WPP Takes Overall Honours in Cannes for Second Year in a Row

Record haul of awards for its agencies sees WPP named Holding Company of the Year at the 2012 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity

LONDON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WPP, (NASDAQ:WPPGY) the leading global communications services group, tonight carried away the overall prize for creative performance at the prestigious Cannes Lions Festival. In a repeat of 2011’s result, judges at the world’s premier showcase for excellence in communications named WPP Holding Company of the Year.

The award is based on the total number of Cannes Lions won by holding companies’ agencies. WPP notched up 1554.5 points in the competition, followed by Omnicom with 1375.5 and Publicis with 1032.

This latest success follows the announcement earlier in the week that WPP is acquiring AKQA, the world’s leading independent digital agency, and the news that the Effie Index has rated WPP the most effective advertising holding company of 2012.

Accepting the Cannes award on behalf of the group, WPP Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell and WPP Worldwide Creative Director John O’Keeffe said: “It’s wonderful to retain the Holding Company of the Year award, particularly when we see the calibre of work delivered across categories from so many brilliant creative agencies the world over. Long may we push one another to greater and greater heights. We congratulate all our clients and colleagues, and indeed all this year’s winners, irrespective of company.”

Cannes Lions were won by agencies across the group, across marketing disciplines and across regions. They included, amongst many others: Black River FC, Blast Radius, CHI & Partners, Grey, JWT, Johannes Leonardo, Kinetic, Landor, MediaCom, MetropolitanRepublic, Mindshare, Ogilvy, Scholz & Friends, The Partners, Vice, VML and Y&R.

WPP agencies from 50 countries across every continent received awards. Notable wins included, amongst others, network of the year for Ogilvy, a PR Grand Prix for JWT Puerto Rico, an Outdoor Grand Prix for Ogilvy Shanghai and a Mobile Grand Prix for Johannes Leonardo (with Grow).

Background on Cannes Lions

The International Festival of Creativity, also known as Cannes Lions, is the world's leading celebration of creativity in communications. Founded in 1954, the Festival takes place every June in Cannes, France. As the most prestigious international annual advertising and communications awards, over 28,800 entries from all over the world are showcased and judged at the Festival. Further information about the 2012 winners and full credits can be found at: www.canneslions.com