Tag: Creative

Manila, Philippines – Several advertising creatives have set to launch their own independent agency called Leron Leron Sinta. The new agency was founded by Dionie Tañada and Sajid Guerrero, as well as Varge Pollins Masanque and Joshua Surquia.

The agency’s name is rooted from a popular Filipino folk song of the same name, which tells the tale of a farmer who chose to find another tree to pick fruits after falling over on the first one. For the agency, this represents a metaphor for clients to always choose another agency to work with.

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, the new agency described themselves as someone who could foster and champion genuine local grassroots creativity.

“At our core, Leron Leron Sinta is masa (the masses). Our collective grassroots experiences of being one with the masses help us bring out the creativity that is uniquely and truly Pinoy,” the agency said.

Tañada and Guerrero were previously part of the team responsible behind some of most popular local advertising works in recent years, including for RC Cola, GrabUnlimited, Orocan, Julie’s Bakeshop, Mega Tuna, TNT Sim Reg, Cheers, a few successful Netflix titles, amongst others.

For the agency, their former agency has taught them that creative campaign works with passion, and that they intend to bring said spirit to their future clients.

“We were taught to create work with passion. We intend to carry this passion with us and infuse our hearts for the masses. Our creative partners, Dionie and Sajid, are both master storytellers. With their ability to tell stories in an unignorable way, Leron Leron Sinta aims to tell brand stories that not only elevate the brand but also inspire consumers and ultimately drive sales,” they further added.

Being a new independent agency, MARKETECH APAC asked: what’s unique about them compared to local arm of larger ad agencies?

“We’re the only agency that’s 100% founded by people with an attitude and perspective that came from the grassroots, streets, and rural settings. We’re masa, and we’re proud of it,” they explained, further adding, “Leron Leron Sinta specializes in work that is ‘pang-masa’ (for the masses) and is anchored on creative ideas that help businesses sell and grow.”

As they open their doors for future work, they assure future clients that their populace familiarity gives them an advantage to also include them on their future campaigns.

“A more involved market, especially the masses. Being part of the masa gives us an edge in involving these people in creating campaigns. Just like the farmers in the folk song ‘Leron Leron Sinta’, we will channel our relentless spirit in pursuing brave ideas that solve our client’s marketing and advertising problems,” they concluded.

Singapore – Global marketing services company McCann Worldgroup has appointed Valerie Madon as its new chief creative officer for the Southeast Asian region. She will be reporting to Nick Handel, president of McCann Worldgroup SEA.

Madon brings with her over 20 years of experience across brand-building and integrated creative solutions for major brands such as Zespri, Caltex, Hewlett-Packard, Procter & Gamble, Singapore Airlines, and HSBC, amongst others. In the new role, she will be tasked to head the creative teams across Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong, as well as assuming the additional responsibility of Chair of McCann Worldgroup’s APAC Creative Leadership Community (CLC).

Prior to joining McCann, Madon was the director of creative shop for SEA and emerging markets at tech giant Meta. She also held senior creative roles at agencies VMLY&R and Havas Group.

She has also made her mark judging at awarding bodies such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, London International, Effies, Golden Drum, Spikes Asia, Adfest, and more.

Commenting on her appointment, Madon said, “This opportunity represents the perfect storm of my creative ambitions – to reunite with Nick Handel again, as a leader who believes in the value of a creative partner, and to join the network that created ‘Fearless Girl’, one of the most inspiring pieces of work that went beyond advertising to become a meaningful part of people’s lives. I’ve always felt blessed in my career but this invitation to work and learn from so many of the creative greats within McCann Worldgroup is extra special.”

Prasoon Joshi, chairman of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific also commented, “The addition of Valerie to our organisation marks a significant development. Her extensive experience and innovative creative approach will add a fresh dimension. She is a keen observer of the evolving media landscape and latest technologies, which will further drive our creative excellence and strengthen our creative leadership in the region.”

Meanwhile, Nick Handel, president, McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia, remarked, “I am thrilled that Valerie has joined our McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia family. With her vision and expertise, she will make a significant contribution to our ambition of being the irrefutable leader in the business of creativity. And what’s more, I believe that she will be an excellent team leader and mentor to our people.”

Madon joins in mid-May and will be based in the network’s regional headquarters in Singapore.

Shanghai, China – BBDO in Greater China has announced key leadership changes in its team following the news of Leong Wai Foong, current chairman of BBDO Greater China, stepping down from his current role to pursue music-related opportunities.

The key changes include Arthur Tsang, current chief creative officer of BBDO China as new chief creative officer of BBDO Greater China; Nicole Ma, current chief creative officer at BBDO Shanghai as new chief creative officer of BBDO China; and Kevin Jin, current executive creative director of BBDO Shanghai as new chief creative officer at BBDO Shanghai.

Foong joined BBDO Greater China in 2006 and has since then been instrumental in growing the company into one of the leading creative agencies in the region. He has been a creative visionary who has driven BBDO Greater China’s success and shaped the company’s creative vision. Throughout his time with the company, Leong has played a key role in developing innovative advertising campaigns that have received recognition and awards at various international award shows. 

“It has been an honor to lead such a talented and dedicated team at BBDO Greater China. But after 29 years in the advertising industry, I feel it is time for me to pursue my passion as a musician and composer. I am confident that the talented team at BBDO Greater China will continue to lead the way in innovative and effective advertising solutions,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Tze Kiat Tan, CEO of BBDO Asia, commented on the change, saying, “When I told Andrew Robertson about this news, he said, ‘it’s the end of an era’ I couldn’t agree more. Its been 17 years. He’s been a partner to count on, had a big impact on my career, and a great friend I’ve enjoyed many laughs with. BBDO won’t be the same without him. Leong has made a significant impact on BBDO Greater China and the advertising industry as a whole during his time with us. We’re grateful for what he’s done, but we’re also excited for what he’s going to do next.” 

Sydney, Australia – In addition to its existing media remit in Australia, independent creative, design, and media agency Enigma expands its partnership with global equipment manufacturer New Holland after winning the strategy & creative business remit for both Australia and New Zealand markets.

The agency’s new mandate will focus on all strategy, creative and production services and executions for Australia and New Zealand. This is all the while being responsible for media buying across all Australian national and local broadcast media, extending to print, outdoor, radio, cinema, digital, search, and social.

Jack Mason, managing director at Enigma, said that he’s delighted with the expansion of agency’s remit which allows New Holland to benefit from a full-service agency collaboration. 

“New Holland is a fantastic business with so much creative potential. Potential that will be easier to achieve by having strategy, creative and media working together within one agency. It makes collaboration easier, encourages exciting new perspectives and ultimately helps us produce best in class work for this iconic brand,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ross Purdy, head of marketing and communications at CNH Industrial in Australia & New Zealand, said that they’re pleased to expand the relationship with Enigma as their creative agency partner.

“Enigma has demonstrated a strong understanding of our audience from construction to agricultural. Through the pitch process we’ve been really impressed with their strategic perspective and a very exciting creative approach with the customer at the centre,” Purdy added.

Enigma focuses on creative, media, brand strategy and design, with offices in Sydney, Newcastle, and Brisbane.

Singapore – To further build its creative strengths in the Asia-Pacific region, global creative and media agency VaynerMedia has appointed Yash Murthy as its group creative director for Australia to lead the creative vision for the agency amidst its growing team in the country.

Murthy brings with him a wide range of creative, strategy and social experience. He previously served as head of creative and strategy for the restaurant Guzman y Gomez Mexican Kitchen in Australia, where he built and led the in-house strategy and creative agency team.

He has also assumed several positions at design and innovation company AKQA including being the social media and creative director; director of brand strategy, social and creative for APAC; and executive strategy and creative director. Furthermore, he stood as group account director for social and content at advertising agency M&C Saatchi in Australia. 

In his new role, he will work closely with Amy Bradshaw, agency’s head in Australia.

Bradshaw said, “With his hybrid background as a business and creative leader, Yash truly understands our integrated approach and is well positioned to drive real impact for our clients and VaynerMedia’s growth.”

Meanwhile, Murthy strongly believes that in the midst of the fundamental reimagination of how brands are built, consumed and cultivated, VaynerMedia is equipped enough to deliver.

He added, “Partnering with our clients here in Australia to create this future in big, bold and impactful ways is a prospect I’m incredibly excited about.” 

VaynerMedia has also recently announced other appointments in the region including Chan Woei Hern who assumes the position of head of creative for Asia-Pacific.

India – Wunderman Thompson India has been awarded the strategy and creative mandate for ŠKODA, the Czech automobile manufacturer. The remit is inked to last for three years, where the business will be led and operated out of Wunderman Thompson’s Mumbai office.

The agency described the pitching process as “fiercely competitive.” Wunderman Thompson shared that leading to nabbing the account, the challenge had been to present their POV on SKODA’s after-sales services. Leveraging its data and tech capabilities, the agency worked extensively to understand the culture trend and engaged in consumer immersions to present solutions for the brand.

Wunderman Thompson India is no stranger to the creative and marketing demands of brands within the automobile space. The agency has had a long-standing association with Ford Motor Co, launching several of its successful brands in the country. It also continues to build on its decade-long relationship with HeroMotoCorp and has been a long-term custodian for brands such as Apollo Tyres and Exide Batteries.

Talking about the new partnership, Tarun Jha, head of marketing of ŠKODA Auto India, said, “ŠKODA is at a very critical milestone of its journey in India. As we gear up for the next phase of our growth with our India 2.0 strategy, we wanted a partner who will ride with us and add value to our business. With Wunderman Thompson’s experience in auto category and enthusiasm to build distinctive narratives, we are hopeful that journey will be successful.” 

Meanwhile, Anurag Tandon, SVP & Managing Partner of Wunderman Thompson, Mumbai, commented that on the back of new product launches and network expansion with a laser-sharp focus on customer satisfaction, the brand is on an accelerated growth path. 

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner the brand at this exciting juncture to provide business solutions and drive growth for [ŠKODA],” he said.

In January, Wunderman Thompson South Asia has named a new chief digital officer through the appointment of former dentsu president for West in India, Harsh Shah.

India – Advertising company DDB Mudra Group has unveiled key appointments to its local leadership, namely Menaka Menon as national strategy head and Nitin Pradhan as creative head for South.

Both appointees cumulatively bring over at DDB Mudra Group 40 years of experience in creative thinking and strategic planning across brands and categories.

Menaka started her journey in advertising in account management and eventually moved to other marketing roles. She has also spent time in media, consulting and social sectors, all of which have contributed to her unique perspective on culture and consumer behaviour. She has also previously worked with FCB, JWT and Leo Burnett. Her diverse portfolio included brands such as ITC foods, Amazon, HUL, Star Network.

Commenting on her new role, Menon said, “DDB Mudra Group is at an exciting juncture, having created beautiful and impactful work, with a clear focus on building on the same. I look forward to being part of a stellar team working towards a shared mission and bringing in a fresh perspective to work.”

Meanwhile, Pradhan has worked on campaigns such as the Masalas of India for Maggi noodles, Make My Trip’s ‘MMT Assured’ campaign and brands such as Samsung, Tata Sky, KBC and Sony Network. His last stint was with Cheil India with previous experiences at Ogilvy, McCann, Publicis Groupe and Leo Burnett. He is also a filmmaker, having directed popular films for Truecaller and the Government of India.

Commenting on the role, he said, “The vision of making DDB Mudra, the integrated agency of choice in the industry is something that inspired me to take up the South creative mandate. The Bengaluru office has recently proven its intent to push creative boundaries with mainline campaigns on BGMI and Indeed. And given the vast portfolio of brands that it has across categories, I’m quite excited to partner the team in its new phase of growth, where creativity will have a more central role to play.” 

Talking about the senior appointments Rahul Mathew, chief creative officer at DDB Mudra Group said, “Bernbach had said that creativity is the most powerful force in business. And those words form the core of what we’re trying to build at the DDB Mudra Group. But how strong the force of creativity is, depends on the talent that wields it and leads it. In Menaka and Nitin, we found strong leaders and wielders of this force. I look forward to working with them and creating some really exciting work on some of our biggest brands.”

Singapore – VICE Media Group’s multinational digital media platform Refinery29 announced that 29Rooms, its ten-week immersive event celebrating culture, cause, and creativity, will be making its debut in Asia. 

The event is made in collaboration with VICE’s creative agency Virtue APAC, alongside lead producer Two Four Seven Group, The Carrot Collective, and partner brands. They will be providing strategic, creative, and marketing consultancy capabilities and will help activate innovative brand experiences for 29Rooms.

Beginning in Singapore from February to April next year, 29Rooms will be featuring creations curated by special collaborators, partners, and creators. This aims to showcase the contributors’ creativity and deliver a series of thought-provoking experiences that reflect today’s culture and conversations.

The inaugural edition of 29Rooms Asia will centre on the ‘Lost & Found’ theme, aiming to encourage guests to ‘rediscover, reimagine and redefine the meaning of possibilities’, through experiences from art, culture, fashion and beauty, and music, amongst others.

“In a region with diverse cultures, creativity and causes, there is no better place to mark the international launch of 29Rooms Asia than in Singapore,” said Lesley John, managing director of Virtue APAC.

She further explained, “Guests across ten weeks can expect a broad program that will entertain, inform and offer fresh perspectives. Virtue, which builds brands from inside culture, is excited to be working with our other creative partners to deliver this landmark experiential event.”

Cory Haik, chief operating officer of VICE Media Group also commented, “Singapore is undeniably one of the most exciting international cities in the world. 29Rooms brings people together in a celebration of creativity, and there’s no better place for its international debut than Singapore; the hub of art, culture and technology in Asia. We can’t wait to inspire the local community with the magic of 29Rooms.”

The event is officially backed by the Singapore Tourism Board and is set to become one of the city’s biggest calendar events.

29Rooms, launched in 2015, has been gathering creatives, artists, and visionaries in the USA. It has also reached over 300 million through online and offline platforms and welcomed guests from over 24 countries.

New York – Integrated marketing agency Wunderman Thompson, in collaboration with the 4A’s Foundation, has launched the 2022 Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship, an international opportunity that amplifies historically marginalised female and non-binary voices in the creative industry.

Recognizing the unparalleled creative force that Helen Lansdowne Resor has had as the first female copywriter in Wunderman Thompson’s history, the scholarship was developed to give female and non-binary students the opportunities and support they need to succeed in the creative ranks of the advertising industry.

The application period begins on November 14, 2022, and ends on January 6, 2023. Open to all female and non-binary students currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or portfolio program in a creative field. In total, four scholarships will be awarded to be announced in March 2023. 

Four recipients will receive a $10,000 scholarship grant, a paid internship at a Wunderman Thompson office in their respective region, a Wunderman Thompson mentor, and a ‘first look’ placement consideration upon graduation. Beneficiaries will be able to work directly with Wunderman Thompson’s creative teams and learn what it takes to succeed in the advertising industry.

Ezinne Okoro, global chief inclusion, equity and diversity officer at Wunderman Thompson said, “We’re excited to offer the Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship again this year. The previous year’s recipients all embraced their own unique forms of creative bravery and truly embodied Helen’s legacy.”

Okoro added, “As an agency, we want to continue to amplify the voices of creative women and non-binary individuals by giving them support, mentorship, and the opportunity to thrive in a widely male-dominated field. Our hope is to uplift this generation and create a more diverse, equitable, and truly inclusive future for our industry.”

Daniel Bonner and Bas Korsten, global chief creative officers at Wunderman Thompson stated, “Creativity takes courage, just as it took courage for Helen Lansdowne Resor to blaze a trail as one of the industry’s pioneers and first female creatives. It’s an honor to continue this tradition and invite female and non-binary students into the Wunderman Thompson family and give them a space to hone their creative thinking by working alongside the incredible creative talent across our global network.” 

Sydney, Australia – Global creative transformation company WPP has launched a new training program in Australia called ‘Breakthrough Cadetship’ to provide emerging talents with a passion for creativity the opportunity to kickstart their career within WPP in Australia.

The ‘Breakthrough Cadetship’ is part of WPP’s talent transformation agenda enabling WPP to source Australia’s future-ready talents.

The inaugural program, run out of Sydney, sees eight candidates experiencing four three-month rotations across WPP’s award-winning creative and production agencies Hogarth, VMLY&R, whiteGREY and Wunderman Thompson. 

The program offers the Breakthrough Cadets the opportunity to develop skills in client servicing, branding, strategy, customer experience, and production, with the opportunity for full-time permanent employment at the end of the program for successful candidates. The candidates commenced their cadetship in September, with an initial one-week orientation.

In addition, the training program was designed for people with a passion for creativity and a curiosity to learn – formal tertiary qualifications and prior industry experience were not required as part of the selection process. Candidates were selected after three rounds, with the final round consisting of an in-person immersion day at WPP’s Sydney Campus. 

The successful candidates bring with them a diversity of experience and skills, including electronics and engineering, zoology, digital health, start-up commerce, innovation, and film production.

Morag Eyles, chief people officer for ANZ at WPP, said, “WPP’s purpose is to build better futures for our people, planet, clients and communities, therefore we need exceptional people to join us on this mission. With the Breakthrough Cadetship, we are developing a new pipeline of talent as part of our ambition to diversify how we work and the work we deliver. We are ecstatic to welcome the 2022 Breakthrough Cadets to WPP and look forward to growing together with them on their journey.”

Meanwhile, Rose Herceg, president for ANZ at WPP, commented, “At WPP, you can build a career for life; it is something we are proud to support through learning and development, mobility and open doors across our network of companies. We created this Cadetship to attract and develop the next generation of leadership within our industry, ensuring we maintain the skillsets needed as our clients’ creative transformation partner. I am delighted to welcome the first cohort of Breakthrough cadets and wish them well on their career pathway within WPP.”