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Award-winning agency BPG (Bates PanGulf, part of WPP) recently concluded its 28th annual offsite event at the Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah.

The three-day BPG Camels, hailed as the agency's best offsite to date, brought together 154 attendees representing 35 nationalities across seven markets, reinforcing BPG's commitment to diversity, integration, and innovation. 

Avi Bhojani, Group CEO, BPG Group said: “Culture is more than just words on paper. From collaboration without ego to embracing innovation and staying client-centric, we’re reminded that ideas have no seniority; everyone brings something valuable to the table. In the age of AI, we continue to push together for excellence, celebrate success, and stay human by design.”

The BPG offsite comes at a pivotal moment, amid growing demands for agility and innovative solutions, with AI integration, hyper-personalization, and sustainability driving new trends.

BPG Camels fostered cross-discipline creative brilliance, highlighting BPG's ‘digital-first, integrated by intent’ positioning. Eleven teams tackled as many creative briefs, highlighting their ability to generate high-impact campaigns under pressure.

Toby Hoare, Global Client Lead for Unilever at WPP and BPG Board Member, said: “Awards validate creative thinking, foster ambition, attract and retain top-tier talent, and build client trust. They also enhance brand reputation, with creative brands achieving 2.4x higher income growth over five years. Awards also amplify campaign impact through earned media, demonstrate the power of data-driven creativity, and underscore a commitment to continuous innovation and future investment in creativity.”

Building on an impressive 50% growth in 2023 revenue, BPG is setting ambitious goals for 2025.

The offsite showcased the agency's potential to achieve these targets, focusing on high-stakes creative challenges evaluated by a jury of industry experts: Sonal Dabral,  – Founder Creative Consultancy, Tribha and former CCO/Chairman of Bates Asia, DDB India, Ogilvy India, Malaysia, and Singapore; Mariagrazia De Angelis – GM at Landor MEA; Dominic Stallard – Founder, The Experience Makers; Clark Williams, Director of Marketing and Communications – NEOM/Trojena and Ravi Rao – former CEO GroupM, MENA and Strategic Advisor to BPG.

The offsite also underscored the critical role of culture in talent attraction and retention. As the industry grapples with hybrid work models and evolving employee expectations, BPG’s cohesive culture stood out.

Darius Labelle, President BPG UAE, added: “Creativity thrives within a structure. At BPG, we recognize the importance of creating a deliberate process that allows our teams to not only generate ideas but also refine and elevate them into meaningful solutions. Drawing from John Cleese's concept of 'Open and Closed' states, we make intentional space for both exploration and execution. Open states let us explore ideas freely, while Closed states focus on honing and implementing them effectively. It’s not just about having a spark but nurturing it across disciplines, allowing teams the time and framework needed to solve problems creatively."

With its multidisciplinary approach, such emphasis on collaboration, and a definite surge of fresh ideas, BPG is poised for global and regional industry recognition and is well set for a successful 2025.