Tag: Havas Play

Singapore – As part of its ongoing expansion, Havas Singapore has promoted Kenny Yap to the position of chief operating officer for Havas Play, the specialised division within Havas Media Network. 

In his new role, Yap will lead the development and execution of strategic initiatives and partnerships, driving sustained growth and innovation while managing commercial and operational responsibilities. Also, part of his key priority will be expanding Havas Play’s presence throughout Southeast Asia.

Since joining Havas Singapore in 2017 as managing director, Yap has been pivotal in achieving consistent double-digit growth for the agency. He has developed a unique offering that seamlessly integrates social media, content, public relations, influencer marketing, and social media commerce. Under his leadership, the agency has significantly expanded its client roster and garnered numerous accolades, including multiple ‘Agency of the Year’ awards.

Yap will work closely with Russell Lai, chief commercial officer of Havas Media Network Singapore, and both will continue to report to Rana Barua, the group CEO for India, Southeast Asia, and North Asia at Havas. 

Speaking on the appointment, Barua shared, “Kenny has been a key member of our leadership team in Singapore, significantly enhancing the agency’s capabilities and leading to numerous new business successes. We have ambitious plans for Havas Media Network in this region, and Havas Play will be key to expanding our diverse capabilities into sports, events, culture, and multiple IPs that connect with brands and consumers, allowing us to make an effective difference and deliver impactful results. Both Russell and Kenny will continue to drive growth for the agency, working closely with me.”

Also commenting on his new role, Yap said, “I’m humbled by the recognition and excited about the growth plans for Havas Play. We have such an amazing playground of talent, intelligence, and data that enables us to offer our clients a comprehensive suite of integrated services. In addition, we have strategic alliances in the pipeline to enhance and elevate our capabilities. As we continue to scale the core business, we will amplify our efforts in additional areas such as sports, entertainment, sponsorships, and activations, creating a greater meaningful difference for our clients and audience.”

Singapore – Warner Bros. and Havas Play has launched the ‘Ice-Cream Warlord’ campaign in Singapore that takes the post-apocalyptic world of ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ to the streets of the city. This marketing campaign combines the film’s grim wasteland style with Singapore’s own cultural character. 

Havas Play created an ice cream cart to promote the upcoming movie ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, which is set to be released on May 22. The design was inspired by Singapore’s ice cream bike vendors and their noticeable presence on the streets. Designed to draw attention, this functioning cart was given a Mad Max makeover, complete with intricate exhaust pipes, spikes, chains, and skulls.

Named after the ‘Ice-Cream Warlord,’ the ‘Sundae Scrapper’ is an 18-wheeler ice cream cart that was driven onto the busy sidewalks of 270 Orchard Road. In exchange for following @warnerbrossg on social media and sharing a picture of the unusual cart, fans and bystanders were given free ice cream. 

The Sundae Scrapper also appeared at the premiere of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga at Shaw Lido. Invited guests and social media influencers (KOLs) were treated to free ice cream and the opportunity to pose for photos with the distinctive cart. 

Speaking about the campaign, Kenny Yap, managing director of Havas Play, said, “With rising audience expectations, we are leaning into creating compelling events and activations, and the Furiosa ice-cream cart is an example of marrying online social content with a culturally relevant offline encounter. At Havas Play, we want to drive impact with meaningful experiences, and help brands capture attention by harnessing the power of fans.”

Singapore – AIA Singapore has partnered with Havas Village Singapore’s integrated specialists from Socialyse, Havas Play, and Arena Media Singapore to launch its latest campaign, raising awareness about the importance of having adequate critical illness (CI) coverage.

AIA Singapore’s campaign features a heartfelt 5-minute film titled ‘Confessions of a Liar’ that spotlights the intricacies of familial bonds, conveyed through the playful dynamic between the middle-aged protagonist and his mother through the different seasons in his life, including a phase of critical illness. 

The protagonist opens the film with a humorous speech in front of his loved ones as he reflects on the playful exchanges he had with his mother through the years. His humour would remain as he recounts their enduring bond that stayed even in the challenging times of illness, serving as a resilient force that keeps them together despite the adversities of cancer. 

The campaign film aims to drive awareness about the need to be adequately protected against critical illnesses and for Singaporeans to have accessible CI coverage like AIA’s UCC plan, which covers up to 150 medical conditions and 73 critical illnesses across any stage. 

The campaign comes after Havas’ Arena Media Singapore was reappointed by AIA Singapore as its media agency of record (AOR). Arena Media Singapore currently oversees the campaign, which was rolled out using a multi-channel approach, including TVC, out-of-home executions, video, programmatic, and social ads.

Kenny Yap, managing director of Socialyse, Havas Play, and Havas Red, said, “At Havas, we are all about being meaningful. That is, to deliver work that makes a positive difference to the brands and businesses we work with, from our client partnerships to consumer engagements. We are humbled by the integrated opportunity to collaborate with AIA Singapore to launch this heartfelt thematic film with a touch of humour, elevating awareness and importance of critical illness coverage.”