How US firm WeWork uses multi-media campaign to boost co-working places

WeWork offers coworking spaces in three cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi-NCR. It has eight facilities with over 10,000 members

As prime locations remain out of reach for most small businesses and new entrepreneurs, coworking spaces are becoming rapidly popular in India. Not just them: shared workspaces are increasingly becoming attractive for large companies like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services looking to deploy smaller teams on myriad projects. As a Harvard Business Review report on workspaces says, “Though the coworking movement has its origins among freelancers, entrepreneurs, and the tech industry, it’s increasingly relevant for a broader range of people and organisations.” This is a global phenomenon but the trends are amply evident in India. Little wonder, it is a 12-16 seat business in India already with the segment looking to attract about $400 million in investments this year, and is set to grow by 40-50 per cent. (source: “Future of Work — The Coworking Revolution” by CII, WeWork and JLL India).

The whole idea of shared workspaces is also urging employers to relook at the work environment and spaces they offer their employees, forcing serious changes in design and infrastructure. A new campaign by WeWork, an US firm that offers shared workspaces, captures the changes that have overtaken workplaces today. From swanky boardrooms, to swankier coffee machines, the campaign’s underlying note is to “reimagine your workplace and do what you love”. This is the first time WeWork has come up with a multimedia campaign and is looking at it from a lead generation perspective. “We have planned it across all mediums and will keep consistent with the message flow to the audience,” says Karan Virwani, general manager, WeWork India. 

The campaign has been designed by DDB Mudra. According to Vishnu Srivatsav, creative head, DDB Mudra South, the challenge for the brand was “to cement its position as the preferred work space for businesses of varied sizes”. “As they are striving to revolutionise how and where people work, we wanted to ensure that the campaign we create adds value to businesses and entrepreneurs for the experience that includes opportunities to network and collaborate with a global community,” says Srivatsav. 

Why did WeWork choose this particular time to launch its first-ever campaign? The answer lies in the potential of this business. According to Kowrk’s research, the USA has, approximately, about 27 million square feet of shared workspace. India holds triple the workforce of the USA, yet it has less than 1 million square feet of shared workspace. The conclusion? India’s demand for flexible workspace will continue growing for years to come. The potential to increase footprint, however, isn’t limited to tier 1 cities. Kowrk’s research forecasts that “more coworking spaces will open in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, hand-in-hand with the establishment of top management and technology institutions in these areas.”

So what does an average user demand from a co-working space? “Work spaces are no more just infrastructure shells to run a business from. They have an equal role in contributing to business growth. WeWork is looking to reframe that value equation,” says Srivatsav. 

The campaign presents its workspaces as an informal stage of action and collaboration where everyone is struggling to learn and grow. WeWork is currently present in three primary cities and has eight facilities: four in Bengaluru, three in Mumbai and one in the Delhi-NCR with over 10,000 members.