<p><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5fb5a5f732f2170011f6fee2-1024/Miguel CandelaSOPA ImagesLightRocket via Getty Images.jpg" border="0" alt="Rolex Hong Kong" data-mce-source="Miguel Candela/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Rolex is taking its advertising in house after having ad holding company WPP handle the business for 74 years, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.</p><p>They said Rolex is building a custom creative agency in Europe, which means WPP will eventually lose most or all of the business, which one source estimated brings around $30 million in revenue a year to WPP.</p><p>A third person said WPP has already started relocating production work on the account, which is currently handled by the New York office of its production division Hogarth, to London.</p><p>A Rolex spokeswoman said the privately-held company does not comment on its business decisions. Spokespeople for lead agency Wunderman Thompson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p><p><em><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wpp-folding-retail-network-geometry-global-into-vmlyr-2020-11">WPP is combining two more agencies in another sign of consolidation at the world's biggest ad holding company</a></strong></em></p><p>Agency J. Walter Thompson first got Rolex as a client in 1946, and the brand became <a href="https://www.fratellowatches.com/11-remarkable-rolex-ads-from-the-past/#gref">famous for its ads</a> starring athletes, musicians, and actors such as Sean Connery, playing a major role in the James Bond film franchise. WPP acquired JWT in 1987 merged it with Wunderman in 2018 to become Wunderman Thompson.</p><p>The agency's most recent big-budget Rolex campaign aired during the 2020 Oscars and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=EA88vwxyUFE">featured several famous directors</a>, including James Cameron and Martin Scorsese.</p><p>Brands have been increasingly <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/consultancies-and-firms-helping-brands-in-house-their-advertising-2020-11">taking their advertising in house</a> at the expense of traditional ad agencies. Rolex is the latest client to test WPP; Unilever <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unilever-to-launch-review-of-its-e-commerce-ad-business-2020-11">launched a competitive review</a> for its retail and e-commerce ad business in North America earlier this month.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dentsus-carat-rebrands-with-a-focus-on-emotion-for-advertisers-2020-11" >Ad giant Dentsu explains why it's emphasizing emotional connections over data to help clients like Microsoft win over customers</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wpp-client-rolex-latest-in-house-creative-ad-agency-2020-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melissa-maker-clean-your-home-quickly-cleaning-expert-2017-4">A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly</a></p>
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