Manila, Philippines – Gushcloud Philippines, the local unit of the global creator and IP management and licensing company Gushcloud, has recently revamped its senior leadership to expand its capabilities and network, in an aim to keep up with the changes in global creator economy and talent industry. 

The new leadership updates include Ryan Marquez as general manager at Gushcloud Philippines, Miguel Felizardo, head of talent at Gushcloud Philippines, Darlene Malimas, head of global IP and content at Gushcloud International, and Ross Manicad, head of corporate communications at Gushcloud International.

Two of them are focused full-time on the Philippine operations and its performance alongside other Southeast Asia offices, while the other two also have duties for Gushcloud’s global network. 

Marquez has led the 40-strong Philippine office to achieve a 243% increase in revenue from January to June 2024 compared to the same period last year. It is now one of Gushcloud’s fastest-growing Southeast Asian markets. He leads the agency team with his experience in both talent development and client servicing. For two years, he was Gushcloud’s Regional head of studios, focused on content strategy, content production, and branding for the company’s global talents.

Meanwhile, Felizardo is a talent manager for over a decade, and has worked with some of the country’s top multimedia mega stars like Anne Curtis, Heart Evangelista, and Gabbi Garcia for brand endorsements and personal branding. He learned the ropes of talent management from being a mentee of top acclaimed talent managers in the country. In his role, he develops the next generation of content creators toward greater heights in their careers. In just a year in the company, he has already signed 16 exclusive talents with promising futures in content creation and more, including Korean content creator JinHo Bae, and Filipina lifestyle creators Jillian Raine Saberon and Pattie Paraiso. He’s on track to sign nine more, for a total of 25 talents this year. 

Moreover, Malimas is a seasoned producer and creative who has worked on several films and series both domestically and internationally. Her 2023 thriller film, “Raging Grace,” starring Max Eigenmann, received top accolades in the global independent film festival SXSW. The movie highlights the vulnerabilities of undocumented Filipinos working abroad. 

Lastly, Manicad has been responsible for the global branding, storytelling, and reputation of Gushcloud. He writes and releases stories for its talents, business announcements, products, and new businesses via traditional and social media. He also secures awards for the company’s chief executive and local markets. Locally, he manages the content strategy of Gushcloud Philippines’ social media IPs such as Best of Manila and MomCenter. 

Speaking about the new appointments, Oddie Randa, managing director for Asia-Pacific at Gushcloud International, said, “I’m so proud to introduce the formidable lineup of leaders who are turning the business of Gushcloud Philippines around. Their dynamic is much stronger and focused, with emphasis on building young leaders who will redefine the future of talent management. We have seen them push our Philippines office from being a small regional office to one of our fastest-rising markets in Southeast Asia.”

Singapore – Global content and brand management company Gushcloud International has announced that it has 14 new creators from the Southeast Asian market, strengthening its position in supporting the content creator economy in the region.

This move strengthens Gushcloud’s position as a Southeast Asian leader in the creator economy. Six (6) Filipino talents are now part of the Gushcloud family, while there are four (4) Thai and Indonesian additions to the roster as well. 

These creators are all active on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), where they showcase their love for lifestyle, fashion, comedy, food, travel, advocacies, dance, and even K-Pop.

Nirote (May) Chaweewannakorn, head of talent for Southeast Asia at Gushcloud International and country director of Thailand, said, “We’re eager to formally launch the new members of our Gushcloud Talent Agency family. These young creators are highly creative, collaborative, and energetic. More importantly, they use their influence for positive change among their followers and family. That aligns well with Gushcloud’s mission of creating positive influence for the next generation of influencers, leaders, and parents. This is just the beginning of an exciting partnership as we make big strides in Asia and beyond.”

He added, “As we scale in 2024, one of our focus areas is to bridge our partner brands with the perfect creator for their marketing needs. Our talents’ subject matter expertise and their niche audience helps us get closer to that goal. This bodes well for our business as we build an ecosystem for everyone to thrive on—from our talents, our brands, to our company.”

Manila, Philippines – Global content and commerce company Gushcloud has appointed Joseph Max Webb as its head of business development in the Philippines, as well as its de facto local leader of the local operations for the company.

In his capacity, Webb will oversee brand deals, integrated marketing campaigns, social media, and account management.

He has recently sealed and launched a campaign with local pharmaceutical company Unilab, most notably the Tuseran “Beat the Pro” web series featuring comedy icon Ruffa Mae Quinto. He also led Spotify Philippines’s recent musical activation in collaboration with Spotify and global KPop girl group NewJeans.

Prior to his appointment, Webb served as Gushcloud’s global business development manager for two years. During his time, he won the agency pitch for Tencent, a multinational technology, entertainment, and holding company based in China. 

He also brokered a partnership with Hip Hop icon and legend Snoop Dogg with Novelship, Singapore’s leading sneaker marketplace. Furthermore, he locked in Korean online fashion platform MUSINSA which tapped Gushcloud as a digital partner in Southeast Asia.

Speaking on his new role, Webb said, “This is an immense responsibility but I am prepared to take it on. I’m grateful for the support I get from my team and our regional colleagues, and the trust of our new and long-term clients. This is only the start of bigger milestones for Gushcloud Philippines.”

Meanwhile, Oddie Randa, regional director for Asia-Pacific at Gushcloud, commented, “We are eager to finally introduce Max as our new leader in Gushcloud Philippines. We know that his youthful energy, dynamic work ethics, and network will turn things around for our Manila office.”

He added, “Of course, he can expect our commitment, support, and guidance to ensure that the Philippines is always in sync with the rest of the region, so we can truly make Gushcloud not just a regional but also a global leader in content, commerce, and entertainment.”

Lastly, Gay Carr, chief people pfficer at Gushcloud International, said, “I am absolutely certain that Max will excel in his leadership post. He possesses the crucial integrity of character required for the role, coupled with high competence, a strong drive for performance, and a natural ability to connect with others while genuinely caring for their wellbeing. His primary focus is not on self-promotion, but rather on enhancing the team’s performance for the greater good of the organisation.”

Philippines – Esports and technology company Mineski Global has announced the appointment of Jamie Paraso as its new vice president for marketing under the TEG Group of Companies, in line with revealing its bold branding and marketing transformation. 

In his new role, Paraso looks to provide critical insights and experience from his years in the marketing industry. He brings with him management expertise to jumpstart Mineski Global’s foothold in the local marketing space. 

Prior to his appointment, he served as the country director for Gushcloud Philippines, where he led Gushcloud’s local presence in business, talent, and partner acquisition. 

According to Paraso, his former role allowed him to forge healthy relationships with talents, brands, and agency partners, thereby leveraging strategy, expertise, and creative know-how and creating a healthy ecosystem for the marketing and entertainment space—skills relevant to his new appointment at TEG and Mineski Global. 

“With my previous role as Country Director, it allowed me to have a purview of what happens not just at a country level but also at a regional level when operating and running an entertainment and talent focused business. In doing so, I am able to transplant said experience and know-how to TEG and Mineski Global at both a local and regional level to ensure that for the years to come we are able to further scale our business as the pioneer Esports company of Southeast Asia and innovate by our Marketing le technology pieces,” Paraso told MARKETECH APAC

Aside from this, he was also the head of global marketing services for Groworx, where he was in charge of corporate communications and brand marketing, and was the business group director of McCann Worldgroup, a global marketing and communications agency, handling the legacy account, San Miguel. 

Paraso also held the key post of leading the sales team for AdSpark, a wholly-owned Globe subsidiary, as business group director, managing key clients such as VIVO, FWD, Nestle, BDO, Midea, P&G, Hyundai, Mondelez, and J&J.

Paraso’s appointment comes as Mineski Global takes key steps toward strengthening its corporate brand and bolstering its roster of products and services. 

Mineski Global aims to further its relationships in the B2B space all the while staying true to its service-oriented core of being attuned to the B2C market and gamifying experiences every step of the way.

With its beginnings as a professional esports team, the Mineski brand has demonstrated growth and resilience by taking its core capabilities and adapting them to the emerging needs of a highly digital consumer landscape.

And as it approaches its 20th anniversary in 2024, the company draws from its years of experience in the esports and technology industries, curating a roster of IPs and products that push the limits of integrated marketing technology, fondly known as “Mark-tech”, whereby value and entertainment are continuously provided to the greater community. 

In line with this, Mineski Global has also announced that they have joined the marketing organizations IMMAP (Internet & Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines) and PANA (Philippine Association of National Advertisers). 

In joining these associations, the company aims to share its knowledge and expertise in tech and gaming while forging strong and meaningful connections with various industry players.

Ronald K. Robins, group CEO and chairperson of Mineski Global, said, “We are excited to have Jamie on board with Mineski. His expertise in brand, product marketing and management are essential to the company’s new direction, strengthening our product offerings while tying into our expertise in tech, innovations, and community-based services. All of this centered on bringing our brand, Mineski Global, to the next level and embracing positive growth and meaningful transformations. We at Mineski Global believe he will be a great asset to the organization and to the industry.”

Also commenting on the appointment, Dar Andrew Cayabyab, co-founder and director for international business at Mineski Global, shared, “With Jamie being part of Mineski Global, we look forward to being able to strengthen our brand presence not just locally but also at a global scale. As we begin to work closer with brands that are non-endemic to our core of Esports and Gaming we look to be able to integrate our experience and create impactful campaigns, products and services that cut across industries.” 

Meanwhile, Paraso said in his new appointment, “I am honored to be part of Mineski’s initiative to grow and scale its brand and marketing capabilities. There is great potential in combining the company’s expertise with best practices and strategies in marketing. Leveraging our expertise and technological capabilities brings a very unique proposition that is yet to be owned in the Brand and Marketing space locally. In doing so this allows us to bring out the best in our services and capabilities to assist our Partners, Clients and most importantly better serve end consumers.” 

When asked about what are the current marketing challenges and opportunities in the esports scene, Paraso told MARKETECH APAC that they were able to better serve their B2B partners by bringing value and added gamification in all aspects of the industry.

“With Mineski Global having been around for almost 2 decades, we look to be able to scale our services in the esports space, leveraging on our new knowledge and know-how in terms of technology and marketing strategies. We are always evolving, all the while remaining humble and staying hungry to provide value every step of the way,” he concluded.

Singapore – Oddie Randa has been appointed as the regional managing director for Asia-Pacific by Gushcloud International. In his new role, Randa will manage the income and profitability of Gushcloud’s brand agency division in the Asia-Pacific area in his position as regional managing director. This section caters to a wide range of clients and brands. 

The agency’s expansion in all key markets in the region, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Australia, and China, will be made possible by Oddie’s strategic approach to generating revenue.

All country managers in the APAC will now report to Randa, who will work together with them to identify and develop new income opportunities in the creator and influencer marketing industry. Oddie’s goal is to foster mutually beneficial partnerships between artists and businesses using Gushcloud’s extensive network of influencers and content producers.

Regarding his new position, Randa said, “I am grateful for the trust that Gushcloud and Althea have put in me. The growth of the creator economy has yet to reach its peak in Asia Pacific and it is exciting to take the front seat in watching it unfold. It is also exciting as I take the captain seat to drive more growth for our stakeholders – our brand clients and influencer clients in the next upcoming years. I am looking forward to working closely with our clients and partners in the region to deliver exceptional results, forge new opportunities and grow newer businesses together.”

Meanwhile, Althea Lim, co-founder and group CEO at Gushcloud International, commented, “Oddie and I have worked together for close to a decade. His wisdom and charismatic leadership alongside his wealth of experience and deep understanding in digital marketing, creator economy, and business management has allowed him to rise to this position to assist us in managing a large region of the overall Gushcloud business. 

She added, “With his exceptional strategic thinking and visionary mindset, I am confident that he will assist to expand our business, our revenue potential, and add more value and services to our brand clients and influencer clients across this region.”

Singapore – Global creator and entertainment company Gushcloud has been appointed by MUSINSA, a Korean online fashion platform, as its digital partner in Southeast Asia. Through the appointment, Gushcloud will provide marketing services–including influencer marketing services–to MUSINSA as it accelerates its growth in the region.

With deep insight and a strong network in Southeast Asia, Gushcloud has been partnering with MUSINSA to deliver the most localised content aligning with their core branding messages.

The move rides the wave of global interest in Korean culture, particularly in K-dramas, K-Pop, Korean food, beauty, and fashion. In Southeast Asia, Korean dramas are the largest consumed online video content category, as well as K-Pop-related online videos.

MUSINSA’s ‘Global Store’ presents current Korean fashion trends, including Seoul fashion from casual, street style, and contemporary to luxury, sports, and beauty.

In May this year, Gushcloud launched a new live commerce unit called GC LIVE which operates premium live commerce shows distributing global brands into SEA.

Philippines – Gushcloud International, a global technology-driven digital talent and media company, has launched its new live commerce unit GC LIVE, which operates premium live commerce shows distributing global brands into SEA. This launch comes after Gushcloud’s move to further establish itself as a global business.

GC LIVE operates premium Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) production with top influencers. Open Broadcaster Software is an open-source streaming software for mixing and producing live video content. Powered by this technology, GC LIVE aims to provide and create high-definition live streaming shows all over Southeast Asia. 

To lead the live commerce division, Gushcloud has appointed Mary Shynne Santos, former head of Kumu Live, to be its new regional head of GC LIVE.

Santos believes that live commerce is the future and the GC LIVE team is ready to take on more global brands and content and localise it into the region. 

“GC LIVE produced ‘Reel K-Hauls with Jessica Lee’, the first-ever cross-border show for Lazada PH and I’d say we started off with a bang! I believe that teamwork is the key to every successful project and the team definitely showed that. The show ran for 3 months and we hit our targets and all items were sold out,” said Santos.

Meanwhile, Felice Olondriz, Gushcloud’s head of talents for the Philippines, said, “The launch of GC Live would definitely open doors for our talents and GCPH. Our team is excited to roll out live commerce executions that utilise our roster talents. This is not just a new revenue stream that we’re excited to have, but more importantly, an avenue for talent growth and multifaceted upskilling.”

Jamie Paraso, Gushcloud’s country director for the Philippines, noted, “The roll-out of GC Live is only the beginning and will open opportunities for the whole ecosystem that we look to grow and thrive, especially here in the Philippines. I look forward to the future shows that our Live Team, led by Shynne, will be able to produce.”

Manila, Philippines – Gushcloud in the Philippines, the technology-driven digital talent and media company, has announced the appointment of Kristel De Ocampo as its new head of sales.

De Ocampo brings in over to the media agencyover 11 years of experience in the advertising industry, with exposure in handling all kinds of media, from TV, radio and digital. 

She started her advertising career as an account executive in traditional advertising, where she was exposed to a variety of media genres including entertainment, sports, and news. After joining the advertising media congress, she transitioned to digital and became familiar with the digital ecosystem, including influencer marketing. She eventually rose to the position of business unit head for an influencer marketing firm.

Now joining Gushcloud Philippines, she welcomes the challenge of her new role as the head of sales. De Ocampo is prepared to expand the company’s clients, relying on the network and relationships she has developed over time. Simultaneously, she intends to instill a ‘family-work’ culture in her team, emphasising the importance of trust, teamwork, and open communication as they strive to become better and wiser brand partners.

Speaking about her appointment, De Ocampo said, “I’m excited to share what I’ve learned over the years. I want to impart knowledge and inspire my team to continuously do better each day and remind them that it’s okay to take one step at a time as long as we have clear goals in mind. I am looking forward to working together with the right set of people with the right attitude and positive mindset.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Paraso, country manager of Gushcloud, commented, “We’re excited to have Kristel’s leadership and experience onboard as we continue to scale this 2022. As we move into a more digitally savvy world and ways of working, her extensive knowledge in digital ad sales, strategy and marketing will help strengthen our client relationships. All the while continuing to add value to Gushcloud’s local presence and progressive culture both internally and externally.” 

Philippines — Gushcloud in the Philippines, the technology-driven digital talent and media company, has announced the recent signing of known local fashion designer, Rajo Laurel, to help him grow his digital presence. In this collaboration, the digital talent and entertainment agency will be working closely with Laurel to represent him, manage key brands, and provide strategic channel management support.

The fashion icon shared his thoughts on the partnership, saying, “I’m very much looking forward to the new collaborations that Gushcloud and I will be able to make. Transitioning to digital can be daunting, but I am excited about this journey because this would open avenues for me to engage and interact with my followers and fellow designers,” Laurel said.

Laurel holds an extensive understanding of the creative industry and with over 30 years of experience in fashion, he was able to launch his own brands namely RAJO and House of Laurel. Through the partnership, Laurel hopes to connect more with his followers, giving them a glimpse of his passion, sense of purpose, and even giving a peek of his personal life. He is also excited to collaborate with fellow content creators and brands.

Felice Olondriz, head of talents of Gushcloud Philippines, commented that for this year, Gushcloud wants to take up space not just through their influencer marketing capacity, but in the digital entertainment stage as well. Olondriz added that the exciting collaboration with Rajo Laurel is only the beginning of opening up his influence to brands and consumers alike through representation and channel management.

“Ultimately, our vision as partners is to leverage Gushcloud’s more advanced entertainment efforts such as NFTs and new digital channel explorations, so Laurel can create a more positive influence amidst the clutter in digital marketing and advertising. Time and again, Gushcloud proves how our strength on digital strategy is not only for our brand campaigns but also for our exclusive talents who want to finally expand their digital footprint,” Olondriz said.

Jamie Paraso, country director of Gushcloud Philippines, said, “At Gushcloud, we are welcoming 2022, true to our theme of stronger and smarter! It is our pleasure to have the privilege to represent one of the fashion icons in our country, Rajo Laurel. As a digital talent and entertainment agency, our goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem where brands, influencers and content creators can grow together and create a strong positive influence. This collaboration aims to strengthen Rajo Laurel’s digital presence but I also believe that it will create ripples that can inspire the minds of like-minded individuals.”

Aside from Laurel, Gushcloud has also recently signed celebrity wedding videographer, Jason Magbanua, and gaming creator Chin Valdes, among others.

Last January, Gushcloud helped spearhead Sneakertopia’s expansion in Asia.

Seoul, South Korea – ‘Sneakertopia’, an immersive sneaker pop-up experience, is coming to Asia this 2022, starting off in Seoul, South Korea in April following a successful pop-up participation at the Chongqing Jiebeifang International Consumer Festival in China. The Asia rollout of the immersive experience is made possible by digital talent and media company Gushcloud and entertainment design entity SL Experiences.

‘Sneakertopia’ is an immersive exhibition built to honor sneaker culture, featuring artworks of global and local artists whose street art masterpieces are influenced by sneaker culture in sports, music, film, art, and fashion. After its launch in Seoul, the exhibition aims to travel around North and Southeast Asia for a wide variety of audiences to experience the world of sneakers.

Producer Steve Harris and Silicon Valley Tech entrepreneur Steve Brown founded ‘Sneakertopia’ with their intention to share the celebration of love for sneakers all around the world.

“Sneakertopia Asia is a dream that our team has been developing for years. We’ve had great success bonding over our love for sneakers in Los Angeles, and we wanted to bring this celebration over to Asia where a lot of people share the same passion. Although we’ve had a few bumps in the road with the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a great demand for offline experiences and we want people to experience and appreciate the transformative culture of sneakers,” Harris said.

Sneakertopia also incorporates a digital-physical hybrid experience with augmented reality integration that allows visitors to discover the story behind the sneaker culture icons and idols beyond what is visually present. 

Ross Leo, co-founder at SL Experiences, said, “Even amidst the COVID-19 closures we have seen the huge pent up demand for offline experiences, be it through retail or attractions. Although the dependency in online and digital usage is undeniable, great offline experiences which incorporate elements of digital components like ‘Sneakertopia’ will further increase visitors’ experience and enjoyment.”

Meanwhile, Althea Lim, CEO at Gushcloud International, commented, “As we’ve seen over the years, it’s not just about the products anymore. The experience economy is booming and now is the perfect time for Gushcloud to be at the forefront of driving this trend further in the East and the West. With Sneakertopia in Asia, we hope to bring in more experiences that people will love and that will shape the future of the experience economy in Asia.”

Jamie Paraso, country director at Gushcloud Philippines, also added, “As an avid fan of sneakers, I was really looking forward to this engagement. Sneakertopia opens Gushcloud to a wider playing field where like-minded individuals would be able to share their passions. It’s a dream that’s being actualized and as Gushcloud, we get to be a part of this powerful cultural journey. Despite these unprecedented times there continues to be a big push here in Asia showcasing how experiences continue to bring people together from across the globe.”