Three leading GroupM clients in China, including Yum brands, Dyson and Swatch have demanded for media reviews in the market, Campaign APAC reported. The GroupM incumbent agencies were not asked to re-pitched proposals for the brand accounts, signalling a major shift in WPP’s media client relationships in China, according to Campaign.
As per the report, the reviews came during a challenging time for GroupM’ mainland China office, following the confinement of three GroupM trading executives over bribery charges in October 2023, encouraging WPP’s own internal investigation. Recently, GroupM China CEO and WPP Country Manager Patrick Xu resigned from his position after spending almost ten years with the company.
GroupM refused claims that they were not called to present the pitch, calling it ‘inaccurate’. The most famous of the three accounts, would be fast food major Yum brands. KFC and Pizza Hut parent company has officially reviewed its sizable media business in China of $400 million according to Comvergence. Mindshare has held this account since 1998.