Tag: Agency of Record

Shanghai, China – China’s FMCG conglomerate, MasterKong Beverage, has reappointed media agency Mindshare China as its agency of record. The win, which will see Mindshare China provide media planning and buying services for the beverages business, further cements the agency’s already eight-year strong relationship with MasterKong.

According to MasterKong Beverage, Mindshare China’s advanced proprietary media tools, integrated strategic offering, and dynamic and diverse talent offerings were impressive. Furthermore, MasterKong Beverage has highlighted Mindshare China’s global leading creativity, which has seen its work in partnership with the agency awarded three Gold, two Silver and two Bronze in the first half of 2022 at globally recognised shows.

Angie Liu, director of MasterKong Beverage, said, “MasterKong Beverage’s products and marketing never cease to continue innovating, futureproofing the brand’s popularity with young consumers. We look forward to continuing our cohesive and collaborative partnership with Mindshare China to create further industry-leading work. We wish Mindshare China congratulations on their success.”

Meanwhile, Benjamin Condit, Mindshare China’s CEO, commented, “Our eight-year relationship with MasterKong Beverage’s business has grown from strength to strength, and we are grateful for the opportunity to take this relationship to new heights as we drive good growth through industry innovation together.” 

Jessica Zhang, Mindshare China’s chief client officer, noted, “As one of China’s most prominent FMCG brands, MasterKong Beverage is an industry leader in both its product and marketing offers. From their Iced Tea helping to break through norms to He Kai Shui’s innovative heritage, MasterKong continues to drive impactful marketing. It is a great honour for the team to continue as MasterKong’s chosen growth partner and we look forward to the many chapters ahead.”

Beijing, China – Integrated communications agency WE Red Bridge has been appointed by Cytel, the provider of statistical software and advanced analytics for clinical trial design and execution, as its communications agency of record in China. The appointment, which will be led by Martin Xu, WE Red Bridge’s director of technology, comes at a time of significant growth for the agency.

As part of the remit, WE Red Bridge will be supporting Cytel’s launch in China, and handling stakeholder engagement and media relations activities. The agency will also be bolstering the company’s position as a statistical innovation leader in the biopharma clinical research sector through thought leadership and experiential programs. In addition, WE Red Bridge will be supporting Cytel’s initiatives in complex and adaptive designs, as well as expanding the industry-leading East and Solara platforms for clinical trial strategy and design.

Jing Ping Yeo, Cytel’s vice president and head of APAC, noted that Cytel’s mission is to help biotech and pharmaceutical leaders unlock the power of data to solve their toughest problems and make evidence-driven decisions with confidence.

“WE Red Bridge’s emphasis on data-driven intelligence and extensive media relations experience makes the agency an ideal partner for introducing Cytel to the Chinese market,” said Yeo.

Meanwhile, Tony Zhang, general manager of Beijing and head of corporate at WE Red Bridge, said, “The intersection of health and technology is at the centre of the global pandemic response, and we have seen how quickly the ecosystem must adapt to change. Martin and his team bring the expertise, strategy and nuance necessary for today’s complex healthtech needs. We look forward to helping Cytel accelerate its growth in China.”

Earlier this year, WE Red Bridge has also been appointed by automotive brand McLaren in China as its communications agency of record. This appointment will see WE Red Bridge supporting the automaker’s growth in China by increasing brand equity and exposure in the country.

Sydney, Australia – Australian fintech company Slyp has appointed independent agency network M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ as its new creative and media agency of record.

Slyp aims to transform one of the last analogue parts of the retail experience by delivering Smart Receipts directly to the customer’s banking app. It is backed by all four big banks and is already available via the NAB banking app and Divipay with more payment partners launching soon.

As part of the mandate, M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ will be taking the brand to market and supporting Slyp’s mission to get Aussies to take the simple step to switch on Slyp Smart Receipts in their bank app. Making lost receipts at tax time or when completing work expenses is a thing of the past.

Paul Weingarth, Slyp’s co-founder and CEO, said, “As we hit a crucial point of growth in our journey, having great partners by our side is key. We were immediately impressed with M&C Saatchi’s creativity and we’re incredibly excited, with their help, to introduce Slyp Smart Receipts to Australian consumers.”

Meanwhile, Michael McEwan, M&C Saatchi’s managing director, commented, “We’re delighted to welcome Slyp into the M&C Saatchi Group. To be a part of their growth journey is incredibly exciting, they’re a great team with some big ambitions to scale and push the creative boundaries to get there.”

Beijing, China – Integrated communications agency WE Red Bridge has been appointed by automotive brand McLaren in China as its communications agency of record. This appointment will see WE Red Bridge supporting the automaker’s growth in China by increasing brand equity and exposure in the country.

McLaren Automotive is a luxury automotive manufacturer. The company’s product portfolio of GT, supercar, Motorsport, and Ultimate models are retailed through over 100 retailers in over 40 markets around the world.

Nicky Wang, CEO of WE Red Bridge, highlighted how the agency’s strong sector knowledge and a passion for the industry were crucial factors in its appointment.

“Our extensive experience in the luxury, lifestyle and automotive industries was a point of differentiation for WE Red Bridge. This new partnership with McLaren will see us combine our sector experience and leading engagement toolkit of integrated communications, creative planning, consumer insights and analytics to fuel the automotive brand’s growth in China,” said Wang.

Mumbai, India – India’s deemed-to-be university, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies ((NMIMS), has appointed independent media agency Madison Media to be its new media agency of record. This account will be handled by the agency’s business unit Madison Media Alpha based out of Mumbai.

As part of the mandate, Madison Media will be scaling up NMIMS’ media presence, and generating a higher reach for the institute across the country. It will also handle the University’s traditional and digital media services including visibility in print media and radio.

Burzeen Bhathena, NMIMS’ director of marketing and PR, said, “I’m confident that Madison Media will help us establish an impactful media presence and build a strong brand with its innovative approach. I look forward to working with them.”

Meanwhile, Chintan Soni, Madison Digital’s vice president, commented that they are looking forward to this exciting opportunity with NMIMS, which is one of the few universities in the country to have established a global footprint. 

“By leveraging our digital-first and outcome-driven approach, we are confident that NMIMS will achieve its goals and surpass industry expectations. Madison is committed to further NMIMS media presence with strategic planning at all levels,” said Soni.

Australia – Marketing communications agency Clemenger BBDO in Melbourne has been appointed by the Victorian Government’s Department of Transport as its creative lead agency of record.

As part of the partnership, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne will be responsible for brands including Public Transport Victoria, VicRoads, and Regional Roads Victoria. Moreover, it will develop engaging communications to encourage commuters back onto all modes of public transport, manage road congestion and disruptions messaging, and promote safety for all Victorians when travelling by road or public transport.

Anne Stout, Department of Transport’s acting director of brand and marketing, said, “Throughout the pitch process, they demonstrated a clear understanding of the Department’s goal to provide simple, safe connected journeys that help people connect to life, and the creativity that will help us communicate that ambition.”

Meanwhile, Julian Bell, Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s managing partner, said that the Department of Transport is more than the sum of its trains, trams, roads, and ports.

“The network is ultimately about the people who use it, and we’re thrilled to be able to apply deep human insight and creativity to both rebuild confidence in our public transport system and help shape the way we’ll travel into the future,” added Bell.

Melbourne, Australia – Local media agency Initiative has announced that it is adding member-owned wellbeing company Australian Unity to its growing client roster. In the new account win, Initiative will lead strategy and all media campaign activity, tasked with delivering sustainable business growth by expanding Australian Unity’s member and customer base.

The agency’s work commences March 1 with the first campaign expected to roll out by Q2 of 2022.

According to Sarah James, managing director at Initiative Melbourne, her team were delighted to work with Australian Unity, a brand with a long and proud history in Australia of supporting Australians’ wellbeing.

“We’ve had our eye on this brand for some time, they may have been around for more than 180 years but they’re a progressive and ambitious business who aren’t shy of backing brave brand thinking. This fits perfectly with Initiative’s brand spirit; we’re excited to be their agency partner and support their ambition of being the most trusted wellbeing company in Australia,” James stated.

Meanwhile, Kellie Johnston, chief marketing officer at Australian Unity, commented that they were very impressed with Initiative’s excellent understanding of their business; as well as the agency’s creativity, fluency in technology and strong effectiveness record.

“Initiative’s passion for achieving results through open and collaborative partnerships is perfectly aligned to our business. There is also a clear cultural fit and a shared business ethos that is important to us. I’m very pleased to welcome Initiative to our team,” Johnston said.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Pizza brand Domino’s in Malaysia has appointed advertising agency FCB Malaysia to be its new agency of record for creative duties. This appointment comes as a result of several chemistry sessions and a subsequent creative proposal made by FCB during the fourth quarter of 2021.

Following the move, FCB Malaysia has developed a new campaign for the pizza brand’s new ‘Mega Cheese Pizza’. It was created on the idea of ‘Can’t Get Cheesier Than This’, as the new pizza is loaded with up to half a kilogram of cheese.

Linda Hassan, the group chief marketing officer of Domino’s Pizza Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia, shared that the work FCB has done in taking challenger brands to the next level in Malaysia is well documented, so they were already confident of their capabilities. 

“What sealed the decision was the unmistakable entrepreneurial energy that they brought to the table. Their passion for our business was apparent from the get-go and very quickly, we knew that they were the sort of agency that would completely invest themselves in making our ambitions their own,” said Hassan.

Meanwhile, Shaun Tay, FCB Malaysia’s co-owner and CEO, commented, “We’ve seen how innovative Domino’s marketing team has been in leveraging the identity of a global powerhouse to promote a proposition that embraces local marketing flavour. As a best-of-both-worlds agency ourselves, opportunities like this are what we live for!”

Shi-Ping Ong, FCB Malaysia’s co-owner and chief creative officer, explains that going into the campaign, they knew exactly what their game plan was – to claim cheesy superiority for the Domino’s Mega Cheese Pizza. 

“This is why we decided to build our idea around the cheesiest things that would give people the goosebumps, and then use various media – from thematic and product films to radio and even print – to bring the campaign to life. By doing so, we are able to deliver a sensory overload of cheesiness not only conceptually, but also visually and auditorily,” said Ong.

The campaign is now available across TV, digital, radio, OOH, and in-store, as well as social media.

Sydney, Australia – Independent advertising agency The Hallway has been appointed by vehicle manufacturer GWM in Australia as its agency of record.

GWM has a presence in over 60 countries and offers level design and equipment usually only found in performance and luxury vehicles for a fraction of the price.

As part of the remit, The Hallway will be managing GWM’s brand strategy, advertising, and digital, as well as social, and CRM.

Steve Maciver, GWM’s head of marketing and communications, said The Hallway’s depth of automotive experience shone through as did their practical knowledge of digital transformations. 

“GWM is a brand that seeks innovation as a means to improve the customer experience and The Hallway’s record in this space made them the right partner for our next phase of growth,” said Maciver.

Meanwhile, Jules Hall, The Hallway’s CEO, said, “We are incredibly excited to be partnering with GWM. It’s a unique opportunity to be joining forces with such an impressive organization at this stage of its growth curve.”

The appointment is effective from 1 January 2022 and covers GWM’s Australian and New Zealand businesses.

Just recently, The Hallway has announced the launch of its newest performance marketing division called The Hallway Performance Digital (THPD), focusing on creative content optimized for direct response digital channels.