The Leverage Group, which has offices in New York and Los Angeles, as well as specialising in entertainment, has expanded since it was launched in 1999 into cause-related and not-for-profit marketing.
The company was founded by CEO and president Richard Yaffa, who has over 14 years of marketing and sales experience.
The company's clients have included Tribeca Entertainment, Sony, Broadway Video, Maybelline, Citicorp, Snapple, Parfums Givenchy, and Capitol Records.
WPP says it is the first time the move has been made by a media agency rather than by a holding company.
However, WPP is still lagging behind its competitors, which have already moved into the entertainment field. Last year, Omnicom Group bought Los Angeles entertainment-marketing firm Aaron Walton Entertainment.
In 2001, Omnicom teamed up with sports marketing company Assante Sports & Entertainment in a venture to link sports stars and celebrities with corporate sponsorships. The tie-up saw Omnicom's The Marketing Arm partner with Assante to form Assante Marketing Solutions to give corporate clients direct access to sports and entertainment content, as well as nearly 1,000 athletes and entertainers.
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