WPP is betting its future on getting paid for outcomes

February 27, 2026 For decades, the agency business has run on a simple, if imperfect logic: clients pay for time and the people who fill it. Hours logged, heads counted, invoices sent. Nobody particularly loved it but it was predictable enough that nobody moved to change it. That may finally be shifting. At the presentation for its new strategy in London on Thursday (Feb. 26), WPP made the most explicitly public case that the future of agency compensation look less like a staffing invoice and more like a performance contract — one where fees are tied directly to business results, not inputs. TOP STORY Evolving Agencies WPP is betting its future on getting paid for outcomes At the presentation for its new strategy, WPP made the most explicitly public cases that the future of agency compensation look less like a staffing invoice and more like a performance contract. OTHER THINGS TO KNOW The Digiday Content Marketing Awards spotlight campaigns that demonstrate innovation, creativity and measurable impact. Winners will join the ranks of past honorees from Amazon, Business Insider, Edelman and many others. Submit by 11:59 p.m. PT tonight to take advantage of final savings on entries. The discussion around brand safety and suitability has matured. The industry is now entering a new phase, where brands expect more control, more extensibility into walled gardens and closer accountability to outcomes. Partner insights from Channel Factory. Weather impacts what people try, buy and how they feel. This powers targeting to predict the moments when weather shifts a consumer's mindset toward purchase, driving sales and long-term growth. Learn more in this video. Partner insights from The Weather Company. Advertisement MARKETING Member exclusive Future of Marketing Briefing: The case for and against an agency subscription remuneration model The real problem subscriptions solve isn't pricing its cost absorption. As AI moves from pilot to scale, agencies are racking up real expenses. Navigating Economic Instability Footwear brands navigate uncertainty after latest tariffs flip-flop Some 99% of footwear sold in the U.S. today is imported, according to the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM APPSFLYER Why mobile — not AI — is the center of gravity for measurement When marketers implement mobile-grade measurement standards, they give AI a grounded identity source and behaviors from which to work. Without that, they may get faster, but not better, optimization. MEDIA & PLATFORMS The case for and against publisher content marketplaces  The debate isn't whether publishers want marketplaces. It's whether the economics support them.  Generative AI Why Edward Jones' agentic AI trial comes with limits Edward Jones tests agentic AI to drive marketing productivity, taking a measured approach as it stops short of full automation. PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM EXPERIAN How marketers are interpreting context in real time Context takes many forms, often operating beneath the surface of consumer activity. Marketers are increasingly using technology to interpret these micro-signals, enhancing predictive accuracy and creative alignment. Advertisement PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM KEEN DECISION SYSTEMS Steps for marketers to leave behind inconsistent pacing and wasted ad spend Timing structure should be a strategic lever in marketers’ planning processes. Key steps include auditing their current execution calendar, prioritizing shoulder periods, avoiding overload on peak weeks and accounting for media booking realities. ICYMI Evolving Agencies Rising demand for principal media buying underpins WPP's turnaround plan The agency giant is retooling its business to make better use of its collective tonnage in media, creative and tech. Written by Jim Cooper and Sara Jerde Were you forwarded this email? Sign up to get it daily. Advertise | Digiday+ | Events | Awards Update your email | Unsubscribe | Privacy policy