Google, Amazon, OpenAI: Transform Your Technology Choices into Growth Drivers with the WPP Media Barometer

Interview with Adrien Lepage, Executive Director, Data, Tech & Analytics at WPP Media

Modern marketing is no longer just about buying ad space—it’s built on complex technological infrastructures. With the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the proliferation of Cloud solutions, brands are navigating an increasingly fragmented ecosystem. Should they rely on established tech giants to host their data, or take a chance on emerging players in generative AI?

To help advertisers tackle this complexity and make informed technology investment decisions, WPP has developed a groundbreaking global analysis tool: the Data & Tech Performance Barometer. This benchmark evaluates platforms across five critical categories: data assets, technical/AI capabilities, distribution, transaction/commerce capabilities, and content/media. We sat down with Adrien Lepage to explore the insights and significance of this super-benchmark for the French market.

WPP Media: Why did WPP Media create this new Data & Tech Performance Barometer?

Adrien Lepage: Typically, we produce reports like This Year, Next Year, which analyze advertising budgets. But we’re more than just a media company. Through our consulting and media buying activities, we handle an enormous volume of data, putting us at the forefront of marketing and technology transformations. Our primary role is, of course, to design the best media strategies, but it’s also to help our clients step back and gain perspective on an ecosystem that has become incredibly fragmented and complex.

We’re all familiar with the platforms where we invest directly, like Google or Meta, whose 90% of revenue comes from advertising. That’s a straightforward view. But this barometer goes deeper, uncovering a new layer of advertising intelligence by incorporating players like OpenAI, Adobe, Oracle, and cloud solutions such as AWS (Amazon) and Azure (Microsoft). Why? Because these are the companies now driving marketing and communications behind the scenes. At WPP Media, we integrate strategy, media, data, and technology. Most importantly, this barometer is built on highly detailed and fascinating data. It’s a powerful tool for clients who need to choose a tech provider. For instance, they can precisely evaluate whether Adobe’s tech stack is the most effective option for accelerating their growth.

This enables our clients to assess partners based on their actual capabilities, not just their benchmarks or sales pitches.

WPP Media: You often say that “all technology is advertising.” Practically speaking, how does choosing a Cloud host like AWS or Google Cloud Platform impact an advertiser’s performance?

Adrien Lepage: Let’s consider some concrete examples. AWS offers exceptional cloud storage solutions. An eyewear brand or a telecom operator might use it to host their customer database or online booking systems. But for us, as a media player, this technology becomes a powerful growth engine: we use it to store and cross-reference signals that refine targeting and significantly boost campaign performance.

Take Adobe as another example: beyond their software tools, their cloud-based technology suite enables real-time personalization of a website or mobile app homepage, seamlessly synchronized with the ad a user has just seen. This barometer helps answer key structural questions: if I choose AWS, how will it integrate with Adobe? And in the future, how will it work with ChatGPT’s advertising formats? It’s a decision-making tool that directly supports business objectives.

WPP Media: Looking at the barometer’s rankings, which platforms are leading the way today?

Adrien Lepage: Alphabet (Google) is the undisputed leader. They’re classified as the ultimate “Ecosystem Builders.” Across all five criteria, they demonstrate exceptional leadership. Why? Because they offer a complete and integrated stack: advertising tools, consumer products (Gmail, Maps), video distribution via YouTube, hardware with Android, and Cloud infrastructure. On top of that, they’ve capitalized on years of AI research. They provide a level of stability that inspires confidence.

Amazon and Tencent are also leaders across multiple criteria, showing very few weaknesses.

WPP Media: What about the highly publicized “Challengers” like OpenAI? How should advertisers approach these emerging opportunities?

Adrien Lepage: OpenAI’s models are incredibly innovative and open up entirely new creative possibilities. Their main challenge lies in scaling their business model, as these technologies require massive infrastructure investments.

This is where our barometer delivers immense value by evaluating trust factors like intellectual property and privacy. For example, if an advertiser decides to generate images using Tencent’s AI, it’s crucial to understand the origin of the training data to ensure brand safety. The barometer sheds light on these critical aspects, enabling secure and informed investments.

WPP Media: Unexpected players like Xiaomi also appear in this benchmark. How is this relevant to traditional French advertisers?

Adrien Lepage: Xiaomi is categorized as a “Hardware Heavyweight.” In China, they’ve built an ecosystem that spans everything from smartphones to connected cars. These vehicles, equipped with advanced technologies, are creating new advertising opportunities. Understanding that future advertising will be delivered through these new mobility touchpoints is a fantastic opportunity for brands, regardless of their industry. Similarly, understanding the competitive advantages of an e-commerce platform like Shopify compared to Google Shopping helps our clients build the best infrastructures today.

WPP Media: To wrap up, what advice would you give to advertisers facing this wave of technological acceleration?

Adrien Lepage: AI is the new electricity powering everything. The question isn’t whether to adopt it—it’s already a core part of our industry, with machine learning and intelligent decision-making at its heart.

That said, going “all in” on a brand-new platform isn’t something I’d recommend. But being the last to adopt is just as risky! My advice is to allocate 10% to 15% of your budget to innovation.

It’s essential to start testing these new environments early to build your experience curve. The real danger lies in waiting too long. If you don’t experiment with new GEO formats or advertising in LLMs today, and they become the standard in three years, you’ll still be in the testing phase while your competitors are already ahead. The result? You’ll spend a fortune trying to catch up. It’s just common sense.

The WPP barometer, combined with our WPP Open platform, is designed to guide you through this learning curve and turn innovation into a competitive edge.

💡 Mini-Glossary to Decode Tech

• LLM (Large Language Model): A type of AI trained on vast amounts of text data to understand and generate natural language (e.g., ChatGPT).

• GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): A new discipline focused on optimizing a brand’s visibility so it is recommended by generative AI-powered search engines.

• Tech Stack: The collection of software, applications, and IT infrastructure that a company uses to operate its services.

• Cloud Computing: The delivery of IT services (e.g., servers, storage, databases) over the internet, providing flexible, on-demand computing power.

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