This October, Ramp turned heads in New York City by installing a transparent “fishbowl” office in the heart of the Flatiron district. Inside: Brian Baumgartner — best known as Kevin from The Office — acting as Ramp’s “CFO for a day,” live-streaming himself in a comically exaggerated accounting marathon of expense reports, all to illustrate how outdated, manual finance workflows still are in 2025.
Why a fishbowl office in Flatiron?
By placing the performance in a high-visibility zone and making the process fully visible, Ramp turned corporate finance — typically hidden behind closed doors — into a public spectacle. The transparent office becomes a metaphor: if finance functions are exposed this way, companies might ask what they’re hiding — and how automation can clean up the mess.
@bbbaumgartner I’m back. October 14th. Flatiron. Briansoffice.com @Ramp ♬ original sound - Brian Baumgartner
Kevin Malone as CFO: a comedic frame with serious message
The choice of Brian Baumgartner plays on the iconic accountant character Kevin Malone — inherently humorous but symbolically linked to finance and expense tedium. Ramp leveraged that persona to showcase inefficiency: dozens of paper expense reports, stacks of receipts, and the total absurdity of manual workflows in a digital era.
What it means for B2B marketing — and finance teams
This activation blurs the lines between OOH, performance marketing and content creation. Overlooked finance functions are given centre stage; the live-stream invites both on-site passers-by and online audiences to watch the spectacle. For finance teams evaluating tools, the message is clear: Ramp isn’t just a card provider — it’s the alternative to chaos and manual labour.
Why this stunt might rank among the greatest B2B marketing moves
B2B marketing often struggles to draw attention. By using a celebrity from pop culture, a highly visible NYC location, live-streaming performance, and a clear brand message — Ramp created an activation that is disruptive, funny, memorable and tied directly to business value. When the CFO-for-a-day is Kevin Malone, you know the point has landed.
Behind the spectacle is a real business case: Ramp serves thousands of companies and processes tens of billions in transactions. This stunt underscores that finance teams no longer need to be hidden or manual—they can be visible, automated and value‐driving. And for one week in Flatiron, Ramp’s fishbowl office made that case impossible to ignore.
FAQs about this campaign
What exactly did Ramp do in Flatiron, NYC?
Ramp set up a transparent ‘fishbowl’ office in the Flatiron district where Brian Baumgartner (Kevin from The Office) served as Ramp’s ‘CFO for a day’, live-streaming himself completing stacks of expense reports to highlight inefficiencies and the need for automation.
Why use Brian Baumgartner and a glass office?
The stunt uses the nostalgia and humour of Kevin Malone’s accounting persona to dramatise how painful manual expense management can be, making Ramp’s automated solution appear essential — all while capturing attention in a prime NYC location.
How does this tie into Ramp’s core offering?
Ramp offers corporate cards, automated expense management and workflow automation for finance teams. By showcasing a tedious manual process in real-time, the activation amplifies the benefit of automation and real-time finance insights.
What forms of media and engagement were used?
The stunt included a live-streamed performance, physical OOH in the Flatiron plaza, social media clips, and likely media outreach. Viewers could watch Kevin’s day live, share content and engage with the brand in a surprising way.
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