Global giant WPP acquires specialist influencer marketing agency

In recent years, Adweek magazine has recognised Goat as Europe’s fastest-growing agency, while The Drum magazine awarded it Social Media Agency of the Year and LinkedIn named it one of its top companies.

Goat will join GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, and merge with its influencer marketing business, called INCA, to create what the company says is “the industry’s first truly global influencer marketing agency with more than 300 employees in over 30 markets around the world”.

Clients want globally scaled and outcomes-driven capabilities

According to Christian Juhl, Global CEO of GroupM, influencer marketing is an exciting growth area for the business, and one in which clients are looking for globally scaled and outcomes-driven capabilities.

“The addition of Goat to GroupM … gives us the ability to deliver accountable, cross-channel and data-driven influencer solutions for clients anywhere in the world. Combined with the exceptional talent at INCA, we expect Goat to play a critical role in helping us define the next era of media at GroupM,” Juhl said.

Adds Mark Read, CEO of WPP: “Influencer marketing is a key growth priority for the industry and for WPP. Our clients are increasingly planning budgets at a global scale and require partners that have the global reach to help deliver, whilst driving engagement and impact at a local level. 

“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.”

A forecast by research firm Insider Intelligence predicts that advertiser spend on influencers will top US$6-billion in 2023.