WPP and commerce platform Shopify have unveiled a global partnership under which the companies will share insights and jointly develop products to help clients scale commerce operations faster and potentially reach more customers.  

The main idea, per the companies, is to help clients keep pace with the rapid evolution of ecommerce across all platforms and shifts in consumer buying habits. 

The partnership will address commerce infrastructure improvements for clients and targeted custom solutions across sectors like CPG, health and wellness, and fashion. 

The firms also intend to roll out global training and certification programs for WPP employees, with the goal of creating 300 certified Shopify specialists across WPP’s global network within the first year of the partnership. 

The alliance comes as WPP continues to invest heavily in commerce assets, including the late 2022 acquisition of Shopify specialist agency Diff, now part of the Wunderman Thompson network. The firm also acquired commerce and transformation agency Phenom Digital, now also part of W-T's commerce and technology group, created earlier this year. 

The partners said that WPP and Diff will also participate in Shopify’s Operation Hope program, which aims to start, grow and scale one million Black-owned businesses in the United States by 2030.

Mark Read, CEO of WPP, stated, “The commerce sector has seen an incredible explosion in growth over the last few years, which is why Shopify is a natural fit for our clients given its enterprise credibility and speed at which they innovate. As WPP continues to scale and strengthen its commerce offerings and expertise, I’m confident that this partnership will lead to more growth opportunities for the brands we work with.”