• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, August 13, 2020

WPP has signed up with InVision, an end-to-end design and development platform that enables agencies and clients to collaborate virtually to create digital content, campaigns and other products.

The holding company agreed to the partnership as the pandemic has forced agency and client teams across the industry to find alternative ways to work together. Under the agreement, the platform will support WPP’s full roster of creative agencies, which includes global networks Wunderman Thompson, VMLY&R, Ogilvy and other shops.

The deal was driven on WPP’s side by Sanja Partalo, the company’s executive vice president, global head of strategic development and partnerships.

"To give our clients the best results, our agencies have multidisciplinary, cross-functional teams that work seamlessly and simultaneously together, no matter where they’re located," said Partalo. "We chose InVision because they’ve really done a phenomenal job of building out collaboration capabilities within their digital product design platform. Enabling collaboration is the magic here.”

According to the companies, the InVision platform, based in New York and founded nearly a decade ago, enables agencies and clients to jointly navigate all stages of the digital product and design process. Teams can rapidly develop CX products, mobile applications, websites and more. Netflix, Gap and Starbucks are among the big firms that have utilized the platform.

Earlier this year, WT deployed the platform to develop a brand repositioning initiative for client Aquafresh toothpaste, part of GSK. Initially, teams were set to meet in New York to work on the effort at the agency’s offices, during a series of week-long meetings. But the COVID-19 shutdown intervened and the teams utilized the InVision platform, working remotely. Over two-dozen specialists worked on the project, completing the work in about half the time initially scheduled. And without all the costly travel expenses.

As WPP CEO Mark Read and other Adland leaders have said recently, more of their people will be working remotely in the future. Pandemic aside, it’s more efficient with the right technology in place. The InVision approach looks like one way they’ll be doing it.