Tag: East Asia

Beijing, China –  Mastercard announced that its cardholders can link their cards to WeChat Pay, or as it’s known locally, ‘Weixin Pay’, a mobile payment service within the WeChat app, as a new payments option that further improves the digital payment experience of foreign visitors to the country.

Expanding on a partnership established in 2019 that offers enhanced digital payment solutions, the latest development gives Mastercard full access to WeChat Pay’s merchant network in China and provides a safe and convenient way for international travelers to pay when traveling around the Chinese Mainland.

The extended merchant network includes categories such as dining, transportation, shopping, accommodation, and more. International travelers with Mastercard cards can now utilize multiple payment methods through the app, such as QR codes, payment codes, mini programs, and in-app payments.

In their press release, Mastercard stated, “For merchants, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, the Weixin Pay-Mastercard tie up gives them more opportunities to transact with international travelers who now have access to one of the most widely accepted payment methods in China, allowing them to get around easily, without hassle.”

Taiwan – Golin, an Interpublic Group agency, has recently appointed Neysa Chou as the its new executive director for Golin Taipei. Neysa will be in charge of leading the consumer and digital teams in Taipei, with a focus on strategic advising, integrated marketing communications (IMC), social media, and digital project management. 

In her new role, Chou will report directly to Terry Chiang, managing director of Golin Taipei. 

Chou returns to IPG after previously working at Golin and DeVries Global in Taipei and Beijing, including experiences in PR, digital, and marketing in areas such as entertainment, tourism, cosmetics, and consumer electronics.

Speaking about the appointment, Chiang commented, “Neysa’s creative enthusiasm, acute business acumen and reputation as a trusted counsellor to brands across a multitude of industries will help us create real change and impact for our clients.”

He added, “Leading our dynamic, energetic and passionate team, I see Neysa’s well-rounded experience further elevating our talents’ skillset, strategic thinking and eagerness to make even bolder moves for brands.” 

Meanwhile, Chou expressed, “I couldn’t be happier to join Golin Taipei.  I’ve watched as the team has created meaningful, award-winning work, alongside truly progressive DEI programs.”

She added, “I’m keen for the experience I’ve accumulated across the past decade – especially insights into the travel and FMCG industries –  to benefit our clients and people, while becoming part of the fantastic workplace culture Golin is renowned for.” 

Tokyo – Global skincare brand SK-II has promised to unveil their skincare secrets through an exhibition entitled ‘THE SECRET KEY’, in line with celebrating and showcasing their exclusive ingredient known as ‘PITERA’.

Following last year’s celebration of PITERA at ‘World PITERA Day’ in Tokyo, Japan, SK-II  launched their “SK-II SECRET KEY HOUSE” physical art exhibition for July 29 and 30 as part of its World PITERA Month, a month-long transformational journey aiming to highlight PITERA.

The SK-II SECRET KEY HOUSE will be joined by some of the world’s biggest names in beauty, featuring exclusive appearances from SK-II’s global celebrity ambassadors including Japanese actress Haruka Ayase, award-winning Chinese actress Tang Wei, Mina of global girl group Twice and Chinese actress Qiu Tian.

Commenting on the campaign, Haruka Ayase said, “I am looking forward to unlocking new secrets about SK-II and PITERA™ at SK-II SECRET KEY HOUSE that even after more than 10 years with the brand I don’t know about. I’m always excited to discover more about PITERA™ and how it can transform skin to Crystal Clear.”

Mina from TWICE also expressed her excitement in joining the campaign as it marks the first time that she’ll be meeting and interacting with PITERA fans in-person as SK-II’s ambassador. “I can’t wait to share the story of my transformational skin journey – I might even include more secrets of my own,”she added. 

Meanwhile, Sue Kyung Lee, global CEO of SK-II, mentioned, “For the first time in SK-II’s history, we will be handing our consumers the keys to unlock the biggest, most closely guarded secrets behind SK-II and our iconic PITERA. We hope to continue inspiring women to choose their skin destiny by embarking on their own journey to unlock Crystal Clear Skin transformation with PITERA, The Secret Key.”

Singapore –  Xiaohongshu (Red), a lifestyle-sharing site in China has appointed Nativex to be its official cross-border marketing agency, enabling brands and developers from around the world to benefit from user growth on the platform.

By using the user-generated content (UGC) capability, Xiaohongshu provides brands and developers with an engaging and authentic avenue for connecting with users, encouraging engagement, and creating brand identities. With its user population, engagement rates, user loyalty, and influence, the platform has grown to be a destination for many brands.

Nativex is able to provide digital marketing solutions for brands and developers thanks to their knowledge of Xiaohongshu’s user demographics and behavioural patterns. This knowledge enables them to engage audiences, increase user engagement, and experience company growth. Nativex gives its clients the tools they need to maximise their presence on the platform and achieve this by utilising this knowledge.

Speaking about the collaboration, Yuan Lang, head of Xiaohongshu’s commercial channels, said, “Nativex has garnered the trust of numerous global brands and developers through its professionalism and innovative approach. We eagerly anticipate partnering with Nativex to cater to an even wider spectrum of international brands in the future.”

Meanwhile, Cheryl Huang, senior vice president of Nativex, expressed, “Nativex is thrilled to apply our professional expertise and vast experience to support brands and developers in harnessing the immense user base of Xiaohongshu and attaining commercial success in the Chinese market. Whether the objective is to boost brand visibility, promote products, foster user engagement, or drive sales growth, we are dedicated to delivering tangible results.”

Japan – Advertising agency Grey has announced the promotion of Masa Okazaki to chief operating officer of Grey Tokyo. 

As chief operating officer, Masa will be in charge of upholding Grey Tokyo’s strategic vision, fostering its borderless agenda, and ensuring the delivery of outstanding marketing services and integrated solutions to clients.

Masa will be entering his new role with eighteen months of prior experience as the chief business officer for Grey Tokyo, as well as over 10 years of experience within the advertising industry.  

Commenting on his own appointment, Masa said that his experience working creative and collaborative talent at Grey for the last eighteen months, has been tremendous for him. 

“The strategy and plans we have put in place are solid, but it is the people who bring it to life. Throughout this process, we achieved remarkable and effective work, forging deep and lasting relationships with both existing and new clients. Our goal is to build upon this momentum and accelerate further growth,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Yukiko Ochiai, president and CEO of Grey Tokyo, said, “Masa is one of the most dynamic and innovative people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. He is a true change-maker and a results-oriented leader with extensive industry knowledge. I am confident that we have the best team in place to drive the growth of our clients, brands and businesses, which will also take Grey Tokyo to even greater heights.”

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.” 

Singapore – As travel restrictions come to an end, Singapore-based creative design agency Sniper Digital was recently engaged by a Macau destination company to craft a campaign that would help bring back the excitement of Hong Kong residents to visit Macau again and experience its iconic landmarks and rich culture.

The campaign titled ‘Ola Hong Kong, Macau Awaits You’ showcases the unique cultural offerings and attractions in Macau whilst emphasizing its close relationship and shared history with Hong Kong.

Moreover, the campaign materials, associated with eye-catching vibrant colours, bold typography, and illustrations, featured Macau’s iconic landmarks such as Our Lady of Carmel Church and Taipa Village’s traditional shophouses, as well as the gastronomy, art, culture and lifestyle experiences. 

https://youtu.be/hVINRDzWwCg

To further entice the tourist, this campaign comes with promos including incentives and rewards, such as instant dining, shopping and lifestyle privileges and chances to enter a lucky draw to win a free night of luxury accommodation for their next visit. 

According to the agency, the campaign was embraced by both Hong Kong residents and wider travel industry. Majority of audiences shared their enthusiastic responses, with most commenting on the campaign’s effective and modern approach that helped to differentiate Macau from other nearby travel destinations. 

Sniper Digital is a newly opened creative design agency in Singapore that specialises in branding, graphic design, print media and digital marketing.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s leading telecommunications firm KDDI, in partnership with marketing communications agency Geometry Ogilvy Japan, creates a virtually produced film to showcase aU (Alpha–U), its new web3 metaverse platform brand.

In partnership with its parent company WPP, the agency crafts a 30-second clip which showcases four artistic illustrations made by GenZ artist Mayu Yukishita which were used as building blocks connected using AI midjourney and stable diffusion to generate interpolated animation of the platform brand.

The clip was also associated with visual effects to assemble the scenes, mixed with music and narration using japanese language.

Yasushi Arikawa, executive creative director of Geometry Ogilvy Japan, said that this AI-generated creative expression was inevitable for KDDI’s new brand αU that offers services that focus on Web3 and the metaverse.

“This film, in which AI and a virtual singer tell a story about the concept of “Already, one world” that blends the real and virtual worlds, takes us beyond the “uncanny valley” to an emotionally charged story,” Arikawa added.

Geometry Ogilvy supports all the creative direction for the new Alpha U collaboration, including all branding, communication design, events, and press conferences.

The launching was also done in partnership with Sydney-based production house Alt.vfx, and their subsidiary global creative studio T&DA, along with design agency New Holland Creative and THINKR.

Hong Kong – The Marketing Society, a global community for marketers, has announced new leadership appointments for Hong Kong which include Natalie Truong as its chair and Hina Wainwright being the new vice chair. The appointments aim to accelerate marketing leadership in the city and across the Asia-Pacific region upon entering the post-pandemic era. 

In their new roles, Truong and Wainwright will lead the society in Hong Kong by curating programme of events, conducting trainings, and mentoring marketing leaders and teams which is aimed to be a step for them to perform well for brands, business, partners and wider society.

They will be working with the non-executive board which includes Edward Bell, general brand manager at Cathay Pacific Airways; Nellie Chan, director of customer solutions at Google; Karl Gregory, head of digital channel, sales and customer engagement at HSBC Asia; Kiri Sinclair, founder and CEO at communications agency Sinclair; Seraphina Wong, co-founder and CMO at Women Workplace Index; and environmental service The ESG Consortium.

Truong brings with her experience in leading B2C and B2B organisations from various industries including professional services, financial services, superannuation and telecommunications across Australia, New Zealand and Asia whilst Wainwright also carries with her leadership experience working at global organisations in Asia from various industries including marketing services, life sciences, engineering and the arts.

Whilst serving the organisation, Truong is simultaneously the current chief marketing officer and partner at consulting firm Mercer. Meanwhile, Wainwright is concurrently with independent marketing service adm Group, similarly holding a chief marketing officer position.

Darren Chuckry, outgoing chair of the society said that it is an honour to serve the society in Hong Kong, knowing that they became connected with inspirational marketers.

Sophie Devonshire, chief executive officer at The Marketing Society, added, “As we look towards exciting times ahead, we are delighted to have two formidable marketing leaders at the helm. Natalie and Hina each have a wealth of rich experience, and are ready to steer new energy into our community.”

Founded in 1959, The Marketing Society is a non-profit organisation that builds community of marketing leaders around the world, with its hubs in England, Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and New York.

Hong Kong – Taking overtime at the workplace is sometimes inevitable, most especially now that the work-from-home set up has blurred the lines between work and rest – this practice can be a challenge for most. PRHK, an industry organisation for public relations and communications professionals in Hong Kong, has come up with a solution to this problem by launching a toolkit called ‘Working Smarter for the Future’ which aims to help industry leaders and working teams to practice better workflow processes and combat overtime. 

Initiated by the next-gen sub-committee of PRHK, the 27-page toolkit gives ample recommendations on planning tools, policy updates, and working tips that industry leaders can use to facilitate a healthy working environment amongst team members, whilst making the work-life balance possible. Meanwhile, resource planning and additional support are also presented for individuals and working teams.

The committee that initiated the toolkit includes Karolis Adomaitis of Fleishman Hillard, Carol Yeung of Golin, Penn Leung and Jesa Amparo of Creative Consulting Group and Sara Cheung of Edelman. 

The said toolkit is also an answer to PRHK’s latest research data which revealed that the top three causes of overtime are tight deadlines and last-minute requests, lack of manpower, and various meetings. The same survey also showed that 75% of respondents from the industry perceive overtime as normal with another 70% having experienced physical or mental health issues, considering overtime as a factor.

Carol Yeung, co-chair of the PRHK’s next gen sub-committee said, “The launch of our ‘Working Smarter for the Future’ toolkit is another step in moving towards making work-life balance a reality for Hong Kong PR and communications professionals. We especially want the profession to overcome its inertia on the issue of unreasonable overtime.” 

Meanwhile, Carbo Yu, chairperson of PRHK added, “PRHK’s mission is to represent, champion, promote and grow the PR and communications profession in Hong Kong. This project has achieved just that, gaining significant positive response from professionals across the industry. PRHK will continue to be an enabler for working smarter as we help people navigate Hong Kong’s dynamic communications landscape.”

With the toolkit launch, PRHK said it commits to delivering more resources such as conducting workshops to help in drawing boundaries, managing hybrid work, and time management.