WPP and Japanese telecommunications firm KDDI have created a partnership designed to develop new digital capabilities for content creators. The partners believe the effort will help promote Japanese content and culture globally.  

The companies said the partnership will support Japan’s digital creators by joining WPP’s scale and digital creative expertise with KDDI’s Web3 expertise, which includes the newly launched “Alpha-U” Web3 platform. It will also enable WPP and its agencies to collaborate on commercial and creative opportunities with KDDI, expanding WPP’s client offering and intellectual property.   

“As Japan’s digital ecosystem catches up with the rest of the world, it is critical that content creators are equipped with the latest technology to set them up for success,” stated Kyoko Matsushita, CEO WPP Japan. The collaboration, she added would develop “best-in-class tools, which will provide our clients’ brands with unrivalled content opportunities.” 

Hiromichi Matsuda, Executive Officer at KDDI, said the agreement would enhance the firm’s Web3 business offering. “KDDI has pioneered the Metaverse in Japan...Due to the borderless nature of the Metaverse, we believe we can create world-class services that originate in Japan [and that] our partnership with WPP will help to boost our momentum.” 

The alliance with KDDI follows WPP’s recent global partnerships BigCommerce and Stripe to expand WPP’s commerce and payment solution offerings. Last May it allied with Epic Games to build next-generation interactive experiences that leverage Unreal Engine.