute and storage to more quickly and
efficiently get content into the hands of creative professionals.
Azure will enable WPP to scale up and down its storage needs as new
client projects begin and end, reducing spend by utilizing more
cost-efficient cloud storage once a project is archived. Azure
DevOps and GitHub will enable WPP to quickly provision new
instances of Cloud Studio based on need. Finally, to enable
creatives to be productive from anywhere, WPP will pilot the use of
Surface devices, including Surface Pro 7, Surface Go 2, Surface
Book 3 and Surface Duo.
Accelerating productivity and accessibility
WPP and Microsoft have a longstanding relationship that reaches
beyond virtual production to create technology-based solutions that
help WPP provide better experiences for employees and clients. For
example, Microsoft Teams has enabled WPP’s 100,000-person workforce
to seamlessly transition to a hybrid work environment over the last
18 months, promoting better collaboration and connection both
internally and with clients. Additionally, WPP recently
collaborated with Microsoft to ensure its creative output is more
accessible to people with disabilities and inclusive of broad
demographics by building a solution that leverages Azure AI
services to help incorporate accessibility and inclusivity checks
into client work as it is created.
About WPP
WPP is a 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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital
transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an
intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more.
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210505005590/en/
For more information, press only: Microsoft Media Relations, WE
Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, rrt@we-worldwide.com
Niken Wresniwiro, WPP, +44 (0)20 7282 4600/+44 (0)7876 005 489,
niken.wresniwiro@wpp.com Martina Suess, WPP, +1 917 456 5049,
martina.seuss@wpp.com
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