dentsu has announced a global partnership with Meta, becoming the first global agency network solution provider for WhatsApp Business. The partnership, has been initially launched in the UK.
WhatsApp has more than 200m business users utilising the platform every week. The company says it will allow brands to connect 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 messaging. A Forrester study found those already using WhatsApp Business report double-digit performance gains compared to more traditional channels like email or SMS.
For streamlined access to WhatsApp Business, dentsu has built a proprietary web platform for customers to manage all access with their account. The platform provides an end-to-end managed service from creation to analysis and optimisation, via its Merkle brand. dentsu says it 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.
Sanpo Yoshi principles
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). The company is applying these principles to drive innovation and experimentation and create 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.
According to Angela Tangas, UK&I CEO at dentsu, “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.”
“Launching a WhatsApp conversational solution, builds on our commitment to creating seamless E2E experiences. This enables brands to establish stronger, 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. So they can accomplish more right within a chat.”
Partnership with Salesforce
Last year WhatsApp announced a strategic partnership with Salesforce at Dreamforce 2022. The partnership would allow Salesforce customers to connect with their customers and build new messaging experiences on WhatsApp. WhatsApp-first business messaging was expected to bring the companies capabilities to deliver convenient, integrated, and personalised experiences between people and businesses worldwide.
Enterprise Times: What this means for business.
It’s a bit surprising WhatsApp has not rolled out more strategic partnerships to other enterprises at a faster rate. The app remains incredibly popular across the board with consumers, businesses and even governments. This partnership responds to the evolving ways people interact with brands, enabling business to offer more personalised services and engage deeper with consumers. For the brands, it enables them to achieve deeper engagement and value with their current and prospective customers. A critical enabler for growth during these ‘hard times’ – the classic win-win scenario for both parties.
