WPP Media named a Leader in Media Management Services, Q4 2026 evaluation by independent research firm

WPP announced today that WPP Media has been named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Media Management Services, Q4 2026, receiving the highest score possible in communications strategy, technology and solutions implementation, and media buying.

Assessing WPP Media’s capabilities, the report notes that “its Systems of Influence framework is a standout communications strategy capability: it diagnoses growth sources, maps communities and cultural codes, and defines the role of media.”

Brian Lesser, CEO, WPP Media, said: “As companies face a world of increasing complexity and competition, marketers need a trusted growth partner who can help them identify new sources of growth and turn proprietary intelligence into real business outcomes. We’re pleased to see our leadership position and unique, intelligence-led approach to helping clients drive growth recognized in this report, which reflects the important work we’ve done since launching WPP Media to bring media, data, technology and human expertise together in a truly differentiated offer for clients.” 

Lauren Wetzel, Global President, Data and Technology Solutions, WPP, said: “What’s increasingly clear is that competitive advantage in marketing will come not from who owns or accumulates the most data but from who can unlock the most intelligence from it and put that intelligence to work. That’s the philosophy behind our approach to WPP Open, Open Intelligence and InfoSum. Together, they create an open, interoperable ecosystem that connects diverse data signals without compromising client control. That intelligence then flows seamlessly across media, creative, production and commerce. We’re pleased to see Forrester recognise the strength of our technology and implementation capabilities, and even more excited about what this enables for our clients: greater control, richer intelligence and, ultimately, measurable business growth.”

This recognition comes as WPP Media continues to build momentum following the launch of WPP's Elevate28 strategy in February 2026, which placed media at the heart of an integrated client proposition. WPP Media topped the COMvergence New Business Rankings in both Q1 and H1 2026, underscoring the market's growing demand for its intelligence-led approach.

Subscribers to Forrester can access the complete report here.

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. This report is part of a broader collection of Forrester resources, including interactive models, frameworks, tools, data, and access to analyst guidance. 

For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.