Brands
Heineken picks Publicis, WPP and Stagwell for global creative in agency shake-up
The Dutch brewer hands creative duties to Publicis, WPP and Stagwell, and keeps dentsu for media in a leaner, more focused marketing model
AMSTERDAM: Heineken is done with sprawl. The world’s second-largest brewer has completed a sweeping review of its global marketing agency ecosystem, slashing its roster to a tight circle of heavyweights it hopes will help drive the next phase of brand growth.
The outcome is a cleaner, more concentrated setup. Dentsu has been reappointed for global media, and Publicis retained for global secondary production. On the creative side, Heineken has consolidated around three holding companies: Publicis, WPP and Stagwell. Creative duties for the flagship Heineken brand were not part of the review and remain with Publicis.
The new roster will service Heineken’s global brand portfolio, including Amstel, Birra Moretti, Desperados and Tiger, along with a selection of priority local power brands.
Bram Westenbrink, chief commercial officer at Heineken, framed it as a strategic reset. “Moving to fewer, better and bigger agency partners is part of our broader Freddyai Commercial transformation,” he said, describing the overhaul as a significant step in the company’s EverGreen 2030 Growth Strategy, aimed at delivering “greater creative impact, operational efficiency, and consistency at scale.”
Jorn Socquet, senior director of global brand impact and growth transformation at Heineken, was equally bullish. “By partnering with a smaller number of world-class agencies, we are creating the conditions for deeper collaboration, sharper strategic focus, and more impactful creativity,” he said, adding that the quality of thinking and talent on display during the pitch process had been “exceptional.”
The transition begins immediately, with a phased rollout timed to brand planning cycles to avoid disruption across markets.
For the agencies that did not make the cut, the message from Amsterdam is polite but clear: Heineken is betting that less is considerably more.
