Tag: Dentsu

Thailand – Dentsu International is enhancing its customer experience (CX) management in Southeast Asia (SEA) with the launch of marketing agency Merkle in Thailand. 

Merkle’s launch in Thailand comes after the market attained a significant increase in marketing technology investments. With the rising expectations for customer experience and brand interaction, Merkle Thailand leverages its Experience and Service Design Consulting, CRM and Customer Engagement/Loyalty, Data Strategy and CDP, as well as Omnichannel Commerce to secure long-term customer loyalty while extending business growth opportunities to brands. 

The expansion of Merkle through its Thailand launch contributes to enabling enhanced and transformative digital marketing in SEA. 

“SEA is an awakening dragon, and as a dentsu cluster that was born to soar with the dragon, we are a rare partner with a glocalised lens to unlock the potential of the CX journey in this region. Particularly in Thailand, where CX has become an intrinsic part of any business looking to cut through the noise and connect with consumers, with Merkle now in Thailand, it will undoubtedly be able to help brands win on experience by reimagining sustainable CX strategies for business transformation. Merkle’s expanded footprint will also open up stronger possibilities for clients looking to be CX leaders in the era of SEA,” Sanjay Bhasin, chief executive officer of Dentsu SEA, said.

Apirada Benchakaranee, chief executive officer, CXM of Dentsu Thailand, said, “The dawn of AI-driven experiences is a seismic shift that can make CXM a daunting journey for many brands in Thailand, where consumers have radically evolved in their expectations and behaviours around brand experiences. At Merkle, we are purpose-built to partner ambitious brands in seizing opportunities, even amidst chaos, to deepen engagement with their most important consumers. We look forward to bringing this to brands that are ready to elevate their experience-led growth.”

Chun Yin Mak, president, CXM of Dentsu Asia Pacific, added, “As the only player in the industry that grew up in data, Merkle is an end-to-end experience transformation partner that is ready for an AI-first future. Our unrivalled integration of strategy, technology, design and data, enables us to power the experience economy, and we are delighted that we can now bring that same obsession to Thailand to help brands dream, do, and deliver the total experience for consumers.”

Over the years, Merkle’s growth in SEA includes over 300 experts in Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.

India – dentsu has announced the launch of its business transformation practice, Dentsu BX, in India to continue its rapid evolution as a ‘Marketing X Technology X Consulting’ company. Narayan Devanathan will lead the new practice, adding to his existing role as president and chief strategy officer for South Asia. 

He will continue to report to Harsha Razdan, CEO for South Asia at dentsu, while also reporting to Chris Bower, managing director of business transformation consulting for APAC at dentsu, and Yuichi Toyoda, global practice president for Business Transformation (BX).

In his expanded mandate, Narayan will collaborate with businesses to co-create transformation strategies that accelerate sustainable business growth. He will aim to deliver transformative solutions that drive substantial value for clients, businesses, and society. 

Working with a group of agile client transformation specialists internally and specialised strategic alliances externally, Dentsu BX will create innovative strategies for businesses to explore new categories, revolutionise their operations, and stay ahead of the times, true to dentsu’s promise of ‘Innovating to Impact’.

Speaking about the new practice, Narayan said, “I am excited to lead the Dentsu BX practice in India. We have already launched the practice in stealth mode and engaged with multiple businesses on various projects. Clients already get ‘efficiencies and best practices’ with your garden-variety consulting firms and that’s not what Dentsu BX is about. Our goal is to create Next Practices for them via distinctive solutions built on three cornerstones: creativity, our ability to move people and activate and execute outcomes that benefit customers, society, and business.”

He added, “Our solutions span growth hacking, sustainability acceleration, innovation, and incubation – in short, all the ingredients businesses need to create a better, more sustainable future for themselves, their customers, and society. That’s the essence not just of Dentsu BX but of dentsu itself, and we will harness all the extraordinary talent and expertise of dentsu South Asia to deliver it.”

Meanwhile, Harsha commented, “Dentsu’s relentless commitment is on delivering exceptional client- outcomes. As we have evolved to become more client-centric across all practices, the expansion of Dentsu BX into India represents a natural progression. I am confident that Narayan is the perfect leader for this initiative. His extensive expertise and proven track record make him ideally suited to lead this strategic and industry-leading offering.”

He added, “In addition to his existing remit, Narayan will harness our key expertise to craft innovative and transformative solutions that drive significant business impact for brands. With his elite ‘special ops’ team for Dentsu BX, Narayan will leverage the full strength of dentsu to deliver innovative, outcome-driven solutions for our clients.”

Singapore – Dentsu has announced the dual appointments of Ganga Chirravuri as president of product and development for APAC and Matt Farrington as president of investment and trading for APAC. These strategic appointments underscore dentsu’s commitment to driving innovation and growth through its client solutions across the APAC region.

Chirravuri joined dentsu in March 2023 and has been instrumental in delivering a new and improved holistic product stack, elevating the competitiveness of our solutions. He brings nearly 25 years of experience in product management and technology development and has deep, unmatched knowledge of both media and customer platforms.

In his new role, he will continue to drive the strategic development of dentsu’s digital and data product portfolios, leading a team of talented engineers to build scalable, commercial solutions that are customisable to client, brand and market needs and drive incremental performance improvement of client’s ad dollars.

Prior to dentsu, he has extensive experience in software and product technology with a decade at Verizon and more recently as chief product officer at Shopmatic and chief technology officer at CtrlShift.

Speaking on Chirravuri’s appointment, Christina Lee, chief technology officer at dentsu APAC, said, “Ganga’s future mindset, creativity and long-term perspective has enabled the delivery of a product suite designed with client needs at the core, driving the effectiveness and competitiveness of our offering. More broadly, our Data & Technology evolution continues at pace and I’m delighted Ganga will spearhead this important agenda and unlock future, sustainable growth for our clients across all our brands in media, creative and CXM.”

Meanwhile, Farrington brings over 20 years of experience across modern and emerging media ecosystems having worked at agencies including GroupM and Omnicom, occupying leadership roles across both Australia and Singapore. He joins dentsu from Yahoo where he was the head of Partnerships & Investment, APAC and led the investment strategy for Yahoo AdTech across the region, including establishing multi-market holding group partnerships and overseeing all deal and investment activities.

For his new role, he will focus on developing high-quality media investment solutions that deliver sustainable, value-enhancing outcomes for clients, build leading capabilities within our agency disciplines, and strengthen relationships with key partners. His extensive background positions him well to lead and develop commercial partnership frameworks that create value for all stakeholders – its partners, teams, and clients.

Prerna Mehrotra, chief client officer and CEO of media for APAC at dentsu, said, “New media ecosystems are redefining the possibilities of what media can deliver. To win in this unbounded era we need to integrate media with data, technology, creativity, production, sports and entertainment to create new, deeply connected propositions that accelerate new revenue streams for clients. This starts with having visionary talent who fundamentally understand the complexity of the landscape, the opportunities for growth and how to realise it. It starts with our craft.”

He added, “These appointments are testament to that dedication to craft and innovation; Ganga and Matt’s roles mark a significant step-up, not only in capability but in our ability to deliver integrated, ‘++’ solutions for clients, delivering unparalleled impact by being client-first, craft-led and digitally ahead,” added Prerna Mehrotra.”

Indonesia – Nescafé Indonesia has recently teamed up with Dentsu Indonesia to unveil the ‘Nescafe Sky Show,’ a stunning aerial drone display designed to introduce its newest brand ambassador, renowned South Korean actor Ji Chang-wook.

The Nescafé Sky Show, presented at the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran 2024, invited fans to capture images of Nescafé’s ‘Coffee Ala Cafe’ brand ambassador, Ji Chang-wook, alongside their Nescafé beverages and share them on social media.

Sherif Hani, business executive officer of Coffee Néstle Indonesia, said, “We have always been committed to aligning our coffee brand with modern lifestyles and trends, including the K-wave phenomenon that has resonated strongly with Gen Z. The enthusiastic support from Ji Chang Wook’s fanbase in Indonesia inspired us to appoint him as the Brand Ambassador of Nescafe Indonesia. Together with dentsu, we elevated the launch experience to another level, introducing our Brand Ambassador in a distinctive and historically significant Sky Show at Jakarta Fair Kemayoran.”

Meanwhile, Rommy Pantouw, content director of dentsu X Indonesia, shared, “The Nescafé Sky Show was designed to create a unique, engaging brand experience that resonated with the audience. By blending innovation with a beloved celebrity figure, Nescafé Indonesia is committed to continuously inspiring consumers with a dynamic lifestyle. We have successfully identified a historic moment to implement this idea, marking the first time a brand has presented such a show at the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran. A total of 300 drones were used to create stunning visual configurations for 10 minutes, producing spectacular images in the sky and capturing the attention of thousands of visitors at the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran.”

India – Dentsu Creative India has named Abhijat Bharadwaj as chief creative officer (CCO) of Dentsu Creative Isobar in a strategic move to strengthen the company’s creative vision. 

Bharadwaj will report to Amit Wadhwa, CEO of Dentsu Creative India, and Sahil Shah, president of Dentsu Creative Isobar, and will collaborate closely with the executive team to advance the agency’s creative strategy. He will concentrate on significantly enhancing Dentsu Creative Isobar’s creative prowess and unique talent pool, which have been developed over the years through collaboration with many renowned Indian and international companies. 

Bharadwaj has over 17 years of expertise in advertising, having directed campaigns for companies including Mercedes-Benz, Godrej, AM/NS, Star Sports, and Swiggy. His campaigns include “Netflix for All,” Bhuvan Bam’s Pizza Hut campaign, and the Indian Super League’s “Yeh Diwali Football Wali” campaign.

Bharadwaj was the creator behind the “Teen Ka Dream” Adidas World Cup advertisement. His career has included crucial positions at leading agencies such as Leo Burnett, McCann, and Creativeland Asia. He also led Star Sports’ premium sports vertical, where he played a key role in promoting football, tennis, and Formula One in India. Abhijat, known for his unwavering pursuit of creative brilliance, mixes strategic thought with boundless excitement in his current position.

Dentsu Creative Isobar’s dedication to developing remarkable brand experiences rooted in creativity in the modern, multi-platform, digital-first world is further demonstrated by the appointment of Bharadwaj. His direction will be crucial in establishing new standards for creativity, encouraging an innovative culture, and developing a vibrant group of up-and-coming creatives. 

Sahil Shah said, “Abhijat’s entry unlocks a new level of growth for us. In today’s day and age, brands need a creative agency that solves problems, regardless of platforms or mediums, because that’s how non-linear and multi-platform the consumer is. And in this new era, I believe we have a phenomenal talent pool, with strong creative capabilities and the right culture to be in the pole position. With Abhijat leading our creative from the top, I am certain we are now a team to beat.” 

Speaking about the appointment, Amit Wadhwa said, “Abhijat is not just an exceptional creative talent but a visionary leader for this new age. His passion for excellence in both work and team building will set new industry standards. Alongside our formidable team of creative leaders, we are confident that Abhijat will propel us to new heights of success and recognition.” 

Lastly, Bharadwaj said, “Joining an iconic global brand like dentsu is truly exciting. My goal is to unlock new opportunities for Dentsu Creative Isobar in India and build a best-in-class team that delivers creative solutions and exceptional value for our clients.”

India – Dentsu has announced a significant global expansion of its pioneering innovation hub, Dentsu Lab. Alongside this announcement, Dentsu has promoted Sven Huberts to the dual role of president of global innovation and experience and president of Dentsu Lab, while Naoki Tanaka will lead Dentsu Lab Tokyo as chief creative officer. 

Dentsu’s first global labs will be opening in London, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with further international labs planned for 2025. The new international network will work towards a shared mission to innovate human experiences that move people’s hearts, impact business, and improve society. 

Each lab will be overseen by dedicated local leadership, to be announced in the coming months, supported by a team of specialists focused on bringing a wide range of services to market. These services will include creative R&D that integrates contexts and technologies such as events, sports, gaming, installations, retail, new products, proposition design, new realities (AR, VR, MR), data visualisation, AI, mobile, IoT, and rapid prototyping.

The labs will be fully integrated with each other and dentsu’s offices to expand on the network’s innovation offer.

Together with this expansion, Dentsu has also appointed Huberts and Tanaka to lead the global rollout of the pioneering Dentsu Lab in Tokyo. 

In his new dual role as president of global innovation and experience and president of Dentsu Lab, Huberts is responsible not only for spearheading the global expansion of Dentsu Lab but also for scaling the mission across the network to deliver client growth via Dentsu’s combined experience and innovation capabilities.

Meanwhile, as the new chief creative officer of Dentsu Lab Tokyo, Tanaka will leverage his academic background in science and technology and years of professional experience to continuously push the boundaries of creative technology for clients.

This global initiative builds on the success of Dentsu Lab Tokyo, founded in 2014 by global chief creative officer Yasuharu Sasaki. Over the past decade, the Lab has delivered renowned projects like “All Players Welcome,” which empowers creativity for individuals with disabilities, enhanced international event ceremonies, and used algorithms and data visualisation to improve sports experiences. 

Jean Lin, global president of global practices at dentsu, said, “The launch of Dentsu Lab continues a proud 120-year tradition of innovation sitting at the core of dentsu’s offering. We know from Dentsu Lab Tokyo how powerful the outcome for society and business can be when you bring the best creative technologists together to imagine and invent. To be making this possible on a global stage is an exciting moment for dentsu, clients, and society.”

Commenting on his appointment, Huberts shared, “We are at an inflexion point of human creativity and technical sophistication where the opportunity for genuine innovation has never been so compelling. I couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with Naoki and our Lab leaders to empower our growing global team of creators, partners, and institutions with the most powerful technology and tools in the world to create experiences that truly touch hearts, impact business, and, most importantly, move society forward.”

Tanaka further added, “Since launching ten years ago, Dentsu Lab Tokyo has revolutionised the intersection of technology and creativity, solving societal challenges and creating visionary expressions that touch hearts and minds. Our talented international team of dreamers and innovators, equipped with cutting-edge technology, is poised to take this impact worldwide and accelerate our clients’ growth while making a profound impact on society. We take the outlier’s perspective to open up new possibilities and find new answers through play. The future isn’t just on the horizon; with Dentsu Lab’s global vision, it is here and now, ready to transform the world.”

Singapore – Global marketing and advertising agency dentsu has recently announced the appointments of Sanchit Mendiratta as chief growth officer, SEA and managing director of CXM at dentsu Singapore.

Concurrently, Trishe Goh has been promoted to senior director of Growth, Merkle.

Mendiratta and Goh’s appointments serve to bolster the expansion of its Customer Experience Management (“CXM”) capabilities across Southeast Asia.

Through its data-driven CXM agency, Merkle, dentsu’s Southeast Asia cluster will serve as a centre of excellence for analytics, customer data management, as well as customer experience and commerce for the network’s clients in the region.

Speaking on their appointments, Mendiratta and Goh jointly commented, “Our people-based marketing approach helps brands create a competitive advantage to thrive in the experience economy. We have local teams that keep a close pulse on the ground, and bring a strong understanding of the dynamics of each market in shaping transformative experiences that work for the right audiences.”

“But more importantly, our end-to-end integrated solutions seamlessly marries the best of creative, media, and CX to deliver winning strategies for our clients in an increasingly competitive consumer landscape. We look forward to helping more brands win in the era of Southeast Asia,” they added.

Commenting as well, Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, dentsu, Southeast Asia, said, “With our proven track record in delivering data-driven customer experience transformation and our hyper pulse on consumer behaviours on the ground, we are excited to reimagine the customer experience with brands who are ready for this journey. I am confident that Sanchit and Trishe will propel our growth in this segment across the cluster.”

Meanwhile, Chun Yin Mak, president, CXM, dentsu APAC, mentioned, “As incomes and consumption rise across Southeast Asia, consumer demographics will diversify as the competition for their time and attention intensifies. This is where we can help brands win with agility, technology, data, and experience. We have been at the forefront of driving innovation and transformation in customer experience around the world, and now, Sanchit and Trishe are well-placed to further grow our presence with our clients in Southeast Asia.”

Singapore – A staggering 62% of APAC consumers, compared to 49% globally, express a desire for an AI clone by 2035 to manage shopping, administrative, and communication tasks for them, according to a report from dentsu.

The report also highlighted outsourcing trends, revealing that 88% of APAC consumers, the highest globally, are inclined to delegate work and personal scheduling duties to AI assistants, with several countries scoring notably above the regional average.

As more APAC consumers turn to AI assistants, dentsu’s study also predicts the rise of AI gatekeepers. These AI entities will manage recurring purchases, vet ads, and represent consumers in focus groups, streamlining brand interactions. The report indicates strong support for this trend, with 85% of APAC consumers wanting an AI assistant for these tasks by 2035, compared to a global average of 77%.

Interestingly, 70% of APAC consumers believe that by 2035, relationships with AI companions could be as fulfilling and rewarding as human relationships. This sentiment is particularly strong in India (81%) and China (78%).

With all these shifts, the report states that brands will need to become more perceptive in order to garner consumer attention in the AI-filtered and culturally reshaped reality on the horizon.

Consequently, consumers will increasingly prioritise emotional connections with brands, with 75% stating that their mood significantly influences purchase decisions. The study also reveals that most consumers wish to be more impulsive and actively seek experiences that evoke strong emotions.

Commenting on the report, Dominic Powers, chief growth officer at dentsu APAC, remarked, “Consumer Vision 2035 unveils the dawn of a transformative era across technology, culture, and consumer expectations. As we navigate towards an AI-filtered future, businesses must proactively adapt to meet evolving consumer needs. These insights serve as a compass for people-centred transformation, fostering long-term brand resilience and innovation.”

Malaysia – dentsu Malaysia has elevated Winnie Chen-Head to the position of managing director of media to further drive transformation and innovation of the network’s media practice in the market. 

In this appointment, Chen-Head will take over Pankaj Nayak, who led dentsu Malaysia’s media practice in an interim role since April 2023. Nayak will now focus on his role as managing director of media at dentsu Singapore. 

Chen-Head brings with her over 23 years of experience as a marketing strategist. She joined dentsu Malaysia in 2021 as head of product and solutions for its media business. She has played a vital role in developing and scaling new solutions for clients, all while leading consistent business growth. 

Concurrently, Chen-Head also served as the head of iProspect Malaysia, leading the media agency to anchor itself as a digital-first agency and refine its scope of offerings for clients. 

In her new role, she will report directly to Audrey Chong, CEO of dentsu Malaysia.

Commenting on the appointment, Chong said, “With her proven track record in steering effective transformation and strategic growth within our network, Winnie is a natural choice to take our media practice in Malaysia to the next phase of growth. She takes over at a pivotal moment with the firm foundations that have been laid by Pankaj in his time with us. I am confident that Winnie and Pankaj will continue to work closely together and alongside our media practices across Southeast Asia to deliver an even stronger proposition for clients across the cluster.”

On her appointment, Chen-Head also shared, “As we help our clients navigate an increasingly dynamic business landscape, innovative and transformative strategy and growth take centre stage. This is what we at dentsu are committed to delivering for our clients. I am grateful to be able to work with our dedicated media teams in dentsu Malaysia to elevate brand transformation through impactful and agile media strategies that are adapted for the ever-changing external environment.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – Dentsu Indonesia has announced the appointment of Anwesh Bose as chief growth officer, effective immediately.

In his new role, Bose will spearhead growth initiatives and foster collaboration across units to identify market opportunities that will propel dentsu Indonesia and its clients to achieve the next phase of growth.

Bose brings over a wealth of experience as an advertising veteran, with a proven track record of growing brands in Indonesia and India. His extensive background includes serving as president director at Havas Group Indonesia, senior vice president at DDB India, and chief growth officer – media at dentsu media India.

He has also held leadership positions at ad-tech companies, such as Supermom Business and Whisper Media. Prior to rejoining dentsu, Bose also served as president director at The Academy Consulting.

Talking about his own appointment, Bose said, “It is an honor for me to return to dentsu, where we are committed to driving growth and innovation for marketers in Indonesia. I’m in awe of the talents and capabilities across Creative, Media, CXM that dentsu has, as well as the impressive achievements that the dentsu team have brought. I eagerly anticipate unlocking new possibilities with our expertise in data, commerce, content, and influencer marketing.”

Meanwhile, Elvira Jakub, CEO of dentsu Indonesia, commented, “We have made steady progress thus far, and by strategically appointing a senior leader with extensive experience like Anwesh, we are charting our path forward to continue helping marketers unlock new opportunities and navigate the evolving marketing landscape. Anwesh will also be instrumental in leading dentsu Indonesia’s growth through transformation and integration of our emerging service lines. I’m brimming with excitement and optimism for the incredible phase that lies ahead.”

Notably, this appointment comes after Elvira Jakub’s appointment as dentsu Indonesia’s new CEO.