Mumbai: WPP has announced that it is acquiring Diff, a commerce agency based in Montreal, Canada.
Diff develops tailor-made commerce solutions with specialised capabilities that address the rapidly growing Shopify commerce ecosystem. Founded in 2011 by Benjamin Crudo, the 115-strong company will join the Wunderman Thompson global network, complementing its world-class commerce and marketing services teams in North America.
With direct-to-consumer commerce sales in the United States forecast to grow to almost $213 billion by 2023, more brands are adopting D2C models as part of a multichannel approach. Diff specialises in growth strategy, front-end design, site optimization, and system integrations, which has enabled the agency to create some of the most innovative, complex, and high-performing online stores on the Shopify platform, which now accounts for 10% of the US’ eCommerce market share. Among Diff’s high-growth D2C client portfolio are Giant Tiger, Kith, Sakara Life, and more.
The acquisition will further strengthen WPP’s digital commerce capabilities and reflect the company’s ongoing investment in its commerce offer for clients as consumer needs continue to change. It is aligned with WPP's accelerated growth strategy, building on existing capabilities in the areas of commerce and technology. WPP is ranked as a leader in Forrester's latest global commerce services wave and already manages more than $40 billion in direct and $20 billion in marketplace GMV for clients, employing 13,500 commerce specialists across its agencies.
WPP CEO Mark Read said, "The tremendous growth in the digital commerce ecosystem means our clients are looking to us to deliver the innovative solutions they need to reach new and existing customers in meaningfully engaging ways. Diff’s Shopify expertise, alongside its unique blend of strategy, optimization, and design, will be a welcome addition to our commerce portfolio and will drive results for our clients in North America, which is WPP’s largest market."
Wunderman Thompson Commerce CEO Neil Stewart said, "This acquisition boosts Wunderman Thompson’s commerce and technology ecosystem across North America, bringing Shopify expertise to our roster of well-established technology partnerships. Our global clients will now have access to the expertise of one of Shopify’s longest-standing partners and its multi channel platform that caters to 600 million shoppers in more than 175 countries. Together, we offer brands and retailers extended routes to market, including D2C, marketplaces, e-retail, and social commerce."
Diff CEO, founder Benjamin Crudo said, "We couldn’t be more excited to join the ranks of Wunderman Thompson, bringing Shopify’s disruptive power to its global client base. Ecommerce has been radically reshaping the way brands bring their products and services to market, and Diff has been at the forefront of this revolution. As one of Shopify’s founding and most innovative agency partners, we’re looking forward to continuing to expand the platform’s reach."
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