WPP, Microsoft expand partnership to boost creative content production

WPP and Microsoft are expanding their partnership, focusing on creative content production.

The first product resulting from this partnership is Cloud Studio. The cloud platform will facilitate collaboration for WPP employees around the world, offering an easier way to create, produce and edit content virtually, the companies said.

Cloud Studio will use Azure AI-powered indexing of metadata from a central location. WPP employees working across markets and time zones will have access to the content they need, without fear of duplicating work or running into issues of version control.

More broadly, the partnership will enable virtual production of client campaigns, reducing the need for on-premises production and traditional production studios. Users of the platform will be able to access production tools and services via Azure on any internet-connected device.

The partnership also supports WPP’s sustainability agenda, which is bolstered by content and digital-asset-discovery available on the platform. This capability is intended to decrease waste of materials and collateral for shoots.

WPP will roll out Cloud Studio to 5,000 employees across its network over the next three years. At start, it will focus on subsidiaries such as creative production company Hogarth. The organization may later expand availability to as many as 25,000 users.