Written by Helen Kirkham, Head of Growth & Strategy at Creatisan Ltd.

Why we’ll never do this pop-up again.

We recently created a pop-up for Bold Bean Co. in the heart of Soho. It was bright yellow, brilliantly beany, packed with personality and, judging by the queues and the amount of it appearing across our social feeds, people rather loved it.

We’ll never do it again, not because it didn’t work… But because The Beanery was unmistakably Bold Bean. And the best brand experiences are the ones that couldn’t possibly belong to anyone else.

A little bistro. A lot of bean obsession.

Bold Bean isn’t short on personality, it’s built an incredibly passionate community around something most people probably hadn’t given much thought to before… beans! There’s a whole world of creativity, culture and genuine obsession around the brand, from customers making artwork inspired by its jars to finding new ways to reuse them.

As part of Bold Bean’s wider September campaign celebrating that obsession, we worked with the team to turn 59 Greek Street into The Beanery. A three-day pop-up bistro that brought the brand’s world into the real world. We took the space from an empty unit to a bold, yellow bistro, bringing together the creative design, production, build and delivery of an experience packed with things people already loved about Bold Bean.

Big, delicious beany lunches. Community artwork covering the walls. Cookbooks, merch and a jar upcycling station with Freddie’s Flowers, giving those iconic glass jars a second life as flower vases. Every element had a connection to the brand. Nothing was there just to fill a space, and that’s where we think the most interesting brand experiences begin.

Know who you are.

It’s easy to get distracted by what’s trending in experiential. The latest technology, the must have photo moment, the format everyone’s suddenly doing. But the starting point should always be the brand itself. What makes it different? What do people already love about it? What would feel completely natural for this brand, but ridiculous for anyone else?

With Bold Bean, we had a brilliant starting point. An instantly recognisable visual identity, a playful personality and a community that was already doing some pretty wonderful things with the brand. Our job was to take all of that and translate it into a physical experience. The bold graphics, the bistro setting, the community art, the jars filled with flowers. It all felt like Bold Bean because it came from Bold Bean. We weren’t trying to invent something new for the sake of it. We were finding ways to bring what was already special about the brand to life.

Give people a reason to care.

Getting someone to notice your activation is one thing. Giving them a reason to actually spend time with it is another. People are busy, their attention is valuable, and simply putting a brand in front of them isn’t enough. The Beanery gave people plenty of reasons to get involved.

There were free lunches worth queuing for, beautiful community artwork to discover, cookbooks to browse, merch people genuinely wanted and the opportunity to turn an empty Bold Bean jar into something lovely to take home. It wasn’t just somewhere to visit and photograph. There were things to taste, make, discover and enjoy.

The experience didn’t have to end when people walked out of the door. A jar of flowers on someone’s kitchen table, a tote bag being carried around London, a photo shared with friends. These are the little ways a brand experience can continue to live beyond the space itself.

Make it impossible to ignore.

Of course, even the most beautifully considered experience needs to get noticed, a bright yellow bistro in the middle of Soho is a pretty good place to start. From the distinctive exterior to the world waiting inside, The Beanery was designed to be instantly recognisable, inviting and easy to understand.

There was no complicated explanation needed, people could see what was happening, understand what was on offer and get involved and once they did. There was plenty worth talking about. The three-day activation saw 1,500 free lunches served, two sold-out supper clubs, queues along Greek Street and a huge amount of love across social media, alongside coverage from the likes of Time Out.

It’s always brilliant to see something we’ve spent so much time bringing together take on a life of its own, but what made it particularly satisfying wasn’t just the attention it generated. It was seeing people connect with the brand in exactly the way the experience was designed to encourage.

So, why won’t we do it again?

Even if Bold Bean asked us to create another pop-up tomorrow, it shouldn’t be The Beanery all over again. Every activation has its own moment, a different location, a different audience, a different time of year. Cultural moments, changing consumer behaviours, wider campaigns and where the brand is on its own journey all play a part in shaping what an experience should be.

What worked brilliantly on Greek Street in September won’t necessarily be what works in a festival field next summer, a department store at Christmas or even back in Soho a year from now. We can take everything we’ve learned from creating The Beanery into the next project. The thinking, the experience, the attention to detail and the understanding of what makes people want to get involved, but the creative outcome should always be shaped by the opportunity in front of us.

We don’t believe in taking a successful pop-up, changing the colours, swapping the logo and calling it a new experience. And we don’t believe in repeating the same formula for the same

brand, either. It’s about creating something that feels completely right for the brand, the audience, the place and the moment.

That’s the art of being unmistakably you.

And it’s exactly why we’ll never make The Beanery again.

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Dubbed by many as the “Glastonbury for business”, Ideas Fest has rapidly become one of the UK’s most exciting gatherings for founders, entrepreneurs and ambitious brands. Bringing together inspiring speakers, challenger businesses and a thriving community of enterprising people looking to learn, connect and grow, it has firmly established itself as a standout moment in the business calendar.

At an event built around bold ideas, meaningful conversations and entrepreneurial ambition, the brands that leave the biggest impression are often those that contribute something genuinely valuable to the experience.

This year, Starling did exactly that with the Starling Social Club.

Rather than creating a traditional branded presence, Starling set out to build something more useful, a space designed around connection, conversation and community. Positioned within the festival’s Ideas by Her zone, the Starling Social Club became a welcoming hub for founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders to gather, exchange ideas and build meaningful relationships. Across two days, the space hosted a Starter Party with DJ Vinyl Jen, a packed programme of talks, workshops, pitch practice sessions and networking opportunities, balanced with quieter moments for attendees to pause, recharge and connect.

As part of a partnership with Ideas Fest, Starling and Ideas Fest launched a scholarship programme that provided 250 fully-funded tickets to ambitious female founders across various sectors, backgrounds, and business stages.

Thriving female entrepreneurs are vital to the UK economy, and with around a third of Starling’s business account holders being women – more than double the UK average – Starling provided this initiative to champion female-led businesses, break down barriers, provide a growth platform, and reinforce its position as the go-to banking partner for enterprising people.

The initiative was over-subscribed, and generated overwhelmingly positive online sentiment. Beyond event attendance, it has created an instant community where female founders have connected, supported and uplifted each other and will live on.

The approach reflects a wider evolution taking place across experiential marketing.

Today’s audiences are increasingly seeking experiences that offer genuine value, whether that’s learning something new, making a useful connection or gaining access to expertise. The most effective live experiences are moving beyond brand exposure and towards enablement, creating environments that help people achieve something meaningful while naturally building affinity with the brand behind them.

For Starling, a female-founded business with a strong connection to the UK’s entrepreneurial community, creating a home for founder conversations felt both authentic and purposeful. The programme was carefully curated to balance inspiration with practical value, offering everything from strategic business discussions and founder stories to pitch coaching and peer-to-peer networking.

The physical environment played an equally important role in bringing that ambition to life.

Working with experiential agency HYPHEN, the 20m x 20m activation was designed to feel less like a branded stand and more like a destination. A central stage sat alongside networking areas, founder-focused content spaces and informal social zones, encouraging attendees to move freely between sessions, conversations and experiences throughout the festival. Features including founder pitch opportunities, networking spaces and social touchpoints provided multiple reasons for visitors to return across the two-day event.

Crucially, the activation recognised a simple truth about founder communities – some of the most valuable moments happen outside the scheduled agenda.

While content remains a draw, audiences increasingly value opportunities to connect with peers, share experiences and build relationships in a more informal setting. By creating a space that supported both structured programming and spontaneous interaction, Starling enabled attendees to engage in a way that felt natural, relevant and rewarding.

As brands continue to evaluate their role within festivals and live experiences, the success of the Starling Social Club offers an important lesson. The most memorable activations aren’t necessarily the loudest; they’re the ones that put audience needs at the centre of the experience and create something people genuinely want to be part of.

When brands focus on facilitating connection rather than chasing attention, they stop being sponsors and start becoming part of the community.

Quote from Andrew Casey, Director of SME Marketing, Starling
“In an increasingly digital age, the value of face-to-face connection, shared experiences, and spontaneous conversation cannot be overstated.”

“We were absolutely delighted with the space created in partnership with HYPHEN. The large tent structure brought our vision for the Starling Social Club to life brilliantly – providing a welcoming, high-energy hub where founders could pitch, recharge, and build lasting, meaningful connections.”

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PrettyGreen wins competitive pitch to deliver experiential launch for Polaroid Go Generation 3. 
Creative communications agency PrettyGreen has been chosen by Polaroid to support the launch of its new Polaroid Go Generation 3 camera through an experiential activation at Boardmasters Festival in Newquay, Cornwall this August.

The appointment follows a competitive three-way pitch, with PrettyGreen selected as Polaroid’s experiential partner for the launch, bringing the brand’s The Best of Summer is Analogue campaign to life at one of the UK’s most iconic music and surf festivals.

The agency has been tasked with creating an immersive festival experience introducing the Polaroid Go Generation 3 to consumers. As part of The Best of Summer is Analogue campaign, the activation positions the world’s smallest instant analog camera as the must-have accessory for a summer of festivals, travel and spontaneous moments. Boardmasters provides the perfect backdrop to bring that idea to life, supporting Polaroid’s wider mission to encourage people to lean into what real life has to offer in a world both obsessed with and exhausted by digital life, celebrating the moments best experienced away from screens.

Working together, Polaroid and PrettyGreen will create an experience that reflects the spirit of an analogue summer, connecting festival audiences with the campaign through shared moments and hands-on interaction with the new camera.

Adam Shoemark, Client Services Director, Experiential at PrettyGreen, said:

“Polaroid is one of the world’s most recognisable brands, so it’s a privilege to be trusted with this launch following a competitive pitch. The Best of Summer is Analogue feels especially relevant today. As more people look to reconnect with what real life has to offer, there’s a growing appetite for shared experiences that happen away from screens. Boardmasters is the perfect place to bring that idea to life.“

Ineke Bontje, Senior Global Retail/Trade Marketing & Brand Experience Manager at Polaroid, added:

“PrettyGreen impressed us with their strategic thinking, creative approach and understanding of both our brand and audience. The team demonstrated a clear vision for how experiential could bring the Polaroid Go Generation 3 and our The Best of Summer is Analog campaign to life in a way that feels authentic for the next generation of consumers. We’re excited to work together on this important launch.”

The appointment adds to a period of significant momentum for PrettyGreen, which has continued to expand its client roster across consumer, lifestyle and entertainment categories while building on its reputation for delivering integrated campaigns that drive both cultural impact and commercial results.

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Flagship viewing zone will be hosted at Battersea Power Station throughout the Wimbledon Fortnight

The Wimbledon Experience makes a welcome return to London’s Battersea Power Station later this month, serving up live tennis action from The Championships, Wimbledon. 

Now in its third year, the official viewing zone will be delivered in association with American Express, Official Partner of The Championships, and managed by Ocean Outdoor.

Throughout the Wimbledon Fortnight, from Monday 29th June to Sunday 12th July, fans will be able to watch the BBC broadcast live on a large format 15 square metre screen, situated in Power Station Park next to the Grade II* listed Power Station and River Thames. 

This year’s viewing zone will feature a fan village, delivering an authentic taste of Wimbledon through its look and feel, partner activations and guest experience. The Wimbledon Experience is free to visit and will be open daily with live match screenings from 11am until 9pm.

As headline partner, American Express will be giving away limited edition charms* and a chance to win tickets to the Wimbledon finals weekend. Pimm’s will also be present with its branded bus, serving classic drinks. Official Championships merchandise will be available for purchase, alongside traditional strawberries and cream.

The Wimbledon Experience will be produced by Ocean Labs. The AMEX activation is produced by the experiential agency Momentum, with planning through UM and Rapport.  

Brendan Dinen, head of marketing at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, said:

“As we welcome what we anticipate will be another unforgettable Championships, we’re excited to bring the magic of Wimbledon to thousands of fans at the iconic location of Battersea Power Station. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Ocean Outdoor once again to deliver a fan experience designed to captivate and inspire audiences while celebrating the very best of world-class tennis.”

Rachel Sutton, Ocean Outdoor director of brand partnerships, said:

“We mark our ninth year working with The All England Club and the third year bringing The Wimbledon Experience to Battersea Power Station. This fan zone gives families and tennis lovers of all ages a chance to view The Championships match action and connect with Wimbledon’s Official Partners against the backdrop of one of London’s most scenic destinations. Where better to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the oldest Grand Slam event in the world?”

Natalie Caley, senior commercialisation manager at Battersea Power Station Development Company, said:

“The Wimbledon Experience at Battersea Power Station has grown into one of the most popular fixtures in our summer events calendar, as thousands of people visit the riverside neighbourhood to enjoy watching the matches together as part of their day of shopping, dining and leisure. We are pleased to be working again with Ocean Outdoor and The All England Lawn Tennis Club to raise the bar further on this experience, meeting the strong consumer demand for memorable, impactful experiences at Battersea Power Station.”

Last year, Ocean Outdoor managed and curated the 5,000 capacity official Women’s Rugby World Cup fan zone at Battersea Power Station, later becoming the home of the Red Roses’ Rugby World Cup victory celebration.

*subject to availability/while stocks last

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Experiential agency develops and produces “It’s All Sun & Games”, a family-focused brand experience for Beiersdorf’s NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK partnership.

IPM Members Haygarth have partnered with Beiersdorf UK to concept and produce this year’s NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK’s Sun Safety Tour, helping the brand take vital sun safety education directly to families at some of the UK’s biggest summer events.

The 2026 tour, titled “It’s All Sun & Games”, sees the NIVEA SUN Bus travel to high-footfall family festivals and outdoor events throughout the summer, inviting people to take part in interactive games, win prizes and learn simple, memorable ways to protect their skin and enjoy the sun safely.

The activation supports the 14-year partnership between NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK, which works to educate people across the UK on sun safety and challenge common myths around UV exposure. The campaign centres on three key behaviours: seek shade, cover up and apply sunscreen regularly.

Haygarth’s role spans the creative concept, experiential design and end-to-end production of the tour experience, translating NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK’s health messaging into an engaging, accessible format for festival environments. The activation has been designed to make sun safety feel simple, positive and easy to act on, particularly for families enjoying the outdoors.

The NIVEA SUN & Cancer Research UK Sun Safety Tour will appear at:

• 23–24 May – Birmingham Pride
• 29–31 May – Wychwood Festival
• 30 July–2 August – Camp Bestival
• 7–9 August – Bristol Balloon Fiesta
• 28–30 August – Victorious Festival

The tour comes as NIVEA SUN and Cancer Research UK continue to build on a partnership that began in 2012. According to Cancer Research UK, the partnership has raised more than £9 million for skin cancer research while helping millions of people stay safe in the sun.

Marcus Sandwith Haygarth CEO said:

“Sun safety is incredibly important, but the challenge is making the message feel relevant in the moments when people are actually out enjoying the summer. Our job was to help NIVEA SUN turn expert guidance into a playful, memorable and high-impact experience that families would want to engage with. ‘It’s All Sun & Games’ does exactly that: it brings education, interaction and brand experience together in a way that feels natural for the festival environment.”

Andrew Rawle, NIVEA Marketing Director, Northern Europe said:

“The NIVEA SUN & Cancer Research UK Sun Safety Tour is a powerful way to bring sun safety to life in the moments it matters most. Together with Cancer Research UK, the activation reinforces our long-standing commitment to sun safety education. As the UK’s No.1 suncare brand, we believe we have a responsibility to help people build lifelong sun-safe habits through simple, practical and memorable advice.

Haygarth has helped us create an experience that brings our partnership to life in an engaging, practical and easy-to-remember way, helping people enjoy the sun safely. We’re incredibly excited to see this come to life across the summer!”

The activation is the latest example of Haygarth’s work in creating connected brand experiences that combine shopper understanding, live engagement and behaviour-led creative.

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N2O unlocks exclusive brand access to THE UK’s first experiential Manchester Pride Village.

Exclusive access via N2O for brands to activate within Manchester Village Pride 2026, as the event launches the UK’s first-ever experiential Pride village

Multi-award-winning creative brand experience agency, N2O, has secured exclusive access for brands to activate at Manchester Village Pride – a newly established, community-led initiative designed to protect and rebuild Pride following the collapse of the previous organisation. Led by unpaid volunteer directors and backed by investment from local LGBTQ+ venues, the event puts community, inclusivity and reinvestment at its core.

Working with Horlock House, a specialist in brand partnerships within LGBTQ+ culture, N2O will put brands at the centre of the celebration, which sits Manchester’s iconic Gay Village – long recognised as one of the UK’s most important LGBTQ+ cultural destinations. For 2026, the Village will evolve into a curated experiential environment, with N2O holding the key to unlock limited, high-impact brand activations within the space.

This marks the first time brands have been able to engage audiences experientially within the Village itself during Pride, and is set to place them directly inside four days of programming across the August Bank Holiday weekend, including performances, nightlife, community showcases and the city’s Pride Parade.

Jack Horlock, Cultural Partnerships Director at N2O, said:

“This is a genuinely unique moment. The Village is the beating heart of Pride in Manchester, and for the first time, brands can be part of that in a way that feels authentic, creative and impactful. We are offering a rare opportunity for brands to show up at the cultural heart of one of the country’s most significant LGBTQ+ celebrations.”

“Unlike traditional sponsorship routes, access to the experiential village is intentionally restricted, ensuring that brand presence enhances rather than disrupts the authenticity of Pride. The result is a premium, high-demand opportunity for brands looking to connect meaningfully with LGBTQ+ audiences in a culturally relevant setting.”

“We’ve worked closely with Manchester Village Pride to create something that protects the integrity of the event while opening the door for brands to show up properly. It’s not mass sponsorship, but carefully curated, and limited-access. That’s what makes it so powerful, and why it’s a do-not-miss opportunity for brands this year”, he continued.

Andrew Underwood, Co-Director at Manchester Village Pride added: “Bringing Pride back to the Village is about more than location, it’s about restoring ownership to the community.”

“Partnering with N2O allows us to introduce brands in a way that aligns with our values and enhances the experience, rather than detracting from it. This approach brings new energy and investment into the Village while keeping Pride rooted in the people and spaces that made it what it is,” he continued.

With the Gay Village operating as a large-scale live event space across Pride weekend – including outdoor stages, performances and activations – the experiential village offers brands a rare chance to engage audiences at scale, in an environment defined by openness, celebration and cultural relevance.

With limited space and strong early interest, brands are being encouraged to secure access now. Contact: jack.horlock@n2o.co.uk

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For two days only, Londoners will find themselves travelling through history and art. The ticket hall and escalators at Charing Cross, one of the capital’s busiest Tube stations, will be reimagined as “Haring Cross” – a striking pop-up tribute to Keith Haring, one of the world’s most celebrated artists, and his legendary collaboration with Absolut Vodka in the 1980s.

The activation marks the next chapter of the global Absolut Haring launch, turning the daily commute into a captivating and unexpected cultural experience. Stepping off the escalator, commuters, visitors and tourists will be greeted in the ticket hall by two original Absolut Vodka paintings by Haring from 1986, displayed in public for the very first time in the UK. These works once transformed Absolut’s apothecary-shaped bottle into an icon of the art world – and now return to the underground, where Haring’s energy first ignited.

• two original Absolut Vodka artworks by Keith Haring are on display to the public
• free posters depicting the artworks available at the two-day event
• the experience celebrates the recent launch of the Absolut Haring Artist-Edition bottle
• celebrating a shared belief that art is for everybody

Rooted in Haring’s belief that “art is for everybody”, visitors will also be able to take away a free poster depicting one of Haring’s paintings on display (while stocks last). This iconic piece of artwork, featuring its unmistakable red lines and dancing figures set against a bold yellow canvas, became an Absolut campaign classic in 1986. A must-see if you happen to be in London in mid-September, this one-off project transforms the hustle and bustle of underground ticket halls and escalators into ‘Haring Cross’ – an immersive space adorned with graphic elements inspired by Keith Haring, for everyone to enjoy.

Haring wanted to make art accessible to everyone. His paintings, subway chalk drawings and public murals – whether dancing figures or barking dogs – vibrated with energy while carrying a deeper meaning beneath their playful surface. Just as Haring used art to capture imaginations and explore universal truths, Absolut has always believed that art for all can inspire, uplift, unite and open minds. The Absolut Haring artworks on display serve as a visual reminder of Haring’s belief in creativity as a unifying force, celebrating the power of art to drive positive change.

Deb Dasgupta, VP Global Marketing, Absolut Vodka, says: “Absolut has always believed that art should be open, joyful and for everyone. Keith Haring’s work radiated that belief – full of energy, colour and hope. With Absolut Haring, we’re inviting a new generation to celebrate that spirit in a public space – in an underground station that reflects and connects to the subways that inspired Haring more than forty years ago. It’s a vibrant reminder that creativity can inspire, uplift, unite and open minds.”

The ‘Haring Cross’ event follows the launch of the Absolut Haring Artist-Edition bottle across global travel retail in July and, which will be available across 40 markets from September onwards. The Artist-Edition bottle’s design pulses with energy: a debossed rhythm of dancing figures brought to life in his signature blaze of reds and yellows, cut sharply against Absolut’s distinctive blue. Signed off with Haring’s unmistakable signature on the shrink sleeve, the result is a piece of 3D kinetic art that transforms the original painting into something you can hold, admire and toast with.

David Stark, founder and CEO of Artestar, the agency representing the Keith Haring Studio, says: “Our mission is to keep Keith Haring’s spirit alive by continuing to expand access to his art and the important messages within it. This project with Absolut revives a moment that meant so much to Keith. It’s a wonderful tribute that allows anyone to engage with this special story that started back in 1986.”

Absolut’s collaborations with many influential pop art artists can be traced to 1985, when Andy Warhol first painted Absolut’s bottle and Keith Haring became the second a year later. Over more than two decades, Absolut worked with more than 550 artists who created more than 850 works of art. Today, they form part of the renowned Absolut Art Collection housed at Spritmuseum in Stockholm.

Christer Mellstrand, Museum Director at Spritmuseum, says: “Since 2008, Spritmuseum has been the proud owner of the Absolut Art Collection – a treasure trove of art, or perhaps advertising? Visitors are thrilled to discover that behind many of Absolut’s classic advertising campaigns lie real artworks by renowned artists: paintings, sculptures, drawings and more. Only the paintings by Andy Warhol are, perhaps, more famous in the Collection than Haring’s. To this day, Haring’s energetic and celebratory imagery remains an unmistakable part of contemporary culture.”

Emma Strain, Customer Director at Transport for London (TfL), says: “The London Underground has a long-standing connection to the art world, so we’re delighted to work with Absolut to be able to host Keith Haring’s art at Charing Cross Tube station. Activations like this provide our customers with a new way to experience art in London.”

Visit the ‘Haring Cross’ experience at Charing Cross Tube station for two days only from 17-18 September. The Absolut Haring Artist-Edition bottle will be available across 40 markets, including the UK, for a limited time only. Please visit www.absolut.com/en-gb/products/absolut-haring/ for more info.

This activation with Transport for London (TfL) consists of Keith Haring vinyls throughout the ticket hall, license to use TfL’s IP to create bespoke roundels to be used within their creative advertising (only) and use of a retail unit to display original Keith Harings. Advertising within the station was booked through Global. It is not a renaming of the station and no customer signage has been changed as part of this activation.

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Retailwise, a new platform brought to you by leading SaaS specialists Staffwise, comes at a moment when UK marketing budgets are recovering and brands are doubling down on in-store activations. 

According to the IPA Bellwether Q2 2025 Report, a net balance of 5.5% of marketers increased spend, reversing a four-year low in Q1. While growth in experiential marketing eased slightly to 3.9% (down from 5.4%), it remains one of the few areas showing consistent investment, alongside sales promotions and direct marketing. 

This renewed confidence in experiential formats is being felt across retail. Shoppers are returning to physical spaces not just to buy, but to engage. And brands are responding with activations that are more immersive, more interactive, and more strategically designed to drive shopper engagement, influence purchase decisions, and extend reach beyond the store through social sharing and branded content.

Recent UK data highlights the scale of this shift:

• 88% of the population visited a retail destination in late 2024  
• Under-35s averaged 9.5 visits per month, driven by experiential formats 
• 85% of customers are more likely to spend in-store after attending an event 
• 73% say they spend more time and money in stores offering experiences 
• 77% of marketers now integrate experiential into their brand strategy  

With mainstream signals like Netflix formalising “Netflix House,” and the Financial Times putting immersive entertainment near £100bn in 2024 with strong growth expected by 2030. This reflects what many IPM members are seeing on the ground: a rise in in-store activations, sampling campaigns, and immersive merchandising. All of which depend on well-coordinated field teams.  

“We built Retailwise to solve very real industry challenges we saw our clients facing every day,” says Mark Waddington, Founder of Staffwise. “It’s about empowering agencies and brands with the tools to run smarter, faster, and more effective retail execution.”

Connecting Field Teams to Campaign Results 

Retailwise is designed to close the gap between the people delivering in-store campaigns and the systems used to measure their impact. Field teams are often managed separately from reporting tools, leaving brands with fragmented data and limited visibility.  
 
The platform brings together scheduling, onboarding, and real-time reporting into one streamlined system. Whether it’s a nationwide sampling tour or a series of tactical merchandising visits, agencies can now track who was on-site, what was delivered, and how it performed, all in one place. With budgets tight, spending becomes strategic and having access to a wealth of data and analytic helps underpin effective retail spending. 
 
In addition to it’s shelf-scanning tools, Retailwise also focuses on the people behind the campaigns  (brand ambassadors, merchandisers, and promotional teams) giving agencies visibility into attendance, activity, and outcomes. 

Smarter Retail Starts Here 

In a landscape where shopper expectations are rising and brand experiences matter more than ever, platforms like Retailwise are helping agencies and brands lead with confidence, clarity, and impact. Ready to see it in action? Visit retailwise.io or book a demo to explore how smarter retail execution starts here. 

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Global experiential agency Momentum Worldwide UK have created a new immersive music experience for Heathrow. Designed to help travellers relax and reset at the airport, the experience ranges from solo headphone moments to the shared thrill of live performances. By placing music at the heart of the airport journey, Heathrow is tuning the airport experience to a smoother rhythm.

Rooted in the emotional power of sound, Heathrow Sounds is a multi-year cultural journey that starts at the grassroots, tapping into UK music fan culture, emerging talent and local scenes.

Lee Boyle, Head of Terminals (Services) at Heathrow, comments: “As the best-connected airport in the world, Heathrow is where countless unforgettable journeys begin, and we’re always looking for new ways to make the airport experience more memorable. With Heathrow Sounds, we’re harnessing the emotional power of music to create moments of calm, joy and connection that stay with passengers long after take-off.”

“More than just sound, Heathrow Sounds is about bringing feeling back to travel —using music to create unexpected moments of curiosity, calm and emotion along the journey,” comments Georgina Pope, Senior Creative, Momentum Worldwide.

Along the way, the programme will celebrate the British festival season, showcase immersive mindfulness and create unexpected moments of connection across terminals.

The Soundtrack to a Year of Travel

Heathrow Sounds will unfold through a dynamic programme of activations across terminals and digital platforms, including:

Live Performers – Performances and surprise sets from emerging and established UK artists and performers.

Festival Season at Heathrow – Celebration of the summer music calendar with pop-ups, previews and performances.

Mindful Moments – Curated soundscapes to help travellers relax, refocus and recharge before their journey.

Whether it’s helping travellers feel grounded, soothed or energised, Heathrow Sounds harnesses music’s unique ability to tune us in to the moment and experience the world beyond the gate.

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Independent brand‑experience agency RPM has become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), handing majority ownership to the employees who “power the agency every day,” founder Hugh Robertson announced this week.

“Over 30 years ago, I started this agency with a simple idea: to stay independent, put people first, and create work we could all be proud of. I’m proud to say that RPM is now officially an Employee Ownership Trust.”— Hugh Robertson

Robertson founded RPM in 1993 and has led it ever since, guiding the business to B Corp certification and a reputation for experiential creativity. The new EOT structure protects that independence and formalises the agency’s long‑held belief in a people‑first culture.

RPM was among the UK’s first creative shops to earn B Corp certification in 2021 and continues to nurture future talent through partnerships with Creative Equals, Creative Lives in Progress and local schools.

The leadership team remains in place, while Robertson moves to a non‑executive chair role. He emphasised that it is “business as usual” for clients and partners, adding: “I have full confidence in what comes next.”

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