AKQA

What AKQA does

AKQA is a global creative agency that delivers brand experience, digital marketing, creative campaigns, and technology integration services to Fortune 500 and major enterprise clients. The firm operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPP plc and, as of February 2026, sits inside the newly formed WPP Creative umbrella alongside Ogilvy and VML. AKQA's core technology foundation combines proprietary creative tools and AI-augmented production workflows with WPP Open and WPP Open Pro, the parent company's AI-powered marketing platforms backed by a $400 million WPP-Google AI investment. Adjacent subsidiaries provide differentiated capability layers: The New Standard collective (Made Thought, Universal Design Studio, Map Project Office) supplies brand identity, industrial design, and architecture; Aleph focuses on experience design; and ArcTouch handles app development.

The agency generates revenue through professional services fees on a project or retainer basis, serving global enterprise clients across luxury fashion (Prada, Dior), automotive (Lexus, Porsche Motorsport, Riese & Müller, Volvo), consumer goods (Nestlé, Levi's, SKIMS, Dove), sports (Nike, Jordan Brand, Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix), technology (Google, Amazon), travel (Delta Air Lines), and nonprofit and government clients (UN Live, Climate Council, Coastguard New Zealand). Revenue is concentrated in client services for brand experience, brand evolution across digital and physical touchpoints, AI-powered content production, and sustainability campaigns.

AKQA operates from more than 30 studios across 19 countries spanning EMEA, North America, LATAM, MENA, and APAC. The firm has accumulated 616 Cannes Lions over the past decade (including Innovation Grand Prix 2025, Glass Lion for Change Grand Prix 2024, and Digital Craft Grand Prix 2023), 160 Webby Awards, and 83 Agency of the Year recognitions, and was the only agency to lead Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies for four consecutive years. AI integration has expanded into proprietary outputs such as the Sounds Right nature-based audio platform (UN Live partnership), Code of Conscience GPS-based protected-area restriction software, and an AI-powered Coastguard Search & Rescue Forecast deployed in New Zealand.

Name

AKQA

Legal name

AKQA

Website

https://akqa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

AKQA is a global creative agency delivering brand experience, digital marketing, AI-powered content production, and design services to enterprise clients across luxury, automotive, sports, technology, and consumer goods. Operating as a WPP subsidiary, AKQA runs 30 studios in 19 countries and serves brands including Prada, Nike, Dior, Lexus, and Google.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Agency Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Interactive & Immersive Content Production (AR/VR/3D) (BPAFAIAL)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Brand experience design
• Digital marketing campaigns
• Experience design consulting
• Advertising agency services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: AKQA generates revenue through professional services fees for brand experience and communications, including digital marketing, creative campaigns, brand strategy, experience design, and technology integration. Revenue is project-based and retainer-based for ongoing client relationships.
2. Design and Architecture Services: Through subsidiaries Made Thought, MAP (Map Project Office), and Universal Design Studio, AKQA provides brand identity, industrial design, and architectural services. These integrated offerings expand revenue streams within the WPP Creative umbrella structure.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AKQA is a global creative agency that designs and delivers brand experience, digital marketing, creative campaigns, brand strategy, experience design, and technology integration services for Fortune 500 and global enterprise clients. The agency operates specialist experience design studios and an app development arm to execute end-to-end creative and digital programmes.

Product overview

AKQA operates as a creative agency at the intersection of imagination and technology, offering brand experience and communications as its core service. The company provides a portfolio of integrated capabilities through its group of companies: AKQA (core creative and digital services), Made Thought/MAP/Universal under The New Standard collective (brand, industrial design, and architecture), Aleph (experience design), and ArcTouch (app development). The agency also runs educational initiatives including Future Lions student competition and SOMA+ educational platform. As a WPP subsidiary with 19-country global presence across 30 locations, AKQA delivers creative excellence for clients spanning luxury fashion (Prada, Dior), automotive (Lexus, Porsche, Nike), technology (Google), and consumer brands (Nestlé, Delta, Levi\'s, SKIMS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Made Thought, MAP, Universal: Brand, industrial design and architecture subsidiaries under The New Standard collective
• Aleph
• ArcTouch

Products and services

• Brand Experience & Communications Services End-to-end brand strategy, communications, and brand experience design services delivered to Fortune 500 and global enterprise clients across multiple sectors.
• Digital Marketing & Creative Campaigns Multi-market digital marketing campaigns and creative campaign execution for enterprise brands, including named clients such as Prada, Nike, and Google.
• Experience Design Services (Made Thought, MAP, Universal) Specialist experience design service offering delivered through AKQA's studio brands Made Thought, MAP, and Universal, for enterprise clients requiring dedicated experience design expertise.
• App Development Services (ArcTouch) App development and connected product engineering services delivered through AKQA's ArcTouch studio, for enterprise clients needing dedicated mobile and app capabilities.
• AI-Powered Creative Production Creative production service enhanced by AI capabilities, used by AKQA to scale and accelerate creative output for enterprise client engagements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 616 Cannes Lions in the last decade including multiple Grand Prix awards
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers32 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Made ThoughtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2024WPP acquired a majority stake in Made Thought, a branding and design agency, integrated within AKQA. Made Thought collaborates with Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office as part of the New Standard collective.
• Universal Design StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of AKQA's New Standard collective alongside Made Thought and Map Project Office. Provides architecture and design services integrated within the AKQA umbrella.
• Map Project Office (MAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of AKQA's New Standard collective alongside Made Thought and Universal Design Studio. Provides industrial design services integrated within AKQA.
• AlephminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperience design company operating as part of AKQA's family of companies.
• ArcTouchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApp development company operating as part of AKQA's family of companies.
• European Broadcasting Union (EBU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKQA and EBU partnered to reimagine the Eurovision Song Contest fan experience, representing a major flagship partnership for fan engagement innovation.
• ITOCHU CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKQA and ITOCHU accelerate business growth and transformation in Japan. Strategic partnership to drive digital transformation initiatives for Japanese market.
• VercelcoreTechnology or IntegrationAKQA named as a Vercel Certified Solution Partner, providing modern web development and deployment capabilities to clients.
• ContentfulcoreTechnology or IntegrationAKQA named Contentful Partner of the Year, demonstrating excellence in headless CMS implementation and content platform integration.
• WPPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKQA is a WPP company and subsidiary. As part of WPP Creative, AKQA operates alongside Ogilvy and VML under unified structure sharing back-end resources. Benefits from WPP's AI-powered marketing platforms including WPP Open.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationWPP and Google partnership with $400 million investment to incorporate AI into services and WPP Open platform. AKQA benefits from this technology integration.
• Sydney Symphony OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch partner for The [uncertain] Four Seasons climate change project, performing at 2021 Sydney Festival.
• Jung von MattminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partner alongside AKQA and composer Hugh Crosthwaite for The [uncertain] Four Seasons project.
• SpotifyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture Lions competition partnership with Spotify for Amplify initiative.
• Coala.LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKQA Coala.Lab partnership for new perspectives on music.
• Sky GlassminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Sky Glass product launch campaign.
• OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAKQA and OMSI present SOLVE collaboration.
• H-ARTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerH-ART welcomed to AKQA family as creative agency.
• PotatominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPotato welcomed to AKQA family.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wieden+Kennedy: Independent global creative agency known for long-tenure brand storytelling work (Nike, Coca-Cola). Directly comparable to AKQA in creative pedigree, award-winning output and Fortune 500 enterprise client mix.
• Droga5: Now part of Accenture Song, Droga5 is a full-service creative agency serving global enterprise brands. Comparable to AKQA in offering integrated creative, digital and brand experience services at the high end of the market.
• 72andSunny: Independent creative agency with global offices and a strong enterprise brand roster. Comparable to AKQA in creative reputation, brand experience work and integrated campaign capabilities.
• R/GA: Global creative and technology agency owned by IPG, combining brand, product and innovation services. Comparable to AKQA's integrated creative + technology positioning and enterprise client base.
• Mother: Independent creative agency with offices in New York, London and Los Angeles. Comparable to AKQA as a peer creative shop serving premium brand clients with award-winning campaign work.

Broad incumbents

• Ogilvy: WPP sibling agency being consolidated with AKQA under the new WPP Creative umbrella. Compares as a broad incumbent in the same holding-company portfolio with overlapping enterprise clients.
• VML: WPP sibling agency also being folded into WPP Creative alongside AKQA and Ogilvy. Comparable as a broad network agency with overlapping creative, digital and customer experience offerings.
• BBDO: Omnicom-owned global creative network. Comparable to AKQA as a large holding-company agency serving multinational enterprise clients with integrated brand and digital services.
• Publicis Sapient: Publicis Groupe's digital transformation and engineering arm. Comparable to AKQA on the digital experience, technology integration and enterprise transformation side of the offering.

Emerging players

• MediaMonks: S4 Capital's content, media and technology production network. Comparable to AKQA on the digital production, experience design and AI-augmented creative production dimensions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akqa
• Instagraminstagram.com/akqa
• Xx.com/akqa
• Facebookfacebook.com/akqa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A8 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AKQA