Glenfiddich appoints WPP to lead integrated media business in China

Glenfiddich, the single malt Scotch whisky brand, has appointed WPP to manage its integrated media account in China following a competitive pitch.

As part of the partnership, WPP Media and VML will collaborate to build brand influence for Glenfiddich within China’s dynamic marketing ecosystem, capitalising on new growth opportunities.

Through WPP’s integrated services, which combine media intelligence with creativity, specialist talent and its agentic marketing platform WPP Open, Glenfiddich aims to engage consumers through more integrated and innovative approaches, particularly across digital touchpoints.

Specifically, WPP Media will spearhead traditional and digital media planning and buying for Glenfiddich in China, ensuring brand messages efficiently and effectively reach target audiences. VML, meanwhile, will lead social media, translating omni-channel insights into engaging content and immersive brand experiences. In addition, WPP Open will support the team with insights and analytics, thereby ensuring seamless collaboration.

Zhang Jie, China marketing director, William Grant & Sons, said: “The Chinese market has always been instrumental to Glenfiddich’s global operations, and we are consistently committed to delivering more integrated and exceptional experiences to Chinese consumers. In today’s rapidly-evolving market landscape, we need partners with comprehensive integration capabilities to innovate continuously alongside us and push boundaries. We are very much looking forward to a close collaboration with the WPP team to jointly explore new growth pathways for single malt whisky in China.”

Rupert McPetrie, co-CEO of WPP Media China, said: “It is a great honour to extend our highly successful outdoor media collaboration with Glenfiddich to the full media spectrum. This win not only underscores Glenfiddich’s deep trust in WPP Media’s integrated capabilities and professional services but also reaffirms our proven ability to deliver full-funnel, data-driven media solutions for brands. We are keen to work closely with Glenfiddich to drive outstanding commercial results for the brand in this vibrant Chinese market.”

Kevin Zhu, CEO of VML China, said: “The VML team is thrilled to embark on a new journey of brand communication in China with such a legendary brand as Glenfiddich. VML focuses on brand value and consumer needs, committing to an omnichannel strategy and deeply cultivating the social ecosystem. We will leverage AI and deeply integrate data-driven approaches. We cannot wait to build creative and impactful brand and consumer experiences for Glenfiddich, ultimately driving tangible business growth for the brand.”

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

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