MAM
WPP launches WPP Production
London: WPP is rewiring its production muscle. The world’s biggest advertising group on Thursday unveiled WPP Production, a new global platform that pulls together Hogarth and WPP’s sprawling production capabilities into a single, AI-powered content powerhouse aimed squarely at accelerating client growth.
The move collapses years of distributed production expertise into one integrated operation, promising speed, scale and cinematic-quality storytelling at industrial volume. WPP Production will bring together all creative producers across the network, backed by heavy investment in generative AI, virtual production and a rapidly expanding global studio footprint.
Richard Glasson, global ceo of Hogarth, will lead the new unit as ceo of WPP Production, placing the long-time production specialist at the centre of WPP’s push to dominate content creation in an always-on, platform-driven world.
WPP said the launch reflects a fundamental shift in how brands need content made and delivered. As audiences fragment and formats multiply, production is no longer a back-end function but a growth lever.
At the heart of WPP Production are four priorities: building a single global craft organisation; integrating agency producers across brands; re-engineering content origination through AI and hybrid production; and launching a high-velocity content studio that blends production and media, using data and real-time optimisation to drive performance.
“This is a transformative moment for our clients,” Glasson said, adding that unifying WPP’s production talent allows the group to activate its full creative, technological and data firepower to deliver smarter, faster and more effective storytelling.
Cindy Rose, ceo of WPP, described the new unit as central to the company’s broader integration strategy. With content volumes exploding and quality expectations rising, she said WPP Production would make it easier for clients to access the group’s full range of capabilities while setting new benchmarks for scale and craft.
The new organisation will operate on a single global platform powered by WPP Open, using AI-driven workflows to boost efficiency and consistency across markets. WPP Production will employ close to 10,000 people and operate in more than 40 cities, combining local cultural expertise with global delivery.
Investment will flow into infrastructure as well. Building on the Hogarth Studios network and a recently opened virtual production facility in London, WPP plans to roll out major studio locations worldwide to ensure always-on access to cutting-edge production environments.
For clients, WPP is promising faster turnaround, lower costs and more flexible, data-led content solutions capable of speaking to every audience, on every channel, at every moment.
The transition to WPP Production takes effect on 23 February 2026. In an industry where content has become currency, WPP is making its bet clear: whoever controls production controls growth.
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
