Tag: Advertising agency

London, United Kingdom – Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has announced its expansion to financial services with the acquisition of Ptarmigan Media, a specialist agency focused on providing media and marketing solutions for financial services brands.

Omnicom’s strategic acquisition of Ptarmigan Media aims to strengthen and enhance its financial services capabilities. By integrating Ptarmigan’s specialized media and marketing solutions designed for financial services brands, Omnicom will benefit from its expertise in the industry. 

Florian Adamski, CEO of Omnicom Media Group, believes this synergy will empower clients to effectively navigate the market, drive growth, and achieve superior outcomes in their financial services endeavours.

On the other hand, Matt Ball, CEO of Ptarmigan Media, assures its client that they will remain client-centric as they join Omnicom Media Group.

Following the acquisition, Ptarmigan Media will continue to operate as an independent brand within Omnicom Media Group and will be led by its current management team. 

Ptarmigan specialises in serving financial services clients in asset management, life and pensions, banking, trading and platforms, wealth management, fintech, and insurance sectors across APAC, EMEA and North America. Ptarmigan is headquartered in London and has several office locations around the world, including Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Sydney for its over 100 media professionals.

Malaysia – The Malaysian body of The Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia (4As) has announced that it will be holding the ‘4As Consumer Insights Workshop’ on 16 June, a one-day masterclass about insight training. 

The workshop is an independent initiative of the industry body in Malaysia with the goal of raising industry standards and fostering continuous professional development for agency talent.

‘4As Consumer Insights Workshop’ is intended to provide account planners, account managers, and creatives with key skills in three areas – Understanding insights to a deeper level than others in the industry; Learning how to uncover, hone, and write more compelling insights that will catapult brand relevancy; Understanding what not an insight is and why data is different from insight.

“If marketing is about meeting customer needs profitably, then insight is the key tool that drives marketing. Products deliver functional needs. Brands also deliver emotional needs. The very best marketers and marketing companies invest in trying to understand their customers better than their competition. If you can uncover and tap into an enduring insight, you have created a sustainable brand. Thus, insight is the backbone of all marketing,” said Khairudin Rahim, 4As CEO.

The workshop will be conducted by Paul Arnold, an IPA UK-endorsed trainer with extensive experience in account management and planning for Saatchi’s and Grey for over 30 years, working across a large range of international brands, and winning five EuroEffies for Campaign Effectiveness. A

In addition, Arnold is also a trained Psychologist, with an MBA, an MSc in Organisational Change, as well as being a certified coach.

“Once again, the 4As is striving to provide our industry professionals with access to leading edge, bespoke and highly relevant training that’s not available anywhere else,” said Khairudin. 

“Additionally, we have sought out people like Paul Arnold and other IPA (UK) certified trainers who are the ‘cream of the crop’ to conduct this training, with the goal of raising the standard of competency across the industry,” he concluded.

Just this April, the organisation has elected its council office bearers who will serve the body for the next two years. Havas Group’s group managing director Andrew Lee has been re-elected as president whilst Ryusuke Oda, managing director of Hakuhodo Malaysia, has been named as new vice president.

Gurugram, India – Titus Upputuru, former national creative director at Taproot Dentsu, has launched his own advertising and film agency called ‘The Titus Upputuru Company’, which will be creating content for brands and audiences across platforms.

As part of the launch, the company has released a set of short, intriguing films that establish the identity. Each film begins with the initials ‘TU’ and goes on to form a different face, that has correlation to the drama occurring in the video and audio.

Speaking on the occasion, he said “I have been in this industry for 25 years now. I thought a Silver Jubilee was the perfect time for me to launch this company. I thank God for every milestone, for every moment during this incredible journey. I am ever so grateful. It’s time now to look ahead and I am so excited about this brand new journey. In my career, I have always been interested in the craft of writing, art direction, design, and photography. 

He added, “Over the last decade or so, I have also had the opportunity to direct ad films and short films for brands. I wanted to combine these skill sets and offer the last mile in execution too, because execution is what the audience ultimately sees. We all know that video sits right on top of the marketing tools that marketers are using today across the world. So, along with brand strategy and static creative solutions across mediums and platforms, we will offer our expertise in Video too”.

Titus has written and directed numerous ad films and short films including the acclaimed HarperCollins India’s haunting murder mystery ‘Parcel’ and the 2022 DadaSaheb Phalke Award winning ‘Nip in the Bud’ short film for Times Internet.

“We are excited to tell stories using different mediums. The idea is to keep human at the heart of it and manifest empathy. People still choose brands that have a certain quality about them, that profess a certain human belief; brands that move people, that respect them. As a Creative led company, we will wish to partner such brands, while obsessing about craft,” Titus added.

Manila, Philippines — Filipinos are notorious for one quirk; they are on time on their own time. The Filipino behaviour of being late is so famous that the term ‘Filipino Time’ has been coined to call the phenomenon. Due to this, 7-Eleven, the popular convenience store, has collaborated with advertising agency MullenLowe Treyna to highlight this lowlight in their stores.

7-Eleven’s latest campaign entitled ‘7-Eleven Minutes Late’ is a playful rejoinder to the concept of ‘Filipino Time,’ a cultural phenomenon of always arriving past the agreed meeting time. The series from MullenLowe Treyna features popular excuses—from traffic jams to train delays—often texted by those who are running late, yet still have the audacity to stop for an iced coffee anyway.

Placement is the series’ biggest irony. They are displayed in 7-Eleven—the country’s largest convenience store chain, and a favourite stopover for those who are running late for work.

One image shows, “MRT Na! Huhu,” from a texter presumably on the train. Another reads, “Huhu. EDSA Na!” from a texter stuck in traffic on EDSA. EDSA is the main thoroughfare, notorious for heavy traffic. The next one, “Lapit na” implies that they are close to the office, but could conceivably be anywhere, even getting a soda and a doughnut in 7-Eleven.

Whatever the excuse may be, 7-Eleven has enough of them hanging around their stores for Pinoys to pick from or for workmates to poke fun at when they see it.

Bangkok, Thailand — Advertising agency GREY has promoted Kanaporn Hutcheson to chairwoman and named Thipayachand Hasdin as the new CEO of GREYnJ United Bangkok, effective immediately.

The move will put more focus on the studio’s expanding best-in-class capabilities and drive strategic growth for clients and the studio.

Hutcheson, who has over 25 years of experience in the industry, has been the CEO at GREYnJ United since 2020. Among her other achievements, she played a vital role in successfully launching the brand consultancy unit, 4Colors and developing the studio’s e-commerce and other capabilities.

Meanwhile, Hasdin joined as COO in 2020. Leading the operations team, the studio has moved to greater efficiency, innovative solutions addressing changing consumer needs, record-breaking growth, and a headcount expansion of 30 per cent. She is also credited with adding a slew of clients namely FWD Thailand, Samsung, dtac, Singha Beer, and TikTok, to name a few.

Nirvik Singh, global COO and president international of GREY Group, said that Hutcheson and Hasdin have made a big contribution to making GREYnJ United the powerhouse it is today. Singh continued by saying that Hutcheson is an experienced and talented professional who has successfully led the growth of the studio and the business impact on clients.

Singh added, “Hasdin, an astute, collaborative leader, has been instrumental in expanding the studio’s client roster and in promoting a culture of progressiveness and teamwork. I am confident together they will take the studio to even greater heights.”

Meanwhile, Hutcheson commented on her and her colleague’s elevations, saying, “Hasdin is a talented CEO with a tremendous track record of success and deep knowledge and experience. In my new role as chairman, I look forward to supporting the team and driving growth for our clients.”

Hasdin shared, “Amid the changing environment, there are many challenges ahead -whether it’s consumer behaviour, the media landscape or digital transformation – I am ready and committed to bringing strong growth and our famously effective work to all our clients.”

In addition, Thor Santisiri, GREYnJ United‘s highly-respected leadership mentor and an integral influence on the Bangkok studio’s culture, has been conferred with the honorary title of chairman emeritus.

Malaysia — TV and radio operator Astro in Malaysia, in collaboration with advertising agency Naga DDB Tribal, has launched a festive campaign ahead of the Chinese New Year to raise awareness on the challenges of local Chinese performing artists amidst the pandemic.

Entitled ‘A Tiger’s Heart’, the film centres around the theme of finding hope and positivity amidst trying times. The film also featured one of the top Malaysian lion dance troupes to create a more realistic representation of the hardships performers endure during a time when the performing industry is struggling. The story starts with a lion dance troupe losing its heart during the pandemic before ultimately finding its footing through the sheer tenacity of one character.

Benedict Tan, Naga DDB tribal’s associate creative director, commented, “Society needs artists, just as it needs doctors, engineers, scientists, professionals, workers, fathers and mothers. We as a society owe it to these gifted and talented artistic individuals, as without the influence of performing arts and culture, one can only imagine what our world will be. And that became the inspiration and reason behind this film.”

Astro started the year with the UHuu Be Strong! campaign. Through the campaign, Astro assisted the local Chinese performing arts community with various initiatives. Aside from the film, Astro has also created a documentary entitled ‘Performers on AEC’, underscoring the journey of grit world-renowned Malaysian performers experienced. The agency also donated RM10,000 to support performing art associations.

Gavin Teoh, business director for Naga DDB Tribal, commented on the continuous support the agency is giving to Malaysian communities, saying that they will continue to use their platforms to open the minds of Malaysians — to raise awareness on cultural issues, challenge societal expectations and champion the right causes for the nation and its people.

Sydney, Australia – Independent advertising agency The Hallway has announced the launch of its newest performance marketing division called The Hallway Performance Digital (THPD). It will be focused on creative content optimized for direct response digital channels.

The new division will offer performance creative development, social content production, paid media strategy and buying as well as reporting frameworks.

THPD has developed a proprietary model that determines clients’ growth programs based on their level of investment. These programs are mapped out and tested models for ideal results, based on previous commercial success across customer bases. 

Speaking about the new division, Jules Hall, CEO at The Hallway, said that by launching the new division, they get to have the best of breed offerings, optimized to client’s unique context, as well as supported with the efficiency of a single back office infrastructure at the group level.

“The Hallway was an early mover in data-driven creative content. Having run major programs for the likes of ANZ, Google and Dexus we’ve built a really deep understanding of the best ways to create this type of work. It’s a rapid turnaround, highly automated creative process. This is very different to the strategically-led brand and advertising work we are creating,” Hall said.

To mark the new division, The Hallway has promoted Chris Murphy to the role of general manager of THPD, where he will manage the independent agency’s existing digital media clients as well as a soon to be announced payment platform and automotive brand.

Murphy has been with The Hallway for two years, holding senior leadership roles, managing and growing some of the agency’s largest clients.

“I am also delighted to be able to promote from within. Chris has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and is ideally placed to ensure THPD, and the clients we represent, will thrive,” Hall said about the new promotion.

Speaking about his promotion, Murphy said, “I’m delighted to have been entrusted to lead our team of digital-first thinkers. The proprietary and proven growth programs we have developed empower brands to see around corners and make more informed strategic marketing decisions. The outcome is high performance results, delivered with speed and efficiency.”

Hong Kong – Advertising and marketing agency Grey in Hong Kong has announced four new promotions across their local team namely (from left to right) Desmond Li as regional business partner, Duffy Lau as general manager, Winky To as regional business partner, and Owen Smith as chief strategy officer.

In his new elevated role, Li will continue to grow and expand Grey HK’s travel and hospitality sector across the APAC and Greater China regions. He joined the agency in 2017 as a senior account director working with the P&G Downy and Whisper team, and later transitioned to lead both the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Marriott International accounts of the agency. 

Meanwhile, Lau joined Grey in 2014 as an associate account director and has worked closely with multiple client brands and played an instrumental role in leading the business’ growth, especially in China.

“Duffy is a game-changer with entrepreneurial leadership skills and a vision for business growth both for our clients and for our studio. I have great confidence that along with our strong management team, we will reach even greater heights,” said Adam O’Conor, CEO at Grey Group Hong Kong and chief client officer at Grey Group AMEA.

Speaking about his appointment, Lau stated, “I am happy to take on this new challenge, especially at a place I call home (Grey HK). I truly believe in change and whenever there is a challenge, there is a new opportunity for us to grow better and stronger. Together with Adam and our leadership team, I am confident we can leverage on our talent and capabilities and take the studio to the next level.”

To joined GREY Shanghai in 2014 as business director working on the Volvo and HSBC accounts, before moving to Grey Hong Kong as business partner, leading the HSBC team. She has been credited with deepening the agency’s relationship from B2B to now include branding, insurance, and asset management.

Meanwhile, Smith joined Grey in 2017 as head of strategy and has since built up a team that has consistently driven famously effective work, brought thought leadership to Grey clients and raised the profile and the value of the group’s strategic capabilities. With his breadth of local and global responsibilities, he has provided valuable strategic contributions helping to fuel growth for Grey HK’s key clients such as HSBC, HKTB and P&G across the region.

“There is nothing more satisfying than promoting talent from within to key leadership roles. Personal growth should be as much a focus for an agency as commercial growth, and these four promotions underscore that loyalty, curiosity and a passion for our clients will always be the key to success for people of Grey,” O’Conor added.

Sydney, Australia – Advertising agency The Works has named senior producer Katie Harper as the agency’s new head of production, where she brings in more than 20 years of production experience, including 16 years at BMF. 

She was most recently from Rumble Studios and held similar positions at agencies including M&C Saatchi and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Harper replaces Rachel Solomon, head of production who is returning to the UK, and Honae MacNeill, the interim head of production.

Through her new role, she will be leading the agency’s in-house production team of directors and editors, overseeing work for several key clients including Goodman Fielder, Aware Super, Masterpet, H&R Block and Subaru.

“I’m very happy to be joining an agency that is so well respected and has a great reputation for their culture and family focus. The Works has so much momentum right now, and is a purposeful brand on a mission to make an impact. I’m certainly looking forward to getting stuck in,” Harper said, regarding her appointment.

Meanwhile, Jasmine Lansdell, general manager for people and operations at The Works, commented, “We’re thrilled to bring Katie on board at such an exciting and pivotal time for the agency. As we have recently embarked on a new chapter under our new brand platform ‘Be Significant’. Katie brings with her great leadership and experience, and will play a key role for us to continue producing great work and grow our production team and capabilities.”

The Works had recently launched their new brand platform ‘Be Significant’ in a bid to create a conversation around the ‘meaninglessness’ that exists in the creative industry. In addition, The Works had also recently won the accounts of wellness company WW and electronics brand LG.