MUMBAI: The guesswork is getting an algorithm. In advertising’s next act, data may become the new creative director. WPP is deepening its partnership with Meta by becoming the first advertising network to pilot Meta’s new AI-powered creative solution, a move aimed at helping brands turn campaign data into faster, smarter creative decisions.
The tool, currently in testing, will be integrated into WPP Open, the agency group’s agentic marketing platform, allowing teams to analyse performance data in real time and translate insights directly into creative strategies and campaign optimisation.
The collaboration arrives as digital advertising becomes increasingly complex. According to WPP, ad impressions across Meta’s platforms grew 19 per cent in the first quarter of 2026, while more than 3.5 billion people now use at least one Meta app every day. The sheer scale of those audiences is driving demand for tools that can quickly identify what works and why.
Rather than relying solely on instinct or retrospective analysis, the new system is designed to help marketers make evidence-based creative decisions while campaigns are still live.
At the heart of the platform is a dedicated workspace that combines creative strategy, performance analytics and optimisation. The tool enables teams to identify high-performing content, generate fresh creative concepts and validate ideas through testing, all within existing workflows.
One of its standout features is a capability called “brand memory”, which analyses historical campaigns to understand a brand’s tone, style and creative identity. This allows marketers to maintain consistency while scaling content production across multiple campaigns and markets.
Importantly, the solution has been built to fit seamlessly into agency operations, allowing WPP teams to deploy AI-driven insights without overhauling existing processes.
Unilever will be the first advertiser to gain early access to the technology and will play a role in shaping its future development. The consumer goods giant plans to use the integration to strengthen its technology-led and creator-focused marketing strategy.
Unilever global VP, digital, social and AI Transformation, Beauty & Wellbeing Selina Sykes, at said the partnership reflects the growing intersection of creativity and technology.
“Being an early partner gives us the opportunity to shape a solution that helps our brands move faster, create smarter and connect with consumers more effectively,” she said.
For WPP, the initiative represents another step towards embedding AI deeper into the creative process.
WPP chief innovation officer Elav Horwitz said the technology offers a more sophisticated understanding of campaign effectiveness.
“The future of creative effectiveness is here. We are arming our teams with a deeper understanding of what is performing well and why, so they can make smarter decisions faster,” he said.
Meta, meanwhile, views the integration as a way of shortening the distance between insight and execution.
Meta director of global agencies Nick Baughan said the goal is to place Meta’s creative intelligence directly into the tools agency teams already use, enabling quicker action and more responsive campaign management.
The pilot also reflects a broader shift taking place across the advertising industry. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in media planning, audience targeting and content production, agencies are looking beyond automation and towards systems that can actively influence creative decision-making.
With brands under growing pressure to deliver measurable results across fragmented digital environments, the ability to connect performance insights with creative development is becoming a valuable competitive advantage.
The solution is currently being tested by WPP and Unilever, with a wider rollout expected in the coming months. As AI continues to reshape advertising, the latest partnership suggests the industry’s future may not be about choosing between creativity and technology, but finding new ways for the two to work together.
