Manila, Philippines – As generative AI quickly transforms industries and everyday life, Filipino prosumers — those at the forefront of technological adoption — are voicing a major sentiment: while embracing AI is essential, retaining a human touch is equally vital. This is according to the latest survey conducted by HAVAS Ortega.
In the survey, it noted that tech-savvy individuals, representing 15-20% of the population, prioritise a balance between innovation and human-centric practices. They acknowledge the revolutionary potential of AI while expressing deep concerns about its societal implications.
It is worth noting that rhe excitement surrounding AI is evident, with 94% of Filipino prosumers recognising its ability to transform things in multitude of ways. Around 86% believe it can enhance productivity at work and school. Yet, this enthusiasm is tempered by anxiety with nearly half (49%) foresee job losses due to AI advancements, and 52% worrying that AI may eventually surpass human intelligence.
The survey also highlights the need for brands to integrate AI in ways that prioritize human needs. Filipino prosumers envision a future that is inclusive, ethical, and respectful of individual rights. A significant 68% express concerns that AI could widen the digital divide, potentially leaving behind those without access to advanced technologies.
Furthermore, many prosumers (47%) worry about the ethical implications of AI, fearing it could restrict personal autonomy. A striking 43% are concerned about constant surveillance and the unauthorised collection of personal data.
With the world going more digital, Filipino prosumers are gravitating towards brands that maintain a sense of humanity. Despite the growing reliance on AI tools, 80% still prefer human interaction over AI for customer service. This preference highlights a fundamental truth that while technology can streamline processes, it cannot replicate the understanding and warmth of genuine human connection.
Jos Ortega, chairman and CEO of HAVAS Ortega, said, “AI is becoming an integral part of our lives, influencing everything from how we work to how we access information. However, as we embrace this technology, we must also confront the tough questions about its impact on our values and humanity.”
He added, “Brands must not merely adopt AI technologies; they should also champion equitable use that serves everyone, rather than exacerbating existing divides. In the face of rapid technological change, preserving our humanity isn’t just important, it’s a competitive advantage. Brands that prioritize human connection will foster trust and loyalty among their customers.”
Manila, Philippines – HAVAS Ortega has announced the appointment of Rozzaine Valenzuela as its new head of growth, and will also serve as the deputy general manager leading the Arena Media brand. Her track record in driving business development and implementing transformative strategies is poised to propel HAVAS Ortega to new heights.
In her new role, Rozzaine will lead initiatives to expand the agency’s client base and advance its service offerings. Additionally, she will oversee operations for the Arena Media to ensure that the agency integrates strategies that only deliver impactful results for its clients.
She brings with her 15 years of experience in the media and advertising field, having previously held roles at Mindshare, Publicis Media, and most recently a regional client leadership role for SEA and Taiwan.
Rozzaine’s appointment is effective immediately, and she will be working directly with the various specialty teams of the HAVAS Village.
Speaking on her appointment, she said, “I am thrilled to join HAVAS Ortega and Arena Media. This is an exciting opportunity for me, to work with an incredibly talented team and contribute to the growth of an agency that values creativity and innovation. I look forward to building strong relationships with our clients and making meaningful and impactful change.”
Meanwhile, Jos Ortega, CEO of HAVAS Ortega, expressed his enthusiasm about the newest member of the team, commenting, “HAVAS Ortega is in expansion mode, having recently launched two specialist brands and five new service offerings. To ensure success, we need talent of Rozzaine’s caliber. Her expertise and approach will be instrumental in strengthening our position as industry leaders.”
Lastly, Jay Lim, chief operating officer of HAVAS Media Network , also shared his thoughts on Rozzaine’s appointment, saying, “We are excited to welcome Rozzaine to our team. Her creativity and analytical skills align perfectly with our mission to deliver pioneering solutions that resonate with our clients and their audiences. I am confident that her leadership will significantly contribute to our growth and success.”
Philippines – HAVAS Red, the PR division of HAVAS Ortega, has introduced ‘Red Impact,’ a new global communications platform designed to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies.
Red Impact reinforces HAVAS Ortega’s legacy of creating a meaningful difference by delivering purpose-driven communications that inspire brands and organisations to drive lasting, positive change.
Jos Ortega, CEO of HAVAS Ortega, commented, “With Red Impact, we aim to ignite real change. Sustainability isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessity for future-proofing businesses. Our mission is to guide brands in creating meaningful impact that not only stimulates growth but also benefits society as a whole.”
Jeuls Hermosisima, head of Red Impact, added, “We’re excited to help brands and organisations transform their pledges into progress. By leading with purpose, we hope to build a more sustainable legacy for generations to come.”
Red Impact was officially launched at the inaugural La Conférence Bleue, a sustainability summit organised by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines (CCI France-Philippines). As a key partner of the event, Red Impact played a vital role in shaping the summit’s theme and program, focused on sharing the sustainability journeys of diverse organisations.
Manila, Philippines – Many Filipinos now find themselves gravitated towards their respective online communities than engaging with traditional and real-life communities–highlighting how social media algorithms hold immense power in shaping communities. This is according to the latest Filipino-centric whitepaper from SWAY by HAVAS Red, the newly-launched influencer marketing arm of the agency.
According to the paper, the democratising power of social media has enabled ordinary individuals to become key opinion leaders when immersed in the right niche groups. These authentic engagements inspire people to adopt alternative perspectives, fostering a culture of openness and acceptance.
The whitepaper was launched during HAVAS Red Philippines’ ‘Red Sky Dialogues’ session, a roundtable designed to nurture deep relationships with media professionals by sharing the latest market insights.
Present during the session were Phil Tiongson, head of marketing experience and director for data science at HAVAS Ortega; Dayniel Garcia, head of SWAY by HAVAS Red Philippines; Jos Ortega, CEO at Havas Ortega and general manager of HAVAS Red Philippines; and Gian dela Cruz, director of marketing experience strategy and intelligence at HAVAS Ortega.
Garcia emphasised the importance of understanding these niche communities, stating “Filipinos’ values of pakikiisa (solidarity) and pakikisama (companionship), when complemented with digital technology, have created a welcoming environment for new subcultures. Brands that genuinely recognize and engage with these groups can forge stronger connections with their audiences.”
Meanwhile, de la Cruz noted how social media algorithms hold immense power in shaping communities. “Digitalisation has resulted in Filipinos valuing their relationships in online spaces rather than real-life communities, like religious and political affiliations. In fact, 65% of Filipino Prosumers say that they identify better with their chosen communities than their traditional, IRL exposure.”
Lastly, Ortega commented, “Brands have always been operating in a dynamic landscape. These modern times call for them to see how their corporate values resonate with the various communities they would like to build a meaningful connection with. It is imperative that brands walk the talk, as 89% of Filipino Prosumers believe that when corporations take a stand, it must be complemented with concrete actions.”
Manila, Philippines – Havas Red Philippines, the PR arm of Havas Ortega Group, has unveiled SWAY, an influencer marketing arm focusing on influencers and their subcultures.
SWAY by Havas Red delves deeply into the intricacies of subcultures, acknowledging their pivotal role in modern marketing strategies.
In contrast to conventional approaches centred around metrics such as followers, reach, impressions, likes, and engagement, SWAY prioritises genuine connections within smaller, more defined niche communities that represent subcultures. It recognises the power of genuine voices, especially on social media platforms.
By understanding the language of diverse subcultures, SWAY by HAVAS Red provides brands with a more genuine and meaningful way to engage with their audiences. It prioritises targeted, but more relevant, communication that brings real engagement and builds brand loyalty within specific communities.
At the heart of SWAY’s approach is Havas Ortega’s planning philosophy called Mx (meaningful experience), which is built on the confluence of the three C’s—connection, context, and content—to facilitate the delivery of the right message, in the right format, to the right audience at the opportune moment when they are receptive to messages and open to persuasion.
Essentially, SWAY redefines influencer marketing by advocating for a subculture-centric approach. In a landscape where superficial metrics prevail, SWAY by Havas Red emphasises the importance of tangible, meaningful connections as the foundation for enduring influence.
Speaking on the launch, Jos Ortega, CEO of Havas Ortega and general manager of HAVAS Red Philippines, said, “Subculture-focused influencer marketing represents a significant shift in marketing. Previously reliant on traditional paid celebrity endorsements, we now harness the power of focused collectives.”
He added, “Influencers have become trusted leaders and catalysts for change. By curating collaborative campaigns that align with their core values and those of the subcultures they influence, we foster deeper engagement and brand loyalty, all while respecting the unique interests of these passionate communities.”
Dayniel Garcia, head of SWAY by HAVAS Red Philippines, also shared, “We are redefining influencer marketing in the Philippines. The emergence of subcultures signalled the need to analyse and further explore the cultural context. Fortunately, we have proprietary strategic and measurement tools that inspire fresh approaches that deliver results.”
Manila, Philippines – Integrated media and communications group Havas Ortega, alongside the Philippine Junior Marketing Association, returns with the eleventh edition of its flagship event ‘MADWORLD’ on June 3 to bring new insights amongst its attendees as they learn how to adapt to the industry’s fast-changing innovativeness.
The Philippine Junior Marketing Association (PJMA) is consisted of over 300 member schools and attracts a membership of more than 50,000 marketing and business students around the country.
Through ‘MADWORLD’, Havas Ortega and PJMA have engaged in a year-long partnership which includes mentorship and activities that will help prepare the PJMA MadWorld leaders to launch the event. Moreover, it will also host the ‘MadWorld Bootcamp’, a full-day session with topics centered to support the theme for the year.
Some of the speakers at the upcoming event include Joseph Albert Meñez, country channel partnerships lead at TikTok; Enzo Valdez, managing director of Universal Music Philippines; and Maisie Littaua, head of growth at Canva.
Jos Ortega, CEO of Havas Ortega Group and co-founder of PJMA’s MadWorld, found that making a network of mentors and acquiring industry-specific knowledge to the aspiring marketers helps better prepare them for the professional world. Naturally, he sought to make the process easier. The conference and its activities that lead up to the main event day stem from Ortega’s desire to cultivate his personal advocacy on youth education.
“MadWorld represents our continued dedication and commitment to youth education through mentorship and counsel, as well as nurturing the future talent pool of the marketing industry in the Philippines. We are privileged and honored to have industry rockstars as our resource speakers and supporters of PJMA’s largest annual event,” says Ortega
Manila, Philippines – Havas Ortega Group has announced that Angie Tijam-Tohid joins the communications group as its executive creative director, where she will be responsible for driving the agency’s creative philosophy and creating meaningful brands for the Havas Village clients in media, digital, social commerce, CRM, public relations, branding, healthcare, and sustainability.
Tijam-Tohid will report to Jos Ortega, chairman and chief executive officer at Havas Ortega Group.
She was formerly a radio DJ and newscaster for some of Metro Manila’s most popular FM stations before joining advertising. Her two-decade journey in the industry has taken her to Ogilvy and TBWA\SMP in the Philippines, and Grey Group in Malaysia. Prior to her new post, she led the digital creative group at Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Manila as creative director and head of content.
Speaking about her appointment, she said, “I’m extremely excited to be joining Havas. The post-pandemic landscape presents greater opportunities for us to elevate our creative capabilities and create work that’s data-driven, culturally relevant, delivered in the most engaging and impactful ways.”
She added, “Stepping into this role, I feel massive support from Jos, Mother Hermie, Jay and the entire Havas Village. I’m looking forward to collaborating with this awesome and talented team, nurturing our young creatives and creating meaningful work that truly makes a difference.”
Meanwhile, Ortega commented, “We have always believed that diversity drives innovation and creativity. Angie’s unique perspectives, both as a woman and a leader in her field, will help us come closer to achieving our mission of creating a meaningful difference to brands, businesses, and people.”
The appointment of Tijam-Tohid further strengthens Havas Ortega’s leadership team as she joins previous appointees Jay Lim as COO of Havas Media Group, Mel Panabi as business director of Red Havas, and Apple Galvez-Castillo as business director of Havas Market.
Manila, Philippines – Integrated communications company Havas Ortega in the Philippines has appointed Jay Lim as its newest chief operating officer for Havas Media Group in the country. Said appointment took effect on 1 February this year.
Through his new role, Lim will be responsible for the continued growth of the Havas Media and Arena Media brands of the Havas Media Group. He will also contribute to the introduction of new products and services in 2022 and beyond.
In addition, he will be reporting directly to Hermie De Leon, currently Havas Media Group’s chief executive officer and Havas Ortega’s managing partner.
He brings into the company two decades of experience in strategy, analytics, and client management, where his most recent previous role was being the general manager and chief media officer at Publicis Media.
During his stint at Publicis Media for the past five years, he has built a track record of leading its agency brands with transformational changes that led to business growth.
De Leon also announced that Lim’s appointment is part of the transition plan the agency has put in place to ensure business continuity as she prepares for her eventual retirement late this year.
“I look forward to working closely with Jay as we collaborate on bringing the Havas Media Group to greater heights. His brand of leadership and experience in strategy and analytics is a huge asset to us as we create meaningful media experiences for our clients and brands,” De Leon said.
Meanwhile, Jos Ortega, CEO at the Havas Ortega Group, commented, “Jay will bring a fresh perspective to the agency as we elevate our position in a rapidly changing media environment. He will definitely play a key role in helping us achieve our mission of creating a meaningful difference to brands, to businesses, and to people.”
We can’t believe we are now down to the last roundup of top stories for 2021! It has been a great year recognizing the most well-loved brands and stories in marketing and tech for the year.
Our monthly deep dive and conversation with the top brands resulted in the much-awaited regular MARKETECH APAC Reports, and this month of December is no less an exciting list of one-of-a-kind campaigns, inspiring new leadership appointments, and fresh product launches.
This month, we saw a food delivery platform moving into an entirely new vertical of consumer electronics. This period, a philippine arm of a global communications agency also announced a new business director, while, a content marketing agency with a presence in APAC unveiled an expansive roster of new hires in the region within its client servicing, creative production, and editorial teams.
For the month, a very interesting campaign from a BNPL service in Singapore has also entered the list for bringing back audiences to the golden age of advertising in the 80s. Meanwhile, our MARKETECH Spotlight episode on a digital agency in Malaysia also came out on top for walking us through behind the scenes of incorporating AR and VR in marketing campaigns.
Learn more about the top stories that will be closing off our 2021 with a bang:
For our Top 5 story, we have the MARKETECH Spotlight episode of Unicom Interactive Digital, a fast-leading digital agency in Malaysia.
In an interview with its COO Jareth Eng, we learn more about how brands are incorporating the tech of AR and VR in their marketing campaigns, and the best ways to deliver such that would effectively engage audiences at the same time push brands be top-of-mind.
Having helped numerous brands develop immersive campaigns since the start of the pandemic, Eng shared the agency observed that content remains to be the top determinant of a success of a campaign.
He says content must above all be personalized and authentic.
“More and more, let’s be honest, we start to get bored of the same stuff, and we start to look for authenticity in content, because there are so much paid advertisements today [and] so much paid endorsements, and we reach a point where we do not know what is being said is real or not,” said Eng in the interview.
Eng also shared his thoughts on the role of digital moving forward in the pandemic, “The perks of adding digital elements to campaigns have proven themselves during the past year. Even as we head back to a norm that we were used to, digital elements will still play a part.”
Havas Group’s media and communications agency in the Philippines, Havas Ortega, has appointedMel Panabi, former vice president of marketing communications at energy tech business WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines, as the new business director of its global public relations, social and experiential agency micro-network.
Through his new role, Panabi will be developing new products and services that will further strengthen Red Havas’ position in the country’s public relations and brands landscape.
MARKETECH APAC spoke with Panabi to know more about the area he is looking to prioritize in the role.
“I will be prioritizing promoting the ‘meaningful brands’ concepts of the agency. The global Red Havas Media Group actually made a study called ‘Meaningful Brands’, and it showed that people are now looking at the collective benefits provided by a brand, and its role in society,” said Panabi in the interview.
He adds that he is eager to start Red Havas’ sustainability and thoughtful corporate responsibility conversation.
“One other thing is that the United Nations’ sustainable development goal is something that the brands need a lot, which is a space we want to occupy. We want to be associated with that kind of ‘meaningful brands’ and sustainability conversation,” he said.
Buy Now Pay Later service Pace in Singapore enters our top stories for bringing a very refreshing and unique creative campaign that brought people back to the vibrant pop culture of the 80’s.
Armed with a video and an OOH ad, audiences saw VHS effect shorts complete with authentic 80s fashion, while decals on platform doors at train stations were reminiscent of the classic shopping advertisements from the period.
Speaking with MARKETECH APAC,Daren Goh, Pace’s head of growth, said that while BNPL is an inspiring tool for people to be financially responsible, payments could be something boring and pedestrian, hence, the push for the one-of-a-kind creative.
“We thought 80’s was great because it’s something that any generation can relate to whether you’re [a baby boomer], even to Gen Z folks who are interested [in] how it is like [in the] 90s and 80s,” said Goh.
He also shared that stimulating the feeling of Nostalgia was the goal.
“[80’s] seem like simple times and just really great times. So I guess we could tap into so many different feelings and people also see that no matter what age they are from,” said Goh.
The leading food delivery platform in Asia, foodpanda, will now move to offer a wide range of consumer electronics and appliances for on-demand deliveries in Singapore and Thailand.
Partnering with Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, foodpanda will be offering Xiaomi’s products ranging from smart devices, audio, and mobile accessories, to household appliances, and will be delivered to homes within 30 minutes.
Speaking to MARKETECH APAC, Christian Urban, foodpanda’s head of marketplace of new verticals for APAC, shared, “Xiaomi is one of the great new vendors coming on board recently, and of course, a very popular brand and we are super happy about that. They are on board with hundreds of their products from their flagship stores across Singapore and Thailand.”
Regarding the platform’s new partnerships and offerings in 2022, Urban said that they want to enable more and more vendors to join their marketplace, helping them to digitize and get their goods delivered within 30 minutes.
“Our goal is to serve a large portion of essential and non-essential goods, and there is actually a strong demand for it. Hence, strategically, the goal is to go deeper and offer more of those goods to our customers,” he added.
For this month’s #1 story, we take a look at the expansive company hire move by content marketing agency Green Park Content for the Asia-Pacific region.
The hires, which were made in November, span across three major work categories: the client servicing team, creative production team, and the editorial team. In addition to these new hires, GPC also announced the promotions of some of its senior leaders, including Que Ramli to the role of global social media lead, Martin Niens as head of operations, and Fe Husaint who was recently promoted to the role of creative and global brand head.
Speaking to MARKETECH APAC, Marcelo Bittencourt, managing director for APAC at GPC, shared that ever since GPC started out in APAC four and a half years ago with only two hires, they have tested the waters of the business in the region and have since grown to provide various services such as search engine optimization and editorial content.
“The goal for GPC in APAC is [trying] to answer to our global FMCG clients on how we can be more localized, how can we have content that is meaningful for the local countries, because we are seeing a shift from budgets being centralized, and we are seeing how important it is, and how empowered are the local marketers are in the countries. So [we] want to be there with them because we are a part of a global [and] regional work lines and as close to their local operations we can be,” Bittencourt stated.
On his insights on content development, he said, “Content is about connection, content is about building a bond with the audience. You cannot do this if you are not ‘there’, if you’re not using slang, if you’re not understanding what is the environment that you have. This is the biggest goal for us: to be able to grow our local expertise in the countries in APAC, to be able to be that partner to our global clients., and be able to answer their strategies to deliver their brand purpose with quality and with trust.”
Watch our exclusive interviews with the brands themselves on the latest episode of MARKETECH APAC Reports, now live on our YouTube channel.
This is in collaboration with Malaysia-based media company The Full Frontal.
Manila, Philippines – Havas Ortega, the media and communications group of the global Havas group in the Philippines, has appointed Mel Panabi, former vice president of marketing communications at energy tech business WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines, to be the new business director of its global public relations, social and experiential agency micro-network.
Panabi has more than 25 years of experience in public relations, corporate communication, stakeholder relations, and crisis management, as well as political communications, and marketing. He has worked on accounts and brands across industries like fintech, real estate, telecommunications, and entertainment, as well as renewables.
In his new role, Panabi will now be responsible for developing new products and services that will further strengthen Red Havas’ position in the country’s public relations and brands landscape.
Panabi believes that PR is building a relationship across different touchpoints in the customer journey. He shared that it is not just a campaign but a conversation with brands that consumers can trust.
“I am particularly looking forward to the new direction we’re going to take – highlighting sustainability as a centerpiece communication strategy as we partner with brands. I am also excited by our plans for 2022, as we align our efforts here in the Philippines with the standards and industry-leading initiatives of the global Red Havas brand,” said Panabi.
Jos Ortega, Havas Ortega’s chairman and CEO, noted that meaningful messages aligned to authentic values are what stakeholders look for, and that the new appointment is great support in achieving this.
“Mel Panabi brings with him a wealth of experience that will help Red Havas navigate through the new role of PR and corporate communication—one that is informed by thoughtful corporate responsibility and governance,” said Ortega.
Today, Red Havas in Australia has also announced the appointment of Lawrence Muskitta to be the head of the agency’s new public affairs offering in the market. The new division spans government relations, stakeholder engagement, patient and consumer advocacy, and public behavior change campaigns, as well as policy monitoring and intelligence gathering, crisis management, and strategic partnerships.
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