Dentsu Archives - MARKETECH APAC

India – dentsu India has promoted Imtiyaz Vilatra to the role of chief executive officer of Posterscope India.

In his new role, Vilatra is in charge of enhancing Posterscope’s offerings in both digital and intelligent out-of-home (OOH) campaigns, focusing on providing data-driven outcomes for clients.

Vilatra brings over 25 years of experience to the company, particularly in driving innovative OOH campaigns. At Posterscope, he aims to integrate augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and 4D experiences into campaigns to meet client needs.

Additionally, Vilatra aims to expand Posterscope’s reach, making an effort to establish its position as a leader in traditional and digital OOH.

Harsha Razdan, chief executive officer of South Asia at dentsu said, “Imtiyaz’s elevation is a timely and strategic move, enabling him to drive Posterscope’s expansion in experiential and Below-The-Line (BTL) divisions, strengthening our urban and rural reach. His leadership remains a vital link between strategy and execution, translating our goals into meaningful partnerships for our clients and communities.”

“I am confident that under Imtiyaz’s continued guidance, we will not only meet but exceed the evolving needs of our clients, setting new benchmarks for excellence. His exceptional passion and deep industry insights will be pivotal as we navigate a path where innovation meets purpose, driving change that resonates far beyond the immediate,” Razdan added.

Anita Kotwani, chief executive officer of media in South Asia at dentsu, added, “Imtiyaz’s elevation is a testament to his visionary leadership and commitment to redefining the OOH landscape. Under his leadership, Posterscope will strengthen its position within the dentsu ecosystem, embodying our ‘OneDentsu’ vision of unified, cross-channel marketing solutions. By seamlessly integrating OOH with digital, media, and experiential campaigns, Posterscope is set to deliver transformative, multi-channel experiences powered by dentsu’s advanced audience insights, driving precision and impact that elevate client outcomes.”

“The OOH industry stands at a transformative juncture, with technology and data insights reshaping how we connect with audiences. Posterscope’s future lies in harnessing AI, programmatic DOOH, and real-time analytics to deliver dynamic, measurable campaigns. Integrating dentsu’s digital intelligence into our OOH offerings enhances our capabilities and raises the value we deliver through deeper engagement, personalization, and an integrated, ROI-focused approach,” Vilatra commented.

India – Meesho, an online shopping platform in India, has teamed up with Carat India to unveil the ‘Meesho Mega Blockbuster Dhamaka’ campaign on Star Plus. Rooted in the insight that shopping fosters bonds among women—both online and offline—the campaign creatively brought this concept to life through beloved Star Plus daily soap characters.

Developed and executed by Carat, the campaign unites four iconic lead characters from different Star Plus shows, portraying them as friends planning an exciting shopping spree for Meesho’s Mega Blockbuster Sale. This narrative unfolded in the MAHA Sangam episode, which premiered on the sale’s opening day.

Meesho’s campaign leveraged the cultural appeal of beloved TV protagonists to drive commerce and consumer engagement, showcasing how affordable festive shopping can be through impactful long-form content.

Commenting on the campaign, Sanchayeeta Verma, CEO at Carat India, said, “The annual festive sale is the most critical event of the year for every marketplace. For us at Carat, this was the first MBS campaign that we executed for Meesho, and it served as a litmus test. I’m deeply grateful to Meesho for trusting us to be their partners in unleashing every critical media lever to win. Kudos to our brilliant Carat team for passionately delivering a record-breaking MBS campaign.”

Simantini Ghosh, national head of entertainment specialisation at dentsu India, added, “Just when branded content on television seemed to have reached its peak, we pulled a rabbit out of the hat for our first MBS campaign by reimagining beloved TV protagonists in unexpected, fresh avatars. With a sharp focus on business objectives, we crafted compelling communication with the Star Plus protagonists, delivering impactful results. My thanks to Meesho for believing in this idea and to Star for flawless execution.”

The campaign explored innovative collaboration formats within the GEC space, resulting in cohesive storytelling. The Maha Sangam episode, central to the campaign, recorded the highest ratings among episodes aired during the collaboration week.

Meesho also reported significant success, boosting daily active users among Tier 2+ women and achieving its goal of DAU growth on the sale’s opening day. Day one saw 6.5 crore unique app visitors and 1.5 crore downloads ahead of the event.

Soumitra Choubey, director of brand marketing at Meesho, commented, “At Meesho, our goal is to create memorable and meaningful connections with our audience, especially during key events like the Mega Blockbuster Sale.”

“The collaboration with Carat India and Star Plus was a testament to the power of innovative storytelling and deep cultural resonance. By bringing beloved TV characters together for this campaign, we not only enhanced the excitement around our sale but also strengthened our commitment to making festive shopping experiences more engaging and accessible for everyone. We’re grateful for the exceptional teamwork that made this possible,” Choubey added.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Dentsu Malaysia has teamed up with Axiata Group Berhad this year’s Merdeka campaign to honour Malaysia’s unsung heroes, whose achievements have quietly placed the nation on the global map.

Running from Merdeka Day (31 August) to Malaysia Day (16 September), the campaign deviated from paying homage to well-recognised national icons and instead spotlighted everyday Malaysians, including a NASA competition winner, an esports champion, a dedicated teacher, a clinical scientist, an international photojournalist, and an international speech competition winner, who may not be usually known to fellow Malaysians for their extraordinary achievements.

Running on all key social and digital platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube, the campaign surpassed expectations, doubling Through Plays and Engagement, with a reach of over 4.2 million. It generated 3.88 million views on TikTok, 2 million views on YouTube, and 1.2 million views on Meta.

The production, completed in just two days, showcases the dedication of both teams.

Ellison Fernandez, executive creative director at dentsu Malaysia, said, “By focusing on the stories of lesser-known achievements, the campaign showcases how everyday Malaysians push boundaries to inspire others to unite, combining talents to elevate the nation’s reputation on the global stage. These unsung heroes embody Axiata’s commitment to advancing every individual towards becoming catalysts for change.”

Meanwhile, Audrey Chong, CEO at dentsu Malaysia, commented, “As a team with our roots in Malaysia, we resonate deeply with Axiata’s identity with the nation and ambition to sew the fabric of the nation. This campaign was born out of a recognition that people from all walks of life form our nation’s collective identity, no matter how big or small, and while popular national icons are celebrated, we must also elevate individuals who have excelled for Malaysia in their own ways. We are proud to be part of this meaningful campaign with Axiata and are grateful to all involved delivering this in a limited amount of time.”

Asia-Pacific – Dentsu has appointed Dan Pantumsinchai as managing director of gaming for the Asia-Pacific region. With his new position, Pantumsinchai will lead the planning and execution of dentsu’s gaming strategies.

Throughout over 15 years of experience in the gaming industry, Pantumsinchai has driven success for top brands on different platforms, including premium console, PC, and mobile games.

In his previous at Google, Pantumsinchai led revenue growth for its mobile gaming partners Garena Free Fire and Bloons TD 6. He also held leadership roles at Riot Games and Twitch.

Pantumsinchai’s early career at Capcom and Bandai also led him to work with iconic brands such as Street Fighter, Dragon Ball, Power Rangers, and Kamen Rider.

With his experience in both digital and traditional entertainment, Pantumsinchai is expected to contribute to dentsu’s gaming strategy.

Pantumsinchai’s appointment is effective immediately. He will be based in Singapore.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dan, whose deep expertise in the gaming landscape make him an invaluable asset to our growing Gaming unit. Under his leadership, dentsu is set to elevate its regional strategy, drive unparalleled growth for brands, and solidify our status as a powerhouse in the gaming industry. We’re poised for an exciting transformation, and Dan’s vision will be key to offering best-in-class gaming services across the region,” Yusuke Kasahara, chief business officer at dentsu APAC, said.

Pantumsinchai commented, “As a key player in shaping the future of gaming, dentsu has built a reputation as a thought leader and innovator in this field. I look forward to working closely with the team in leveraging our expertise in the gaming industry to help brands connect with digital-native audiences in engaging and impactful ways.”

“As we continue to expand dentsu’s gaming capabilities worldwide, close collaboration between our global and regional teams is essential. APAC represents one of the fastest-growing – and largest – gaming markets, and Dan’s appointment is a key step in harnessing these unique opportunities across APAC. His leadership and deep expertise in the gaming landscape will be instrumental in driving innovation and delivering growth that resonate across both APAC and the global gaming ecosystem,” Brent Koning, executive vice president of global gaming lead at dentsu, added.

The appointment follows dentsu’s recent House of Creators initiative for Roblox content creators.

Singapore – Rob Gilby is stepping down from his role as chief executive officer for Asia-Pacific at dentsu, the agency has confirmed to MARKETECH APAC when reached out to. According to dentsu, Rob stepped down to pursue ‘new ventures’.

“Rob Gilby has stepped down from his position as CEO, APAC, dentsu to pursue new opportunities. Rob has provided significant leadership across our markets, brands and practices in the region and as a member of the group executive management team as we transition to One dentsu,” the agency stated.

Dentsu also highlighted that during his tenure, Rob has fortified the leadership team, enhanced core capabilities and aligned with the new Group strategy to offer integrated, client-centric growth solutions from across dentsu’s practices.

For the time being, APAC will be headed with the help of its leaders in the cluster markets through its Group Strategy Unit.

“As we search for a new APAC CEO, our leaders in the established cluster markets, powered by a strong regional clients, business and function team will work through the Group Strategy Unit, under the leadership of Yoshiki Ishihara, Global Chief Strategy Officer, with the full support of Global President & CEO, Hiro Igarashi, ensuring a continued client-centric approach and progress of the One dentsu performance and growth agenda. We thank Rob for his dedication and commitment to our organisation and wish him success in his future endeavours,” the agency added.

Rob joined dentsu in 2022 following his stint from Nielsen as its president for APAC for almost a year. Prior to that, Rob also held senior leadership roles for The Walt Disney Company and Turner. Outside of that, he also held advisory roles for the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), and Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).

Moreover, Rob is also the founder and CEO of consumer and media tech consultancy Blue Hat Ventures, as well as a founding partner of venture capital firm Reaction.

Singapore – Dentsu, an advertising agency, has unveiled its ‘House of Creators’ initiative on gaming platform Roblox with the aim of supporting next-generation content creators.

While assisting emerging content creators, the initiative can also be applied to marketing issues and how creators can advance brands’ objectives in the long run.

As part of the initiative, promising creators will be identified along with the costs required for the improvement of their content. The selected creators will also undergo mentorship and contests to advance their skills.

The launch of the initiative reflects how marketers need to elevate their content to continuously capture the audiences’ attention. The need for enthusiastic content heightens as virtual content production and distribution is being democratised.

“Dentsu’s House of Creators is a groundbreaking initiative that pioneers social change while building on dentsu’s 120-year tradition of innovation. We will provide opportunities for the next generation of content creators from around the world to fully express their creativity and bring great content to users. We believe this is an extremely valuable initiative for our clients and for society and are very pleased to be able to launch this initiative with the support of Roblox, a company that is highly regarded by the next generation of content creators,” Hiroshi Igarashi, president and global chief executive officer at Dentsu, said.

David Baszucki, founder and chief executive officer at Roblox, also commented, “As we’ve seen our global creator community on Roblox grow and evolve, we are continually amazed by their creativity and growing influence on digital culture and content. We build the tools and platform, but our creators are the real engine for new and compelling experiences, powering the future of immersive content creation. It’s inspiring to see recognition of their unmatched creativity and influence, including in our key countries like Japan.”

Malaysia – Fraser & Neave (F&N) Group in Malaysia has appointed dentsu Malaysia as its new media agency of record, following a highly competitive pitch.

The partnership, set to begin in October 2024, will see dentsu take charge of media strategy, planning, and buying across F&N’s beverage and dairy portfolios in Malaysia. This includes categories such as isotonic drinks, carbonated soft drinks, water, wellness beverages, liquid milk, and canned milk.

Leong Wai Yin, marketing director at F&N Beverages Marketing, commented, “Our decision to partner with dentsu Malaysia was driven by their exceptional media strategy and innovative planning capabilities that will drive not just media effectiveness but overall efficiencies for us as we grow our portfolio brands. This is a power-packed team that has a deep understanding of our business, our products, and our consumers. We are excited to embark on this new journey with dentsu in this new phase.”

Meanwhile, Winnie Chen-Head, managing director of media at dentsu Malaysia, shared, “As part of a dentsu cluster that has our heart in Southeast Asia, we appreciate F&N’s ASEAN ambitions and bring our unique Malaysian perspective to support F&N’s growth in the market. We are therefore thrilled to be chosen to drive ambitious growth of its brands with our deep expertise in media effectiveness and ability to drive innovative solutions that go beyond the usual in this exciting new chapter.”

She added, “We had a blast working with the team so far, with opportunities to really connect with F&N’s well-loved and iconic brands such as 100PLUS, F&N CSD, Seasons, Oyoshi, Magnolia, FarmHouse, F&N Canned Milk, Teapot, and many more. We cannot wait to reach new heights together with F&N with this mandate!”

Dentsu has also been serving as F&N’s media agency of record in Singapore since 2019.

China – Dentsu China has unveiled a series of senior leadership appointments, reinforcing its commitment to providing client-centric, integrated solutions aimed at driving accelerated growth and transformation throughout the entire customer value chain.

Leading the new appointments is Guang Cui, who will take on the role of CEO for Dentsu Creative China while continuing his position as chief business officer for Dentsu China’s Japanese client business.

Cui brings over two decades of expertise in marketing strategy, brand consulting, and integrated marketing across Japan and China. In his new role, he will play a pivotal role in revitalising Dentsu’s Japanese client business in China while unlocking the full potential of the “One Dentsu” vision within Dentsu Creative.

Joining Cui is Cindy Lee, who has been appointed CEO of Dentsu Creative East China. Known for her strong commitment to innovation and client leadership, Lee has been instrumental in shaping Dentsu’s creative services and driving success over the years.

Lee has consistently led her teams in delivering impactful creative experiences for both brands and consumers. Previously, she headed Isobar China, and with her strong track record of driving growth and fostering collaboration, Cindy is set to further enhance Dentsu’s client value across East China.

Dentsu also appointed Tommy Li as CEO of Dentsu Media China. Bringing over 20 years of industry experience, Li is focused on transforming and elevating Dentsu’s media business, including its brands—Carat, iProspect, and Dentsu X—along with enhancing practice capabilities, solutions, ecosystem partnerships, and talent development.

Under his leadership, Li will drive the media business to further solidify its pivotal role as a key growth engine for Dentsu’s clients.

Additionally, Jeffery Cao, vice president of Amplifi China, has been named leader of trading and investment for Dentsu China, bringing over 20 years of industry expertise. Laurien Lee, CEO of iProspect China, will also expand her leadership role to drive growth across the media business.

Derek Huang, practice president of CXM and CEO of Merkle China, will remain in his role to drive the modernisation of Dentsu’s capabilities in experience, data, AI, and technology. Chris Chen will continue as chief creative officer and practice president of creative, infusing transformational creativity across all client services. Together with Tommy Li, these core practice leaders will enhance and integrate Dentsu’s services to deliver innovative, AI-driven, and values-focused growth for clients.

Dentsu also brought back veteran Richard Frampton as chief strategy officer for Dentsu China. Joining the senior leadership team, Frampton will oversee the vision and strategy for Dentsu China’s client portfolio, developing integrated, end-to-end solutions to drive growth, profitability, and client satisfaction.

With nearly 20 years of experience, Frampton has crafted data-driven, creative strategies for major brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and L’Oréal. He is a known champion of marketing transformation and will leverage his expertise to guide Dentsu’s clients through the evolving marketplace and deliver impactful, tailored solutions for growth.

Meanwhile, Ami Qian will advance brand growth at Dentsu China in her new role as chief transformation and marketing officer. She will drive the transformation of the enterprise, oversee brand marketing, change management, and corporate communications, and strengthen the “One Dentsu” culture through key external partnerships.

Finally, Jianhao Chen, a seasoned expert in software innovation and digital transformation, has been named chief data and solutions officer for Greater North Asia while maintaining his role as chief technology officer at Merkle China.

In this expanded role, Jianhao will lead the solution centre team to collaborate with Dentsu’s practices, leveraging advanced technologies to transform client services through innovative tools and comprehensive data. His expertise will be key in modernising Dentsu’s approach and delivering exceptional value to our clients.

Chun Yin Mak, CEO of dentsu China and practice president of CXM/Merkle APAC, commented, “We are thrilled to announce these exciting new leadership positions, appointments, and promotions that represent a new chapter in dentsu China’s journey towards greater success and innovation. Our leadership team is equipped with the right blend of expertise, passion, and vision to drive meaningful growth for our clients and push the boundaries of what is possible in this most exciting and advanced marketplace.”

Jennifer Tang, CEO of Greater North Asia and Taiwan, added, “This is an important milestone that underscores our commitment to nurturing and attracting top talent, which remains our most valued asset at dentsu. Our local and diverse leaders represent the next generation of dentsu China under Chun’s leadership. Their industry experience, passion, deep expertise, and strategic insight not only position us to deliver innovative, precedent-setting solutions but also give us the confidence to realise our growth ambitions in China as a core part of our Greater North Asia and Asia Pacific business.”

Hong Kong – iProspect Hong Kong has recently spearheaded KFC Hong Kong’s brand campaign with the sought-after Japanese anime “Attack on Titan The Final Season”. This “Krunch! Chill Out and Attack On!” campaign marks another massive undertaking by KFC with an iconic anime IP.

Despite the anime’s focus on high-stakes battles against giant titans, iProspect demonstrated its expertise in orchestrating complex brand collaborations. Through its dedicated IP offerings and a blend of creative, media, and UX/UI elements, iProspect thoughtfully reframes these intense anime motifs in a way that resonates with the local market and aligns with KFC’s brand identity.

At the heart of the campaign is KFC’s brand positioning of providing a “Krispy” break – a moment of indulgence and relaxation amidst the daily pressures of life. This concept is brought to life through the animated commercials that integrated “Attack on Titan” characters into scenarios that mirror the daily struggles faced by the local consumers.

Leveraging iProspect’s creative expertise in marrying animated IP and the brand products seamlessly, the animated Titan characters were designed to carry KFC chickens in their hands, further echoing the KFC brand identity of playful and bold.

Moreover, one of the animated spots features the Attack Titan dressed in business attire who emerges to tell a stressed-out office worker “Feeling stressful? Eat KFC to relax! (有壓力？食件雞囉！)”. The other commercial features the Attack Titan who stopped the Jaw Titan with a student backpack who is overwhelmed with homework, to “Slow down, chill out and eat KFC to relieve (唔洗咁 chur 喎，食件雞唞吓啦你！)”.

These relatable scenarios, enhanced by the use of familiar Hong Kong idioms and colloquial phrases, further enhance the local relevance and resonance of KFC’s brand messaging.

iProspect Hong Kong and KFC have also developed a line of six exclusive merchandise items inspired by “Attack on Titan: The Final Season” character elements with a pun-intended product name in Cantonese – “Krispy Break” Maneuver Gear (唞唞「雞」動裝置)”, including ‘Krispy Break Titan Eye Mask’, ‘Survey Corps Neck Pillow with Cape’, ‘Infinite Stress Popping Bucket’, ‘Survey Corps Krispy Break Portable Fan’, ‘Titan “Kooling” Towel’, and ‘“Krispy Break” Acrylic Stand Blind Box’, aimed to remind working classes and students to take a break during their busy days.

Both have also have taken the collaboration a step further by transforming the flagship KFC store in Causeway Bay into a fully immersive “Attack on Titan” experience. Both the interior and exterior of the store are decorated with the designs of the anime characters, bringing the thrilling Titan scenes to life.

The second floor also features two giant photo spots, recreating classic scenes from the anime. This first-of-its-kind move showcases KFC’s commitment to providing consumers with a 360-degree engagement that aligns with their brand positioning of making life easier and offering an instant space for people to dive in, set themselves free, and indulge in what they want for a moment.

Lastly, to further reinforce the brand’s role in providing a moment of respite and relaxation, KFC created an opportunity for the audience to reflect on their daily stresses and the need for a break. Leveraging iProspect’s UX/UI expertise, an interactive “Titan Attribute” game has been implemented to allow consumers to match their personality traits to corresponding Titan characters and discover their “Titan alter ego” with tailored stress-coping methods.

Janet Lau, marketing director of KFC HK & Macau, said, “We are thrilled by iProspect Hong Kong’s ability to cater to all our needs for this captivating ‘Attack on Titan’ collaboration. The strategic partnership with ‘Attack on Titan’ enables us to successfully communicate our brand identity and connect with our customers, particularly engaging with a younger demographic.”

*KFC x Attack on Titan “Titan Attribute” game*

Meanwhile, Christa Ma, business director at iProspect Hong Kong commented, “This successful campaign showcases our agency’s expertise in bringing IP activations to life, especially through the immersive Causeway Bay flagship store experience and the diverse merchandise offerings. It demonstrates our ability to deliver innovative, eye-catching campaigns that drive real impact and engagement. By tapping into the beloved anime’s characters and motifs, we’ve successfully engaged the busy working class and student segments, delivering a campaign that strikes a profound chord with our target audience.”

The campaign is running from 22 August to 18 September and being promoted across a diverse array of multimedia platforms, including television broadcasting, digital channels, outdoor advertising, influencer social media channels, print ads, MTR network, domination of the Causeway Bay KFC flagship store and all other KFC stores.

Singapore – The number of brands involved in business-to-business (B2B) buying has risen to 62% since 2021, according to Dentsu’s 2024 ‘Superpowers Index,’ a study on global B2B buying behaviour. The study uses a single metric that encompasses overall brand experience in providing insights that guide brands in evaluating their performance on key criteria.

According to the index, brand building among companies has climbed from fifth in 2023 to top priority this year. Moreover, the average decision time for B2B opportunities has increased 54 days since 2021, ensuring that the value caused by the delay is lessened. However, only two in five business were reported to be highly satisfied with their B2B journeys.

Overall, the 10-point increase in the proprietary Superpowers Index Score has resulted in a 14% average uplift in the dollar value of each B2B opportunity.

“The Superpowers Index provides a framework for driving client growth by benchmarking performance across the 30 decision drivers, pinpointing improvement opportunities and measurement and gives a comprehensive look at the evolving landscape of B2B marketing year over year. The research allows us to target and refine our dentsu B2B capabilities to the needs of global clients across markets,” Patrick Hounsell, president of Dentsu B2B, said.

“Our goal is to provide B2B brands with the tools and insights they need to connect their marketing, IT, and sales efforts more effectively and these solutions represent a significant leap forward in our commitment to driving B2B success,” Hounsell added.