Tag: Food

KFC Singapore spices up SGAG office in flavour-packed campaign to bring back a fan-fave menu 

Singapore – Global fast-food chain KFC has partnered with Havas Media and media company SGAG for its latest campaign that announces the return of a well-loved KFC menu.

The fun campaign featured a secret operation orchestrated by KFC, Havas Media, and select SGAG members in the SGAG office. The special surprise is to announce the return of KFC’s fan favourite, ‘Cheesy Zinger Meltz’.

For the grand reveal, SGAG cast members Sean and Amy enter the office holding a Cheesy Zinger Meltz and are accompanied by KFC balloons and party hats, turning the office atmosphere into a full party.

Other cast members, including Xiaoming, Nancy, and Syakeel, also joined in on the fun. And for every game or challenge won, the members can have as many of the Cheesy Zinger Meltz as they want.

The launch party was captured on reel and shared on SGAG’s TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook with supplementary meme posts. It was also shared on the members’ Instagram stories to extend and amplify the viewers excitement for the comeback of KFC’s Cheesy Zinger Meltz.

Together with the comeback of the fans’ well-loved menu product, the fast-food chain will also be launching the newest addition to the menu, a limited-time ‘KFC Cajun Wedges’.

Kelvin Goh, media director at Havas Media Group Singapore, said, “The exclusive and carefully orchestrated launch party at SGAG’s office was a unique activation that does justice to an eagerly anticipated re-launch. Not only were we able to showcase the joyful reaction that KFC’s Cheesy Zinger Meltz brings, but the surprise activation also served a strong role in breaking the news on social platforms.” 

Speaking on the campaign, Sheryl Thong, Director of Business Development at HEPMIL Singapore, also shared, “SGAG teamed up with KFC to bring the cheesy excitement right to our office! We’ve turned our office into a tasty haven with the delicious smell of KFC. Our team enjoyed fun challenges and got to taste the new KFC Cheesy Zinger Meltz before it’s available in stores. Working with KFC and the Havas Media team has been an amazing experience, and we’re excited to bring the latest zinger delight to our audiences!”

Manila, Philippines – Super app Grab in the Philippines has announced the launch of ‘Grab Caravan’, an on-ground celebration that invites all Filipinos to come together for their love of food by grabbing a bite from a selection of crowd favourite restaurants.

To kick off the Grab Caravan, Grab will first be visiting the home of picturesque sceneries of nature, Rizal province, to bring together and showcase the best of Rizal’s food scene at the Robinsons Place Antipolo Transport Terminal on 14 May. Some of the participating food establishments include Katsu House, Uncle Moe’s, Konbini by Katsu House, Auntie Anne’s, Big Al’s Cookie House, Baked By Mary Grace, Chachago, and Lecheng Tsaa.

“With the variety of restaurants joining together for the Grab Caravan, Rizaleños are in for a great feast, with lots of food choices available for everyone at any price point. Rizaleños should definitely be ready to satisfy both their cravings and their savings as they welcome the first-ever Grab Caravan in their hometown,” Grab said in a press statement.

GrabPay will also be the official payment partner of the Grab Caravan, which will allow attendees to get up to PHP20 cashback for every transaction made through GrabPay during the caravan.

After its stint in the Rizal province, the Grab Caravan will be visiting Cavite, Cebu, and Pampanga in the coming months.

Manila, Philippines – In a bid to aid the growing number of food-related small businesses in the Philippines, Grab Philippines has launched a new program called ‘Indie Eats’, which aims to help merchant-partners amplify their presence on GrabFood and bring their offerings to the spotlight.

‘Indie Eats’ hosts a full roster of small and local merchant-partners that are perfect for every craving. Whether you’re looking for refreshing mango coolers to beat the heat from ‘Mango Series’, the hearty and comforting taste of lugaw (rice porridge) from ‘Lugaw ni Pinggoy’, or a quick bite of your favourite pastries from ‘Panaderia Pantoja’, Grab has you covered with its range of merchant-partners.

With Indie Eats, Grab hopes to provide assistance to their vast community of small and local merchant-partners. Those interested to onboard can partake in Grab’s upskilling seminars, providing training in building their brand and menu. This ensures that merchant-partners are able to improve their brand every step of the way. 

All in all, the program also aims to inspire its merchant-partners to become the best brands they can be, and be on their way to exciting more consumers with their offerings.

Martin Luchangco, head of merchants and partnerships at Grab Philippines, said, “At Grab, we are always ready to provide support to our merchant-partners to ensure they are able to meet success and have a rewarding experience on our platform; in particular, small food businesses hold a lot of potential not just in Grab but in our local food industry as a whole. Indie Eats is just one of the many ways we want to help them in being discovered by more Filipinos, and reach success with us.”

Manila, Philippines – As part of the country’s move for the eventual resumption of the tourism industry, the Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines has launched its Halal Culinary Heritage Series, a campaign that encourages dining discoveries for our Muslim counterparts, as well as highlights the country’s food traditions.

Launched in July 2021, the initiative showcases unique food finds in Mindanao through a video series posted on the Department’s social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

“Food is an important part of a tourism experience. It gives us a glimpse of a place’s culture and heritage. Through the development of our Halal Culinary Tourism, we are encouraging the discovery and familiarity with the culinary traditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Philippines,” says Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat.

Said campaign is part of the Mindanao Halal Culinary Tourism, a project of the DOT with the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Aside from promoting the heritage of Mindanao and familiarity with its culture, the project also aims to document culinary practices of the area through food mapping. 

“With this initiative, there will be more knowledge and a better understanding of Filipino Halal cuisines and cooking traditions. The Philippines is creating new experiences and attractions in its different regions, so there is always more to explore,” the tourism department said in a press statement.

Through the campaign, tourists visiting Manila will be able to find restaurants and eateries that offer Halal-certified food, ranging from the stalls located at the area known as Muslim Town near the Golden Mosque in Quiapo that offer culinary delights such as ‘bakas’ or Bamboo-smoked tuna and a glutinous rice cake called ‘dodol’. 

The campaign also showcases El Prado dining outlet of the Berjaya Hotel Makati which offers dishes such as tinolang Manok (chicken in ginger broth with vegetables), a halal ‘nilagang baka’ (boiled beef with vegetables) and ‘sinigang na baka’ (beef simmered in a clear sour soup with vegetables).

The region of Mindanao offers a rich trove of halal Filipino items, ranging from dry curry ‘beef rendang’ or its fusion version as a ‘beef rendang penne’ at a restaurant called Torogan Kape in the city of Cagayan de Oro, ‘sinina kambing’ or goat meat stewed in spices and served with crab rice from Hashy’s Cuisine in Cotabato, ‘buntot (tail) ng tuna’ in curry sauce and ‘palapa’ (sweet and spicy Filipino condiment) by Tambilawan Kamayan Restaurant in General Santos City, to name a few.

The tourism department adds, “There are even more food discoveries to be found in the Philippines, with a culinary heritage that has been passed down from generations. While there are new dishes that have evolved from the basic recipes through the years, the flavors are just as rich and exciting.”

Singapore – Unilever and foodpanda have partnered to now provide 24/7 on-demand ice cream deliveries through its cloud grocery network pandamart and foodpanda shops. 

Through the partnership, Unilever will be leveraging foodpanda’s quick-commerce tech infrastructure and extensive logistics network to reach a wider customer base in the region, delivering more than 20 varieties of Ben & Jerry, Magnum, and Wall’s ice cream products across Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as Pakistan, and the Philippines. 

Furthermore, foodpanda and Unilever will collaborate on new product launches, bundle deals, and promotional campaigns for customers. They will also be working on optimizing digital advertising and customer engagement on the platform, which includes strategic placements of digital banners on the platform, the creative use of in-app notifications, and campaigns on social media to grow and deepen engagement with digitally savvy customers in Asia. 

Unilever’s Chief Delivery Officer Sapan Sharma said, “Our partnership with foodpanda helps us serve consumers by delivering smiles to their doorsteps in less than 25 minutes! In times like these, our partnership helps us spread happiness to customers all around Asia.”

Meanwhile, Abhishek Sahay, the senior director of new business at foodpanda, commented that they are thrilled about this opportunity to be chosen by Unilever as a delivery partner. 

“As customers increasingly turn to foodpanda for their daily needs, we continue to invest in our technology and q-commerce network to grow our daily offerings with both big and small retail partners,” said Sahay. 

From mid-June 2021, in order to show their appreciation to riders, foodpanda and Unilever will also be distributing over 20,000 ice-cream products to riders in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, as a free ice cream treat.

Singapore – Food company Dole has released a new social initiative called #UnstuffedBears to communicate the rising issue of childhood hunger around the world.

The newest initiative is launched in retrospect to the increase of awareness and global movement in addressing the global hunger crisis. The campaign comes to life through the imagery of the teddy bear, a universal childhood icon.

Images will depict five teddy bears, four of them seemingly have full bellies, while one has been unstuffed, signifying someone who is hungry. The campaign goes on to say that “one in five children worldwide may go hungry this Christmas”.

The newest campaign is in line with Dole’s commitment to “The Dole Promise”, which vows to provide access to sustainable nutrition for 1 billion people by 2025.

“According to the UN World Food Programme, the impact of COVID-19 may double the number of people suffering from acute hunger. This exacerbated food insecurity crisis is acutely affecting children around the globe and in our own backyards,” said Pier Luigi Sigismondi, worldwide president at Dole Packaged Foods. 

“Acting on our promise to bring food and support to those in need, as well as raising awareness of this growing crisis, is at the center of this campaign. And this is just one of many steps we are taking to make a change for the better,” said Sigismondi.

The campaign will roll out via online video, display, and social media throughout the holiday season. It has already been launched in Europe and the US, with Asia launching next week. 

In order to live up to the campaign, Dole is rolling out its promotional purchase of select Dole Packaged Foods products on some eComm channels, where profits on these purchases go towards food security charities.

Singapore – The Singaporean branch of Philippines-grown restaurant brand Jollibee has decided to spruce up its menu, by bringing its local take of the dish Nasi Lemak.

Nasi Lemak, which has its origins in Malay cuisine, consists of fragrant rice that has been soaked in coconut milk and cooked with Pandan leaf that gives it its distinct flavor. It is a staple favorite in neighboring countries Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and even Philippines; each having its unique take on the dish.

The Nasi Lemak dish is a variant to Jollibee’s signature meal consisting of “Chickenjoy.” Instead of the usual rice, the new dish will be served with traditional Nasi Lemak sides: coconut rice, hot spicy sauce Sambal, small fried anchovies called Ikan Bilis, and cucumber slices.

https://www.facebook.com/JollibeeSG/posts/3404371049608915

As per usual, customers can order the chicken either in original or spicy flavor. The meal’s starting price is at S$5 and can be ordered via in-store or food delivery apps.

Hong Kong – Travel and leisure booking platform Klook officially unveils the newest feature on its app, an interactive livestream called Klook Live!.

While users on Klook have only been enticed of new food and travel offerings via images and text on the app, users will now be able to view up-close the offerings through interactive and instant video content on Klook Live!. 

The feature has been formally launched in August in five APAC markets Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.

During this period, Klook released a series of hyper-localized content on Klook Live!, featuring offerings from food and dining to hotel staycation packages, where the five markets have reported a 4 times average uplift in conversion rates. This is compared to in-app conversion rates on an average day.

According to the brand’s data, in Thailand, a staycation surprise deal has been sold out in just eight minutes, while in Singapore, two out of three staycation bookings made within 24 hours were direct conversions as a result of the livestream. Both countries also experienced about a two times uplift in revenue compared to an average day. 

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, a number of food and dining exclusive deals were snapped up in less than five minutes. 

With the new feature, the brand aims to introduce traveltainment, to which it refers to as a new form of immersive content that elevates users’ ways of discovering and booking both local and overseas hospitality offerings.

“The pandemic has made users even more critical and discerning when making a purchase. With Klook Live!, we enable users to gain a more authentic look at our offerings, as well as directly ask questions in real-time before buying,” said Marcus Yong, vice president of APAC marketing. 

“Our early success demonstrates that users are increasingly demanding a new way to discover things-to-do, starting from their backyard. It also signals that users prefer a more entertaining, social, and personalized customer experience,” added Yong. 

During the livestream on Klook Live!, customers can interact directly with merchants, express their feelings through emoji and polls, redeem exclusive promo codes and check-out; all while watching a live episode.

According to the company, Klook Live! is designed to cater to the region’s growing demand for online video content on mobile devices. It refers to a study by digital research brand eMarketer, that over 1.2 billion Asia-Pacific users consume video content on their mobile devices in 2019, and that this is expected to increase by over 75% to 1.6 billion by 2023. 

The company also looks to leverage the forecast that video content is expected to be a norm post-pandemic as people consume more video content. According to a study by market research firm Globalwebindex, Gen Z respondents said that they expect their increased levels of consumption of social media, videos, and streaming services to continue even after the outbreak. 

On the merchant side, Klook is confident that the new feature will aid vendors in targeting their audience reach which has proven trickier amid the pandemic. 

“With international travel restrictions in place, merchants require creative platforms to showcase their offerings to local audiences and encourage them to support local businesses that depend on tourism. With Klook Live!, merchants of all sizes can bridge that gap and build stronger connections with local users, boosting brand awareness and sales,” the company said in a press statement.

In the coming weeks, Klook Live! will be rolling out more content and products, including episodic programs to unveil a new local carnival in Taiwan and indoor recreational parks in Malaysia among others

Klook Live! can be accessed by downloading the Klook app on Google Play or the App Store. 

Singapore – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and travel booking platform Klook have teamed up to launch a S$2 million domestic marketing partnership to drive the rediscovery of Singapore’s tourism and lifestyle offerings. The partnership is under the SingapoRediscovers campaign, and is inked to last seven months-long starting this September.

SingapoRediscovers is a recently launched campaign, spearheaded by agencies Enterprise Singapore (ESG), Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to support the local lifestyle and tourism business in Singapore and encourage locals to explore different sides of the country. A total of S$45 million has been set aside for the campaign and its supporting marketing initiatives. 

The partnership with Klook will have three focus areas: curated promotions for products and experiences, content development, and digital marketing to boost spend.

Under the partnership, businesses – ranging from hotels and attractions to tour operators and dining establishments – will be encouraged to develop new products and experiences. The aim is to inspire locals and encourage them to explore precincts such as Orchard Road, Chinatown, Civic District, and Katong-Joo Chiat. 

These new products and experiences will also be curated into special bundles with attractive offers to appeal to different interest groups such as foodies, outdoor enthusiasts, and value seekers.  

An example would be pairing a stay at Mandarin Orchard Singapore with an Art Jam session in Orchard Road, or complementing a stay at Hotel Mono in Chinatown with a journey on Trishaw Uncle Guided Tours.

To encourage further exploration around the country, STB and Klook will collaborate on digital marketing efforts, where the parties look to create authentic stories through Klook’s pool of key content partners and opinion leaders. Digital content such as video reviews and livestreams will cast a spotlight on hidden gems and value-for-money promotions, as well as raise the profile of various home-grown businesses around Singapore.

Both parties will also co-invest in other digital marketing initiatives, such as search engine marketing, display, and social media advertising, to widen the reach and searchability of the various promotions and offerings under the campaign.

STB Assistant Chief Executive for Marketing Lynette Pang commented, “Through SingapoRediscovers, we encourage locals to explore Singapore, experience our vibrant tourism and lifestyle offerings, and support home-grown businesses. Klook shares the same aim. We look forward to leveraging their digital marketing capabilities and extensive network of partners to amplify our efforts, as well as encouraging their users to support curated local experiences, quality promotions, and content in the coming months.”

Meanwhile, Marcus Yong, vice president of marketing in Klook for APAC said, “Klook is excited to partner with STB and to be part of SingapoRediscovers. Our mission has always been to empower consumers to experience the best of a destination and through this partnership, we hope to bring back a sense of joy and adventure as locals explore their own backyard.”