Financial Times appoints New Commercial Arts as lead creative agency

NCA will develop a new creative platform aimed at broadening FT’s reach beyond core business readers while reinforcing its premium positioning

by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 3, 2025 9:02 AM | 1 min read

The Financial Times has appointed New Commercial Arts (NCA) as its lead creative agency following a competitive review run by Ingenuity+, tasking the shop with a global brand and subscriptions brief. Industry reports say the appointment follows FT’s September creative review call and comes as the publisher pushes for fresh audience growth under a revamped marketing strategy.

NCA, acquired by WPP in 2024 and now aligned with Ogilvy, will develop a new creative platform aimed at broadening FT’s reach beyond core business readers while reinforcing its premium positioning. The move complements earlier roster changes on the media side. In April 2025, FT named the7stars as its global media agency after a review.

FT has been iterating its brand work over the past 18 months. In 2024 it tapped Orange Panther Collective (OPC)to lead a global audience acquisition campaign, a project that informed subsequent strategic work on message and positioning. With the new AOR in place, the remit now shifts from project-led work to a consolidated creative partner responsible for sustaining subscription momentum across markets.

The NCA is expected to deliver campaigns across multiple channels. The appointment also lands as FT pursues broader commercial goals under new leadership and a continued focus on paid readership.