Tag: Marketing

Singapore – Upcycle Communications, a public relations agency, has named Felicia Poh as its new account director to lead a team that plans the growth of the agency. Her appointment also coincides with the agency’s recent client wins with COTY’s beauty brands, Travis Masiero’s restaurants, chocolatier Huize Van Wely at Raffles Hotel, and water brand BE WTR.

Poh returns to the agency after working as an assistant marketing communications manager at UNIQLO Singapore and associate account director at W Communications. Poh was a part of the agency from 2018 to 2021, when Upcycle Communications was still known as The Mango Agency. With her experience in the public relations industry, Poh is expected to boost the team’s operations as it takes on new projects.

Alongside the appointment is the release of a new website packed with fresh visuals, showcasing the agency’s work and reflecting its identity of catering luxurious brands.

“I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Felicia back to the team. She possesses the right mix of business acumen, PR expertise and infectious positive energy to help achieve our ambitious goals of delivering excellence for our clients while opening up new avenues of growth for the agency,” Jennifer Dembitz, founder and managing director at Upcycle Communications, said.

“Our growth is a reflection of the creativity and dedication of our team. As we expand and evolve, we are excited about new opportunities to help more organisations empower their purpose,” Dembitz added.

Upcycle Communications’ current clients include luxury brands such as Hilton Luxury, andBeyond, Le Labo, Republic Bar, and BEAM Suntory.

Singapore – Health club Virgin Active calls out purveyors of misleading wellness claims in new ‘Leave the Cult, Join the Club’ global campaign made in collaboration with advertising agency We Are Pi.

Charged with striking visuals and strongly worded statements, Virgin Active’s new campaign points out the prevalence of fake fitness fads that are gaining popularity online. This includes solutions for 30-day abs, excessive supplements, magic detoxes, and snake oils.

Instead of succumbing to misleading beliefs, the campaign encourages people to be healthy through a community of real people with realistic health goals and practices.

“Beyond the film, we’re taking our message to the streets through punchy copy and visuals. Squaring up to toxic wellness in an entertaining way that’s designed to spark conversation and public scrutiny. Our message is simple. We’re f*cking sick of it too. Come to one of our clubs, have a smoothie, move your body, lie in the sauna, whatever. Forget the noise and come as you are. Listen to nobody, but your body,” Gabi Mostert, group creative director at Virgin Active, said.

Andy Tomkins, group chief marketing officer at Virgin Active, commented, “We know that people are increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of conflicting opinions and can be seduced by the promise of a quick fix that can do more harm than good. Our new global positioning ‘Where Wellness Gets Real’ establishes Virgin Active as the antidote to the fakery that’s plaguing the wellness industry and reflects the culture we’ve created where people can bring their real selves, make real progress in a healthy way that’s unique to them. ‘Leave the Cult, Join the Club’ parodies the toxic underbelly of the wellness industry and most importantly shows people there’s a better way!”

“‘Leave The Cult Join The Club’ is the point of view the wellness industry needs, from an iconic brand that, at its best, is the cheeky cultural provocateur we all want in our lives,” Alex Bennett Grant, chief executive officer at We Are Pi, said.

The campaign will include films in long and short forms. It premiers in September across the United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa, Thailand, Singapore, and Australia.

Bangkok, Thailand – Dusit Thani Bangkok details the development of the reimagined hotel in its new docuseries titled ‘An Icon Reimagined: The Docuseries.’ The ten-episode series has been launched on Dusit Thani’s Facebook and YouTube, with new episodes being released every Tuesday throughout September.

While the new structure has been modernised, it left traces of iconic elements that speak of the hotel’s heritage. Its signature golden spire inspired by Wat Arun Ratchawararam or Temple of Dawn can still be found inside. It also houses paintings of Thai National Artist Paiboon Suwannakudt. 

The 39-floor flagship hotel is situated at the centre of Dusit Central Park, which will also house the Dusit residences, office tower, retail centre, and roof park in 2025. 

“When talking about the Dusit Thani Bangkok, many people think about my mother, Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, who built the original hotel following her vision to uniquely deliver gracious Thai hospitality to the world. Back in 1969, when the hotel was being built, people questioned the strange building she was constructing. It was neither Thai nor Western in its architectural style. However, as the years passed, Dusit Thani Bangkok, with its unique identity and personality, established itself as one of Bangkok’s iconic landmarks. And it stood tall and proud for over 50 years,” Chanin Donavanik, vice chairman and chairman of the executive committee at Dusit International, said.

“The original property was also distinguished by my mother’s belief in the strength of Thai culture and hospitality, and how these could be leveraged to create a hotel that could compete in the international market. The new Dusit Thani Bangkok continues her vision to create a recognised landmark in Thailand, reflecting the nation’s culture while delivering service and hospitality with true Thai heart and soul,” Donavanik added.

Suphajee Suthumpun, group chief executive officer of Dusit International, said, “There have been so many changes in our industry over the past 50 years. To bring back the past glories of the original Dusit Thani Bangkok within a modern context, we knew thoughtful change was essential. Under the concept of ‘An Icon Reimagined,’ we have worked to create an innovative and modern hotel that retains the beloved identity of the original property. Three key pillars have guided our approach: ‘The legacy continues – Gracious, now and always;’ ‘Iconic grandeur for a new generation;’ and ‘Luxury redefined through distinctive experiences.’ These pillars define the new paradigm of rest and relaxation offered at the new Dusit Thani Bangkok, with design, facilities, and service elevated in every way.”

“Maintaining Dusit Thani Bangkok’s valued iconic identity has been our mission from the very start. The preservation of artworks, woodwork, and landscaping from the original property ensures various areas of the new hotel will remind guests of the hotel’s storied past. Visitors can also relive their Dusit memories on our Heritage Floor, which features a virtual library dedicated to the history of the hotel and the Silom area. Moreover, the new Dusit Thani Bangkok features artworks by talented artists from Silpakorn University, who drew inspiration from their memories of the original hotel to create a diverse range of paintings. These preservation efforts are all highlighted in the docuseries,” Suthumpun added.

After undergoing a five-year redevelopment, Dusit Thani Bangkok is set to reopen on Sept. 27. The hotel originally opened in 1970.

Sydney, Australia – OpenX Technologies, a digital advertising services provider has appointed Clay Gill as regional vice president of buyer development in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. 

As the leader of the region’s buyer development team, Gill is tasked to oversee campaign performance and empower other agencies and brands. The role also requires him to focus on the specific needs of APAC buyers while delivering solutions.

Throughout his 25 years of digital advertising experience, Gill has held senior roles in various companies. Prior to his post at OpenX, Gill worked at IPG Mediabrands as chief data and technology officer. He also served as the chief executive officer of Kinesso Australia and general manager of Australia and New Zealand at The Trade Desk.

“OpenX is at the forefront of innovation and growth, solving some of the most pressing challenges in programmatic buying, from delivering superior results through curation to providing unified, transparent reporting. I’m looking forward to collaborating with this talented team to deliver solutions that drive success for our clients and partners,” Gill said.

Mitchell Greenway, OpenX managing director in APAC, commented, “Clay’s vast experience and deep understanding of the digital ecosystem will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence in APAC. His leadership in programmatic and data-driven solutions, combined with his passion for innovation, make him the perfect fit to drive our mission of empowering buyers with more control, transparency, and precision in their programmatic strategies.”

OpenX connects publishers to advertisers through its advertising exchange platform. It enables publishers to sell their inventories to publishers, empowering the digital advertising industry.  

Singapore – Dentsu, an advertising agency, has unveiled its ‘House of Creators’ initiative on gaming platform Roblox with the aim of supporting next-generation content creators.

While assisting emerging content creators, the initiative can also be applied to marketing issues and how creators can advance brands’ objectives in the long run.

As part of the initiative, promising creators will be identified along with the costs required for the improvement of their content. The selected creators will also undergo mentorship and contests to advance their skills.

The launch of the initiative reflects how marketers need to elevate their content to continuously capture the audiences’ attention. The need for enthusiastic content heightens as virtual content production and distribution is being democratised. 

“Dentsu’s House of Creators is a groundbreaking initiative that pioneers social change while building on dentsu’s 120-year tradition of innovation. We will provide opportunities for the next generation of content creators from around the world to fully express their creativity and bring great content to users. We believe this is an extremely valuable initiative for our clients and for society and are very pleased to be able to launch this initiative with the support of Roblox, a company that is highly regarded by the next generation of content creators,” Hiroshi Igarashi, president and global chief executive officer at Dentsu, said.

David Baszucki, founder and chief executive officer at Roblox, also commented, “As we’ve seen our global creator community on Roblox grow and evolve, we are continually amazed by their creativity and growing influence on digital culture and content. We build the tools and platform, but our creators are the real engine for new and compelling experiences, powering the future of immersive content creation. It’s inspiring to see recognition of their unmatched creativity and influence, including in our key countries like Japan.”

Singapore – Salesforce, a customer relationship management (CRM) software, has unveiled ‘Agentforce,’ a platform of autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents for efficiency in driving sales, marketing, and commerce. It allows companies to boost their workforce while assisting employees in their tasks. 

Unlike AI tools that depend on human requests, ‘Agentforce’ operates autonomously.  Its limitless digital agents can build and execute plans independently while still working within the company’s customised guardrails. The platform’s independence is powered by ‘Atlas,’ a reasoning engine that simulates the thought processes of humans when planning. 

Using real-time data, it can address customer inquiries while adapting to cater to the needs of customers. It can also provide an overview of the interaction, customer details, and further recommendations for the next steps.

An agent builder is also available in the platform, which enables customers to configure agents based on their needs. However, customers can also access the agents that have been built by companies that are part of the Agentforce Partner Network. This includes Amazon Web Services, Box, Certinia, Copado, Coupa, Google, Honeywell, IBM, Workday, Zoom and more.

“Agentforce represents the Third Wave of AI—advancing beyond copilots to a new era of highly accurate, low-hallucination intelligent agents that actively drive customer success. Unlike other platforms, Agentforce is a revolutionary and trusted solution that seamlessly integrates AI across every workflow, embedding itself deeply into the heart of the customer journey. This means anticipating needs, strengthening relationships, driving growth, and taking proactive action at every touchpoint,” Marc Benioff, chair and chief executive officer at Salesforce, said. 

“While others require you to DIY your AI, Agentforce offers a fully tailored, enterprise-ready platform designed for immediate impact and scalability. With advanced security features, compliance with industry standards, and unmatched flexibility. Our vision is bold: to empower one billion agents with Agentforce by the end of 2025. This is what AI is meant to be,” Benioff added.

Agentforce is set to be released for general use on Oct. 25, 2024.

Malaysia – PUMA has launched a flagship store at Sunway Pyramid in Malaysia, its largest in Southeast Asia. The activation aims to strengthen the brand’s commitment to the fashion and sports industry in the country.

Coinciding with this launch is the PUMAthon activation, a running track within the store open to all guests.

Each time guests complete 100-meter runs, PUMA donates RM10 to Care2Run, a non-profit organization seeking to improve the lives of differently-abled youth through sports programs in Malaysia. The initiative aims to promote inclusivity, reflecting PUMA’s ‘Forever Bersama’ campaign.

Within the 12,000-square-foot store, various immersive in-store experiences await customers. 

Besides offering exclusive items and collections, PUMA Malaysia also reveals a customisation area, interactive displays, and personalised experiences to guests. The store also introduced the three-dimensional foot scanner, which analyses a customer’s foot before suggesting a sneaker style through the power of artificial intelligence.

“‘Forever Bersama’ means ‘Forever Together,’ and this campaign truly embodies that sentiment. By participating in this activation, Malaysians engage in a fun and active experience while contributing to a larger purpose. Each run adds to our collective contribution, highlighting the impact of coming together for a common cause,” Steven Tan, country manager for PUMA Malaysia, said. 

Customers can take part in the PUMAthon throughout the month of September. 

PUMA ambassadors Metawin “Win” Opas-iamkajorn, Tontawan “Tu” Tantivejakul, Meerqeen and Priscilla Abby also made an appearance during the opening celebration of the store.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – ZUS Coffee, a Malaysian coffee shop chain, celebrates its local roots in its ‘Made in Malaysia’ campaign, made in collaboration with advertising agency Fishermen Integrated. 

While honouring its heritage, ZUS Coffee’s campaign encourages other homegrown brands to be proud of being made in Malaysia. Its mission is to elevate the profiles of locally-made brands. 

With a new ‘Made in Malaysia’ logo that is available for free use, the company urges other local brands to wear the mark of their roots with pride. The logo features elements that speak of the country’s identity while being touched by the humorous description of Malaysia, which is “Below Thailand, Above Singapore, Not Indonesia.”

ZUS Coffee also released ‘Made In Malaysia, Dicintai Dunia,’ a five-minute film that embodies the campaign’s mission. The company stays true to its aim to elevate other local brands by featuring them, including Inside Scoop, Spritzer, Munchy’s, BananaBro, Pestle & Mortar Clothing, HYGR, and Pos Malaysia. Malaysian personalities are also featured in the film.

“There is greatness made in Malaysia every day. But we realised most homegrown brands seem reluctant to display the ‘Made in Malaysia’ label prominently. It is usually found near disclaimers at the bottom, or tucked away at a corner in small print. This trend contrasts sharply with other places such as Europe, where ‘Made in France’, ‘Made in Germany’ or ‘Made in the United Kingdom’ are displayed with pride. We saw an opportunity for ZUS Coffee — a proudly Made-in-Malaysia brand — to take the lead and help correct this,” Fishermen creative director, Andrew Perera, said

“The goal was simple: to create a mark that Malaysian products can proudly showcase. ZUS Coffee has made the logo available for all to download, share and use for free. This will hopefully start the transformation of ‘Made in Malaysia’ from a footnote into a brand of its own, and build a newfound sense of pride in being ‘Made in Malaysia’ among local businesses,” Perera added.

“The campaign just launched and we are already receiving so many positive responses. It’s one big ‘Buatan Malaysia’ family coming together for a common cause — celebrating and inspiring pride in Made-in-Malaysia businesses. As another homegrown brand, we are humbled to be part of this initiative that showcases the incredible local brands that make Malaysia unique,” Fishermen co-founder and managing director, Mark Darren Lee, said.

“A special shoutout to our Fishermen team for creating something that feels more than just an ad. What makes this Malaysia Day film truly remarkable is how each brand embraces its identity while contributing to something bigger. Seeing multiple brands united for a good cause is what makes this campaign so meaningful,” Lee added.

Meanwhile,  ZUS Coffee Creative Director Shafiqah Othman commented, “The most exciting part of this journey is collaborating with incredible partners and brands, bringing them all together under one roof like a family reunion. We believe that businesses should uplift one another while also providing platforms for local artists and talents to shine. We take immense pride in the talent, creativity and innovation that Malaysia nurtures, and it fills us with purpose to share this with the world. Our campaign video, released in conjunction with Malaysia Day, is a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of excellence that unites us as Malaysians. Working with Fishermen Integrated to bring this vision to life has been a beautiful part of this journey. We are incredibly excited to continue championing Malaysian greatness, now and always.” 

‘Made in Malaysia’ is an addition to ZUS Coffee’s ‘Buatan Malaysia’ campaign in 2023. This year, it will run until Nov. 2, ZUS Coffee’s fifth anniversary, and conclude with the music festival, ‘Made in Malaysia: Lokal Kasi Vokal.’

Singapore – Audi Singapore has announced the appointment of Jamie Lee as its new general manager for marketing, effective immediately. 

With her extensive experience and deep understanding of the local automotive landscape, Lee is set to play a crucial role in driving Audi’s continued growth in Singapore. She will oversee all of Audi’s marketing and communications efforts in the region.

Lee brings over 20 years of experience in the automotive and lifestyle spaces. Her career in the automotive industry has been built over her tenures in key marketing roles with Volkswagen Group and Eurokars Group. 

During her 13 years at Volkswagen, Lee spearheaded a range of branding and communication initiatives across all facets of marketing in both Singapore and Beijing. She also served as general manager of the MG Brand, spearheading the setup and growth of MG’s sales and marketing arm in Singapore. 

Before joining Audi, Lee was the marketing director at UNIQLO, where she played a pivotal role in driving significant growth for the global fashion brand in Singapore. Leading a team of 20 marketers, she orchestrated comprehensive marketing initiatives for UNIQLO’s 30 stores across the country.

Commenting on her appointment, Lee said, “It’s great to be back in the automotive space, and with such a renowned brand that embodies innovation and progress. It feels as if I’m coming home to a familiar environment, and I look forward to working with a team that shares my passion for this dynamic industry.” 

In an official press release, Audi Singapore reaffirmed its commitment to setting new standards in automotive retail and customer experiences. The company highlighted that Jamie Lee’s industry expertise will be instrumental in advancing the brand’s goals and evolution in Singapore.

Australia – McDonald’s Australia delivers coffee to the Paralympics in a three-part content series titled ‘Takeaway Baristas,’ supporting para-athletes. The campaign was produced in collaboration with advertising agency DDB Sydney.

‘Takeaway Baristas’ narrates how four McCafé baristas delivered coffee to fuel athletes preparing for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. Australian Paralympian Don Elgin hosts the series and features baristas training with athletes such as Michael Roeger, Ameera Lee, and Tristan Knowles. 

“Us Aussies can barely function without a high-quality cup. So when we found out McCafé was heading to Paris to make coffee for our Paralympians, we couldn’t wait to tell their story,” Tom Lawrence and Sam Raftl, DDB Sydney associate creative directors, said.

McDonald’s Australia marketing director Amanda Nakad commented, “Partnering with Paralympics Australia to support our amazing para-athletes has been a huge highlight for us this year. Whilst we can’t take any credit for their amazing success, the series is a light-hearted, feel-good moment to show just how far we go at McCafé to make sure our athletes and their families get the same great-quality, barista-made coffee they’re used to at home.”

The series runs until Sept. 15, with the first episode being released on Aug. 15. The two-minute episodes are available for viewing on TikTok, Meta, YouTube, and 9Now.