Tag: CARMA

Japan – Global media intelligence and consulting firm CARMA has expanded into Japan with the launch of its Tokyo office, marking its 23rd global location and reinforcing its commitment to delivering advanced media insights to Japanese organisations.

CARMA currently works with several Fortune 500 Japanese clients across banking, automotive, FMCG, and technology sectors, providing media intelligence and research solutions. The company helps organisations translate media data into actionable business insights.

With the opening of its Tokyo office, CARMA aims to strengthen its support for Japanese businesses and government agencies by offering AI-driven analytics and consulting services.

CARMA’s expertise spans key areas such as brand reputation, crisis measurement, competitor analysis, and market landscape evaluation. The firm’s move into Japan reflects its commitment to providing tailored support for multinational corporations, government departments, and international organisations operating in the country.

Leading the development of the new Tokyo office is Kenichiro Watai, a media professional with over 30 years of experience. Watai most recently served as group account director at BBDO Worldwide and previously held the role of deputy general manager at Hakuhodo.

Commenting on his appointment, Watai said, “I am truly honoured to be joining CARMA at such an exciting time. It is deeply meaningful to be able to introduce the world’s most advanced PR measurement methodologies to clients in Japan.”

“In today’s rapidly evolving media and social landscape, CARMA’s insights and data hold unlimited potential for organisations that must respond to complex challenges and make swift, informed decisions. Moving forward, I am committed to helping organisations in Japan achieve greater growth and strengthen their competitiveness through CARMA’s solutions,” he added.

CARMA’s technology processes social, digital, print, and broadcast data in over 100 languages, providing media analysis across various platforms. With a presence in 23 offices across five continents, the company applies global methodologies in PR measurement and evaluation while adapting to local market needs.

Andrew Nicholls, managing director of CARMA, shared, “Japanese clients prioritise quality and find CARMA’s unique combination of technology, global reach and experts on the ground in key territories appealing.”

He continued, “This expansion comes at a time of great disruption for many Japanese organisations who increasingly demand insights to navigate the complex global marketplace and defend their position against increased competition from markets like China and Korea. I look forward to working with Watai-san to fulfil our brand promise of delivering what matters to clients in Japan.”

Singapore – CARMA has expanded its service offering to include corporate reputation measurement, with the launch of ‘Reputation by CARMA’. Said product showcases how three unique data sets – media coverage, social media and public sentiment – influences and shapes corporate reputation.

The insights generated enables professionals to make strategic decisions across the entire organisation, allowing them demonstrate value to the C-suite.

‘Reputation by CARMA’ empowers professionals to, gain a complete view of reputation by combining traditional media analysis, social media insights and audience perception; measured across six core reputation pillars namely products & services, culture, sustainability, conduct, performance, and vision.

Moreover, this product also allows professionals to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses by positioning a brand’s reputation against competitors, as well as track shifts in reputation over time via a consistent and reliable reputation score.

For CARMA, this product addresses common challenges such as data siloes, limited access to consumer perception, and difficulty in assessing damage to corporate reputation during a crisis and after recovery.

Andrew Nicholls, managing director for Asia at CARMA, stated, “Reputation by CARMA is a milestone in our commitment to helping brands build and protect their corporate reputation. This service offers businesses data-driven insights to understand what drives their reputation, helping them make informed decisions that safeguard brand value in today’s complex media landscape.”

Singapore – Global insights and intelligence provider CARMA has released a new report analysing how ten airlines in Asia were represented in the news and on social media between the peak holiday period, October 2023 to March 2024.

The report aims to identify the key players in the airline industry, based on their share of voice and overall positioning according to media and customer perspectives.

Singapore Airlines was the most mentioned airline on social media and second most mentioned in mainstream media. The airline ranked first for coverage with positive sentiment. Singapore Airlines earned coverage for its financial performance, including record-breaking half-year profits. Additionally, customer reviews consistently highlighted positive experiences, praising the airline’s exceptional service and luxurious in-flight amenities. 

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific was the most mentioned airline in mainstream media. The airline amassed significant news coverage related to workforce shortages and flight disruptions. However, the airline earned positive mentions on social media, with customers expressing satisfaction with their flight experiences.

The report also noted that AirAsia was the second most mentioned airline on social media. The high volume of social media coverage was largely driven by criticism from netizens over the airline’s customer service.

Moreover, Malaysia Airlines was prominent on both social and mainstream media. Flight MH370 continued to spark discussions, marking the tenth year of its disappearance. 

The report mentioned that financial news was consistently among the most discussed theme in mainstream news across all airlines, with Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines earning the most coverage. This was followed by safety, where safety rankings for airlines took up a large proportion of the media discourse. Workforce stories were also a driver of media coverage for the airlines, with Cathay Pacific frequently at the centre of such discussions. 

An analysis of social discourse identified customer service and the flight experience as the leading conversation drivers, at 28% and 22% respectively.

Andrew Nicholls, managing director at CARMA Asia, commented on the findings, “It’s interesting to see the extent that customer praise drives social media mentions. We expected to see travellers voicing complaints over social media; but efforts to deliver exceptional customer experiences have clearly turned customers into vocal advocates. In traditional media, airline coverage is dominated by financial results and safety issues, which suggests there is an opportunity for airlines to take a more proactive and creative approach.”

Singapore – Media intelligence software and research services company CARMA has announced it has acquired mmi Analytics (mmi), a media communication and eTail measurement platform for beauty, fashion, and lifestyle brands.

This strategic acquisition marks a significant step in CARMA’s commitment to expanding its full-service offerings and strengthening its position in these key vertical markets.

It also brings together CARMA’s global reach, technology, and comprehensive services with mmi Analytics’ deep expertise and established presence in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. 

Moreover, the combined entities will enable the optimisation of the customer journey by building targeted brand strategies and evaluation methodologies across retail media, influencer communities, and traditional media networks around the world.

Mazen Nahawi, CEO at CARMA, said, “I am delighted to welcome mmi to the CARMA family. The beauty and luxury goods sector is an exciting category. It is robust, innovative, and fast-moving and is growing double-digit across our strategic markets in Asia and the Middle East. Acquiring mmi means that we can now further optimise beauty clients’ digital communications strategies on a global basis.”

Meanwhile, Christian Eckley, CEO at mmi Analytics, commented, “This acquisition is great news for our team and our clients. It provides us with superior media insights technology, service, and capabilities while enabling mmi to enhance and scale its offering as part of a truly global organisation.”

mmi, headquartered in London, will operate as a brand within the CARMA group and be supported by CARMA’s global scale and award-winning client service, technology, and expertise. With 22 offices worldwide, CARMA’s acquisition will enable mmi to double down on its regional strength in the sectors while supporting clients in dynamic global markets.

Jakarta, Indonesia – CARMA, a global media intelligence firm, has recently begun operations in Indonesia, marking a phase in the company’s continuous expansion across Asia.

Amira Kanifah has been appointed by the company to manage business development in Jakarta. She has over a decade of experience in market research in Asia, including important stints at Nielsen and Kantar.

Andrew Nicholls, managing director for CARMA Asia, said, “I’m looking forward to working with Amira to better serve our clients and support our expansion plans in Indonesia. Her track record in the market as a trusted advisor to organizations and her local network will extend CARMA’s reputation as a leader in software and research solutions.” 

CARMA uses a combination of media and research, augmented by technology, to conduct thorough studies of social, digital, print, and broadcast data in over 100 languages. Their services are geared to match the specific needs of public relations teams and include activities such as evaluating the performance of public relations initiatives, analyzing the marketplace, and tracking customer feedback.

Meanwhile, Mazen Nahawi, group CEO at CARMA, stated, “Asia has shown tremendous growth for CARMA and has grown in a relatively short space of time to become one of our key markets, globally. Our expansion into Indonesia underpins a deepening of CARMA’s commitment to the region.”

Singapore – Media intelligence agency CARMA has announced the new leadership appointment of Khali Sakkas as its new head of insights for APAC. 

Sakkas brings with her 16 years of experience in communications measurement, leading teams across APAC to deliver award-winning work to MNCs and government clients. She has also contributed to the advancement of global best practices in communications measurement having served on the board of the industry’s international trade body, AMEC, and as Chair of AMEC’s Asia Pacific Chapter.

As the new head of insights, Sakkas will be leading CARMA Asia’s research and evaluation team, delivering vital insights to companies and policymakers across the region. She will also be responsible for driving best practices and innovation. 

Commenting on her appointment, Sakkas said she is looking forward to joining a strong global team to provide strategic and tactical advantages for clients.

“CARMA operates in some of the world’s most dynamic and innovative markets. For me, it strikes the right balance between global scale and deep local expertise. It is a business with the energy of a start-up, yet it has the benefit of a long history of quality and best practices,” said Sakkas.

Meanwhile, Andrew Nicholls, CARMA Asia’s co-founder and managing director, noted that CARMA’s approach is to combine cutting-edge technology with the most knowledgeable and experienced consultants in the industry. 

“Hiring Khali as Head of Insights for the region is a testament to that. Her expertise will be key to supporting our clients and the growing demand for actionable insights in Asia,” said Nicholls.