Tag: iProspect

Hong Kong – Japanese beauty brand SHISEIDO has launched a new branding campaign in Hong Kong, highlighting resilience and strength as part of the rollout for the latest iteration of its Ultimune serum.

The #FullBloomBeauty campaign, developed for the Hong Kong market, was created in collaboration with creative agency Omelette Digital, media agency iProspect, and digital agency Pontac. It is also part of SHISEIDO’s global creative platform, “Freedom From Age.”

The campaign presents SHISEIDO’s camellia as a symbol of resilience, flourishing even in challenging conditions. It also features the latest version of Ultimune, which incorporates the company’s Power Fermented Camellia+ technology. This formulation, designed to support skin immunity, targets ageing skin cells using a memory T cell approach aimed at promoting a more revitalised appearance.

“The term ‘全盛期’ has traditionally been used to define the peak era of an individual. It is our privilege to bring a twist to this concept, reminding consumers that beauty knows no age. Everyone can radiate with full-bloom beauty at the best of their age as they unleash their inner resilience,” said Andrea Choi, creative director of Omelette Digital.

As part of the campaign, SHISEIDO also extends its collaboration with Keung To, Anson Lo, Ian Chan, and Edan Lui of Hong Kong boy band MIRROR, who have been brand endorsers for several years.

The campaign features MIRROR members in a story video reflecting on the resilience of the camellia and how it resonates with their personal journeys. Additionally, a series of individual videos highlights each member’s perspective on resilience and their experiences with the latest Ultimune serum.

To extend the campaign’s reach, SHISEIDO has rolled out a series of out-of-home (OOH) advertisements across Hong Kong, reinforcing the #FullBloomBeauty message. The campaign also includes exclusive MIRROR-themed collectibles, available with purchases, offering fans a connection to both the brand and the boy band.

SHISEIDO also launched a series of teaser videos featuring MIRROR members looking toward the iconic IFC building as camellias bloom in the background. These visuals set the stage for an upcoming SHISEIDO pop-up event, inviting beauty enthusiasts to take part in the celebration of resilience and beauty.

Gloria Ho, president and managing director of Shiseido Hong Kong, said, “New Ultimune is our latest science-backed innovation, backed by over 30 years of research, bringing SHISEIDO’s over-the-century Art & Science together. By highlighting Camellia’s resilience story, we aim to inspire and engage local consumers, demonstrating how our product embodies inner strength and vitality, echoing Shiseido’s corporate mission “Beauty Innovation For A Better World.” This branding campaign, combined with our omnichannel marketing strategy, will create a unique and immersive experience for our customers.”

Hong Kong – Pizza Hut Hong Kong has teamed up with iProspect Hong Kong for a Halloween-inspired campaign that brings a spooky twist to their menu, featuring a special-edition product and an interactive experience to engage customers throughout the season.

In this campaign, Pizza Hut and iProspect Hong Kong invite customers to embark on a fun, interactive search for hidden spooky faces nestled within the pizza crust and melted cheese. 

This creative approach not only showcases Pizza Hut’s delicious offerings but also lets customers rediscover their favourite food in a playful way, turning each bite into a delightful surprise.

The campaign is live on social media, with OOH advertisements strategically placed in high-traffic areas across Central from October 26 to November 1, drawing attention and inviting passersby to join in the Halloween festivities.

Embracing the Halloween spirit, Pizza Hut has also introduced special edition ‘spider-shaped cheese sticks.’ These fun and festive treats are the perfect addition to any Halloween gathering, making it easy for fans to celebrate the spooky season.

The name of the cheese sticks, “藍芝蛛點點棒,” is a playful pun: “藍芝” refers to the blue cheese dip, while “芝蛛” sounds like “spider” in Cantonese. Additionally, Pizza Hut has also launched a “spider-catching” game on social media, where participants can win free garlic bread, adding an extra layer of excitement to the spooky season.

Huey Wong, creative director at dentsu Hong Kong, said, “Halloween is all about embracing the unexpected, and we wanted to turn every pizza into a canvas of spooky delight. By encouraging customers to discover their own surprises, we aim to transform their usual food experience into something extraordinary. It’s not just about enjoying delicious food; it’s about creating memorable moments that celebrate the spirit of the season.” 

Renee Chan, director of customer experience & marketing at Pizza Hut Hong Kong, added, “At Pizza Hut, we love to playfully push the boundaries of pizza-making and spark conversations. Our aim is to keep things fun and eye-catching, ensuring that  our products leave a lasting impression. We want our customers to enjoy our food in the most innovative ways possible, making every bite an exciting experience.” 

Hong Kong – iProspect Hong Kong has recently spearheaded KFC Hong Kong’s brand campaign with the sought-after Japanese anime “Attack on Titan The Final Season”. This “Krunch! Chill Out and Attack On!” campaign marks another massive undertaking by KFC with an iconic anime IP. 

Despite the anime’s focus on high-stakes battles against giant titans, iProspect demonstrated its expertise in orchestrating complex brand collaborations. Through its dedicated IP offerings and a blend of creative, media, and UX/UI elements, iProspect thoughtfully reframes these intense anime motifs in a way that resonates with the local market and aligns with KFC’s brand identity.

At the heart of the campaign is KFC’s brand positioning of providing a “Krispy” break – a moment of indulgence and relaxation amidst the daily pressures of life. This concept is brought to life through the animated commercials that integrated “Attack on Titan” characters into scenarios that mirror the daily struggles faced by the local consumers. 

Leveraging iProspect’s creative expertise in marrying animated IP and the brand products seamlessly, the animated Titan characters were designed to carry KFC chickens in their hands, further echoing the KFC brand identity of playful and bold.

Moreover, one of the animated spots features the Attack Titan dressed in business attire who emerges to tell a stressed-out office worker “Feeling stressful? Eat KFC to relax! (有壓力？ 食件雞囉！)”. The other commercial features the Attack Titan who stopped the Jaw Titan with a student backpack who is overwhelmed with homework, to “Slow down, chill out and eat KFC to relieve (唔洗咁 chur 喎，食件雞唞吓啦你！)”.

These relatable scenarios, enhanced by the use of familiar Hong Kong idioms and colloquial phrases, further enhance the local relevance and resonance of KFC’s brand messaging.

KFC x Attack on Titan merchandise

iProspect Hong Kong and KFC have also developed a line of six exclusive merchandise items inspired by “Attack on Titan: The Final Season” character elements with a pun-intended product name in Cantonese – “Krispy Break” Maneuver Gear (唞唞「雞」動裝置)”, including ‘Krispy Break Titan Eye Mask’, ‘Survey Corps Neck Pillow with Cape’, ‘Infinite Stress Popping Bucket’, ‘Survey Corps Krispy Break Portable Fan’, ‘Titan “Kooling” Towel’, and ‘“Krispy Break” Acrylic Stand Blind Box’, aimed to remind working classes and students to take a break during their busy days.

KFC x Attack on Titan OOH activation

Both have also have taken the collaboration a step further by transforming the flagship KFC store in Causeway Bay into a fully immersive “Attack on Titan” experience. Both the interior and exterior of the store are decorated with the designs of the anime characters, bringing the thrilling Titan scenes to life.

The second floor also features two giant photo spots, recreating classic scenes from the anime. This first-of-its-kind move showcases KFC’s commitment to providing consumers with a 360-degree engagement that aligns with their brand positioning of making life easier and offering an instant space for people to dive in, set themselves free, and indulge in what they want for a moment.

KFC x Attack on Titan store wrap

Lastly, to further reinforce the brand’s role in providing a moment of respite and relaxation, KFC created an opportunity for the audience to reflect on their daily stresses and the need for a break. Leveraging iProspect’s UX/UI expertise, an interactive “Titan Attribute” game has been implemented to allow consumers to match their personality traits to corresponding Titan characters and discover their “Titan alter ego” with tailored stress-coping methods.

Janet Lau, marketing director of KFC HK & Macau, said, “We are thrilled by iProspect Hong Kong’s ability to cater to all our needs for this captivating ‘Attack on Titan’ collaboration. The strategic partnership with ‘Attack on Titan’ enables us to successfully communicate our brand identity and connect with our customers, particularly engaging with a younger demographic.”

KFC x Attack on Titan “Titan Attribute” game

Meanwhile, Christa Ma, business director at iProspect Hong Kong commented, “This successful campaign showcases our agency’s expertise in bringing IP activations to life, especially through the immersive Causeway Bay flagship store experience and the diverse merchandise offerings. It demonstrates our ability to deliver innovative, eye-catching campaigns that drive real impact and engagement. By tapping into the beloved anime’s characters and motifs, we’ve successfully engaged the busy working class and student segments, delivering a campaign that strikes a profound chord with our target audience.”

The campaign is running from 22 August to 18 September and being promoted across a diverse array of multimedia platforms, including television broadcasting, digital channels, outdoor advertising, influencer social media channels, print ads, MTR network, domination of the Causeway Bay KFC flagship store and all other KFC stores.

Hong Kong – Global media agency iProspect Hong Kong has been appointed by KFC, Pizza Hut and PHD, the food brands under Jardine Restaurant Group as their official media partner to spearhead their communication strategies.

The agency’s appointment comes as KFC, Pizza Hut, and PHD continue to stand by their shared objective of strengthening their e-commerce, dine-in, and takeaway businesses. 

The household food brands aim to grow their e-commerce effectively as an answer to the need to transform and evolve with time and current trends. 

iProspect will offer a comprehensive communication strategy that can seamlessly connect top, middle, and lower funnel initiatives to unlock the full potential of media investments and deliver tangible online and offline business results.

With their resources, they are expected to solve the brands’ common challenge of reinforcing connections from upper to lower funnels as a way to optimize media efficiency and ultimately reflect on their return on investment (ROI). 

Wai-Chung Au, managing director of media business at iProspect Hong Kong, said, “We are proud to become the trusted media partner for the three iconic names. We look forward to working with them and achieving their vision effectively.”

Commenting on the appointment, Renee Chan, customer experience and marketing director at Pizza Hut and PHD, also said, “We are excited to work with iProspect Hong Kong. iProspect has demonstrated a strong strategic point of view that helped to realize our vision and business goals, not to mention proactively providing solutions and recommendations that go beyond our scope and helped to innovate and optimize our effectiveness.”

Janet Lau, marketing director at KFC, further shared,  “We are looking forward to working with iProspect Hong Kong to optimize our e-commerce business. In this era of constant change and transformation, we need to tighten up our O2O communication strategy to offer truly seamless experience for consumers constantly. We believe iProspect can offer the solution to us.”

United Kingdom – Brewing company Carlsberg Group has appointed iProspect as its new media agency to manage all global advertising and marketing initiatives. After reviewing the process, iProspect was chosen because of its strategic acumen, originality, data-driven methodology, and track record of results.

Starting in January 2024, iProspect will take on the responsibility of media planning and buying for Carlsberg Group, serving as its designated media agency.

Søren Brinck, chief commercial officer at Carlsberg Group, said, “We are thrilled to have selected iProspect as our global media partner,” 

He added, ”Their comprehensive, creative and innovative approach, combined with their range of cutting-edge tools and strategies, convinced us that they are the ideal choice to drive our marketing and our brands’ to new heights. We are eager to collaborate closely with iProspect and leverage their expertise to achieve our objectives.” 

Carlsberg aims to use iProspect’s assistance to create an integrated media strategy, carry out campaigns, and keep its brand relevant and influential across all of the Group’s markets.

Meanwhile, Amanda Morrissey, global client and brand president, iProspect, said, “Sometimes things just feel right and ‘click’. For us, this was an immediate reaction from our entire international team, across all markets, when we started this pitch process with Carlsberg and, we understood straightaway what needed to be done. 

She added, “With a shared passion for the brands and their success, an ambition to create new opportunities to create meaningful connections with the consumer and a cultural connection that united us, we felt the spirit of partnership throughout. We can’t wait to get started and work together to create some of the best media work in the industry.”

Brinck also added, “We would like to extend our appreciation to our incumbent agency, Initiative, for their exceptional partnership throughout the years. We also thank all the participating agencies for their valuable contributions during the pitch process.”

India – National steel company ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has recently launched a new campaign called ‘Reimagineering’ which fuses reimagination and engineering–two key levers that will shape India’s growth and development over the next several decades.

Conceptualised alongside dentsu India’s iProspect, the campaign’s objective is to raise awareness and build imagery of a global new-age steel manufacturer committed to creating a brand-new future for the industry, people, and the planet. iProspect India has created a multi-media campaign architecture with an aim to accelerate the brand’s key vision in the market.

In addition, the campaign covers key touchpoints such as television with dominance in the news genre and front jackets in leading English and vernacular dailies to drive credibility. As a result, AM/NS India is associated with the ongoing FIFA World Cup as one of the digital sponsors.

Speaking on the campaign, Bibek Chattopadhyay, head of communications at ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India said, “We embarked on a journey almost a year back to craft the corporate identity and design for AM/NS India – a venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, two of the most valued brands in the metal and mining space worldwide.” 

He added, “With the 360-degree campaign, entailing media formats, we unveil a Young, Dynamic, Smart, Thoughtful, and Global architecture that elevates the brand presentation. Reimagineering – one world that eloquently puts forth our ambitions for the market we are privileged to serve – is rudimentary to our concept and reflects our brand philosophy, ‘Smarter Steels, Brighter Futures’.”

Meanwhile, Vinod Thadani, CEO of iProspect and chief digital growth officer at dentsu Media commented, “We are extremely proud to be part of this amazing campaign. The beauty of the campaign is in synchronisation of 6 very impactful KVs, a powerful and visually delighted TVC with melodious background score and multiple format renditions across touchpoints.” 

He added, “We planned the campaign [in] such a way so that each touchpoint [complemented] each other to establish the core proposition of the brand. I am confident post this campaign, AM/NS brand awareness will be enhanced significantly.”

Hong Kong – As audio-driven platforms are growing exponentially all over the world, and Hong Kongers have shown a ‘listen-first’ behaviour even with video platforms like Youtube, livi Paylater, a Hong Kong-based BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) service under virtual bank livi Bank, has partnered with dentsu’s digital-first end-to-end media agency iProspect to launch the industry’s first audio ads on Youtube, in an aim to grow with their audiences.

According to consumer insights conducted by Google, 63% of consumers spend the most time listening to music digitally on Youtube, and 81% of the measured campaigns have proven to lift brand awareness when launched in Youtube Music. Youtube thus reacted swiftly to support users who are opting for audio-based experiences, including music lineups expansion for audio and podcast targeting, amongst others. In response, instead of investing solely in the mass video, livi Paylater has refined its marketing strategy to launch four sets of audio. 

Moreover, the voiceover is conducted by Jay Fung, Hong Kong’s popular singer, who has given the audios a great deal of relevancy and familiarity for his listeners. With this, the results include accumulating 130% total impressions on top of standard video buy, about 82% completion rate of audio ads and created an ad-recall for audiences, and over 100% relative search lift on the ‘livi bank’ search term.

Eric Lin, CMO of livi Bank, shared that livi Paylater enables a smarter way of spending that allows customers to have greater control of their spending and create the financial flexibility to help them to live life to the full.

“Whether it is for those just released trainers, furniture for a first flat, a gift for a loved one, the phone upgrade, a rent deposit or the course fees for advancement, they can all benefit from livi Paylater. As an innovative brand, we are always looking for new ways to engage our customers and create meaningful relationships with them,” said Lin.

Meanwhile, Kitty Kwan, associate planning director of dentsu international Hong Kong, commented that this is definitely an insight-driven media breakthrough and they’re glad that it brings incremental reach on top of the standard video buys.

“Leveraging the growth of audio platforms, we believe audio ads are one of the great potential formats to reach out proactively to our target audiences under a fragmented media landscape. Based on the audiences’ insight report powered by dentsu’s proprietary tool, the target audiences of livi PayLater are fashionistas, digital savvy and pursuing quality of life, hence we transformed this insight into 4 sets of audios, including Luxury, Gadget, Home-moving and Travel, with merchant offer support in a personalised approach,” said Kwan.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Dentsu Malaysia’s digital-first end-to-end media agency iProspect has won the regional media mandate of hotel and flight booking platform Traveloka.

The remit, which will take effect in April 2022, will see iProspect as a key partner in Traveloka’s plan in becoming a lifestyle superapp. iProspect will also be responsible for all above the line media planning and buying across the platform’s key markets, which are Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. 

Moreover, iProspect will be setting up a regional media strategy hub based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ensuring that the brand delivers a unified strategy with local nuances across the said SEA markets. 

Dheeraj Raina, the CEO of dentsu Media for Malaysia, shared that the travel industry has gone through very challenging times, to say the least, and so have the consumers. 

“As the world begins to open up, we want yearning travellers to pick Traveloka as their first choice, for fulfilling experiences and we believe the media has a strong role to play in building that trust and optimism,” said Raina.

Meanwhile, Shirley Lesmana, Traveloka’s CMO, noted that they have marked their presence in six countries across SEA, helping millions of people enrich their lives on a daily basis, as they are on an accelerated mission to fulfil the end-to-end lifestyle needs of consumers in the region. 

“In addition, we found synergy in the strategy crafted by iProspect in these markets, to deliver our brand promise,” said Lesmana.

Sydney, Australia – iProspect, the media agency under the dentsu network, has elevated Marcelle Gomez, former general manager in Sydney, to be its new managing director (MD) in Sydney.

Gomez brings with her over 20 years of experience in various leadership roles across planning, account management, investment, and general agency management. Prior to joining iProspect 12 months ago, Gomez was the managing director at media agency Initiative Sydney and the general manager at IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA in Melbourne.

iProspect has also announced that the Sydney office has had a dramatic growth spurt as they get close to doubling their staff, from 29 to 55. Recent new business wins, both locally and globally, have been a factor in the hiring of further staff. Those wins include Beforepay, Shopify, Polestar and the global win of French luxury group Kering.

Gomez said, “I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in 2021 and that momentum will continue this year as we share more announcements in the near future. This is a brilliant business and team with the energy, ambition and performance mindset to continue our growth trajectory.”

Meanwhile, Oliver Rapson, iProspect’s CEO for Australia, shared that Gomez has joined the team during iProspect’s period of transformation with their focus on accelerating brand growth and end to end capabilities. 

“She provides energy, professionalism and a great depth of knowledge to tackle the challenges and opportunities ahead in the future. Her motivation has always been on taking iProspect Sydney to the success it is enjoying today and I’m thrilled to have her promoted to MD,” said Rapson.

Melbourne, Australia – iProspect, the media agency under the dentsu network, has announced the appointment of former chief media officer at Cummins&Partners Paul Murphy to be its newest managing director in Melbourne. The appointment takes effect on 10 January 2022.

He brings into the agency 25 years of experience working agency- and client-side in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, and assuming national roles across traditional, digital, planning, and buying.

Prior to Cummins&Partners, Murphy also had notable roles working for companies like Carlton & United Breweries, Blue Hive, Mindshare Melbourne, and OMD Melbourne. He began his career at full-service agency KWP in Adelaide in 1996.

The announcement of the new managing director was made by Oliver Rapson, CEO at iProspect Australia, who said that this is a major hire for iProspect and one that will have the greatest benefit for their clients and offering in Melbourne.

“Paul is a proven leader, we are delighted to have someone of his caliber join the team and I am excited for 2022 and see a year of huge potential and growth,” Rapson said.

Speaking about his appointment, Murphy said, “From my first conversation with Ollie, I was struck by the energy and enthusiasm the team at iProspect have for the business, their clients, and each other.”

He added, “As the industry shifts at pace, clients need a partner that can continually evolve their communications to reach and engage their consumers at the right place and time, for the best price. I am thrilled to be joining a team of professionals both in iProspect and the wider dentsu Group that are hungry for the challenges ahead.”

Meanwhile, Sue Squillace, CEO of dentsu Media ANZ, commented, “This is a very exciting time for the iProspect brand as we continue to build out the new digital-first end to end brand proposition. We are thrilled to welcome Paul to the dentsu family accelerating and leading the new iProspect offering for our clients and our people in Melbourne.”