Tag: initiative

Singapore – Initiative, an IPG Mediabrands media agency, has been named the media agency of record for Finnair, Finland’s full-service legacy airline. This appointment followed a competitive pitch review in September of the same year. 

The appointment of Initiative as Finnair’s official media agency is effective right away.

The assigned task for Initiative will be the management of media strategy, planning, and buying across all digital channels, and it will initially cover four Asia-Pacific markets Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. 

Initiative’s strategic model, developed around growth markets and a profound understanding of performance, was cited by Finnair as a key differentiator. 

Speaking about the partnership, Lara Allan, team lead of growth marketing and technology at Finnair, said, “In our centenarian year, Finnair is thrilled to embark on a new chapter, sharing the rich story of our brand and exceptional product with travellers from APAC who aspire to explore Europe and beyond. We are proud to announce our strategic partnership with Initiative, whose strategic insights, local expertise, and expansive media network perfectly align with our vision.” 

She added, “As we look ahead to 2024, the future holds incredible promise, and we are eager to continue expanding our presence in Asia.” 

Meanwhile, James Smyllie, president of Initiative APAC, said, “We are very excited to add Finnair to our client roster. We see this new partnership as an opportunity to help Finnair build their brand Fame and delivering Flow-centric solutions that will elevate Finnair’s position as global trailblazer in aviation.” 

Manila, Philippines – Initiative, a media agency within IPG Mediabrands, has announced their appointment as the media agency of record for Philippine food and beverages company Monde Nissin through the launch of ‘Crave’, their dedicated team assigned exclusively to the company. 

Initiative’s appointment encompasses all media and buying duties for all brands across Monde Nissin and Monde M.Y. San. With resources and expertise from the IPG Mediabrands network, Crave is well-positioned to elevate the partnership.

Gen dela Peña, media communications head of Monde Nissin, said, “Initiative’s focus on business KPIs as the starting point for media decisions is exactly what we are looking for today. Given today’s complex media landscape, we are looking forward to how Initiative and Team Crave will guide us on how to plan media more efficiently and effectively, with a clear focus on achieving the right metric for success.”

Melody Laogan, managing partner, Initiative Philippines, added, “We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Monde Nissin and launch Team Crave. This marks the beginning of an exciting journey of pushing boundaries and changing the game together.”

Meanwhile, Paul Atienza, managing partner, Initiative Philippines, also commented, “This epic win is testament to Initiative’s modern and outcome-driven approach to integrated strategic planning. We cannot wait to join forces and craft unparalleled consumer experiences to grow Monde Nissin brands through our Fame and FlowTM model.”

Sydney, Australia – Australian value furniture and bedding retailer Fantastic Furniture has appointed Initiative as its media agency of record.

Through this appointment,  Initiative is tasked with all of Fantastic Furniture’s national and local broadcast media planning & buying, print, outdoor, radio, press, magazines, cinema, and BVOD. 

Additionally, it is worth mentioning that Incubeta, Fantastic Furniture’s Digital agency was not part of the review.

Initiative’s immediate remit will begin on October 1, wherein it will undertake an in-depth analysis of the business to understand its brand identity, target audience and long-term business objectives, to ensure that all media efforts are aligned with the company’s ambition and vision.

Commenting on the partnership, Jo McAlister, managing director of Initiative Sydney, said, “We are confident our strategic approach and quest to hone our craft to create brave, but sustainable campaigns will deliver exceptional results for Fantastic, and will ultimately enhance its brand presence, drive customer engagement and boost sales.”

“Initiative works with clients who have similar cultures and ambitions. We are fearless in our approach to deliver best in class outcomes; we always put our people, clients and partners front and centre in everything we do. It was clear from the start that Fantastic shares the same philosophies, so there is no doubt we will make an undeniably formidable client/agency partnership,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Laurie Lai, chief marketing officer of Fantastic Furniture, commented,  “We are excited to work with a team who is uncompromising in its ambition to provide unbeatable value, smart thinking and pride in their craft, creating the highest quality client outcome possible.

“Initiative presented an excellent understanding of different ways to approach screens and demonstrated they have the right tools to deliver. Their team challenged our thinking from the start, developing a strategy which will ensure we get the best results from our media investment. We look forward to building a strong relationship with Initiative and feel confident our new partnership will deliver continued growth for Fantastic Furniture,” she concluded. 

New Zealand – Media agency Initiative has been appointed as media partner to New Zealand bank ASB and will be expanding its global footprint by launching in New Zealand as ‘Initiative Aotearoa’.

As ASB’s media agency partner, Initiative Aoteroa will be delivering innovative and integrated media strategy, planning, and buying across all channels.

The new business announcement follows a competitive pitch process which saw expressions of interest from a group of high-caliber local and international agencies, with the contract taking effect on September 1. 

Commenting on the partnership, Helen Fitzsimons, chief marketing officer of ASB, said, “We were inspired by Initiative’s philosophy and the impact this is having for its clients around the world. Initiative’s energy, strategic thinking, data smarts, and overall approach were aligned to ASB’s transformational agenda and the ambitions of our marketing practice. We’re excited to welcome Initiative Aotearoa to New Zealand and to the ASB team.”

Melissa Fein, CEO of Initiative AuNZ, also mentioned a move to open a New Zealand office has been on the agency’s agenda, but it was waiting for the right brand to launch with.

“We’ve always admired the sheer creativity of marketers in New Zealand and share their philosophy on embracing bold cultural ideas to fuel growth. As such, a New Zealand presence was always on our radar, but we were waiting for the perfect partner to set up shop. ASB is that partner”, added Fein.

Meanwhile, Sam Geer, managing director of Initiative AuNZ, commented, “We’re excited for this partnership that will see global expertise with the best of New Zealand, delivering innovative solutions in support of ASB’s ambitious plans.”

Singapore – Initiative, a media agency within IPG Mediabrands, has announced their appointment as the media agency of record for global technology and manufacturing company 3M in the Asia-Pacific region

Initiative’s scope, which extends to 13 markets, will cover all media and buying duties for the portfolio of brands across 3M’s Consumer Business Group segment. The markets they will cover include South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, Singapore, and more.

“Marketing at 3M is on a transformation journey to enhance our digital footprint, accelerate our go-to-market execution, and optimize scale and efficiency. We are very pleased to have Initiative as our media partner, who bring strategic thinking, agility, and understanding of diverse consumer targets, making them a great fit for 3M Asia Pacific’s consumer business,” said Chitkala Nishandar, director, APAC marketing centre at 3M-CBG.

Commenting on the appointment, James Smyllie, president of Initiative APAC, said, “3M is a globally established company that is known for its extraordinary culture of innovation, one that has led to breakthrough solutions for consumers and businesses around the world. We are thrilled to partner with 3M on a strategically unified marketing approach using Initiative’s new Fame & Flow model.”

Initiative’s regional appointment to 3M is effective immediately.

Melbourne, Australia – Following a robust pitch process, Initiative has been appointed as Cricket Australia’s media agency of record, effective immediately.

Initiative’s remit covers all media strategy, planning and buying – including contra activities for offline, online display, performance and addressable – with a clear brief to amplify fan engagement across Cricket Australia’s product portfolio including International, Big Bash Leagues, and Participation.

Sam Geer, national managing director of Initiative, said cricket has iconic status in Australia’s sporting landscape and pop culture and the partnership represents an exciting opportunity to increase the visibility and reach of the nationally loved sport across various media platforms.

“I believe there are no bigger icons in Australian sporting culture than our cricket teams. CA set out to find a partner that had a proven history of delivering successful and innovative media campaigns and could demonstrate a clear strategic approach to cut through and engage its broad fan base, including multicultural audiences. Initiative is perfectly placed to meet that brief – and more – and we can’t wait to share our ‘smarts’ and get started,” said Geer.

Sarah James, MD of Initiative Melbourne, commented, “Sometimes an agency experiences a pivotal moment in its journey: partnering with Cricket Australia is one of those “gotcha” moments. I never knew we had so many cricket devotees among the team, and we are stoked to be driving the account out of Melbourne, drawing on the skills and capabilities of Initiative’s national team wherever necessary.”

She continued, “Cricket is an integral part of Australia’s sporting culture, and we are excited to have the opportunity to help CA achieve its ambitious growth objectives, connect with fans… both new and the die-hards …and bring the excitement of the game to new audiences by leveraging our extensive network of media partners. Our partnership marks a significant milestone in both organisations’ next growth phase and underscores our shared commitment to delivering excellence in sports media and communications.”

Teresa Basile, head of brand and marketing of Cricket Australia, said, “We are very excited to partner with Initiative and applaud their leadership in cultural insight, alongside data and analytical solutions that deliver real-world tangible results. Initiative’s team brings energy and passion and their pursuit and delivery of excellence clearly stood out. We’re looking forward to a strong partnership.”

Work begins immediately with the first campaign expected in the market ahead of the summer cricket season.

Sydney, Australia – Media agency Initiative has announced the appointment of Paige Wheaton as its new chief investment & partnerships officer. Wheaton will also be joining Initiative’s national senior leadership team.

Based in Sydney, Wheaton will be responsible for further evolving Initiative’s Investment and Partnerships approach, working closely with clients nationally to aim to deliver and create market-leading value, innovation, and opportunity geared for sustainable growth.

Melissa Fein, CEO of Initiative Australia, said investment and partnerships underpin the overall success of the agency and it is essential that an exceptional talent leads this team – “someone with outstanding people and leadership skills and with a strong point of view on media responsibility and planning for a sustainable and inclusive future.” 

Fein said, “As Initiative looks to evolve its investment and partnerships offering, I believe we have found a phenomenal talent in Paige. Her experience across the full funnel, not just traditional, makes her a unicorn in this market. Compounding that is her knowledge in the purpose-driven area of investment which perfectly complements Initiative’s ethos in this space.” 

Currently National Head of Investment at Mindshare, Wheaton brings 15 years of media experience to Initiative, beginning her career at Mediacom and spending time at several Australian independent media agencies. At Mindshare, she has grown the investment community and been instrumental in the development of globally adopted tools around the responsible and sustainable investment of media dollars. 

Wheaton commented, “Initiative’s value proposition, culture and suite of investment products and services will allow me to develop meaningful relationships with our partners, delivering on-point creative investment strategies and campaigns that outpace the current market standard.”

“I’m passionate about making an impact. The most exciting thing is having a thriving community of investment individuals who I can help grow and develop in their careers. I’m a hugely people-centric leader and I’m so excited to partner with the investment leads in each of the markets to deliver on that promise. The other element that excites me is the culture at Initiative which they are so renowned for. It’s what initially attracted me to the role and having the opportunity to truly deliver market-leading work was the icing on the cake,” she added. 

Initiative’s National Managing Director, Sam Geer, meanwhile, said, “Put simply, Initiative wants the market’s best talent, and we have heard from media owners time and time again that Paige is exactly that. She joins us at a time when our product is evolving and the integration of Performance, Digital and Traditional has never been more critical. With Paige’s knowledge and experience in this area we have found the perfect match to drive our investment proposition into the future.” 

Wheaton’s appointment is effective mid-July. She replaces Simon Reid who left the agency earlier this year.

Also within this month, the agency named Danielle Galipienzo as its Head of Impact to lead its purpose-led consulting division. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia, has launched its latest campaign to commemorate the Raya celebrations. The campaign was done in collaboration with Initiative, the media agency within the IPG Mediabrands network.

With the theme ‘More than you expect’, SDAC and Initiative worked with key opinion leader (KOL) Chubb-E. The release intends to send Raya wishes to consumers as they make their way back to their hometowns (balik kampung) while sharing key safety and product features of the Next-Generation Ford Ranger.

The lyrics were written and composed by Chubb-E, who also performed and produced the video. The 23-year-old digital artist is well-known in the Malaysian media scene and as a digital influencer, singer, and composer.

“Amidst the Raya videos that fall on comedy, and the majority that pull on your heartstrings, we’re excited to be a part of something that cuts through the noise and is culturally current and relevant,” said Darren Yuen, chief executive officer of Initiative.

He added, “The team has pulled together a dual language music video that speaks to the younger generation with its street-cred lyrics – think fleek and lit – and leverages on the popularity of Chubb-E who has a strong following with Malay grassroots.” 

Meanwhile, Queenie Tham, head of marketing communications at Sime Darby Auto Connexion-Ford said that they wanted to show the Next-Generation Ranger in a new light this Raya, how it can play a part in many aspects of life, being truly ‘more than you expect’ in a pickup truck. 

“Next-Gen Ford Ranger and Raptor have many first-in-class and best-in-class technologies and features suited for the dynamic lifestyle of society today. The Initiative team and Chubb-E have really done a wonderful job to translate our key messages into a catchy, trendy song that is more than just a jingle,” Tham added.

Complementing the music video, a week-long radio campaign has launched on ERA FM and with Astro Lifebytes to promote Raya safety messages during the festive period and educate listeners on the Next-Generation Ranger features.

SDAC Ford’s new music video can be viewed via Ford Malaysia’s social media channels.

Sydney, Australia – Media agency Initiative has announced the appointment of Danielle Galipienzo as head of Impact to lead its purpose-led consulting division. The appointment comes as the agency continuously develops the department, expanding from pro-bono partners to include paid services and impact consulting open to all clients.

She will be responsible for looking upon opportunities where Initiative can do its role of helping employees, clients, media partners, NFPs and other businesses to positively amplify the impactful work they’re doing. She will also create impact campaigns supported by a team across Initiative nationally. 

Galipienzo will retain her role as the agency’s client director. Working with Initiative, she has been a very intergral part in strategising the ad spaces and running campaigns of its clients.

Sam Geer, national managing director at Initiative, describes Galipienzo as a genuine market leader, and her experience and passion are evidences that she can lead Initiative’s impact division into its growth.

“We are in a unique position in our industry thanks to the resources, skills, and influence that we have. This new role will help me do my best work where I can effectively drive change in culture, for our clients and the industry,” Galipienzo expressed.

This year, Initiative has also appointed David Cook as its head of marketing and IQ. 

Australia – Regional food company Goodman Fielder has expanded the remit of media agency Initiative to now include retail marketing business, traditionally the domain of the business’ sales division.

Previously, Initiative was the media agency of record for Goodman Fielder, where it focused on the company’s above the line (ATL) media, including strategy, planning, buying, implementing and reporting. 

Work on the retail marketing side of Goodman Fielder’s media account commences immediately with first campaigns expected in market by the middle of the second quarter.

Jo McAlister, managing director at Initiative Sydney said the fundamental shift in the way Goodman Fielder is approaching its brand and retail trade marketing is a gamechanger; and Initiative’s team is thrilled to have the ability to take a more universal approach to investment, allowing best practice of having ATL, at-shelf and at-home to seamlessly work together.

“Combining brand and retail has been proven to provide Goodman Fielder with the strongest integrated media product possible. The work we collectively delivered for the widely recognised ‘Wonder Recycling Rewards’ campaign shows the closer these two worlds are, the stronger the results,” he explained.

McAlister also commented that it has also astounded them that less than 5% of retail media investment is managed via media agencies, a statistic Australia is lagging behind mature markets, and they feel it’s an untapped opportunity for brands to create an unfair advantage.

“We will harness the full capabilities of Cartology, Coles 360 and others, while leveraging our ATL media partners, to create a true consumer-first end-to-end solutions,” he said.

Meanwhile, Christine Fung, chief marketing officer at Goodman Fielder, commented, “Taking a holistic approach to our media and retail investment strategy has proven to deliver results for us, and we are delighted Initiative is our partner on the next stage of our growth journey as we accelerate our approach. We can’t wait to see what amazing results we can achieve as a team.”