Tag: Marketing

Sydney, Australia – Marketing agency Jaywing has announced two key hires to enhance its digital public relations offering amidst growing client demand.

Jaywing has appointed Rob Hilborn as senior SEO director and Harriet Dawson as digital PR specialist, both with experience in the digital PR practice.

Hilborn joins the company from Submerge, a creative marketing specialist in the UK, where he was head of SEO. With over 10 years of experience in digital marketing, PR, and project management, he has worked with brands such as Laithwaites, Legal & General, and Red Head Wine.

Meanwhile, Dawson worked with iProspect, building its digital PR product offering and executing campaigns for La Roche Posay, Garnier, and Lancôme.

Tom Geekie, chief executive officer at Jaywing, commented, “With search engine optimisation becoming more competitive as tools and platforms do more of the heavy lifting, securing high quality backlinks and media coverage is becoming a crucial differentiator. Digital PR is one of the most effective ways to drive these links from sites with high domain authorities, such as news sites, making it a must have for any sites wanting to compete against major brands.

“The expansion of our Digital PR capabilities gives our clients the edge needed to stand out against competitors. This service is already delivering impressive results, and with Harriet and Rob onboard, working together with Katie, we’re excited to build on this momentum and continue driving business growth for our partners,” Geekie added.

Hilborn commented, “Having seen the effectiveness of Digital PR, it’s great to be joining an innovative and forward-thinking agency like Jaywing which recognises the value it delivers in driving better SEO outcomes. I’m delighted to be joining the team.”

“I’m excited to join Jaywing’s growing Digital PR team and bring my expertise in creating impactful campaigns for our clients. Digital PR is already thriving in the UK and other parts of the world, and it’s exciting to be part of the industry as it takes off in Australia as well,” Dawson said.

Singapore – United Overseas Bank has collaborated with Samsung Ads to launch a multi-country connected TV (CTV) campaign across Southeast Asia during a key sporting event. 

The CTV campaign, in partnership with media agency Mindshare, ran across Samsung TVs in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. 

The campaign aims to highlight UOB’s TMRW, a regional banking app, and boost its brand visibility in SEA.

Integrating the TMRW advertisement in Samsung Smart TVs enables UOB to capitalise on peak TV viewership during the global event. It allowed UOB to maximise reach without traditional sponsorship. 

Aired during the opening and closing ceremonies of the sporting event, the campaign ran simultaneously in all four countries in three different languages.

“We are pioneering CTV in the financial sector by employing innovative formats like strategic roadblocks and QR codes. By capitalising on a major sporting moment, we maximised reach during peak viewership, enhanced engagement with UOB TMRW app, and gained valuable insights into campaign ROI.” Sivea Pascale, head of group retail marketing at United Overseas Bank, said.

Carey Loh, managing director of Mindshare, part of GroupM, commented, “This was not only our first multi-country roadblock but also our debut campaign on Samsung Ads in Southeast Asia. The seamless execution placed our content front and center with a large, engaged audience, boosting awareness and driving action. Reaching households as they turn on the TV proved to be a game-changer.”

“UOB’s out-of-the-box approach during a major cultural event leveraged the rapid adoption of Connected TVs in the region. The integrated native ad format cut through the noise and highlighted the impact of strategic timing, engaging content, and innovative execution in Southeast Asia’s advertising landscape,” Alex Spurzem, managing director of Samsung Ads Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO), said.

Singapore – Brand and design consultancy Elmwood has appointed Claudia Li and Jean Chen as group account directors to strengthen its leadership team in Singapore.

In their new roles, Li and Chen will focus on serving Elmwood’s clients and expanding its brand consulting practice and offerings.

Li brings over 20 years of experience in brand consulting, having worked with clients such as Celcom Digi, Vodafone, HSBC, Bank of America, Swire Properties, and Shang-ri La Group among others. She joins the company from Design Bridge and Partners in Hong Kong. 

Meanwhile, Chen has nearly 20 years of experience in regional and global markets, having partnered with brands like Haleon, Mars, Unilever, Yili and more.

“One of Elmwood’s strengths is the ability to translate deep-rooted cultural and consumer insights into outstanding brand solutions. With the added power of data and creative technology, we’re poised to shape brands in meaningful ways across the region. I’m excited to join this journey and look forward to partnering with brand owners and marketers to create inspiring, impactful brands,” Li commented.

“I am thrilled to return to Elmwood at such an exciting time in the agency’s evolution. With a rich history of driving successful consumer brand initiatives, I look forward to leveraging my experience to enhance our offerings and deliver impactful solutions for our clients. Together with Claudia and the talented client servicing team, I am eager to explore innovative strategies that will elevate our clients’ brands and resonate deeply with consumers across the region,” Chen said.

Celeste Cheong, managing director of Elmwood Singapore, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Ambrish, Claudia and Jean to round up our leadership team. Their combined experience and unique perspectives will be invaluable as we boldly shape the future. Accelerated growth and innovation for our clients across the APAC region do not happen by accident. It takes intent and, we are here to build brands that are iconically always new.”

Singapore – Studio Birthplace is highlighting the plight of indigenous people fighting to protect the wilderness in a new film produced with Heckler Singapore.

Heckler Singapore joins Studio Birthplace as VFX partner on the music film, titled ‘Earth Defender.’ The film follows the story of a father and son defending the rainforest in the Sungai Utik community in Indonesia.

Directed by Studio Birthplace’s indigenous filmmaker Kynan Tegar, Heckler Singapore’s creative director Cody Amos led the VFX work. It also featured Novo Amor’s musical score.

As a VFX partner, Heckler Singapore recreated the forest’s destruction, battle scene, and sequences that highlight nature. The post-production company used drones, 3D/2D extensions, CG elements, and props to bring the vision to life.

According to Studio Birthplace’s co-directors Jorik Dozy and Sil van der Woerd, the film aims to shed light on the significance of indigenous people’s work as frontliners fighting crises in climate and human rights.

“This was the sort of project I wish I could work on every single day. Firstly, the technical VFX challenges were huge! Building a forest in CG is one thing, but getting the whole forest to fall over is completely another. We built a cool system to destroy huge trees and then duplicated them, so we had thousands of trees falling and breaking,” Amos commented.

“We also did some sad dead bird simulations and splashes, some epic matte painting work, along with creating a really abstract depiction of our hero moving on to the next life. To be doing such interesting work is already exciting, but to be doing it for a project that is addressing probably the most important issue of our time, the destruction of our natural world, felt like such an honour. And of course, working with the legends at Studio Birthplace is always delightful,” Amos added.

“We went through a really intense process with the community, doing multiple community meetings, where the whole project was openly discussed. As filmmakers, we’re used to having a certain degree of control, but working outdoors with a large community taught us to let go and flow with the moment. When it rained or the river flooded, we adapted. Everything given by the actors – who are all people from the Sungai Utik community – we considered a gift. It brought a beautiful unpredictability,” Dozy said.

“A full month we spent mostly disconnected from the internet, taking our morning showers in the river and spending our evenings on the comfortable wooden floors of the longhouse, amidst the community. We learned so much, not just as filmmakers, but spiritually too, as we started to see how incredibly far our individualistic Western culture has drifted away from living in harmony with the natural world. In a way, we became students, learning what it means to be Indigenous,” Sil added.

“This film is about the very real problems that exist within our world, the criminalisation and the murder of Earth Defenders. Indigenous Peoples that fought for their land, their forests, their rivers, and gave the biggest sacrifice, which is their life. There are communities whose whole livelihood was taken from them,” Tegar commented.

“The very part of their identity, which is the nature surrounding them, taken from them, ripped away. That’s a story that rang very close to home for me. That’s the story that we want to convey,” Tegar concluded.

Singapore – POSB Bank has released a new campaign with Tribal Worldwide Singapore to debunk misconceptions about cancer.

The campaign titled ‘Does Age Matter’ seeks to correct the common assumption that cancer comes with old age through a social experiment. It highlights the importance of financial protection as a preparation before possibly getting the disease.

Through the campaign, POSB aims to mold how young people plan financially for protection against critical illness. It reinforces POSB’s dedication to providing insurance options.

As part of POSB’s ‘4 Money Habits’ framework, it encourages people to create a financial plan through good money habits. 

Featuring two Singaporeans with cancer, POSB shares personal stories that show what cancer means and how insurance products can help cancer patients. It features cancer survivor Lay Teng and caregiver Corrine, delving into how having supportive people around cancer patients is vital to their well-being.

The campaign has been released across social media, out-of-home, and polyclinics in the country.

“Attaining financial well-being contributes significantly to one’s overall health and happiness, as it provides a crucial buffer against unexpected life challenges, like cancer,” Bee Bee Lim, head of marketing at DBS & POSB, said.

“As a bank that is committed to helping all our customers achieve financial and retirement security, we not only provide accessible and relevant solutions that empower individuals to navigate their financial journeys with confidence. We want to also raise awareness among our younger customers in a way that is delicate yet powerful, so that they can take action to protect themselves and their loved ones,” Lim added.

“We’re diving headfirst into uncomfortable realities to set the campaign apart. It’s a bold move in an industry often wary of discomfort, and it’s exactly the kind of risk that creates real conversations—and lasting change,” Tribal account and creative leads Dahlia Yeo, Chris Lim, and Nikhil Kumar, said.

Singapore – United Overseas Bank (UOB) has collaborated with Disney Cruise Line to reward its cardholders booking on the ‘Disney Adventure’ cruise.

UOB cardholders in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam can enjoy benefits when they book cruise vacations starting Dec. 10.

The three-year partnership’s benefits also extend to cardholders booking on UOB’s travel partners UOB Travel Planners, Klook, Traveloka, and Trip.com. Benefits vary among travel partners.

As part of the partnership, UOB has launched the ‘Let the Magic Begin’ campaign through activities.

Customers can get a chance to win a 3-night voyage on the Disney Adventure when using their cards to spend, deposit on their accounts, or make transactions using the UOB TMRW app.

UOB is also rewarding character plushies to the first 1,000 cardholders who exceed $2000 in spending in a period of 10 days.

Additionally, customers can collect stamp cards inspired by the seven areas inside the Disney Adventure cruise line. UOB will reward limited-edition Disney Cruise Line-themed items to those who finish the stamp collection from Dec. 1 to Jan. 12, 2025.

Meanwhile, UOB cardholders can also earn rewards when visiting and purchasing at Jewel Changi Airport’s ‘The Gift of Disney Cruise Line at Jewel’ holiday event.

“UOB is thrilled to team up with Disney Cruise Line on our quest to provide cardholders with unique privileges for their Disney Adventure cruise vacations in this first-of-its-kind collaboration in the region. This fits hand in glove with the slate of artists we have assembled thus far, including the biggest names in Western entertainment, the K-pop scene and Mandopop royalty, the most dramatic theatre productions and hottest music festivals,” Jacquelyn Tan, head of group personal financial services at UOB, said.

“This is testament to our promise of offering marvellous privileges and access to aspiring ASEAN consumers, to fulfill their myriad lifestyle preferences, and underpinning our strategy to drive growth in our customer base closer towards our 10 million ambition in three years,” Tan added.

“As Disney Cruise Line brings its magical cruise vacations to Asia for the first time in December 2025, we look forward to welcoming travellers in the region to experience beloved stories and characters from Disney, Pixar and Marvel brought to life,” Sarah Fox, vice president and regional general manager for Southeast Asia at Disney Cruise Line, commented.

“Through this collaboration with UOB, consumers will have even more options to plan and book their Disney Adventure cruise vacations seamlessly. We can’t wait for guests to create exceptional memories with their family and friends onboard the Disney Adventure,” Fox said. 

Australia – Creative agency Amplify has announced the appointments of Lucinda O’Brien as strategy director and Domenic Scriva as culture executive in an effort to boost its senior talent line-up.

As strategy director O’Brien is set to drive Amplify’s vision across the Asia-Pacific, overseeing its strategic output. She is tasked to connect brands with audiences strategically through culture.

O’Brien returns to Amplify Australia from her previous role as senior brand strategist at Frost*collective. Prior to that, she was the senior creative strategist at Amplify. She also spent over five years at Zehner, now The Stable, as a brand strategist and then as a senior brand strategist.

Meanwhile, Scriva is responsible for conducting in-depth research on trends as a culture executive to support business strategy, creatives, marketing and delivery.

Scriva joins from a creative background as a performer and writer, making him new to the marketing industry.

Dan Minty, global chief strategy officer at Amplify, said, “As our strategic offering in Australia continues to evolve, so does the team that leads it. Lucinda has elevated the overall output of Amplify’s brand work in Australia and strengthened our ability to authentically connect brands in culture. Her promotion to Strategy Director is a reflection of her impact on the business, a strategic rigor that allows us to deliver exciting, resonant work.”

“Additionally, as our strategic offering has diversified and our work in culture continues to deepen, the creation of the Culture Executive role was a natural evolution of the team, for which Domenic was the perfect fit,” Minty added.

O’Brien commented, “It’s an exciting time to be back with Amplify this year, leading the strategic offering here in Sydney. As we expand our reach with more campaigns and brand experiences across APAC, the common thread uniting our work remains clear – reaching audiences through culture and breaking formats whenever possible.”

Sydney, Australia – Hyundai, in partnership with Innocean Australia, FINCH, and Maker Real has launched a new reality TV show, ‘The Big Trip’, showcasing its range of electric and hybrid vehicles. 

The reality show will be a four-part series following four teams of celebrities as they embark on a journey from Perth to Sydney. The teams, composed of comedians, atheletes, and actors, will undergo challenges on the road while highlighting the brand’s spirit of trying.

Hosted by comedian Dave Thornton, the show introduces a new format combining the themes of community and car challenges. Winners will get the chance to give away the four cars to their fans.

The show aims to highlight the capabilities of Hyundai’s electric and hybrid vehicles, such as the IONIQ 5 N, Kona Electric, SANTA FE Hybrid, and TUCSON Hybrid N Line. By putting these vehicles to the test on a road trip, Hyundai is set to demonstrate their features.

An integrated campaign will also be released across social media, television, and OOH.

The Big Trip premiered on the Seven Network on Nov. 13, airing every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. until Dec. 4. It is also available for streaming on 7plus.

Andrew Tuitahi, Hyundai director of marketing and product, said, “Multi-channel brand campaigns are one thing, but collaborating on a TV show in an iconic environment, showing our incredible product line up while also paying homage to Australian culture, took immense effort on behalf of everyone involved including our Marketing team. It’s testament to our ambitions as a brand in Australia.”

“Extending the fourth wall beyond advertising and into entertainment is where a brand can unaffectedly express itself, but so few do it. With the combined upshot of brave clients, media sharing a desk with creative, and an unfaltering brand strategy, the possibilities are endless, and not least powerful. Driving a fleet of EVs and hybrids across Australia to create multiple campaigns, while making a prime-time TV show, is testament to the best creative and media minds coming together,” Adam Hosfal, managing partner at Innocean, commented.

Loren Bradley, head of FINCH Entertainment, said, “Our collaboration with Hyundai and Innocean to create this fun format reflects our commitment to fresh and entertaining storytelling. ‘The Big Trip’ is a perfect example of how brands can show up differently for audiences, a concept that we are so excited by at FINCH Entertainment.”

New Zealand – Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) has announced its sponsorship of Auckland FC with a campaign launch via marketing communications company TBWA\NZ.

The campaign aims to celebrate the new Auckland FC team, rewarding football fans through an activation. Under the ‘Auckland Forever’ platform line, TBWANZ launched the campaign across print, online, and OOH.

Drawing on fan culture, ANZ began a scavenger hunt of limited-edition Auckland FC shirts. 

Over 200 shirts were strategically placed in various locations across Auckland, free for fans who find them on a first come, first served basis. ANZ posted clues about the shirts’ location through their Instagram page.

“There will never be another day one or game one. ANZ is incredibly proud to play a role in helping all of Auckland get behind this exciting new team right from the start,” Matt Pickering, ANZ general manager of marketing, said.

“As back of shirt sponsor for Auckland FC we needed a unique way to bring our sponsorship to life and demonstrate our support for the club and the region at Large. It was incredible to see so many people in their Day 1 shirts at the match and reward the fans whom have already shown so much passion for Auckland FC. What a special moment to be part of. Well done to the agency team for sending this one straight to the back of the net!” Pickering added.

“We wanted to create something that spoke to not just football fans, but recognised the city as a whole and the buzz that exists for the club. Football is on a huge growth trajectory with a fan culture that offers us such rich territory,” Shane Bradnick, chief commercial officer of TBWA\NZ, commented.

“The integrated solve between TBWA\NZ and Eleven, with support from AO Studios, was an incredible piece of work that generated a phenomenal amount of hype whilst smartly focusing on ANZ’s back-of-shirt sponsorship placement. The activation in particular was great to see, we had people camped out for hours, driving around for miles and generating a huge amount of goodwill for ANZ. It demonstrated how a bank can show up in culture, in a disruptive way,” Bradnick added.

Sydney, Australia – GumGum, a digital media company that specialises in contextual marketing, has appointed Matt Coote as country manager for Australia, focusing on business growth.

In his new role, Coote is tasked to lead the sales team and the expansion of GumGum’s presence in Australia. He is set to oversee revenue growth and strengthen relationships with partners and clients.

Coote joins the company with 13 years of experience in media, including television, digital, and social platforms. He formerly worked with Snap Inc. as one of the founding members of its ANZ team. At Snap Inc., he held the role of head of agency development and head of sales.

Through the appointment, GumGum is looking to enhance its cultural impact and widen its reach in the Australian Market. It aims to reinforce the company’s positioning as a frontrunner in digital advertising.

As a contextual-first technology company, GumGum is known for leveraging artificial intelligence to help advertisers.

Coote commented, “I have had the privilege of working in roles that prioritise innovation and technology, which aligns perfectly with GumGum’s commitment to driving progress in digital advertising. What really excited me about this role was hearing about the strong cultural foundation GumGum has built.”

“I look forward to collaborating with the team to build on what’s already here. As Bill Marklein says, ‘Culture is how employees’ hearts and stomachs feel about Monday morning on Sunday night.’ That’s where the magic happens, and I can’t wait to help make that even stronger at GumGum,” Coote added.

“We’re excited to welcome Matt Coote to GumGum. His deep expertise and dedication to cultivating a strong team culture make him an excellent addition to our team. The energy and perspective Matt brings, along with his focus on fostering cross-market collaborations will be invaluable. By partnering with stakeholders across the company, we believe Matt will refine our strategies and drive impactful results in this market,” Niall Hogan, general manager for JAPAC at GumGum, said.