WPP: City of Milan's Gioia

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In celebration of the opening of the WPP Campus in Milan and the re-opening of the city post-pandemic, WPP brought together the creative expertise of several of its companies to showcase the stories of Milan’s craftsmen and retailers – in support of the local economy.

Under the campaign name ‘Gioia’ or ‘Joy’, WPP encouraged people to support small shopkeepers and artisan producers. The constantly evolving and increasingly global market, the restrictions and closures introduced during the global pandemic had all made it difficult for those who run small neighbourhood shops and craft businesses. The pro bono WPP Gioia campaign aimed to shine a light and celebrate the passion and skill of these local producers and their contributions to local communities.

The campaign was conceived by Francesco Bozza, VP Chief Creative Officer at Grey United Italy; Lorenzo Crespi, Chief Creative Officer at Wunderman Thompson Italy; Giuseppe Mastromatteo, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy Italy; and Francesco Poletti, Chief Creative Officer at VMLY&R Italy, and created in partnership with IGP Decaux.

The campaign coincided with the official opening of the WPP Campus and ran in out-of-home locations at the M2 Gioia underground stop in Milan. The Gioia location was chosen as a perfect place to celebrate both the businesses in the area and the joy of reopening to customers.

Simona Maggini, Country Manager for WPP in Italy, said: “The decision to bring together the creative expertise of the Italian WPP agencies for the first time for a pro bono campaign that celebrates the optimism around the reopening of the city of Milan is a signal of our commitment to help the business community here grow. Through the WPP Gioia campaign, we wanted to showcase the joyful stories of the people who are a passionate and dedicated part of this local neighbourhood. Creativity will be one of the recovery’s driving forces, which is also why we wanted our new WPP Campus in Milan to be a true hub for creative talent. Helping businesses to tell their stories, vision, and new ideas as they reopen doesn’t just mean a return to a new normal but also an exciting opportunity to imagine a better future.”