Dentsu is the first global agency network to become WhatsApp solution partner

Dentsu has announced a global partnership with Meta, becoming the first global agency network solution provider for WhatsApp Business. The partnership, initially launching in the UK, responds to the evolving ways people interact with brands, enabling business to offer more personalised services and engage deeper with consumers.  

With over 200m WhatsApp business users utilising the platform every week to connect brands to consumers in a way that is social, conversational and hyper personal. Through this first-of-its-kind integration, dentsu will enable its clients to further personalise the ways they engage with consumers to support their service, commerce and loyalty experience journeys. The solution is part of dentsu’s ambition to drive people-centred transformation, enabling end-to-end business messaging solutions through its media, creative and customer and data capabilities. 

The opportunity to build and nurture relationships for brands in messaging is clear. A Meta commissioned study found that 75% of adults say they want to communicate with a business the same way they do with friends and family through messaging¹. A Forrester study found those already using WhatsApp Business report double digit performance gains compared to more traditional channels like email or SMS².

For streamlined access to WhatsApp Business, dentsu has built a proprietary web platform for customers to manage all access with their account, providing an end-to-end managed service from creation to analysis and optimisation, via its Merkle brand. Dentsu is enabling businesses to take advantage of the huge engagement and conversion potential of this channel by delivering seamless customer journeys across media, customer engagement and service. 

Dentsu’s partnership with Meta is rooted in its Sanpo Yoshi  principles (three-way satisfaction in activities that are good for business, good for people and good for society) and is applying these principles to drive innovation and experimentation, creating a meaningful difference for its clients. The partnership harnesses new advancements in AI and experience to co-develop first-to-market products and solutions in media and brand activation through the Meta family of apps.  

“Customer-brand communications are in the moment and increasingly conversational. It needs to be easy and brands that embrace conversational experiences will be well-positioned to thrive,” said Angela Tangas, UK&I CEO at dentsu. “Our relationship with Meta is focused on helping brands achieve deeper engagement and value with their current and prospective customers, a critical enabler for growth. Launching a WhatsApp conversational solution, builds on our commitment to creating seamless E2E experiences. This enables brands to establish stronger, more relevant, one-on-one connections with customers, fostering trust and enhancing service experiences in the process.” 

“For people and businesses across the world, WhatsApp is a great place to get business done,” said Derya Matras, Meta VP Northern Europe Middle East Africa. “We’re looking forward to seeing how dentsu brings the power of messaging to its customers around the world so they can accomplish more right within a chat.”