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  • Water ATMs flow hope in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

    Water ATMs flow hope in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

    MUMBAI: Making a splash in rural Maharashtra! Community-managed Water ATMs are transforming life in ten villages of Phulambri block, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Installed by Anandana, The Coca-Cola India Foundation in partnership with the S M Sehgal Foundation, these kiosks deliver safe, affordable drinking water while boosting groundwater recharge and strengthening local livelihoods.

    Part of Anandana’s Refreshing Difference campaign, the Water ATMs have already sparked real change. Digital films capture stories from residents who are seeing tangible benefits every day. Savitri, an Asha worker, shares how she no longer relies on unsafe water or expensive bottled supplies. Kalpana, an Anganwadi Sevika, highlights the relief women feel by avoiding long treks to fetch water. Meanwhile, Kailash, the Water Management Committee secretary, points to savings and improved livelihoods thanks to affordable water access.

    Other voices like Nanda and Yogesh describe fewer waterborne illnesses and healthier families, allowing more time for school and agriculture. These accounts reveal the human side of sustainable technology, showing how community engagement and partnership come together to make a real difference.

    S M Sehgal Foundation CEO Anjali Makhija said, “The Water ATMs provide families with daily access to safe water while our recharge initiatives improve local water security. This partnership offers long-term relief for villages.”

    Anandana director Rajiv Gupta added, “These Water ATMs are more than clean water. They restore dignity, support livelihoods, and create sustainable ecosystems. Through our Refreshing Difference campaign, we are proud to showcase the power of community partnerships.”

    Anandana and the Sehgal Foundation have been expanding safe drinking water access across India through Project Jaldhara, enhancing water availability in drought-prone regions and supporting agriculture and rural development in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

    This initiative proves that a simple drop can ripple into lasting change, quenching more than just thirst in India’s villages. 
     

  • AIB vibes return with Noice’s Honest Party laugh riot

    AIB vibes return with Noice’s Honest Party laugh riot

    MUMBAI: Who needs candles when the jokes are lit? This Diwali, premium food brand Noice swapped syrupy sentiment for sidesplitting humour, teaming up with comedy favourites Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, Aishwarya Mohanraj and Lekh Uthaiah for “The Honest Party,” a hilarious spin on festive chaos that’s got everyone talking.

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by Tanmay Bhat (@tanmaybhat)

     

    The video, which brings back serious AIB energy, takes viewers inside a Diwali house party gone delightfully off the rails, with awkward plus-ones, uninvited guests, and friends roasting each other over flirting fails and Formula 1 impressions.. Amid the laughter, one thing stays Noice: the snacks. From Mathura ke pede to Lebanese pita pockets, every gag is matched by a mouthful of flavour.

    In less than 24 hours, the film has notched up over 2.2 million views and 26,000 reposts, proving that when it comes to festive ads, funny beats filmi.

    “We wanted to capture real conversations and those perfectly imperfect Diwali moments,” said Noice spokesperson Royan Mody. “This campaign celebrates laughter, indulgence, and snacks that are as authentic as the banter.”

    Noice, known for its clean-label, small-batch food crafted with local makers, is fast becoming India’s go-to for fresh, honest bites. Its festive line-up, featuring preservative-free kaju katli, besan laddoos, bikaneri sev, and butter biscuits, pairs nostalgia with a modern twist, wrapped in packaging that’s as Instagrammable as the punchlines.

    With The Honest Party, Noice proves that this Diwali, the sweetest thing isn’t the mithai, it’s the comeback of chaotic comedy. 
     

  • Cairns Crocodiles make waves in India ahead of 2026 festival

    Cairns Crocodiles make waves in India ahead of 2026 festival

    MUMBAI: At the thoroughfares of Juhu Tara Road, inside the warm and welcoming setting of Soho House Mumbai, Misfits Media CEO David Hovenden and Cairns Crocodiles Special Envoy Sangeeta Leach unleashed the India chapter for the Asia-Pacific creative community, of three days of awards, masterclasses, and industry networking event planned for May 12–14, 2026, in Cairns, Australia.

    The exclusive evening brought together bigwigs from leading marketing, advertising, and creative agencies such as Leo Burnett, Lintas, Brandmusiq, and Schbang. The room bustled with laughter, lively and insightful conversations, and a shared joie de vivre about the media, entertainment and advertising industry as Hovenden and Leach spoke about how Cairns Crocodiles aims to be a stepping stone for creative minds across the world.

    In a candid tête-à-tête with Indian Television’s Megha Misra, CEO David Hovenden recalled how the idea of starting the festival was conceived in the most unexpected of times, during the peak of the pandemic.  

    “In 2020, when covid happened, we said, this is going to happen. And we tried to stand the event up. But because of the changing nature of covid and border restrictions, we had to reschedule it five times.” Hovenden noted. “Australia’s states had different rules, and people weren’t even allowed to move within them. So we kept shifting dates, hoping we could finally make it work. Every time we cancelled and moved it again, more people got on board, cheering us on and barracking for us.”

    What began as a logistical nightmare soon turned into a marketing success. “Who would’ve thought covid could be a brilliant marketing tool?” he added. “Everyone felt sorry for us and they started rooting for us. In the end, it worked out brilliantly.”

    After two years of perseverance, Hovenden and his team realised they had built something people truly loved. “We started seeing participants not just from across Australia, but also from parts of Asia,” he said. “That’s when we knew it was time to grow… to make it bigger and more inclusive.”

    The decision was made to transform the event into a truly Asia-Pacific celebration and introduce a dedicated awards programme to honour creativity across the region. “It couldn’t just be an Australian event,” Hovenden explained. “We’re part of a wider creative region, and it was important to reflect that inclusivity.”

    And that’s how the Cairns Crocodiles came to life, evolving from the tongue-in-cheek name into a full-fledged festival of creativity and connection.

    “Over the past three years, we’ve travelled to India, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Korea, inviting people to participate, collaborate and showcase their best work,” Hovenden noted. “We’re finally seeing that momentum build.”

    Before moving to address the attendees at the soiree, Hovenden brought out a set of the ‘Hatchlings’ awards, the festival’s category for young participants under 30. The Hatchlings trophies are particularly special. Each team receives two separate trophies, one for each member, designed in the shape of a young crocodile hatchling. When placed together, the two pieces form a single trophy, embodying both teamwork and the festival’s spirit of nurturing new talent. The playful design also inspired the name “Hatchlings,” symbolising the next generation of creative professionals ready to make their mark.

    The Cairns Crocodiles Festival celebrates world-class creativity across advertising, marketing, media and brand. In 2025 more than 2,100 of the region’s most influential agency leaders, marketers and rising stars descended on Cairns for three days of awards, inspiration, learning and unforgettable networking.

    Early ticket sales and enquiries are pointing to this number ballooning out to more than 3000 high powered delegates for 2026, with an expanded presence in particular from India.

    With an ambitious objective to surpass previous participation turnout, Hovenden didn’t shy away from setting a bold target.

    “I want to have over 5,000 participants next year,” he said. “With India having some of the sharpest creative minds and the most dynamic storytelling cultures in the world, we’re happy to encourage more participation from here.”

    As the Cairn Crocodiles CEO put it, this wasn’t just another meet-and-greet, it was a teaser of what’s to come. The Cairns Crocodiles, often dubbed the ‘Cannes of the Asia-Pacific’, are eyeing India as a key creative hub and a vital audience for their upcoming 2026 edition.

    “We’re here to build genuine partnerships, not just host an event,” Hovenden added. “This is the beginning of an exciting creative bridge between Australia and India.”

    Taking a cue from Hovenden, co-founder Sangeeta Leach spoke about the spirit that defines the festival. “I think the most important thing about the Cairns Crocs is that creativity is something we take very seriously. We’re fun, we’re candid, we’re honest. We are real.”

    There were also two past jury members of Cairns, guests of honour and long-time friends present at the soiree, who shared their own experiences with the festival: Ex-BBH & Publicis Worldwide, India CEO Subhash Kamath and Brandmusiq CEO and founder Rajeev Raja. The two friends reminisced about their vibrant experiences at the event in Cairns.

    “I found that at Cairns, there’s a real genuineness and intellectual honesty in the way ideas are nurtured. After graduating and earning my PhD, it felt refreshing to return to that kind of nurturing environment, almost like being back in a nursery. That’s the kind of simplicity and honesty with which Cairns has truly flourished,” shared Kamath, encouraging his fellow attendees to spread the word that Cairns in Tropical North Queensland, Australia is the place to be.

    His sentiments were echoed by his dear friend Rajeev Raja, who said he had an absolute blast attending the Cairns Crocodiles in 2025.

    “I found the attendees in Cairns to be incredibly welcoming, inspiring and a whole lot of fun. I was particularly taken with keynote speaker Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus,” said Raja, who enthralled crowds in 2025 with an onstage performance with his legendary jazz flute.  

    Another significant announcement made at the event was that the Cairns Crocodiles would officially be opening a permanent Indian Office with the promotion of Bhavika Sharma to general manager India.

    “I am delighted to be moving to the land of my parent’s birth and super excited to be calling Mumbai, the city of dreams, my new home. I look forward to continuing to engage the marvellous Indian creative community and bringing many of you across to Cairns in May 2026,” said Sharma.

    The 2026 edition of the Cairns Crocodiles promises to be bigger and more inclusive than ever. The festival has expanded its awards categories to include new regional-specific Asia segments, designed to celebrate standout work from South-east, South and North-east Asia. For the first time, it will also introduce new regional awards that recognise market-leading campaigns across Asia-Pacific subregions.

    The Hatchlings competition, which shines a spotlight on emerging talent, is also getting a creative boost, now welcoming entries in ‘Print & Publishing’ and ‘Out of Home’ categories to give young creatives even more ways to showcase their skills. The judging framework has been refined too, with a sharper focus on clarity, effectiveness and real-world impact.

    To better accommodate international participants, deadlines for Hatchlings have been moved earlier, ensuring smoother visa processes for finalists. Additionally, the 2026 programming will embrace richer, more inclusive content that reflects the diversity and creative energy of the region.

     

  • Bangkok levels up for VCT Ascension Pacific 2025

    Bangkok levels up for VCT Ascension Pacific 2025

    MUMBAI: Game on in Bangkok! The city’s turning into a virtual warzone as VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 kicks off, bringing ten elite VALORANT teams face-to-face in a high-stakes shootout for a ticket to the 2026 Pacific League.

    From 14 to 26 October, the Imperial Samrong Convention Hall will witness the region’s sharpest aimers and coolest strategists clash for two golden berths in next year’s league and a share of the 100,000 dollars prize pool.

    Representing South Asia, Velocity Gaming takes centre stage after clinching a 3–1 victory over S8UL in the Omen Valorant Challengers South Asia qualifiers. The team now sets its sights on conquering Asia-Pacific giants like Boom Esports, Full Sense, and Riddle Order, all gunning for Ascension glory.

    The tournament features two groups of five teams each, battling it out in best-of-three matches before the top six advance to the playoffs. The tension will peak on 25 and 26 October with the upper and lower bracket finals, where only two teams will ascend to the VCT Pacific League 2026.

    Fans can catch the live action in Bangkok or stream every headshot and heartbreak across multiple languages online, courtesy of Acer, Intel, and Benq. For those in Thailand, tickets are available via Ticketmelon, search for “Valorant Ascension Pacific 2025” and grab your seat before they’re gone.

    The countdown to chaos has begun, and in Bangkok this fortnight, only the boldest will level up.
     

  • Funskool plays it smart this festive season

    Funskool plays it smart this festive season

    MUMBAI: Funskool India is turning up the cheer this season with ten brand-new toys and games designed to delight every age, from toddlers stacking cars to families chasing wins on the board.

    The home-grown toymaker’s latest lineup brings together some of its most loved in-house brands: Giggles, Handycrafts, and Fundough, alongside licensed international favourites from Molto, Spain. Each promises a dash of creativity, colour and festive fun.

    For the littlest hands, Giggles rolls out my first vehicle gift set, a 4-in-1 pack featuring stack-a-car, dump truck, aeroplane and caterpals, and my first playtime gift set, complete with a slide tower, shape-sorting gear box and baby action ball.

    Older kids can try their hand at the refreshed sequence classic, the timeless game of luck and logic, perfect for family nights that stretch into laughter-filled marathons.

    The crafty bunch haven’t been forgotten either. The Handycrafts diya décor kit and Fundough’s super activity kit promise to keep little fingers busy while fuelling imagination and fine motor skills.

    Adding an international flair, Molto’s colourful trucks: fire, dumper, garbage and police, come with nifty tiltable and flip-up features, tailor-made for adventure seekers aged 18 months and up.

    “Toys and games bring joy and boost imagination,” said Funskool India CEO K.A. Shabir. “This festive season, we hope to help build a generation of creative young minds who will shape India’s future.”

    With prices ranging from Rs 165 to Rs 1,549, the new toys are already lighting up store shelves, just in time to make every child’s festive wish come true.
     

  • Fixderma’s Pimple Police goes on patrol to crack down on breakouts in colleges

    Fixderma’s Pimple Police goes on patrol to crack down on breakouts in colleges

    MUMBAI: Acne beware, the Pimple Police are in town! Fixderma is taking its dermatologist-prescribed skincare to the streets (and lecture halls) with a playful new initiative aimed at educating young adults on safe, science-backed routines. The campaign, visiting 35 leading colleges across NCR and Mumbai, is turning skincare into an interactive, hands-on experience that’s as fun as it is informative.

    The concept is simple yet clever: Fixderma’s “Pimple Police” issue an ‘Arrest Warrant’ to Clear Skin, encouraging students with flawless complexions to maintain their glow while motivating those battling breakouts to achieve a clearer, healthier skin. Using mobile skincare vans, the initiative brings dermatologists and brand experts directly to students, offering live consultations, myth-busting sessions, and practical demonstrations of effective routines for acne-prone and sensitive skin.

    Fixderma founder and CEO Shaily Mehrotra explained the timing: “College is the stage where young people begin exploring skincare independently. With the Pimple Police initiative, we want to reach them at this pivotal point helping them make informed choices and understand that skincare is not a luxury, it’s self-care for life.”

    Adding to the excitement Fixderma director of marketing Anurag Sharma said, “Pimple Police is about simplifying skincare for the youth in a way that’s both educational and exciting. We’re creating conversations, not campaigns encouraging students to understand their skin rather than chase trends.”

    Dermatologists are also on board to provide credible guidance. Anuradha from Fixderma highlighted, “Many young adults experiment with products without understanding their skin’s needs. Our sessions aim to debunk myths, guide them towards mindful skincare habits, and introduce them to safe, dermatologist-approved routines.”

    With outreach support from 245 Degrees Communication, Fixderma’s Pimple Police seeks to democratise skincare, turning students into a generation of informed, confident consumers who prioritise health over hype. By merging education with entertainment, the initiative redefines how young adults perceive skincare not as a fleeting trend, but a lasting investment in their confidence and well-being.

    From witty warrants to mobile vans, the campaign is set to transform campuses into hubs of clear-skin advocacy, giving acne-prone teens the tools, knowledge, and confidence to take control of their skin. In doing so, Fixderma isn’t just fighting pimples, it’s creating a movement, one campus at a time.

     

  • Saregama and Filtercopy strike a new note with love, drama and music

    Saregama and Filtercopy strike a new note with love, drama and music

    MUMBAI: When love hits the right note, even a classroom can turn into a concert. Saregama and Filtercopy are tuning into a new frequency of music promotion with Ishq At Campus, a micro drama that doubles as a music launchpad. The project reimagines how India discovers songs, blending heart-fluttering storytelling with the rhythm of melody.

    In what’s being called an industry-first, Saregama has teamed up with Filtercopy to build a short-format narrative series around an EP marking a bold step away from traditional music videos. The collaboration spotlights Saregama’s exclusive artist Maahi and his debut EP Talab, transforming the release into a cinematic slice of college romance.

    Across 1–2 minute episodes, Ishq At Campus follows two students navigating the innocent chaos of first love as they prepare for their college fest. But this isn’t just another campus story, each episode weaves in one of the four songs from Talab (Talab, Dildaari, Rahein, and Vaari Vaari), turning everyday moments into lyrical discoveries.

    Released on October 14, 2025, Talab marks Maahi’s first foray as an EP artist under the Saregama Music label. Instead of relying on the usual promotional playbook, Saregama has chosen to embed the music into a story world where songs aren’t simply played, they’re felt.

    The concept borrows from Filtercopy’s growing expertise in micro dramas, short, binge-worthy narratives tailored for the scroll-happy attention spans of today’s audiences. Known for blending relatability with emotion, Filtercopy’s content naturally complements the breezy beats and youthful spirit of Talab.

    Together, the two powerhouses are rewriting the rules of music marketing, creating a new template for content-driven song discovery. By merging the pace of social media with the pull of storytelling, they’re turning passive listeners into engaged viewers and perhaps even hopeless romantics.

    Available now on Filtercopy’s Instagram and Youtube channels, Ishq At Campus is more than a music promo, it’s a feeling set to a soundtrack. Because in this classroom of content, every chord tells a story, and every scene hums with Talab.

     

  • McLaren races into the past as Iron Mountain fuels digital revival

    McLaren races into the past as Iron Mountain fuels digital revival

    MUMBAI: When it comes to history, McLaren’s not just leaving skid marks, it’s digitising them. The racing powerhouse has teamed up with global information management leader Iron Mountain to put its legendary past in pole position for a digital-age revival.

    Through this partnership, Iron Mountain will help McLaren Racing reimagine its vast archives transforming decades of blueprints, films, and photographs into dynamic, intelligent content. Think of it as a pit stop for history, where dusty reels and fading sketches are tuned up with AI precision and set to race into the cloud.

    The collaboration marks a major lap in McLaren’s digital heritage transformation journey. Iron Mountain’s AI-enabled platform will help unlock hidden value in the team’s storied legacy, turning nostalgia into an interactive experience for fans and partners across the globe. From the roar of Ayrton Senna’s engines to the craftsmanship behind every chassis, McLaren’s most iconic moments are set to be revived, reimagined, and relived.

    McLaren Racing, co-chief commercial officer Nick Martin said, “Our fans are at the centre of what we do, and we are passionate about sharing our storied past with them. With the integration of Iron Mountain, we will be able to bring to life more of the team’s rich history for our fans and partners as we look to shine a light on the McLaren Racing brand.”

    Beyond storytelling, the partnership also brings efficiency to the garage. Iron Mountain will support McLaren in securely managing and recycling end-of-life IT assets, a move that reinforces the team’s commitment to innovation and sustainability both on and off the track.

    Starting from the 2025 United States Grand Prix, Iron Mountain’s branding will appear on both McLaren Formula 1 race cars, along with several other touchpoints throughout the 2025 season and beyond.

    Iron Mountain executive vice president & chief commercial officer Greg McIntosh added, “We are proud to partner with the McLaren Formula 1 Team, which embodies the spirit of innovation and high performance at Iron Mountain. Our AI-enabled digital platform will help to fuel new opportunities for success and transform McLaren Racing’s iconic heritage media protecting these timeless assets for future generations.”

    By preserving its past while powering towards the future, McLaren proves that even in Formula 1, heritage doesn’t slow you down, it gives you more traction.

     

  • Wise Move by Tata Play as AI Owl and Donkey Bring Smart Savings Home

    Wise Move by Tata Play as AI Owl and Donkey Bring Smart Savings Home

    MUMBAI: Looks like wisdom has feathers and sometimes, long ears. Tata Play’s latest campaign, Samajhdar Bano, Tata Play Lagao, brings a wise owl and a witty donkey to the screen, using humour and AI-powered storytelling to help viewers make smarter entertainment choices this festive season.

    India’s leading content distribution platform has once again flipped the script on conventional advertising, embracing generative AI to create two unforgettable characters who do what humans often fail to simplify DTH pricing with clarity and wit.

    The campaign focuses on Tata Play’s Dhamaka Offer, which ensures that every rupee of the subscriber’s Rs 3,600 upfront deposit goes entirely towards content consumption. In return, subscribers also receive an HD set-top box, dish antenna, remote, and free installation essentially transforming the deposit into full-value entertainment. The films also spotlight the ease of curating one’s own channel bouquet through the Tata Play Mobile App, giving users complete control over what they watch and pay for.

    Conceptualised and executed by Ogilvy, the brand films use the banter between the owl and the donkey to cut through the clutter of jargon and confusion that often surrounds DTH offers. In their quirky yet relatable exchange, they bust myths around hidden costs, driving home Tata Play’s promise of transparency and unbeatable value.

    Tata Play head of marketing communications Krishnendu Dasgupta said, “This campaign is anchored in a simple yet powerful insight when it comes to entertainment, people crave clarity over clutter. While choices are many, the confusion is even more. Through our witty owl and donkey duo, we’re making decision-making feel effortless and fun. The use of generative AI adds an innovative layer, enhancing the storytelling Tata Play is known for.”

    The nationwide ATL rollout spans key television genres and channels, with special focus on Hindi-speaking markets, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and all four southern states. The campaign also extends across digital and social platforms, ensuring it meets viewers wherever they watch, scroll, or stream.

    Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak added, “It’s smart to choose Tata Play because it truly delivers the best value for money. Our wise owl and witty donkey serve as unlikely gurus of entertainment, showing that whether you’re brainy or braying, the smart choice is Tata Play.”

    With its smart storytelling, Gen-AI magic, and genuine value proposition, Samajhdar Bano, Tata Play Lagao isn’t just another festive campaign, it’s a reminder that in the age of endless options, clarity and a little humour go a long way.

    Viewers can avail of the offer via tataplay.com, the manage section of the Tata Play Mobile App, or their nearest dealer.

  • WPP and Google forge $400m AI alliance to turbocharge marketing campaigns

    WPP and Google forge $400m AI alliance to turbocharge marketing campaigns

    CALIFORNIA: WPP and Google have announced a five-year expansion of their partnership that represents nothing short of a full-throated embrace of artificial intelligence as the defining competitive advantage in modern marketing. The creative powerhouse will pour $400m into Google technologies—cloud infrastructure, generative models, cutting-edge AI systems—betting that the combination can compress months of campaign planning, creative development and media buying into days, and unlock growth that conventional efficiency drives could never reach.

    The deal, cemented at Google’s Mountain View headquarters with WPP chief executive Cindy Rose, Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian, and senior leadership from both organisations gathered around the table, aims to fundamentally revolutionise how brands connect with customers at scale. Rather than simply speeding up existing processes or squeezing more productivity from existing workflows, the partners plan to enable something far more radical: real-time personalisation for millions of people simultaneously, powered by bespoke AI models that learn, adapt and optimise on the fly.

    The ambition is extraordinary. WPP will receive preferred early access to Google’s latest generative models—Veo for video generation, Imagen for image creation, and a suite of others still in development—all integrated directly into WPP Open, the firm’s proprietary AI platform for marketing. The practical impact is already staggering. Campaign-ready creative assets that would traditionally take weeks to produce can now be generated in days. Efficiency gains are reaching 70 per cent. Asset utilisation is accelerating 2.5 times over. For one global retailer pilot, these aren’t abstract metrics: they translated to 98 per cent accuracy in audience targeting and an 80 per cent boost in operational efficiency, freeing entire marketing teams to focus on strategy rather than execution.

    WPP Media, the group’s media planning and buying division, will deploy bespoke audience models powered by Google DeepMind’s AI products through a new solution called Open Intelligence. The promise: build custom audience segments and deploy hyper-targeted campaigns across all channels—including Google Ad Platforms—with unprecedented speed and precision. For a multinational energy company, this looked like developing a custom AI Marketing Agent that automatically generates comprehensive marketing briefs, connects stakeholders to a single point of contact, and draws on a library of best-practice documents, past campaign performance and proven playbooks. The system works in real time, adapting to local challenges across multiple markets.

    The partnership extends into the creative layer itself. AKQA, WPP’s design and innovation company, is developing a new generation of AI-powered experiences that transform static websites into intelligent, generative platforms. The live AKQA Generative Store recreates the experience of personalised luxury retail service digitally—dynamically adapting product visuals, messaging and recommendations for each customer in real time. AKQA Generative UI, launching imminently, will instantly generate tailored, on-brand pages for users across enterprise and B2B contexts, with no manual intervention required.

    Privacy and data security thread through the entire architecture. Using InfoSum’s Bunkers technology, now integrated into WPP Open and available on Google Marketplace, WPP can enforce secure data collaboration without physically moving sensitive customer data. This allows brands to harvest deeper, richer insights for AI marketing whilst maintaining ironclad privacy protection—a crucial advantage in an era of tightening data regulation and consumer scrutiny.

    The talent dimension is equally ambitious. WPP’s Creative Technology Apprenticeship programme, which has placed more than 50 early-career technologists across WPP agencies since 2022, will expand dramatically with Google joining as the primary curriculum partner. The goal is audacious: train over 1,000 creative technologists by 2030 in a world-leading curriculum covering creative coding, generative AI and robotics. These apprentices will work on real-world challenges from major clients—L’Oréal, Unilever and others—building the next generation of marketing talent fluent in machine learning, AI prompt engineering and algorithmic thinking.

    Beyond client work, Google AI will also transform WPP’s internal operations. Automated data analysis, intelligent resource allocation and instant access to global insights will flow through WPP’s workflows, accelerating the development of solutions, sharpening team responses and ultimately delivering superior speed and value to clients worldwide. The logic is clear: make the machine fast enough and the organisation responds like an organism, not a bureaucracy.

    There is a feedback loop built into the model that gives WPP an unusual advantage. New solutions are collaborated on, tested and validated first within Google’s own marketing operations—real-world testing grounds where ideas either survive or die quickly. The insights flow back to WPP clients, who receive solutions already battle-tested against the toughest marketing challenges. In a rapidly evolving AI landscape crowded with noise and overpromise, that’s a rare competitive edge.

    Rose called it a redefinition of what’s possible for clients. Kurian framed it as harnessing generative and agentic AI to transform business outcomes. Google global marketing senior vice-president Lorraine Twohill spoke of exploring what marketing and storytelling look like in a new era.

    But beneath the corporate language lies a harder truth: the pace of marketing innovation just accelerated dramatically, and the winners will be those organisations—agencies, brands, technologists—that can think and move at machine speed. Everyone else faces a widening gap between aspiration and execution.