Tag: Asia Pacific

Thailand – PepsiCo has unveiled its new brand platform, shifting from traditional brand statements to authentic consumer reactions—letting people see great taste in action rather than just hearing about it.

Titled ‘You Can’t Hide Great Taste,’ the campaign introduces Pepsi’s new visual cue, the “Taste Face”—the instinctive, unfiltered reaction to bold flavour. A subtle head tilt, widened eyes, or a moment of surprise captures the genuine enjoyment of great taste.

Focusing on real consumer reactions, the campaign moves beyond scripted messages to showcase taste as a shared, authentic experience. Designed for a social-first audience, it highlights spontaneous moments of delight, letting genuine expressions speak louder than traditional marketing.

Usman Shahid, marketing director for Carbonated Soft Drinks at PepsiCo Asia Business Unit, said, “With our ‘You Can’t Hide Great Taste’ campaign, we’re capturing the raw, unfiltered reactions of people experiencing Pepsi’s bold and refreshing taste. Great taste speaks for itself—there’s no faking that moment of pure enjoyment. This campaign is all about celebrating that authenticity and reminding everyone why Pepsi continues to be the ultimate cola choice.”

Launched in March, the platform began rolling out in Vietnam and will expand to Thailand, Laos, Korea, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Pepsi is also partnering with popular eateries and food brands across the region, encouraging consumers to share their own taste experiences as part of a broader engagement strategy.

Masud Anwar, senior marketing manager of Pepsi for the Asia Business Unit, shared, “Every food and beverage brand talks about taste, but no one has captured what it actually looks like. In a category where everyone makes claims, we decided to let consumers do the talking — or rather, the expressing. With You Can’t Hide Great Taste, we’re not just making a statement — we’re creating a long-term cultural imprint that makes Pepsi synonymous with authentic, undeniable enjoyment.”

You Can’t Hide Great Taste is designed as a long-term platform that will evolve with Pepsi’s future product launches. Through ongoing content, collaborations, and innovations, it aims to keep Pepsi’s taste experience relevant and engaging for consumers.

“With You Can’t Hide Great Taste, we’re not just talking about flavour—we’re bringing it to life in a way that’s bold, unfiltered, and unmistakably Pepsi,” stated Bernard Cheng, CMO at PepsiCo Asia Beverage.

Cheng continued, “This platform is about celebrating real, visceral reactions to great taste and cementing Pepsi’s place at the heart of culture. As we continue to innovate and expand across the region, this campaign will evolve with us, ensuring that Pepsi remains the go-to choice for consumers who crave authenticity and enjoyment.”

Singapore – Hightouch, a composable data and AI platform for marketing and personalisation, has named Monks, a global, purely digital, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4 Capital as a certified reseller in APAC, expanding access to and bolstering customer service for its technology in the APAC region.

This partnership enhances Monks’ ability to provide clients with cutting-edge data and AI solutions for personalised experiences and marketing effectiveness.

Monks has an established footprint across the APAC region and deep data and marketing advisory and implementation capabilities. These are a perfect complement to Hightouch’s composable CDP and AI Decisioning technology.

In a statement, both entities note that the journey to successfully becoming data-driven and deploying AI starts with data. However many businesses struggle with fragmented data sources, messy pipelines, and the difficulty of extracting actionable insights. 

Monks helps clients overcome these challenges by offering a structured approach to integrate, harmonise, and analyse data efficiently upon. Hightouch can then activate that foundation with the fastest enterprise CDP and AI deployments in the industry.

Kashish Gupta, CEO of Hightouch, said, “Enterprises in the APAC region are setting the global pace in adopting composable CDP and AI agents for marketing. Monks is the ideal partner to help Hightouch support the rapid deployment of these technologies in the region.”

Meanwhile, Jakub Otrząsek, SVP, Data, APAC at Monks, commented, “Our team of data architects, analysts, and engineers offers services to solve this problem. Monks will work to integrate the entire data supply chain, breaking down these silos and enabling a wider, more holistic view of our client’s data. Once data readiness and wide data is achieved, the Hightouch Composable platform can be applied to activate with their library of pre-built integrations and start to deliver AI-powered personalised experiences.”

Singapore – Omnicom Media Group agency PHD has appointed Kiron Kesav as chief strategy officer, APAC. In his role, Kesav will lead strategic planning, business growth, innovation, and digital transformation, powered by the Omni open operating system.

With over 15 years of industry experience, Kesav was most recently OMG Malaysia’s Chief Strategy Officer, during which he led several successful multi-market and local pitches including OPPO, Warner Bros. Discovery, CelcomDigi, and Dutch Lady. 

Kesav also championed AI adoption across the agency and elevated OMG Malaysia’s reputation as an industry thought leader through several initiatives, including conceptualising the flagship ‘Future Play’ event.

Before taking on the group role, Kesav spent three years with PHD Malaysia as GM, Strategy and Platforms, driving strategy and the use of new technology platforms, and scaling the adoption of Omni in the market. 

As a result, PHD Malaysia was among the top 10 markets globally in terms of Omni Studio usage. Additionally, Kesav was instrumental in conceptualising and designing key strategy products, including the Digital Efficacy Monitoring Framework, PHD Pulse, and OMG OOH Priority Radar.

He reports into PHD APAC CEO Eileen Ooi, effectively immediately. Together with PHD’s regional leadership team, Kesav will drive better business outcomes for clients by leveraging intelligence that connects businesses to the next generation of consumers.

Speaking on his new role, Kiron said, “PHD APAC boasts of some of the sharpest strategic minds in the industry and for me, it is a fantastic feeling to once again to don the PHD colours and work alongside them. I see our strategy teams across markets being the force multipliers in our journey to make our new proposition – Intelligence. Connected. – meaningful in APAC while capitalising on the immense potential of OMG’s capabilities. I am excited to partner with our global and regional teams to deliver transformative growth for our people and our clients with a focus on bringing clarity in complexity.”

Kesav will continue as OMG Malaysia’s chief strategy officer in the interim while a search for his successor is underway, ensuring a seamless transition and sustained momentum. 

Meanwhile, Ooi commented, “Kiron is a seasoned strategy expert who is skilled in navigating the complexities of brand building. Having worked with him during my time at PHD and OMG in Malaysia, I recognised Kiron’s knack for insightful analysis and creative problem-solving that successfully brought clients’ visions to life. His ability to unlock growth opportunities while leveraging OMG’s Agency as a Platform proposition to create inspiring executions will help our clients outthink, outpace, and outgrow their competition, making him a valuable asset to PHD APAC.”

Singapore – Edelman has announced the appointment of Christiane Schulz as chief operating officer for Asia Pacific (APAC). Schulz moves from her current role as CEO of Edelman Germany. She will report to Rakesh Thukral, Edelman’s CEO for APAC, and focus on enhancing operational excellence and client growth across the region.

Schulz joined Edelman in 2019 to lead its German operations and has been successful in expanding the firm’s presence, strengthening its market position and driving business growth. 

Under her leadership, Edelman Germany has grown, diversified its client portfolio, and enhanced its capabilities in key sectors. She has also been instrumental in fostering a collaborative, people-first culture and driving innovation across the business.

As Schulz transitions into her new role, Nils Giese will succeed her as CEO of Edelman Germany, ensuring continuity and continued growth in the market.

Speaking on her new role, Schulz said, “I’m honoured to take on this new challenge and excited to work alongside our talented teams across Asia Pacific. Edelman has a strong foundation in the region, with deep regional expertise and client relationships, presenting incredible opportunities for growth. I look forward to continuing to elevate our work and helping our clients navigate today’s complexities to drive meaningful impact.”

Meanwhile, Thukral commented, “Christiane’s deep understanding of working in a diverse environment and a dynamic region like EMEA will be invaluable as we work on strengthening our APAC business. She brings a wealth of experience in leading large teams and building trusted, long-term client partnerships. I look forward to working closely with her to further enhance our operations and accelerate growth across the region.”

Lastly, AJ Hesselink, president and CEO, Edelman EMEA, added, “We are incredibly grateful for Christiane’s leadership and the impact she has made in Germany. She has been an exceptional leader for her team and a trusted counsellor to many of our clients. Her contributions have not only strengthened our position in Germany but have also shaped the broader region. I am delighted to see her step into this new role, where she will bring her talents to an even wider stage.”

Singapore – Ogilvy One APAC has announced promotions of Jason Davey to president of growth & customer engagement, while he continues in his role as chief experience officer of Ogilvy One AUNZ. Meanwhile, Genevieve Tan, previously vice president of operations, has been promoted to president of operations. 

These promotions reinforce Ogilvy One’s commitment to client value, operational efficiency, and business impact, positioning the company for its next phase of growth.

Jason will spearhead growth, strengthen client relationships, and unlock new business opportunities by collaborating closely with teams and clients across the Ogilvy network. With a proven track record of driving business transformation and client success, his leadership will be instrumental in expanding Ogilvy One APAC’s footprint and deepening engagement with key stakeholders and clients.

“Leveraging Ogilvy One’s Relationship Design framework will unlock tangible value for our clients, and I’m excited to bring this offering to our clients across APAC. Our unique RD platform is market-leading in its use of AI to support the design of impactful customer relationships, and I’m delighted to be partnering with Genevieve to operationalise it for the region,” Jason said.

Meanwhile, Genevieve will lead the optimisation of Ogilvy One APAC’s operational infrastructure, focusing on efficiency and scalability. She will streamline processes and foster a culture of operational excellence to ensure seamless service delivery to clients, who are all looking to maximise their resources.

“Operational excellence is the foundation of delivering exceptional client experiences. I look forward to refining our processes, driving efficiency, and enhancing profitability to ensure we continue to set new benchmarks in the industry,” she stated.

Together, Jason and Genevieve will partner to drive growth and ensure seamless execution. Their combined expertise will strengthen Ogilvy One APAC’s position as an industry leader, secure new business opportunities, and elevate client impact.

Ab Gaur, CEO of Ogilvy One APAC, commented on the promotions, “Jason Davey and Genevieve Tan bring complementary strengths that will drive our next chapter of success. Jason’s ability to unlock growth opportunities and Genevieve’s operational expertise will create a powerful synergy that fuels innovation, efficiency, and business impact. I have no doubt that their leadership will elevate our client partnerships and reinforce Ogilvy One APAC’s industry leadership.”

With a global network of offices and technology hubs, Ogilvy One offers a range of services, including personalised, performance, and direct marketing that leverage creativity, data, and AI to drive business, brand, and customer value. Ogilvy One has approximately 4,000 specialists worldwide, spanning strategy, creative, design, UX/UI, data, media and performance, platform integration, creative technology, innovation, and AI, among other areas—all underpinned by a unified global technology backbone powered by Verticurl.

In the APAC region, tech hubs are established in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, with a key focus on the markets of Australia, Singapore, Thailand, China, and Japan.

Australia – E-commerce personalisation platform Bloomreach has announced the continued growth of its global footprint as it expands its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, welcoming Kris Fagan as its new vice president for APAC. 

Kris brings years of enterprise and account experience from mParticle, PagerDuty, and Dropbox in Australia. Kris most recently led a team that drove sales, partnerships and operations and was focused on enhancing customer satisfaction and market presence in APAC.

Speaking on his new role, Kris said, “I’m thrilled to lead our talented team in helping businesses across APAC deliver personalised, AI-driven experiences that truly connect with their customers. As we start the new year, the opportunities ahead of us are tremendous. The APAC region is a beacon of digital innovation and commerce growth, and I am dedicated to sustaining that momentum and ensuring our customers have access to top-tier technology and support to surpass their business objectives.”

As Bloomreach continues to increase its global reach, it underscores its commitment to delivering deeply personalised customer experiences — and driving measurable growth — for businesses worldwide.

With the power of its proprietary LoomiTM AI, Bloomreach already supports leading businesses within the APAC region today. This includes customers such as SM Retail, Bluebell, Repco, Spotlight Retail Group, and MILKRUN, a grocery delivery service owned by Australian grocery chain Woolworths. 

Jamie Gagliardi, head of marketing & growth at MILKRUN, said, “Using Bloomreach, our team can build out the personalised experiences we know will differentiate us to customers and drive results — not only on the app, but across email, SMS, and push. With the help of Bloomreach and our partners, we’re driving forward the future of grocery, one customer and order at a time.”

Singapore – VML has announced that Audrey Kuah, most recently the co-CEO of VML APAC, has stepped down from her role in pursuit of new opportunities–the agency has confirmed to MARKETECH APAC when reached out to.

“Audrey Kuah, co-CEO of VML APAC has decided to transition out of her role to pursue new opportunities. While we are sad to see her go, we’re excited for her as she embarks on this new chapter,” the agency stated.

They added, “During her tenure as co-CEO, Audrey played a critical role to the success of both Wunderman Thompson and VML. Her leadership, experience, and passion have been invaluable during this period of transformation. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

VML has also noted that moving forward, Yi-Chung Tay, previously co-CEO along with Audrey, will assume the role of CEO, leading VML APAC into its next chapter.

Audrey became the co-CEO of VML APAC following the formation of said agency through the merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R by advertising holdings giant WPP in October 2023.

Prior to the merger, Audrey was the CEO of Wunderman Thompson APAC where she oversaw the creative and strategic growth of the business across the APAC region.

She joined the agency following a stint at OCBC Bank as its former head, group marketing, global consumer and financial services, and was responsible for driving business and growth-focused marketing initiatives for the bank.

Singapore – Global independent marketing and communications firm FINN Partners, has acquired Singapore-based, strategic communications and public relations consultancy RICE Communications (RICE). By bolstering FINN’s sizable existing presence in Singapore, the addition of RICE will amount to nearly 100 total employees in that market.

The move also adds new FINN offices in Thailand and Myanmar, in addition to building on the firm’s presence in Hong Kong and reinitiating the firm’s presence in the Philippines, ensuring FINN can offer support to clients across all key Southeast Asian markets. 

Moreover, the firm will be known as ‘RICE, A FINN Partners Company.’ James Brasher, RICE Managing Partner, joins FINN as managing partner and lead for the agency’s combined Singapore office. 

With this move, RICE becomes part of the FINN APAC region, overseen by Howard Solomon, founding managing partner, who also leads FINN efforts on the West Coast of the US. In his new role, Brasher will grow the firm’s reputation as a communications and public relations powerhouse in Asia Pacific. He will also become a member of the APAC leadership team, working closely with regional leaders in Greater China, India, and Malaysia. 

As part of this transition, Naeema Ismail takes on a new regional role in Strategic Business Development & Crisis Communications, Asia Pacific. She will focus on expanding new business opportunities across key sectors. In addition, she will drive crisis communications advisory across the region. Naeema will also lead the development of structured crisis training services, alongside media and presentation coaching, to further enhance FINN’s client offerings and regional expertise. 

Both parties have assured that there are no staff redundancies following the business move.

Peter Finn, CEO and founding partner at FINN, said, “From the beginning, my vision for FINN Partners has been to create a world-class agency with unmatched depth of sector expertise and integrated services to benefit clients wherever they are in the world. We have made great progress transforming from a leading US agency to a true global player. We established London as our European headquarters, expanding our expertise in consumer, tech, health, travel and financial services to the EMEA market.”

He added, “Recognising the increasing importance of Asia as one of the fastest-growing economic zones globally, we expanded into the region several years later with Singapore as our Asia headquarters, offering deep expertise in B2B and tech, followed by the addition of integrated travel and lifestyle agency CatchOn, with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. We also bolstered our global health expertise and integrated marketing capabilities with the addition of SPAG in India. The acquisition of RICE builds on our collaborative approach to growth. Given our expansive footprint, unrivaled depth and breadth of sector expertise, and flexible ONE FINN model, FINN is best positioned to be the go-to agency for clients in need of integrated marketing and communications services.” 

Meanwhile, Brasher commented, “Our vision is underpinned by our commitment towards stewardship – to take care of the team, clients, and the community so we can look after the future. As part of FINN Partners, our momentum will be greatly accelerated, especially since the businesses and, importantly, values and culture are so closely aligned. This partnership enables our team and clients to tap on FINN’s capabilities, expertise, resources and network – just as we complement theirs with our deep roots, diversity of perspectives and capabilities across Asia Pacific.”

Lastly, Solomon stated, “After spending time with James and his team, we knew that they were a perfect fit for FINN Partners. They are passionate about the work they do for their clients, their expertise complements and strengthens our vertical expertise, and they believe in the value of collaboration as a key to their success.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – KC Global Media has appointed Lee-Asha Dukhie as its new director and head of digital marketing. She will be responsible for overseeing all digital marketing efforts, working closely with Serious Media, the company’s marketing agency, to shape the company’s digital strategy across the organisation’s social media platforms, and digital properties.

With years of experience in advertising sales and marketing for both digital and print media, she will be at the forefront of driving innovative digital campaigns, expanding KC Global Media’s digital footprint, and connecting with audiences across digital and social platforms. 

Combined with a degree in psychology, this unique blend of expertise enables Dukhie to analyse audience behavior, anticipate trends, and design strategies that effectively connect with viewers on a personal level. 

George Chien, co-founder, president and CEO of KC Global Media, said, “We’re excited to welcome Lee-Asha to the team. We spent the past couple of years stabilizing our linear business and now is the right time to have dedicated resources focusing on our digital and social platforms. Lee-Asha brings a wealth of expertise in digital growth, content strategy, and audience engagement, which will be instrumental in advancing our digital marketing efforts and ensuring our content resonates with audiences in the region. Bottomline, she will ensure we are relevant.” 

He added, “We are also thrilled to extend our successful partnership with Serious Media as we look to expand our marketing efforts. The addition of a new director and head of Digital Marketing and the strengthened partnership with Serious Media mark important milestones for KC Global Media as the company continues to enhance its global presence and lead in the entertainment industry.”

Lee-Asha’s appointment follows the recent launch of KC Global Media’s distribution arm as an effort to expand its content sales and partnerships beyond the region. Through this, the company reaffirms its dedication to storytelling, showcasing culture, and contributing to global entertainment’s future. As part of its launch, KC Global Media partnered with production companies Mocha Chai Laboratories, Empire of Arkadia, and Monochromatic Picture.

The company had also announced a series of key promotions within its leadership team, designed to enhance strategic capabilities and drive revenue growth across the region. The promotions include Shirlene Wu as vice president and general manager for Taiwan & Greater China, Edith Goh as vice president of revenue and head of media and sponsorship sales, Bhuvnesh Kanwar as vice president of revenue and head of FAST (free ad-supported streaming television), and Bonnie Wiryani as vice president of revenue and head of content sales.

Sydney, Australia – Adtech startup Cake.Shop has announced a partnership with adtech firm Aditude to offer its header bidding wrapper across the APAC region.

The partnership introduces Aditude’s proprietary wrapper technology, part of a broader product suite designed to empower publishers with tools to maximise revenue, streamline operations, and maintain greater control over ad monetisation. The wrapper integrates with multiple demand sources, enhancing competition and driving increased CPMs for publishers in the region.

Cake.Shop’s header bidding wrapper integrates seamlessly into the existing infrastructure of the publisher, regardless of the complexities of the current systems or set up. This will allow publishers to efficiently adapt and adopt advanced technologies without the need for additional resources, and with a level of flexibility and control they haven’t had before.

Luke Hills, founder of Cake.Shop, said, “Cake.Shop Publisher Technology powered by Aditude provides publishers with dynamic pricing, low latency, and unparalleled transparency, all within a customisable and scalable framework. We’re excited to bring this solution to APAC publishers and provide the tools they need to unlock new revenue opportunities while staying competitive in an evolving market.”

Hills also added that the partnership reflects Cake.Shop’s mission to address inefficiencies in the current ad tech landscape by offering solutions that prioritise sustainability, transparency, and control.

“Our collaboration with Aditude is a natural fit because we share a common vision of empowering publishers through innovative technology and unparalleled support. This partnership is a big step forward in ensuring publishers in the APAC market have the solutions they need to thrive in a privacy-first, efficiency-driven ecosystem,” he said.

Meanwhile, Momtchil Donev, business development director at Aditude, commented, “Aditude is thrilled to partner with Cake.Shop to extend the reach of our technology to the APAC region. This collaboration aligns with our mission to provide publishers with solutions that deliver value through enhanced monetisation, operational efficiency, and transparency. Together, we’re empowering publishers to achieve their goals in a highly competitive landscape.”