Digital Agencies
WPP’s Data Alliance partners Facebook to activate data
MUMBAI: WPP’s Data Alliance and Facebook have deepened a global partnership giving marketers access to new data-driven solutions that deliver personalization at scale on Facebook. This multi-year partnership is centered on bringing new audience building and measurement tools to market.
For the first time, marketers can activate WPP’s proprietary data assets within Facebook. Data assets from GroupM, Kantar and Wunderman’s KBM Group will be connected and activated on Facebook, in a way that respects consumer privacy. WPP’s marketers, planners and buyers will have access to unique combinations of WPP and Facebook data assets, enhanced insights, and new audience building solutions. This will help WPP clients effectively create campaigns across all Facebook ad formats, including video, photo, and link ads on both mobile and desktop. Enabling tools that let marketers reach real people across all devices allows marketers to more effectively draw connections between online marketing and real business outcomes.
WPP companies will also work with Facebook to pilot new data-driven solutions to better measure effectiveness with online and offline sales impact in multiple countries, enhance mix modeling and deepen Facebook Insights.
Lastly, there will be joint research and thought leadership on new metrics, services and solutions that help brands better leverage Facebook to reach consumers.
“We gather insights on millions of consumers each year on what people buy and why, including product assortment, retail strategy, brand health, copy testing, campaign effectiveness, media measurement, earned media monitoring and purchase data. Now we can leverage those learnings for our clients and make them actionable on Facebook,” said Kantar CEO Eric Salama.
“Facebook and WPP companies work well together. It was only natural we would want to find more ways to work smarter together. As strategic partners, we want to bridge the measurement gap for brands and help clients develop more meaningful relationships with consumers. This partnership allows us to do that through collaboration, innovation and data activation,” said GroupM chief data officer Harvey Goldhersz.
“KBM Group cultivates data that allows marketers to paint rich pictures of consumers. Of equal importance is helping brands interact with consumers in ways that will delight the consumer. This partnership with Facebook provides a very meaningful way to help clients connect with consumers in highly-relevant ways, even in emerging markets,” said KBM Group CEO Gary S. Laben and Wunderman global chief data officer.
“We are committed to deepening our partnerships with the agency ecosystem across technology, media, and data. This global data partnership lays the foundation to provide WPP clients choice in the data they use for media solutions and the proper tools to effectively measure tangible business results on Facebook,” added Facebook director, global agency development Patrick Harris.
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
