Heineken announces WPP as global shopper marketing & commerce partner

WPP has been appointed as the global shopper marketing and commerce partner for Heineken’s brand portfolio, which includes Heineken, Heineken 0.0, and Heineken Silver. The partnership expands WPP’s existing relationship with the brand and will focus on below-the-line marketing activities aimed at enhancing brand presence across key consumer touchpoints.

The collaboration will be led by VML Amsterdam, with support from the company AI-powered marketing system, WPP Open. The scope of work includes in-store and in-bar branding, retail activations, and e-commerce strategies designed to improve consumer engagement and drive sales. Additionally, the company will develop shopper experiences around Heineken’s sponsorships, including Formula 1, the UEFA Champions League, and live music events.

The company's team will operate from its Amsterdam Campus, working closely with Heineken’s global team to implement activations in key markets. The partnership builds on the company's broader engagement with the brand, with agencies such as Ogilvy and Design Bridge and Partners already providing branding, advertising, and design services for the company in various regions.

Rutger van der Stegen, Global Head of BTL Heineken Brand, said: “We were impressed  by WPP's deep capabilities in shopper marketing, including their ability to drive higher  efficiencies through WPP Open, underpinned by advanced AI. In addition, WPP’s creativity  and deep understanding of the Heineken® brand makes them the right partner to increase the  impact of shopper touchpoints in our marketing mix, strengthening connections with  consumers and drive sustainable growth.” 

Rogier Leliveld, Chief Client Officer for WPP in the Netherlands and WPP Global Client  Lead for HEINEKEN, said, “We could not be prouder to expand our partnership with  Heineken® and leverage WPP Open's AI capabilities to create world-class experiences for its  brands. Commerce and shopper experience are such important drivers of brand power and  sales in this category, which makes this opportunity even more exciting. It also allows us to  build on our longstanding brand strategy and design partnership with Heineken®. With the added excitement of UEFA Champions League and F1, the potential of this partnership is  tremendous.”