WPP’s Team Detroit, Blue Hive and Retail First, which handle the Ford business across the world, have rebranded under a single global identity of Global Team Blue (GTB).

 

GTB will be WPP’s largest agency team and operate across six continents with 49 offices, working in almost every communications discipline, and 48 WPP Global Client Teams.

“We operate as a single global entity, so it makes sense not only to have a shared purpose but also a name that reflects purpose for our people and our clients,” said GTB chief operating officer Kim Brink.

“Clients more than ever want the best of the best talent WPP has to offer. As our business model moves toward even greater connectedness, uniting those many talents is a mission statement for them to achieve great things. GTB is one big team at heart.”

Team Detroit in particular is no stranger to change, having evolved with Detroit’s urban renewal efforts since its formation in 2007, bringing together execs from J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy, Mindshare, Y&R and Wunderman.

Blue Hive was set up as a European extension off Team Detroit in 2010, later growing in to Brazil, South America, China, India, Australia and the Middle East.

Hudson Rouge, the agency for Ford’s luxury brand Lincoln, will maintain its name, with the “blue” reference in GTB being a reference to Ford Motor Company.

“It took time and countless rounds to find the perfect fit,” said global chief content officer Toby Barlow of the rebrand, which features a new logo and website. “We needed a name that would accurately represent our brand and resonate with all our markets.”