As Kingpins Show Amsterdam returns to the SugarFactory this week on April 15–16, we’re revisiting our February conversation with Arne Koefoed, founder of the experiential agency WINK, the creative mind and leader of the team behind the look, feel, and energy of the early shows.
For those who’ve walked a Kingpins floor, you’ve experienced his work. But as Andrew Olah, founder of Kingpins shares in the episode, when he first met Arne in the early 2000s, he wasn’t convinced. Despite strong recommendations, the early ideas and proposals felt unfamiliar, even uncomfortable. But that changed quickly. That first show in Amsterdam was something else entirely: unexpected, communal, and unforgettable. A circular layout, bikes delivering food, and a central coffee bar that turned a trade show into a meeting place. “It blew my mind,” Andrew recalls, and it set the tone for what Kingpins could be.
Arne doesn’t call himself an event designer. He describes himself, half-jokingly, as a “Hippie Hooligan and Experience Architect.” The label captures a mix of influences: counterculture energy, a desire to belong and connect, and a serious commitment to designing environments that people can feel. Early on, there was no roadmap for this kind of work. “There was no event school,” he says. “We were just making it up.”
His work is rooted in bringing people together – pulling from early rave culture, art school experimentation, and a belief that events should feel alive, participatory, and a little unpredictable. From underground parties in Utrecht to global projects with major brands, the philosophy is the same: create moments that people feel, not just attend. Or as Arne puts it, “the aim of the game is to feel real good.”
That instinct, to create without over-structuring, still defines WINK today. The company has grown into a global agency, working across fashion, culture, and major international brands. Their client list includes companies like Anheuser-Busch InBev, where they develop large-scale activations for brands such as Budweiser and Corona, as well as global events tied to moments like the Olympics and major cultural festivals.
Despite that scale, the core idea hasn’t changed from those early parties. Arne still sees events as interdisciplinary spaces where anything can happen; where design, music, storytelling, and human interaction all come together. It’s less about building something permanent and more about creating a moment that people remember.
That thinking is also why he’s drawn to the idea of the circus: something that arrives, transforms a place, and disappears again. Temporary, immersive, and built around shared experience. For Arne, that’s the power of events – the ability to create “magic out of thin air.”
It’s also why he’s often critical of traditional retail. In a world where more shopping happens online, he expected physical stores to become more experiential, more surprising. Instead, many remain static. For him, that’s a missed opportunity. If a trade show booth can become a destination for a few days, why shouldn’t a store do the same?
“the aim of the game is to feel real good.”
Arne Koefoed
At the heart of everything WINK does is a simple idea: don’t aim for average. Arne believes too many businesses play it safe, trying not to offend, and in doing so, create forgettable experiences. The real impact comes from doing something unexpected, something that creates emotion, even if just for a moment.
That philosophy is what made Kingpins stand out in its early days, and it continues to shape the show today.
More than anything, Arne’s story is a reminder that success doesn’t always come from a clear plan. WINK grew from experimentation, curiosity, and a focus on having fun. Decades later, with projects spanning the globe and teams of hundreds, the mindset remains the same.
As Andrew puts it, “having fun allows you to express yourself in your work.” And when that energy is real, it becomes contagious.
With Kingpins Amsterdam just around the corner, it’s worth remembering that behind the booths and brands is an idea that started much smaller: bring people together, create something memorable, and don’t take it all too seriously.
→ Listen to the full conversation with Arne Koefoed on the Jeansland Podcast
