Vercel + WPP: World-class creativity enabled by technology

Today, we've announced our strategic partnership with WPP, a world leader in communications, experience, commerce, and technology. 

Through the years, brands have entrusted Vercel and WPP’s global network of agencies to help them modernize their digital experience with the best creative and the best technologies. Together, we serve leading organizations like The International Olympic Committee, James Hardie, Fluor, and Country Road Group.

Building on the foundation we’ve had, Vercel and WPP will be further investing resources into:

• Co-developing an AI-first approach to the development and delivery of digital experiences

• Facilitating quarterly global technology leader forums

• Optimizing project delivery efficiency through a shared and standardized development process for Next.js and Vercel

• Providing early product roadmap access to WPP and its selected customers

6 trends driving the future of the web, according to WPP technology leaders

To illustrate what this partnership means for global brands, we went straight to the experts: CTOs from around the world, who have their finger on the pulse of the web and its future state.

Here are six of the trends they see realized with WPP and Vercel.

1) AI-first

“With many clients using legacy digital technology, they couldn't move forward with the latest advancements or cooler technologies—notably AI. Next.js has enabled our teams and clients to adapt and modernize their experiences, building faster, with the adaptability brands need to keep up with changing consumer needs and reduce overall costs. With many clients using legacy digital technology, they couldn't move forward with the latest advancements or cooler technologies—notably AI. Next.js has enabled our teams and clients to adapt and modernize their experiences, building faster, with the adaptability brands need to keep up with changing consumer needs and reduce overall costs. ”

Al Nolan and Robert Pettique, Bottle Rocket Studios

2) Faster page load speeds for better SEO

“Page load speeds, time to first byte, and other speed metrics factor directly into Google Vital search ranking scores.  Both propositions are high priorities for the CMO, CDO, and CIO who want to deliver the best experiences in the most cost-effective manner.Page load speeds, time to first byte, and other speed metrics factor directly into Google Vital search ranking scores.  Both propositions are high priorities for the CMO, CDO, and CIO who want to deliver the best experiences in the most cost-effective manner.”

Adam Wolf, Chief Technology Officer

3) Reduce cost and increase ROI

“Next.js and Vercel empower our clients to bring relevant content closer to their global customers, ensuring continuous scalability and availability while minimizing maintenance costs and mitigating infrastructure failures. Based on a recent client's experience, we estimate cost reductions of up to 30% while increasing availability in the high 90s.Next.js and Vercel empower our clients to bring relevant content closer to their global customers, ensuring continuous scalability and availability while minimizing maintenance costs and mitigating infrastructure failures. Based on a recent client's experience, we estimate cost reductions of up to 30% while increasing availability in the high 90s.”

Jaison Manian, Chief Technology Officer

4) Ship and experiment with confidence

“AKQA led a global retail client through an incremental transition to a new architecture, powered by Next.js and Vercel. With the integration of feature flags through Next.js Middleware, the retail leader has the power to enable new features independently from deployments. This allows for a test-and-learn approach, significantly reducing risk.AKQA led a global retail client through an incremental transition to a new architecture, powered by Next.js and Vercel. With the integration of feature flags through Next.js Middleware, the retail leader has the power to enable new features independently from deployments. This allows for a test-and-learn approach, significantly reducing risk.”

Eric Orton, Executive Technology Director

5) Personalize and scale globally

“Next.js is enabling us to develop scalable ecommerce solutions for a diverse range of clients. Through this platform, we have successfully created a large-scale ecommerce platform for two prominent brands and support eight languages across 50 digital properties. This innovative technology has empowered our teams to take ownership of various aspects of the user journey and deploy new features seamlessly.Next.js is enabling us to develop scalable ecommerce solutions for a diverse range of clients. Through this platform, we have successfully created a large-scale ecommerce platform for two prominent brands and support eight languages across 50 digital properties. This innovative technology has empowered our teams to take ownership of various aspects of the user journey and deploy new features seamlessly.”

Glen Burson, Chief Technology Officer

6) Build more, configure less: With framework-defined infrastructure

“Vercel's "framework-defined infrastructure" approach allows AKQA developers and creative CX teams to spend their time focused on building features that generate real business value for their clients, instead of configuring infrastructure. Brands benefit from a fast platform that scales to meet demand, as well as the ability to view and comment on changes via Previews, and the rich information Vercel provides about their apps' performance via Speed Insights.Vercel's "framework-defined infrastructure" approach allows AKQA developers and creative CX teams to spend their time focused on building features that generate real business value for their clients, instead of configuring infrastructure. Brands benefit from a fast platform that scales to meet demand, as well as the ability to view and comment on changes via Previews, and the rich information Vercel provides about their apps' performance via Speed Insights.”

Bennor McCarthy, MACH Technology Director

Case study: Hydrow cut authoring times from weeks to minutes

One WPP + Vercel success story is joint customer Hydrow, the at-home workout sensation known for their personal rowing machines and immersive workout content.

Hydrow, along with VML (formerly Wunderman Thompson Commerce & Technology), were intent on delivering an evolved digital experience internally and for their end users, encompassing real-time content updates, streamlined collaboration, and an unparalleled user interface.

By moving to a headless architecture and adopting Next.js and Vercel at the helm of their tech stack, Hydrow achieved:

• 3,000% faster site updates

• 50% improvement in Core Web Vitals, catapulting from the bottom 25% to the top 25% of ecommerce sites

• Authoring time cut from weeks to minutes

Hydrow put the future of the web into action by activating with Vercel and WPP.

Joint innovation for a better, faster web.

The future of the web hinges on the developer and user experience:

• Users expect a fast, dynamic, brand-driven experience across all channels, globally.

• Meanwhile, developers expect high-velocity teams with seamless collaboration.

That’s why we’re thrilled to hear about the excitement this partnership is creating from across the global Frontend Cloud ecosystem.

We can’t wait to see what your brand will achieve with the best creatives and the best technologies.

For more information on WPP + Vercel, please visit www.vercel.com/partners/wpp.