Gen Z Perspectives: WPP, Huggies’ throwback hit and Coca-Cola’s refresh

Happy Friday, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to Gen Z Perspectives, your go-to feature where we unpack the week’s top stories and trending topics through the eyes of Gen Z. From the biggest industry moves to viral moments and marketing controversies worth dissecting, we’re bringing the heat with authenticity, awareness and probably a few unfiltered takes.

This week, WPP Brand & Design strengthened its APAC leadership, Huggies revived a 19-year-old photo thanks to a viral Lionel Messi-Lamine Yamal moment, and Coca-Cola unveiled a fresh global visual identity.

Things are fizzing up.

Don't miss: Gen Z perspectives: Nostalgic clicks, Haaland and Norwegian Air's logo swap 

1. WPP Brand & Design unveils new APAC leadership structure

WPP Brand & Design has reinforced its regional leadership across Asia-Pacific with a slate of senior appointments under Lulu Raghavan, APAC president of WPP Brand & Design.

The newly formed collective unites the network’s specialist agencies - including Landor, Design Bridge and Partners, amp, ManvsMachine, Coley Porter Bell, BDG, CBA Design, and DeepLocal - into a cohesive unit. This structure aims to help clients build multi-sensorial brands capable of thriving in Asia-Pacific’s rapidly accelerating, AI-driven marketplace while preserving each agency's unique culture and creative strengths.

Read more here. 

2. Huggies gives 19-year-old Messi and Lamine bath-time photo a new spin

Huggies has tapped into one of football's biggest cultural moments, reviving a nearly two-decade-old campaign after a photo of Lionel Messi bathing a baby Lamine Yamal resurfaced and went viral during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The brand unveiled a new out-of-home execution featuring the line "They grow up so fast", referencing the now-iconic image taken in 2007 as part of a UNICEF charity calendar shoot organised with FC Barcelona.

Read more here.

3. Why would a recognisable brand like Coca-Cola need a refresh?

Coca-Cola is one of the world's most recognisable brands, with visual assets such as its signature red and white colour palette, Spencerian script and Dynamic Ribbon remaining largely unchanged for decades.

So when the beverage giant unveiled a new global visual identity system this week, it raised an interesting question: why would a brand that has already achieved iconic status still invest in a visual refresh?

Read more here. 

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