Tag: Creative agency

Singapore – Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) has retained GOVT Singapore as its creative and digital agency partner following a pitch process managed by R3. Under the new appointment, WE Red Bridge will also be working with GOVT Singapore as a social and communications consultant covering the China market.

Under the appointment, GOVT Singapore will be tasked to bring to the brand a strong digital first approach, covering functions such as providing strategic counsel and advice on brand strategy, creative and digital strategy. This includes China in its scope of work.

The appointment will be valid for a period of two years with the option to extend for another three years. GOVT Singapore has been its creative agency since 2021.

The agency also has to be able to plan execution, manage client servicing, provide market intelligence, and other value-added services such as new opportunities evaluation, strategic partnerships and tie-ups with non or existing agency clients.

Over the past years, GOVT Singapore has developed campaigns for the brand as it continues to upgrade its attractions and offerings. This includes the metaverse-driven SentosaLand, the launch of its 50th anniversary celebrations, revamping SDC’s membership programme Sentosa Islander and most recently, a campaign that launched the island’s latest attraction, Sentosa Sensoryscape.

Alvina Seah, group managing director of GOVT Singapore said, “We’ve spent almost three years working with SDC hand-in-hand, in a pursuit to build a world-class brand and destination. This win affirms that we’re on the right track, but we’re also hungry to do even more for the brand, building on the momentum of Sentosa’s brand promise ‘where discovery never ends’.”

Australia – Amplify, the creator economy agency, is expanding its Australian staff. They have promoted Sonja Stindl to the new position of general manager and appointed Ben Somers as partnerships director, among other new personnel. 

In order to further the goal within the Australian team, Stindl will work closely with co-founders Alex Reid and Tom Maynard to supervise people, finances, and legal matters.

After holding the role of head of talent, Stindl is now general manager for Australia. She joins Amplify with three years of experience, having held senior talent management positions at MaxConnectors before.

Somers will now oversee the newly formed partnerships division, focusing on generating new business prospects and building strong relationships with clients across many business teams. 

Somers, who was briefly employed at TikTok, has returned to Amplify in the role of partnerships director. He brings with him previous campaign team knowledge from his stint at Amplify. 

To further strengthen the expanding Australian office, Jess Hill, a longtime Universal Music employee who formerly worked across Jean Paul Gaultier and Carolina Herrera at Puig, has joined as senior campaign manager. Ryan Paturzo, a Buzzfeed employee of six years, has been named account director for the production group. The last of the recent hires, Jyothi Krithivasan, assumes the position of coordinator for partnerships and marketing. 

Speaking about her appointment, Stindl expressed, “It’s truly an exciting time to be part of the creator industry, and Amplify is leading the charge with the best content creators and clients in the business as well as our passionate team driving it all behind the scenes. I look forward to working with Alex and Tom to solidify our offering in Australia and prepare for our next growth phase.”

Meanwhile, Somers stated, “Returning to Amplify and leading this new Partnerships division is a really exciting move for me. As a business we’re growing from strength to strength and the aim of this new team is to drive connections – internally and externally – to meet the needs of our clients beyond traditional campaign structures.”

Furthermore, Alex Reid, co-founder of Amplify, said, “It’s taken a while, but we are starting to see mass adoption of creators into existing marketing mixes, using creators’ audiences to connect with relevant brands and their messages. With that comes the need for a bigger team and our approach has always been to hire people smarter than us, which hasn’t been difficult.” 

He added, “Amplify’s growth is also demonstrated with our expanding talent pool. We’ve grown from having eight creators and producing live shows when we started the business in 2015, to having a roster of 50 creators and a team of over 80 across Australia, Southeast Asia and all the way north to Japan and Korea. We’re proud of the business’s growth and our ability to promote internally. Cultivating a thriving culture and fostering growth are important to us as business owners and we strive to ensure that our team feels this positive impact, even if we’ve run out of desks in the office.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Creative advertising agency BBDO Bangkok has announced the addition of two distinguished creative directors, Pratchya Vilaipol and Vuttichai Chongsanguan, to its team.

These appointments underscore BBDO Bangkok’s commitment to fostering a culture of creativity and innovation, complementing the visionary leadership of Thasorn (Pete) Boonyanate, BBDO Bangkok’s chief creative officer.

Bringing a wealth of experience from across the globe, Vilaipol is an art-focused creative director known for his versatile work across various categories and agency networks. 

With an impressive tenure of 19 years in the advertising industry, Pratchya has lent his creative expertise to both global and local brands, including Ford, Nissan, Uniqlo, IKEA, McDonald’s, SAMSUNG, Unilever, Coway, Lazada, and Paris Saint-Germain F.C., among others.

On the other hand, Chongsanguan has made a significant mark in the industry over his 14-year career. His belief in the power of unique consumer experiences has led him to garner over 100 awards, both locally and internationally, across diverse categories.

His notable accolades include a D&AD Wood Pencil and a Silver from Spikes Asia for KTB’s ‘Young Man A The Seal,’ as well as a recent Gold award from White Square for KFC’s ‘Checking For Chicken.’ His portfolio also boasts a wide range of clients, such as KFC, Heinz, PTT, and IKEA.

Talking about the appointments, Boonyanate commented, “Their unparalleled talent and fresh perspectives are exactly what we need to propel BBDO into a new era of creative brilliance. I am eager to see the transformative impact their contributions will have on our work and culture.”

BBDO Bangkok will be looking forward to the innovative directions and exceptional creative solutions that Vilaipol and Chongsanguan will contribute to the team, setting new benchmarks for creativity and excellence in the advertising industry.

Singapore – We Are Social, a global socially-driven creative agency, has announced two senior advancements for its Singapore team. Nai Yen Wang has been appointed managing director, with Kelson Ong taking on the job of general manager. 

Chris Chong, who left to seek other opportunities, was replaced in senior positions at We Are Social’s Singapore office by Wang and Ong. Wang reports directly to We Are Social’s group chief operating officer, Chris Adamson, while Ong reports to Wang.

Wang’s new role will involve her leading and developing We Are Social Singapore’s innovation credentials, operational strategy, and vision. She will also be in charge of fostering an inclusive, innovative, and forward-thinking culture and accelerating growth. 

In 2022, Wang joined We Are Social serving as the head of account management. Her last job at DDB was regional business director, APAC, before joining We Are Social. As the leader of regional network clients, she oversaw companies like J&J and Unilever and was instrumental in helping them create new operating models that promoted expansion.

We Are Social Singapore’s business growth and team management will be under Ong’s supervision in his new role. He will be responsible for making sure clients receive creative and useful solutions. 

Ong, formerly the business director, joined We Are Social in 2021 after leaving Netflix. Throughout his career at We Are Social, Ong has been a key component of the leadership team, working to enhance offerings such as gaming, influence, and.XYZ, as well as recruit new clients. 

Speaking about her appointment, Wang commented, “Since joining We Are Social Singapore, I have been impressed with how deeply embedded innovation is in our culture. We’re globally focused and deliver innovation focused and social-first work for our clients that evolves the way marketing is done. 

She added, “I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to lead and work alongside this talented team. Together we will continue to build a culture that focuses on our people, deliver game-changing work and offerings inspired by data and enabled by technology to unlock new areas of growth in Singapore, Southeast Asia and beyond.” 

Meanwhile, Ong said, “Innovation is in We Are Social’s DNA. As the world of marketing continues to evolve and rapid advancement in technology is made, we have already built a robust service offering that supports the needs of clients both today and tomorrow. I’m excited to be given the opportunity to work with Nai Yen and our leadership team to further amplify these capabilities to drive growth and unlock new opportunities for both the agency and clients.”

Nathan McDonald, co-founder and group CEO of We Are Social, expressed, “Chris has done an incredible job in leading and growing We Are Social Singapore since she joined us in 2016. She’s been particularly committed to innovation, and bolstering our future strategy arm, .XYZ. Nai Yen and Kelson’s promotions are both well-deserved, and I’m confident that the team will continue to thrive with their leadership, guidance and support.” 

Furthermore, Chris Chong, remarked, “Nai Yen and Kelson are both talented and effective leaders who have been instrumental in building We Are Social Singapore into the successful business it is today. They’ve helped build an enviable client base and establish a first reputation for innovation. I’m pleased to be leaving the team in safe hands.” 

Hong Kong – Kathy Wong has been appointed general manager of We Are Social, a global creative agency, in Hong Kong. She will report directly to Pete Lin, CEO of We Are Social in North Asia. 

Wong’s new position will include overseeing both We Are Social Hong Kong and the creative agency Metta/We Are Social. Wong will lead a team of 20 at We Are Social and work with clients including Keetah, Abbott, GEOX, and Alipay. 

Wong brings a wide range of knowledge and experience to her new role, having worked for more than 18 years. She had worked for several advertising firms in the past, such as Ogilvy, TBWA, and FCB, and RollRollRoll, where she was the business director. 

Wong began her professional career at Metta Communications, which in 2022 amalgamated with We Are Social to establish Metta/We Are Social. She has managed clients like Mercedes Benz, Barclays Capital, Hong Kong Disneyland, and L’Oreal Travel Retail. 

Kathy Wong takes over the role previously held by Donald Wong, who left We Are Social Hong Kong to seek possibilities in the United States. 

Speaking about her appointment, Wong expressed,“I am thrilled to join the We Are Social team in Hong Kong, and to rejoin Metta where I have many great memories. I look forward to drawing on my experience in both agency and client-side roles to continue to help We Are Social’s clients excel creatively and strategically. I am excited to expand the team at We Are Social, drive the digital discipline in Hong Kong forward, and serve the digital marketing demands of both local and international clients.” 

Meanwhile, Lin commented, “We’re delighted that Kathy has chosen to join the team at We Are Social. She’s a first-class communicator with an unrivalled reputation in the Hong Kong advertising world, and there’s no better person to take our growing team to the next level.” 

Singapore – We Are Social Gaming, the gaming-focused division of global socially-led creative agency We Are Social, has announced three distinct new offerings to help brands, publishers and developers cut through in gaming spaces.

The first one is the gaming division aiming to simplify theprocess of getting non-gaming brands into the gaming space by showing them there are levels to play and multiple ways to win. For We Are Social, there is no “one size fits all” approach – as bespoke solutions put clients and their products and the centre of conversation at a time where gaming is shaping culture.

In addition, the agency is also offering game developers and publishers a full-funnel, connected and amplified approach to socially-led product marketing, with a focus on brand building, conversion, and player retention across new and existing titles.

Lastly, We Are Social also taps into its broad roster of clients and connections to create meaningful partnerships with brands and developers, introducing each to new audiences. 

We Are Social Gaming consists of a global squad of more than 50 of the agency’s most skilled gaming and esports experts from multiple disciplines, who work across We Are Social’s entire client portfolio to identify gaming opportunities for brands in all sectors and industries. 

Some of its gaming clients include Activision/Blizzard, Riot Games, Sony, Twitch, G2 and Fnatic, and it has worked with non-gaming brands such as Uber Eats, Vodafone and Renault on gaming-focused campaigns over the last few years. 

Rachel Rakowski, global head of gaming at We Are Social said, “It’s safe to say that gaming is no longer niche – it has firmly cemented itself as part of culture and as such is one of the most sought-after media spaces for brands today. However, gaming spaces are not like traditional media, and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Brands and developers need to think differently to cut through the noise.”

She added, “This is why we’ve launched our three new offerings, which will give companies from any sector or industry an opportunity to connect with gaming communities in a number of different ways. We’ll be focused on work that’s rooted in culture, driving connections between people, communities, and brands, all while crafting messages meaningful to our clients’ audiences and providing meaningful ROI.” 

Australia – Brand experience and innovation company Akcelo has been appointed as the creative agency for Australian-based FMCG business SPC Global.

In this appointment, Akcelo will lead the strategy, creative, and design for SPC Global’s key brand portfolio, including SPC, Goulburn, and Ardmona.

This mandate follows on from Akcelo’s work to help launch the SPC’s ‘Street Eats’ last year, with new strategy and packaging work already commenced across a number of brands.

Speaking on the appointment, Peta Allsopp, chief marketing officer at SPC, stated, “It’s a really exciting time for SPC, and we have big goals in play for 2024. Akcelo understands our business, our challenges, and opportunities. They translate these needs into bold and brilliant work—that’s their secret sauce. We’re confident that Akcelo’s innovative approach and big thinking will help us to take SPC into its next exciting phase.”

Meanwhile, Jon Kenyon, managing partner for Melbourne at Akcelo, commented, “It’s no exaggeration to say that SPC is an iconic Aussie brand, and we’re all tremendously excited they’ve put their faith in Akcelo to help spearhead their ambitious growth plans. We’re looking forward to bringing the benefits of a truly modern approach to marketing some of Australia’s favourite products and connecting them with a whole new generation of consumers.”

Aden Hepburn, CEO at Akcelo, also added, “This is a portfolio of incredible brands with a history of putting category-defining work to market. The creative ambition is high at SPC, and the opportunities for innovation are endless. We can’t wait to get started.”

Philippines – MullenLowe TREYNA (MLT) has officially acquired the full digital advertising business of digital creative agency Xiklab Digital, inclusive of its client roster and key talent.

The acquisition of Xiklab Digital aims to boost the agency’s services with expertise in digital strategy, performance marketing, and data-informed creativity.

Xiklab Digital is MullenLowe TREYNA’s third successful acquisition, following its joint venture with Quiddity Usability Labs in 2022.

The agency’s first strategic acquisition was ARC Public Relations in 2018, resulting in 30% year-on-year growth. Its succeeding acquisition of Quiddity added UI/UX, accessibility in design, and more to its roster of services.

MLT’s prior acquisition experience meant that the transition was completed in time for the new year, opening in 2024 with a significant expansion to its service offerings.

Mike Trillana, chairman and CEO of MullenLowe TREYNA, said, “We’ve nearly doubled in number of people since 2020. More importantly, we’ve multiplied the skill sets the agency group can bring to a client challenge while still believing in the power of breakthrough ideas in a complex landscape.”

Also speaking on the acquisition, Bingo Soriano, senior commercial adviser at MLT, said, “Current and future clients trust us to discover creative opportunities as we build their brands’ relationships with consumers. We’re excited to have all this potential for synergy in the services we offer and look forward to being part of the MullenLowe TREYNA group.”

Singapore – The Singaporean Ministry of Communications and Information has teamed up with creative agency MullenLowe Singapore to create a Chinese New Year film that celebrates the unity and resilience of Singaporeans as they celebrate the occasion.

Made in collaboration with local director Royston Tan, the film titled ‘Extended Love’ by MullenLowe Singapore and MCI displays how Singaporeans value both their family and their community. 

The film features a young overseas-based Singaporean woman who returns home for Chinese New Year to persuade her grandmother to join her family abroad. However, she soon learns that her grandmother, who runs a ‘cai png’ (mixed rice) stall at a coffee shop, has started her own tradition of bringing neighbours together for a  cai png reunion dinner at the coffee shop every year, showing that she is not without family within the community.

Talking about the film, Tan said, “The film explores our notions of family and community, and how ‘extending’ the warmth of a meal to those around us can make for a joyful reunion. Through the film, we want to highlight the beauty and strength of strong community ties, while encouraging Singaporeans to come together to celebrate the festive occasion in new and meaningful ways.”

Meanwhile, Paul Soon, CEO of MullenLowe Singapore, commented, We are delighted to collaborate with Royston to produce the film ‘Extended Love’ this Chinese New Year. In this short film, we recognise that Singapore is becoming more diverse in terms of aspirations and preferences, even in celebrating our key festivities, but that what makes us Singaporean — resilience, unitedness, inclusiveness — remains the same.” 

“This mirrors the values of the Forward Singapore exercise as we build our shared future. We hope this heartwarming story can remind Singaporeans of what’s truly important — being present for each other,” he concluded. 

The film is now on the official Singaporean Government’s social media channels and can be viewed on Free-To-Air Television, Ch 8 and Ch U from February 2 to February 25, 2024.

With INNOCEAN’s name being derived from the phrase ‘Ocean of Innovation’, it comes as no surprise that Chow Kok Keong, Innocean Indonesia’s chief creative officer, leads his team of creatives by cultivating an agency ecosystem that thrives on out-of-the-box thinking and bold ideas.

“Embracing the mantra of unlearning and learning, I always push my team to stay at the forefront of the industry and embrace new technologies to ensure our campaigns remain cutting-edge, fresh, and impactful,” said Chow.

As a creative leader who seeks to set their agency apart in an industry full of ideas, Chow has a unique way of encouraging his team members to think creatively, embrace diverse perspectives, and take risks rather than playing it safe.

Consistently staying out-of-the-box 

As the industry always demands fresh and unique ideas for new campaigns and initiatives, one of the biggest challenges faced by creative leaders is to always ensure that their team always has the creative direction to tackle a multitude of situations. Chow approaches this by seeing it as a challenge with a solution, and not a struggle. 

“Every challenge comes with a solution when we keep pushing ourselves and never give up until we find a way to overcome it”, Chow mentioned. 

As chief creative officer, Chow says that his role is to provide his team with clear creative directions when they are stuck in a rut when it comes to ideas. Additionally, he pushes his team to not settle for anything that they are too comfortable with.  

With this in mind, one of Chow’s strategies to drive creativity in the workplace is to include internal sessions among his team members on ‘Trend & Knowledge Sharing’ to always stay relevant on what’s new within the industry, and holding an ‘Open Brief Challenge,’ to allow collaborative effort between multiple entities to come up with a collective solution to the client’s demand.

Going into more detail, Chow remarked, “I conduct idea reviews every two weeks and regularly participate in brainstorming sessions with the team. Consequently, the best ideas will be produced and submitted to award shows, where exposure and involvement serve as the best rewards and motivation for the team members to stay passionate in their creative work.”

Creating memorable, iconic campaigns

With his style of leadership, Chow and his team always strive to make sure that they always put the similar creative intention and passion into every brief, as they see it as a significant opportunity for them to showcase their skills and make themselves proud of their work, regardless of how big or small the projects are.

When asked about the most memorable projects that he led as CCO, Chow said that he really appreciated doing Hyundai’s U17 project, which was a campaign that supported young football players in terms of transportation during the U17 FIFA World Cup in Indonesia.

“There are several projects that we produced in 2023 that I like, and one of them is the Hyundai U17 project where we believe every young footballer deserves an opportunity to shine. Hence, we empowered the youth with a series of programmes to inspire them to be champions of tomorrow for the nation,” he explained. 

Furthermore, another major project that Chow shared was the ‘Anti-Hate Keyboard,’ which was actually a campaign for corporate social responsibility(CSR) which helped raise awareness and stop cyberbullying through a creative way of modifying gaming keyboards.

“I am proud of the Anti-Hate Keyboard, a CSR project that stopped cyberbullying through innovation by reprogramming the firmware of the gaming keyboard. When bullies type out insulting words, the keyboard automatically swaps the negative words for positive ones”, added Chow.  

A rising force of creativity in Indonesia 

Founded in 2020, INNOCEAN Indonesia has seen its fair share of milestones and successes. On the creative side of things, Chow admits that there are still several things that they need to improve on to always stay on top of the industry, but there is no denying that Chow’s leadership contributes greatly in always pushing the agency to that goal. 

“Over the past 18 months, through the collaborative effort of my creative team, along with the unwavering support and guidance from our APAC regional CEO, James Lee, we’ve achieved several milestones.” 

“Although our creative output isn’t perfect yet, it has significantly improved, and we remain committed to pushing for even greater creativity. Additionally, we successfully secured new business through pitches and earned recognition in creative award shows, both regionally and globally,” concluded Chow.