IBM and Ogilvy part ways after three decades

WPP’s Ogilvy has concluded its tenure as IBM’s creative agency of record, bringing a 32-year partnership—one of the longest in modern advertising—to a close, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE understands.

The relationship started in 1994, when IBM placed its US$500 million advertising business with Ogilvy, leading to campaigns that shaped the company’s identity over multiple eras. The two firms celebrated the three-decade milestone in August 2024 at Ogilvy’s 3 World Trade Center headquarters.

The separation comes after Ogilvy opted not to participate in IBM's upcoming creative agency review, according to multiple media reports. The decision was said to be primarily commercial, driven by long-standing balance-of-trade issues between WPP and IBM rather than any concerns over Ogilvy's creative work. IBM had previously launched a review of its media account in December 2025, which incumbent WPP Media also chose not to join.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Ogilvy for more information. 

This comes after WPP decided to bring its three main creative advertising agencies under one banner, WPP Creative. The three creative agencies including Ogilvy, VML and AKQA will be retained under the banner, but will continue to operate independently, according to the Financial Times. 

The move aims to simplify the advertising giant's offerings to clients by bringing in more integrated services across the business. WPP Creative will sit alongside WPP Production, the group's newly launched integrated media and production division.

Earlier in January this year, WPP united its production expertise, including Hogarth, into WPP Production. The new platform aims to deliver speed, scale and creativity across its client roster.

In addition, the restructure consolidates all content producers under one global team, combining agency and production expertise to foster collaboration, innovation, and operational efficiency. Richard Glasson, global CEO of Hogarth, leads the new division. 

Mark your calendars for 24 June! #Content360 Hong Kong returns with a dynamic, one-day event dedicated to pivotal trends—from the silver economies to breakthrough IP collaborations, sports, and beyond. Let's dive into the art of curating content with creativity, critical thinking and confidence!

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