AKQA

AKQA, Google Gemini and Vodafone launch 'Partners in Time' campaign

AKQA Berlin created a summer-themed advertising campaign titled "Partners in Time" for Google Gemini and Vodafone Germany that positions a smartphone and its integrated AI assistant as companions in a romantic five-year story. The films, produced by BWGTBLD and directed by Paul Hermann, show everyday uses of AI (Gemini) such as route planning and furnishing suggestions, and also promote Vodafone's 5-year promise (longevity and quality). The campaign will run nationwide across CTV, digital and social media and uses the song "Bad Love" by Dehd as its soundtrack.

IBM Appoints Stagwell; Ogilvy Split After 32 Years

IBM has ended its 32-year creative relationship with Ogilvy. The article reports that Ogilvy (part of WPP Creative alongside VML and AKQA) had decided not to participate in IBM’s recent global creative pitch. The pitch has been decided and the US technology company will work worldwide with Stagwell as its new creative partner. The report was published by Horizont on 2026-07-02.

WPP Unveils 'Elevate28' for $676M Cost Savings

WPP CEO Cindy Rose unveiled a three-year strategic reboot called "Elevate28," targeting $676 million (about £500 million) in annual cost savings and reorganizing the company into four AI-backed divisions: WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions. The plan centers on WPP Open, the network’s AI platform, and aims to simplify operations, remove duplicate roles and reinvest savings into high-growth areas and talent. WPP reported 2025 revenue (less pass-through costs) down 5.4% year-on-year to $13.6 billion and said headcount fell 8.7% in the prior 12 months to 98,655 employees. WPP Creative, led by VML CEO Jon Cook, will group creative, PR and design agency brands under a single operating model while keeping brand names separate. Rose said WPP is “no longer a holding company” and framed the move as becoming a single operating company focused on clients in the era of AI.