Wpp Restructures Around Two Circles In US
UK-based sports agency Two Circles is to become the lead brand for all of GroupM’s rightsholder-facing sports marketing business in the United States and north America, according to industry reports.
The move will include the launch of a new Two Circles office in Los Angeles.
It comes as GroupM’s parent company, advertising giant WPP, restructures its business in the wake of the departure of long-time chief executive Martin Sorrell.
GroupM recently sold its US brand consultancy, ESP Properties – as well as its sponsorship valuation specialist business, IEG – to Engine Shop, part of Bruin Sports Capital, in which the WPP group also holds a minority stake.
Now WPP’s international media investment management arm plans to consolidate its rightsholder work globally via the Two Circles brand, while retaining the ESP brand for continuity in certain markets.
Two Circles, a two-time winner of the BT Sport Industry Awards Agency of the Year, was acquired by GroupM in 2015.
The agency, which positions itself as a specialist in “data-driven sports marketing”, has seen its turnover increase by 400% since the acquisition.
Two Circles has already expanded internationally with offices in Bern and New York.
Its 80-strong client roster boasts three of the world’s top rightsholders, including the Premier League and the NFL.
Other Two Circles clients include the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board, golf’s R&A, England’s Rugby Football Union, England’s Football Association, Uefa, European Professional Club Rugby, North America’s Major League Soccer, beach volleyball’s AVP and the International Cricket Council.
GroupM says it will continue to conduct brand-focused sports business through subsidiaries such as Mediacom Sport & Entertainment, Mindshare and Wavemaker.
