Five Reasons Why.... Ogilvy Has Bought NCA

This week WPP swooped on New Commercial Arts (NCA), snapping up the UK agency to join Ogilvy’s global creative network. The move is a masterstroke for WPP and Devika Bulchandani, the global CEO of Ogilvy - who's added another boutique agency to her network alongside David Miami and INGO in Stockholm.

And of course it's another huge win for James Murphy and David Golding, two of the founders of Adam&Eve, one of the most successful and influential agencies of this millennium, which sold to Omnicom's DDB in 2012. WPP looks to be hoping to repeat that sort of success at Ogilvy - with the kind of gold dust that the duo sprinkled on adam&eveDDB.

The deal helps reframe the narrative around WPP as an investor in the future of the industry. The holding company has been too often associated with cuts and consolidation of late; this is a deal about positivity and optimism - a bet on growth and expansion.

NCA, which was founded only in 2020, will remain a standalone agency brand but will now join Ogilvy’s global creative network to further accelerate the agency’s momentum in the UK market.

Both Ogilvy UK and NCA will come under the leadership of James Murphy as CEO Ogilvy Group UK. This marks a return to Ogilvy for Murphy who began his career as a graduate trainee with the agency. The NCA management team, including Murphy’s three co-founders: chief strategy officer David Golding; chief creative officer Ian Heartfield; and chief experience officer Rob Curran, will stay at NCA.

Meanwhile Fiona Gordon, who has led a resurgence for Ogilvy in the UK as CEO since 2021, has been promoted to global CEO of Advertising at Ogilvy. In this new role Gordon will report to Ogilvy Global CEO Devika Bulchandani, working closely with global chief creative officer Liz Taylor and Ogilvy’s Worldwide Creative Council.

Five Reasons Why WPP Has Bought NCA

• The acquisition gives WPP world-class management in Murphy and Golding and their team. There's no doubt that Murphy is one of the most impressive agency leaders of his generation in the world. And to have him and Golding's brilliant strategic nous back inside WPP is a real coup. Plus the bench of talent at NCA - particularly the creative chief Ian Heartfield and the head of UX Rob Curran - are formidable additions to the WPP fold.

• The deal also builds on the recent growth story of Ogilvy - both in the UK and globally. Ogilvy was named the Network of the Year at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and was recognised by WARC as the World’s number one Creative Agency Network (2020-2024) and Most Effective Creative Network in consecutive years (2023, 2024). The UK office has been building momentum impressively under Gordon but bringing in Murphy and aligning NCA gives Ogilvy an edge here that will further strengthen the network story.

• The move adds to Ogilvy's list of boutique agencies that allow it to offer a nimble, creatively-led addition to stand alongside the bigger Ogilvy office. David Miami was born from the creative legacy of David Ogilvy and is regarded as one of the industry’s top creative shops - with iconic works for the likes of Burger King and Coca Cola. INGO was founded in early 2011, with its first office in Stockholm and recently announced Daniel Fisher as its global chief creative officer. And the industry is very well-versed in NCA's rapid success story.

• Critically, the acquisition gives Ogilvy a fresh point of difference. In an over-crowded market where agency brands are fighting to create standout and relevance, Ogilvy's purchase of NCA gives the business a credible new angle and energy. It's another reason for a conversation and consideration, an extra USP and edge in front of clients, prospects, intermediaries and industry influencers. In the search for standout, Ogilvy just scored a winning goal.

• It's also a shot in the arm for NCA. A hugely successful commercial creative business, the four-year old London agency will now have access to a global network and also to a broad set of Ogilvy capabilities that a smaller agency would struggle to afford. And perhaps NCA will follow the model its founders set at DDB, and take the NCA brand to other countries. All bets are on.

In a press release Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “NCA is one of the UK’s most exciting new agencies with a great team, an impressive roster of clients and a track record of elevating beloved British brands. Its capabilities and client base make NCA highly complementary to Ogilvy; bringing together these two very successful agencies will drive growth both for our clients and our own UK business.”

James Murphy, co-founder and CEO of NCA and incoming CEO of Ogilvy Group UK, added: “Ogilvy is rightly recognised as the world’s pre-eminent creative network, and to be joining with the remit to unlock our collective potential in the UK market is irresistible. For our team and our clients this will be a game-changer in what we can bring to their careers and their brands. Plugging into Ogilvy and WPP’s network will give us access to data and AI tools at scale through WPP Open and to a broad set of Ogilvy capabilities that were simply out of our reach as an independent – from influencer marketing, PR, CRM, commerce and service design to business transformation and brand innovation through Ogilvy Consulting.”

Devika Bulchandani, Global CEO of Ogilvy, said: “James, David and their partners are pioneers in our industry. When they created New Commercial Arts, they deliberately chose the word commercial because growing our clients’ brands and businesses is core to what our industry does – an ethos mirrored in David Ogilvy’s famous words: ‘We Sell, Or Else’. Fiona's stellar leadership has been instrumental in propelling Ogilvy UK forward, playing a critical role in the growth and momentum of our global network. I’m thrilled that her impact will now be felt on a global stage.”

Fiona Gordon, newly appointed Global CEO of Advertising at Ogilvy, added: “I’m invigorated every day by the boundless potential of creativity to not only propel businesses forward but to leave an indelible mark on culture. To have the opportunity to collaborate more closely with Dev, Liz, and Ogilvy’s Worldwide Creative Council to harness the creative brilliance of our network on behalf of our clients is a tremendous opportunity. In my new role I’m excited that the UK will make a vital contribution as a key market.”