1 April 2013, Cape Town, South Africa. Bletchley Park, the Cape Town creative agency and Home of Beautiful Problems, has placed an unsolicited offer to acquire advertising Goliath – WPP Group, one of the largest global advertising groups and owners of renowned agencies Ogilvy, JWT and Y&R.
Sources close to WPP suggest that the amount is audaciously low for the multi-national company. While sources close to Bletchley Park have mentioned that they feel the amount is appropriate, given they think it would take a significant investment of at least R200.00 to turn WPP into the force that it should be.
“We saw this potential acquisition as an opportunity to take Bletchley Park to the next level,” Jonty Fisher, MD and co-founder of Bletchley Park said. “Incorporating WPP into our home of beautiful problems will help to expand our offering, but also introduce WPP Group to a new way of thinking and solving the creative challenges of today.”
“UPDATE: We can confirm that creative agency Bletchley Park Cape Town will not be acquiring the WPP Group and that this news was indeed an April Fools prank. Thanks for taking part and/or playing along!”
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One Comment
derek lampley
It could be good for WPP shareholders. Currently the company only grows at about 3%. Senior management is focused on growth through new acquisitions the revenue for which is used to pay-down the enormous debt from its previous acquisitions. Not a great business model.
But if management came with media expertise, versus the investment banking expertise of current management, they might be able to turn the ship around.