Founded in 2017 by Shanghai-based Joy Group, JudyDoll targets younger consumers with its colour-driven product offerings and focus on product quality. The brand also offers Halal-certified products, allowing it to cater to markets with diverse cultural requirements.

InvestHK said it has been providing information and support for JudyDoll’s Hong Kong launch and will continue to assist the brand as it expands, including plans to enter additional core retail districts in the city.

JudyDoll is regarded as an early mover among mainland cosmetics brands expanding overseas, with a presence that already spans Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East and North America.

Clair Chau, Senior Sales and Marketing Manager of JudyDoll Hong Kong, said, “Hong Kong is where global trends meet. The city’s vibrant makeup culture is deeply connected to its fashionable spirit. We hope to showcase the brand’s vitality, attitude and aesthetics to a wider range of consumers in Hong Kong’s growing and trusted retail market.”

With its Hong Kong store serving as a pilot, the brand is shifting from an online-only model to an omnichannel retail approach as it builds a broader international footprint.

Angelica Leung, Deputy Head of Consumer and Hospitality of InvestHK, said, “We welcome JudyDoll opening its first physical store in Hong Kong. We look forward to the fresh makeup experience and culture brought by JudyDoll’s physical store, alongside its creative online interactions, adding new vibrancy to this city as an international trend hub. We hope the brand will leverage Hong Kong as a go-global platform and further expand into new overseas markets.”

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In the role, Zhao will oversee strategic planning and operations across Omnicom Media China, with a focus on advancing the company’s AI and data capabilities through the use of its Omni AI intelligence platform.

Zhao brings more than 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors, having held roles in government, media, legal practice, consulting, and marketing technology. His appointment follows a stint as Chief Operating Officer of Omnicom Media China, where he helped lead business operations and client growth initiatives.

Prior to that, Zhao spent five years leading PHD China, overseeing client retention and business development efforts. During his tenure, the agency topped the 2024 China 4A Agency Network New Business Rankings.

Commenting on his new role, Zhao said, “The marketing ecosystem in China is undergoing a fundamental shift from ‘traffic competition’ to ‘intelligent decision-making. AI is no longer just an enabling tool; it is the core productive force driving business growth.”

He continued, “Omnicom Media China will no longer be confined to the traditional role of a media agency. Instead, we aim to become our clients’ Chief Growth Officer in the AI era. By leveraging the Omni AI intelligence platform, we will integrate full-link data and technology, embedding AI capabilities into every stage from strategy and creativity to media execution and performance measurement, helping brands achieve a comprehensive leap from precise targeting to tangible business conversion.”

The appointment comes as Omnicom Media continues to expand its use of AI and data-driven solutions across its operations and client services, reflecting broader shifts in the marketing and media landscape.

Tony Harradine, CEO, Omnicom Media APAC, commented, “Joey brings a rare combination of commercial acumen, entrepreneurial thinking, and deep understanding of how technology is reshaping our industry. His ability to connect business strategy, client growth, and AI-driven innovation makes him uniquely positioned to lead Omnicom Media China into its next chapter.”

He added, “China remains one of the world’s most dynamic and influential markets, and under Joey’s leadership, I am confident we will continue to strengthen our market-leading position by unlocking new opportunities for clients and delivering sustainable growth in an increasingly intelligent and connected marketing ecosystem.”

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The acquisition comes as large language models and AI-generated answers increasingly shape how users research products, compare options and make purchase decisions online.

It also reflects a shift in how brand visibility is determined, with AI systems influencing which products and companies appear in answers, which competitors are referenced and which sources are cited—often before users reach a brand’s own channels.

“AI has changed buyer behaviour forever. We’re at a pivotal moment where companies must rethink traditional digital strategies and accept that the internet must be written for machines to understand if we want humans to experience it,” said Eric Stine, Chief Executive Officer of Sitecore. 

Stine added, “With Scrunch, we enable our customers to understand how they are represented in AI-generated answers and automatically act on those insights, maximising how they reach, engage, and serve their customers. We’re helping brands show up with greater clarity, authority, and relevance so they can build trust, increase share of voice, and influence decisions early in the buying journey when it matters most.”

Against this backdrop, Scrunch provides visibility into how brand messaging appears across AI-generated responses, including gaps or misrepresentations, and feeds these insights into SitecoreAI to support content optimisation across digital channels.

The deal combines Scrunch’s Agent Experience Platform (AXP) and analytics capabilities with Sitecore’s digital experience platform (DXP), creating an integrated system designed to connect insight with content activation and measurement.

Carrie Grapenthin, Chief Marketing Officer of Perficient, said, “At Perficient, we’re building an AI-first marketing engine focused on speed, relevance, and real impact. As a customer and partner of both Sitecore and Scrunch, this combination is an exciting opportunity for our team. Insight without action isn’t enough. Scrunch helps us see where our brand is showing up, where gaps exist, and what needs to improve. Sitecore helps us act on those insights across the content and experiences we already manage, so we can move faster and deliver differentiated content in our unique brand voice.”

Sitecore said the combined platform will help organisations distribute and manage content across channels with greater consistency, with the aim of improving engagement, conversion and performance tracking.

Scrunch’s approach focuses on Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), extending beyond traditional website analytics by mapping how brands appear across large language models such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Perplexity, and identifying opportunities to improve visibility.

“Control of the brand narrative is shifting, and customers are increasingly trusting AI to define brands, rather than the organisations behind those brands,” said Chris Andrew, Chief Executive Officer of Scrunch, a Sitecore company. 

He added, “By joining forces, we’re helping companies meet buyers where they are, moving beyond traditional SEO to win inside AI-generated answers. That’s where Scrunch’s AXP is a critical advantage, delivering content in a format AI agents can read and use without disrupting the human experience, allowing brands to become the trusted sources that power those answers.”

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Created in partnership with independent creative agency The Friday, the campaign is built around the idea “Touch Shop, Fall in Love With Deals”, positioning the Shop button as a gateway to deals, promotions and product discovery during TikTok Shop’s biggest sales event of the year.

Rather than taking a conventional retail approach, The Friday dramatises the interaction itself, centring the campaign on a surreal birthday party concept. In the hero film, guests arrive and greet the host with kisses instead of gifts, with each interaction becoming increasingly unusual as every kiss leaves behind a fingerprint rather than a lipstick mark.

As the fingerprints accumulate, the film builds curiosity before revealing that they represent the touches users make on the Shop button while exploring deals on TikTok Shop.

The campaign extends beyond the hero film through a series of short-form social assets featuring the birthday host character, reinforcing the central idea across TikTok and other digital channels.

For TikTok Shop, the work positions a platform feature as the foundation of a broader brand narrative, leaning on curiosity and entertainment rather than direct promotional messaging.

Commenting on the campaign, Khoa Pham, Creative Director at The Friday, said, “The Shop button is incredibly useful, but usefulness alone rarely earns attention. We didn’t want to explain the feature.” We wanted people to feel drawn to it. By turning a simple tap into an absurd visual metaphor, we were able to transform a functional interaction into something more memorable and emotionally engaging.”

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The launch follows a soft rollout in 2025 and formalises the agency’s presence in Singapore as it expands its regional footprint amid growing demand for integrated, culture-led campaigns across Asia-Pacific, including Singapore and Hong Kong.

The move strengthens PLUG’s Hong Kong–Singapore operating model, positioning Singapore as a Southeast Asian hub alongside Hong Kong’s role as a gateway to North Asia and Mainland China. The dual-market structure is intended to balance regional consistency with local cultural relevance.

The Singapore office is led by Managing Director Jolin Ng and operates on an advisory-driven model centred on a senior team structure, giving clients direct access to experienced strategists involved in day-to-day work.

The offering covers PR, influencer strategy, social and content, unified under a single approach focused on linking brand storytelling with commercial outcomes.

Ng brings more than 15 years of experience across the region, having held senior roles at Hill+Knowlton Strategies and AKA Asia and most recently serving as General Manager of W Communications Singapore. She has led campaigns for brands including Hilton APAC, Hong Kong Disneyland, New World Development, SK-II Global, and Tinder APAC.

She first joined PLUG in Hong Kong in 2018 and has maintained an ongoing relationship with the agency, with the Singapore launch extending that cross-market collaboration.

Commenting on the launch, Ng said, “The industry tends to organise itself around channels, but people don’t engage that way. At PLUG, we build ideas that move fluidly across culture, media and everyday moments. In Singapore, we’re applying that thinking to help brands build genuine connections with their community, not just collect them.” 

Since its soft launch, PLUG Singapore has worked on campaigns for Stroke Support Station (S3), Play Nation and Thekchen Choling Singapore, alongside brands including Airbnb, Driscoll’s and Pizza Hut.

Founded in Hong Kong in 2007, PLUG is co-led by Founder and Managing Director Lara Jefferies and Executive Director Alex Zenovic and now operates across Hong Kong and Singapore with more than 30 specialists across PR, strategy, creative, content, digital and social disciplines.

“Expanding from Hong Kong to Singapore with Jolin, whom we’ve worked with for years, is a natural evolution. She brings deep experience in both cities, an analytical mind, fantastic connections and an innate understanding of the PLUG culture and passion for our work,” said Jefferies. “With our expertise across both markets, we’re able to connect communities, unlock new collaborations and help brands operate more fluidly across Asia.” 

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Developed by Omnicom Health Hong Kong, the campaign seeks to address the growing influence of social media and photo-editing culture on young people’s perceptions of themselves and their mental wellbeing.

The initiative is informed by research highlighting the pressures associated with image curation online. A study by youth think tank MWYO involving more than 1,000 women in Hong Kong found that respondents took an average of 4.2 selfies before obtaining an image they considered acceptable, while nearly half said they edited or enhanced photos before posting them online. The study also linked these behaviours to lower life satisfaction and poorer self-image. Separate research from Hong Kong Baptist University found that 32% of teenage girls reported that Instagram negatively affected how they felt about their bodies.

Against this backdrop, SELF:ME promotes instant photography as an alternative to heavily edited digital images, highlighting a format where photos cannot be retouched after they are taken.

At the centre of the campaign is an open digital platform where Gen Z participants can upload unedited photographs alongside their personal reflections. The platform is designed to create a space for conversations around self-expression, self-image, and mental wellness.

The campaign also features singer-songwriter Serrini, who will appear in digital content and university engagements aimed at reaching younger audiences.

As part of the initiative, a limited-edition SELF:ME box set containing an instax camera, instant film, and campaign materials is being made available at selected retail locations. A portion of the proceeds from sales will be directed to HKMWA to support mental health education programmes.

Stanley Sun, CEO of FUJIFILM instax, commented, “We’re honoured to partner with HKMWA and support this important initiative. Instax stands behind the idea that it isn’t about getting it perfect; it’s about the enjoyment of capturing genuine moments. ‘SELF:ME’ reminds us that the most powerful moments are the real ones – unfiltered, unretouched and unapologetically authentic. We’re proud to be inviting Gen Z to embrace who they are and rediscover confidence.” 

SELF:ME is also supported by several non-government organisations, including Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service; Caritas Hong Kong; Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong; St James’ Settlement; The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong; The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups; and The Mental Health Association of Hong Kong.

Dr May Lam, Founder & President at Hong Kong Mental Wellness Association, said, “HKMWA is dedicated to building resilience, empathy, and lasting mental wellbeing through the power of education. The SELF:ME campaign connects with young people at a time when comparison and the search for approval can feel overwhelming, creating space for them to feel seen and valued for who they are. With instax as our campaign sponsor and the kind-hearted support of our many partners, we were able to champion instant photography as a meaningful way to remind young people that authenticity matters more than perfection.” 

Sam Wong, Managing Director at Omnicom Health Hong Kong, added, “This campaign exemplifies the power of a strategic partnership and how brands of all kinds can play a positive role in supporting consumer wellbeing. SELF:ME has become more than a campaign; it is a meaningful movement for mental wellbeing that doesn’t lecture but instead questions the modern-day selfie culture by providing a space for people to celebrate natural beauty and genuine connection.”

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As part of the initiative, learners who previously built a streak of 30 days or more can restore it by completing three lessons in a single sitting. The feature is available until June 30.

The event follows sustained user demand, with tens of thousands of requests for streak recovery submitted across social media in more than 80 countries over the past year. Duolingo said the timing coincides with Duo’s birthday, adding a celebratory element for users seeking to reclaim their longest streaks.

The streak feature is a core part of the app’s engagement model, designed to support daily learning habits. Duolingo noted that losing a streak is also a common reason some users stop returning to the platform, and the new initiative is intended to reduce that barrier.

Cem Kansu, Chief Product Officer at Duolingo, said, “For years, learners have asked us for a way to recover lost streaks, and Duo’s birthday felt like the right moment to do it. We’re excited for learners to come back and discover an even better learning experience, with more ways to practise and even more to learn than when they left.” 

The company added that returning users will find an updated app experience, including expanded advanced content through CEFR level B2 across its nine most popular languages, as well as new interactive features such as Speaking Adventures, Flashcards, Explain My Answer, and Practice Hub.

Other updates include a Duolingo Score aligned with curriculum standards, a chess course that has reached 7 million daily learners within a year of launch, and a math course covering elementary to high school-level concepts aligned with Common Core State Standards.

“Streaks represent hard work, time, and energy spent learning, so they mean a lot to our learners. Streak Revival gives people a chance to pick learning back up without feeling like they’ve lost all the progress and momentum they built before,” commented Bozena Pajak, Head of Learning Science at Duolingo.

The event runs from June 1 to 30, 2026, with eligible users prompted to participate directly in the app.

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Created in partnership with Accenture Song Thailand, the experience introduces “Food From Dystopia”, an installation that uses speculative storytelling to examine how climate pressures could transform the way people produce and consume food.

The experience is part of HATCH DOME’s “Better World, Better Future” journey and is framed around the question: “What if the food we refuse to imagine today becomes the only food left tomorrow?”

At the centre of the installation is a future-facing food scenario featuring a jelly bar made with cricket protein, presented as part of a worst-case projection in which traditional agriculture is no longer viable due to climate conditions. The concept positions food not as a matter of preference or pleasure but as survival.

The experience is designed as a walkthrough journey that shifts from observation to participation, encouraging visitors to physically encounter and respond to the idea of future food systems. By making the concept tangible and deliberately discomforting, the installation aims to reinforce its message beyond traditional information-led sustainability communication.

Beyond the venue, visitor reactions have been shared across social media by KOLs and attendees, extending the installation’s reach into broader public conversation and reinforcing its role as a cultural prompt on climate awareness.

HATCH DOME said the approach reflects a wider challenge in sustainability communication, where audiences may understand climate issues but do not always emotionally connect with them. The immersive format is intended to bridge that gap by translating abstract climate risks into experiential scenarios.

It is not positioned as a prediction but as a provocation on the choices that shape future food systems.

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In his new role, Yong will oversee the group’s people, clients, and growth strategy across China, reporting to Chris Reitermann, Chief Executive Officer of WPP Greater China.

His responsibilities include leading the group’s operations across advertising, digital experience, social, influence, and public relations, while strengthening collaboration across its agency portfolio, including Ogilvy and Grey. Both agencies will continue to operate independently while working more closely across capabilities and client engagements.

Chris Reitermann commented,“I have had the privilege of working closely with Yong for 15 years and have seen firsthand the leader he has become. His strategic vision, integrity and unwavering commitment to our clients and people have earned him the trust and respect of colleagues and clients alike. His appointment reflects our long-term commitment to developing leadership from within and empowering proven talent to make an even greater impact. 

He added, “It gives me immense pride to see Yong step into this role, and I have every confidence in his ability to lead The Ogilvy Group China into its next chapter of growth. I look forward to continuing our partnership as we create even greater value for our clients.” 

Yong joined Ogilvy in 2011 and most recently served as president of Ogilvy Advertising China. He brings experience in brand development, client management, and business leadership, having spent more than a decade with the organisation.

He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and has been involved in leading client and agency growth initiatives during his tenure at Ogilvy.

Commenting on his promotion, Yong said, “I’m honoured to take on this expanded role and deeply grateful for the trust placed in me. What has always distinguished Ogilvy is our ability to combine enduring expertise in brand thinking, creativity and integrated capabilities to help clients grow.”

He added, “As I take on this broader group leadership responsibility, I look forward to working closely with our teams across Ogilvy and Grey to strengthen collaboration, unlock new opportunities for our clients, and create an environment where our people can do the best work of their careers.” 

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The campaign builds on the brand’s ongoing collaboration with Jakarta-based creative agency Animale Creative (Animal3 Creative), part of Future Creative Network, marking its second consecutive Idul Adha project together.

In a market where brands typically compete for Ramadan visibility, Sasa Santan and Animale Creative have instead focused on Idul Adha as a culturally underleveraged moment, developing a recurring festive platform over the past two years.

This year’s campaign centres on the goat as both a key Idul Adha symbol and a creative hook, continuing a strategy that uses seasonal repetition to build long-term brand association.

According to the agency, the approach prioritises sustained ownership of a cultural moment rather than one-off seasonal messaging, with Idul Adha positioned as a natural fit for Sasa Santan given its role in coconut milk-based dishes prepared from qurban meat.

Last year’s campaign featured the cow; this year shifts to the goat, reflecting a continuity-led strategy designed to strengthen recall over time. 

The latest execution also addresses a familiar cooking challenge in goat dishes—the strong aroma—by highlighting how coconut milk helps balance flavours and create a creamier, more aromatic gulai kambing.

This insight is translated into a music-led creative format, with a campaign film that uses a reworked version of Sasa Santan’s sonic identity as a central storytelling device. The jingle is designed to reinforce brand recall while anchoring the festive theme.

“We didn’t just want to create work with stopping power around Sasa’s core strengths as a rich and creamy coconut milk; we wanted to go beyond that. We wanted something that lingers, that entertains, and that feels unmistakably Sasa,” said Aldina, Head of Digital & Marketing, PT Sasa Inti. 

The campaign is supported by on-ground activation at Masjid Agung At-Tin in East Jakarta, where 4,800 packs of Sasa Santan were included in qurban meat distributions. The activation also featured live cooking demonstrations and a community cooking competition involving local participants.

Sasa Santan and Animale Creative said the recurring collaboration is intended to build consistency across festive cycles, with each year’s campaign extending the brand’s cultural positioning rather than resetting it.

Rahmanu Nanda, Sr Manager Consumer Acquisition Retention at PT SASA INTI, said, “Working with Animale is an exceptional experience. Their passion for creative execution is outstanding, as they set a high standard and are always keen to go the extra mile.”

Meanwhile, Febrian, Co-founder of Animale Creative, commented, “Sasa Santan provides the strategic ambition to dominate the festive territory. Animale turns that ambition into creative outputs strong enough to spark conversation, entertainment, and recall online and offline.”

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