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WPP opens new campus in Amsterdam
MUMBAI: WPP today marked the opening of its new Amsterdam campus as it continued the roll-out of its global co-location strategy.
Each WPP campus is designed to provide world-class spaces that bring together its people and agencies into one location, encouraging greater collaboration and giving clients easier access to all of WPP’s talent and expertise.
Refurbished by WPP’s architectural and design consultancy BDG, the previously derelict Rivierstaete building has been transformed into a 19,000m2 modern working environment that will act as both an innovative workplace and community space for its 1,500 people in the city. VBAT, an international WPP design studio based in Amsterdam, worked with the agencies housed in Amsteldok to name the campus and develop the co-location’s new branding.
Amsteldok, which was Europe’s largest office building when it was completed in 1973 by renowned architect Huig Aart Maaskant, will be home to 15 WPP agency brands that previously operated from 11 different locations. Located on the river Amstel, the striking, box-stacked structure will be a new centre of creativity in the heart of Amsterdam, boasting impressive new and renovated roof terraces, restaurants, a rooftop bar, a business lounge and an event space.
At the official opening, Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “I’m delighted to open WPP’s Amsterdam campus, which demonstrates our continued investment in our people and commitment to the Dutch market, which is one of the most dynamic and forward-looking in the world. WPP campuses help us deliver a simpler, more integrated offer to clients by bringing great agency brands together under one roof and providing easier access to our collective talent. Giving our people modern, world-class working environments allows them to do their best creative work, it encourages closer collaboration and it’s an important part of building an open and optimistic culture at WPP.”
To coincide with the opening of Amsteldok, today Hogarth (WPP’s global creative production network that combines technological skills and creative craftmanship) announced the creation of Hogarth Netherlands. As part of its renewed offer to clients in the region, and operating from Amsteldok, it will deliver end-to-end solutions using the very latest innovations in content production.
Eric Kramer, WPP Netherlands Country Manager, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the regeneration of Amsteldok into both a fantastic new home for our people and a new creative and social hub for the city. We have an innovative and collaborative culture in Amsterdam, and WPP’s market offering, further bolstered by the creation of Hogarth Netherlands, is stronger than ever as we bring our brands together.”
Redeveloping existing structures instead of constructing new buildings avoids the emission of thousands of tonnes of embodied carbon – equivalent to over 30% of the building’s lifetime carbon emissions. The new WPP campus has been developed with sustainability at its heart and is aiming for a BREEAM (the world’s leading authority in this area) rating of Very Good or higher.
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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.
