Tag: Marketing

Melbourne, Australia – UM Australia has announced Michael Mellington’s promotion to the newly created position of head of media planning. The promotion will take effect immediately. He will work in Melbourne and report directly to Raj Gupta, UM’s chief strategy and growth officer. 

The UM national media planning team will be headed by Mellington. He will manage the national planning team and attend to the media planning requirements of UM’s national clientele, focusing on clients located in Melbourne.

Mellington joined UM in 2016, having previously worked as head of partnerships in Melbourne. 

Speaking about the promotion, Anathea Ruys, CEO, UM Australia, said, “We are very excited to have someone of Mello’s experience and capability fill this critical role in UM’s evolution. Exceptional media planning is a cornerstone of client success, and on a daily basis, Mello demonstrates his dedication to the craft of planning and his commitment to client growth. More recently he has worked tirelessly to establish and deliver a plan to uplift the craft for UM. With his leadership skills so apparent, the entire planning team – and our clients – will see his efforts come to life as we move forward.” 

She added, “I am truly delighted Michael has taken on this new role and challenge and I am excited about what the future of media planning looks like for UM with him at the helm.” 

Meanwhile, Mellington said, “I am a firm believer that the craft of planning in our industry is pivotal to client growth and needs a renewed focus, so I am thrilled to take on this new challenge working with the incredible talent that is across our national team. My aim moving forward is to balance our approach of people and data to unpack the full spectrum of creative media solutions to drive tangible client outcomes. With the fast-paced evolution of our industry, this is the perfect time for UM to take a market leading stance and I’m honoured to lead this charge with our planning community.”

Australia – Advertising agency WiredCo. has launched a major new campaign for Reckitt’s hygiene brand, Dettol, who has partnered with The Wiggles to find a way to turn handwashing into a fun experience for both parents and children alike.

The partnership approaches handwashing from a fun standpoint, using a trusted role model and music to build memory structures that teach children to wash their hands properly.

To raise awareness of the partnership, WiredCo was appointed to develop the ‘Wash Like The Wiggles campaign’, which has launched across cinema, TV, creator partnerships, earned media and multiple digital touchpoints this week in ANZ, centred around a song and a simple dance routine and music video that was co-created with The Wiggles.

Alongside this, a new Dettol Kids Colour Foaming handwash has been created with The Wiggles, which helps making handwashing fun, and is available in multiple stores across the ANZ region.

To complement the campaign, a limited edition Wash Like The Wiggles songbook has also been created for content creators, schools and media, which helps parents learn the lyrics and actions with their children.

Talking about the partnership and the campaign, Holly McCarthy, marketing director for Reckitt ANZ, said, “During the pandemic, hand hygiene naturally grew. Post-pandemic, it’s important that we keep it on the agenda amongst 3–6-year-olds so they can keep building those vital social and play skills without interruption from the spread of germs.”

“After hearing from parents and teachers about the challenges they face when it comes to getting kids to wash their hands, Dettol had to help.” she added.

Meanwhile, David Kennedy, partner at WiredCo., commented, “Being part of this coming together of two giant Australian icons in Dettol and The Wiggles was an absolute privilege for our team. For us, working with such a compelling insight and bringing that truth to life was important to solving the challenge in the freshest possible way.”

Singapore – CXM agency Merkle Singapore, has been reappointed as the exclusive digital marketing agency for Royal Brunei Airlines, following a competitive pitch.

As the incumbent for the past decade, Merkle Singapore will now continue the remit for another three years.

Through the remit, Merkle Singapore will bring its expertise across a full suite of digital marketing services across email and customer relationship management (CRM), media, search engine optimisation (SEO), app store optimisation (ASO), and data and strategy consultation to support Royal Brunei Airlines in using digital to meet the post-pandemic travel demand and boost its digital revenue.

Previously, Merkle Singapore has been responsible for developing Royal Brunei Airlines’ first integrated email platform and integrated analytics platform. Despite global travel halts during the pandemic, Merkle Singapore continued to be a close consultation partner focusing on future-proofing Royal Brunei Airlines’ go-to-market customer strategy for post-pandemic travel surge.

Post-pandemic, Merkle Singapore has been prioritising a refreshed digital strategy to spur bookings on the back of increased regional and global travel demands.

Talking about the remit, Sanchit Mendiratta, managing director, CXM, dentsu Singapore, and chief growth officer, Merkle Southeast Asia, said, “We’re grateful for the trust and partnership of Royal Brunei Airlines as our longest-standing client. Having helped them to build solid data foundations over the past years, this has paved the way for us now to be able to drive data-driven decision-making to optimise their digital marketing effort and move towards hyper-personalisation.”

Meanwhile, Sabirin Hj Abdul Hamid, chief executive officer, Royal Brunei Airlines, commented, “It is always essential for Royal Brunei Airlines to team up with a partner with whom we can jointly shape the future to serve our digital-savvy guests better and maintain a leading position in the highly competitive market environment in which we operate. We trust that Merkle Singapore will take us to new heights by leveraging the power of digital marketing across several aspects with their advanced digital solutions, coupled with their understanding of our business.”

Australia – Australian sports brand retailer rebel has released its latest campaign via The Monkeys, which is a subsidiary of advertising agency Accenture Song.

Building on the ‘Sport Is Calling’ brand platform established in 2020, the campaign features the incredible journeys of Australians whose lives have been radically transformed by sport.

Specifically, the campaign spreads its message through a series of films, directed by Finch’s Christopher Nelius, telling the incredible stories of outback grazier Brendan Cullen, and Olympian Sinead Diver.

Coinciding with a busy time on the sporting calendar, the integrated campaign also aims to inspire Aussies watching on at home to start their own sporting journey.

Talking about the campaign, Rosemary Martin, GM of ecommerce & marketing at rebel, said, “Brendan and Sinead’s stories demonstrate rebel’s belief that sport can be the catalyst for incredible change and growth in our lives. Not just physically, but mentally too.”

Meanwhile, Adam Slater, creative director at The Monkeys, commented, “Sport really is stranger than fiction. Whether it’s a farmer who dealt with a drought by swimming laps of the dam, or a 47-year-old I.T professional turned national record holder, we’ve loved unearthing the best sports stories Australia has never heard of.”

Hong Kong – Global coffee chain has launched its first community store in Hong Kong, which also serves as the chain’s 50th community store in APAC. The new store is located at the East Asia Mansion in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and is the first community store to focus on providing meaningful opportunities for young people. 

Starbucks Hong Kong is also collaborating to enhance youth development with the Vocational Training Council (VTC), a provider of professional and vocational education and training in Hong Kong, and Junior Achievement (JA) Hong Kong, a nonprofit that helps young people learn about the working world through the first-hand experiences of volunteers. 

The new Community Store is set to become a nurturing hub for students to learn more about potential future careers, particularly in the food and beverage industry, through interactive workshops and career exploration programs funded by a grant from The Starbucks Foundation and a portion of the Community Store’s sales. Students will get the chance to gain hands-on experience, job shadowing, and mentorship from various Starbucks partners (workers). 

To inspire and prepare the next generation of talent for employment in the food and beverage (F&B) industry, these workshops will also be guided by seasoned experts from a variety of business sectors. The project aims to improve the food and beverage (F&B) sector in Hong Kong, where more than 95% of restaurants have trouble filling positions. 

The initiative is an extension of Starbucks Hong Kong and JA Hong Kong’s 2014 cooperation. With the help of The Starbucks Foundation, this collaboration has been able to provide over 350 kids from 21 nearby schools with the design thinking, coding, and entrepreneurial attitude they will need in the future starting in 2023. 

Speaking about the launch, Alan Chan, general manager, Starbucks Hong Kong and Macau, said, “Apart from offering the unique Starbucks Experience, it is also our aim to dedicate our efforts to making our beloved city a better place for the future generation. The collaboration with JA Hong Kong is a testament to our dedication, we hope to empower more youth through this new Community Store, helping them to build a fulfilling career in the food and beverage industry as well as developing the skills and mindsets needed for long-term success.”

Sydney, Australia – Advertising agency DDB Sydney has just announced the appointment of Rupert Price as its new chief strategy officer.

As the new chief strategy officer at DDB Sydney, Price will lead the planning department in its sharp focus on effectiveness delivered through the power of emotionally charged creativity across clients such as Westpac, Volkswagen Group and McDonald’s.

With a 25-year career background in agencies across London and New Zealand, Price has spent the last 12 years as DDB Group Aotearoa’s chief strategy officer and will now continue his momentum in Sydney.

In his time at DDB Group Aotearoa, Price has been instrumental in the agency’s success, with numerous accolades and achievements ranging from Cannes Gold Lions to a coveted D&AD Black Pencil. In addition, he has steered the agency to four NZ Effies Agency of the Year titles, as well as winning many effectiveness awards at both regional and global shows.

During his career, Price has also worked with Interbrand as director of strategy, head of planning at Ogilvy NZ and Ogilvy London and was board planning director at Saatchi & Saatchi London.

Speaking on his appointment, Price said, “It was a tough decision to leave the agency I’ve called home for the last 12 years but the opportunity to work with the Sydney team to continue their trajectory was too good to pass up.”

Meanwhile, Sheryl Marjoram, CEO at DDB Group Sydney, commented, “I couldn’t be happier to have Rupert joining the team. We’ve long been admirers of his impact and momentum across the Tasman and it’s always a special moment to be able to recruit much loved and respected DDB’ers within the network. His passion, commitment and results speak for themselves and I can’t wait for everyone to see what’s next for DDB Sydney.”

Singapore – food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda has expanded its collaboration with beer brand Carlsberg Asia to make Carlsberg’s extensive variety of beverages more accessible to consumers especially during relevant drinking occasions.

The partnership will bring exciting campaigns from both brands, designed to make Carlsberg beers more appealing to consumers.

Carlsberg will also deepen its use of foodpanda’s extensive network of cloud grocery stores through pandamart and its strong ties with retailers via foodpanda shops to make Carlsberg beers easier to access; as part of consumers’ enjoyable memorable moments.

Going into detail, the partnership will be featuring a video campaign with the Liverpool Football Club, exclusive gifts-with-purchase (GwP), such as chilled boxes and colour-changing cups, special promotions and bundles on pandamart and 7-Eleven Singapore, and a responsible drinking campaign to promote safe consumption of alcohol.

Talking about this collaboration, Raphael Zennou, vice president of quick commerce at foodpanda, said, “We know that our consumers love their beer, so we are thrilled to strengthen our partnership with Carlsberg to make sure everyone can enjoy their favourite drinks in the freshest and most satisfying ways possible.”

“Together, we are not only meeting our consumers’ demand for high-quality beer but also enhancing the overall shopping experience with quick and reliable delivery within an hour. In the spirit of Carlsberg, this is Probably The Best Partnership In The World!”, he added.

Meanwhile, Arindam Varanasi, vice president, commercial at Carlsberg Asia, commented, “By leveraging foodpanda’s insight into consumer purchasing habits, innovative logistics and technology solutions, we can ensure our consumers enjoy Carlsberg’s refreshing and high-quality beers with unparalleled convenience.”

“This partnership is a testament to our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our consumers by providing them with a seamless beer purchasing and drinking experience, no matter where they are. Together with foodpanda, we will roll out exciting campaigns and initiatives that will make Carlsberg beers even more accessible and appealing to beer lovers across Asia,” he mentioned.

Sydney, Australia – Full-service digital marketing agency, The Pistol, has announced that it will bring its digital media expertise to some of Australia’s most beloved retail brands, in a new partnership with the Brandbank Group.

Under the new remit, The Pistol will be managing paid media for the Brandbank Group’s multiple fashion, lifestyle, and beauty labels, helping to boost sales and brand awareness across the group.

The Pistol secured the Brandbank Group account following a competitive pitch process. In winning the account, the company was impressed with The Pistol’s integrated marketing strategies.

A key part of The Pistol’s paid media strategy will focus on quantifying the impact of long-term brand building while delivering sustainable and profitable revenue streams, all centred around exceptional omnichannel experiences.

Talking about the partnership, Natalie Motta-Reeves, GM of marketing and e-commerce at Brandbank Group, said, “Brandbank Group is excited to announce our partnership with The Pistol, who brings an innovative perspective to our digital media strategy. We are impressed by their expertise at the intersection of creative, media and technology. We’re confident this partnership will lead to incrementality and profitable business growth.”

Meanwhile, Jaime Nosworthy, CEO of The Pistol, commented, “Brandbank Group has a deep understanding of brand-building as a long-term investment, and we look forward to being part of that plan for growth. Working with some of Australia’s most popular fashion, skincare, and lifestyle brands, this new partnership is a chance to bring our marketing and media expertise to Brandbank’s retail offering.”

San Francisco, USA – Sitecore, a global provider of digital experience software, has appointed Eric Stine as its new chief operating officer. In this capacity, he will be in charge of all customer-facing processes, enabling customers to create captivating digital experiences while unlocking commercial value. Stine will be based in New York City. 

In his new role as chief operating officer, Stine will oversee Sitecore’s pre-sales, sales, customer success, alliances, operations, professional services, support, and ecosystem organisations. 

The most recent position held by Stine was CEO of Elemica. He held the positions of chief revenue officer at Qualtrics and chief commercial officer at Skillsoft before that. Additionally, he has had leadership positions at SAP, Ciber, and Blackboard, among other companies. 

Speaking about the appointment, Dave O’Flanagan, CEO of Sitecore, said, “Eric joins Sitecore at one of the most exciting points in the company’s growth, as we advance an innovative and integrated suite of AI capabilities tailored for marketing teams. We view a tremendous opportunity for our composable DXP to fundamentally transform the way marketing teams create content and digital experiences. As we deliver on our strategy of leveraging AI to innovate across digital content and experiences, Eric will align our customer-facing teams to bring maximum value to our customers and partners globally.” 

Meanwhile, Stine stated, “Sitecore has a multibillion-dollar opportunity as marketing intersects with digital transformation and next-gen AI. Marketing teams at many of the most prominent global brands trust Sitecore to transform the way they work. I look forward to taking our work with customers and partners to new heights, accelerating the next phase of the company’s growth.”

Singapore – WATATAWA, a WE Communications company, has just recently announced the appointment of Stephen Robertson as managing director, effective immediately.

In his new role, Robertson will now oversee WATATAWA’s day-to-day operations and management of the business, while strengthening the agency’s footprint in Singapore and across Asia-Pacific.

He will be reporting to Nitin Mantri, regional executive managing director at WE Communications APAC.

Robertson succeeds Simon Pangrazio, who has decided to step down after 14 years and has been supporting the leadership transition. He will be leaving the firm on July 5. 

“Stephen is a leading strategist, client counsellor, and trusted voice in the industry,” said Mantri. “This succession has been long planned, and under Stephen’s leadership the agency will only continue to evolve, with WATATAWA’s clients in the very best hands.

”Speaking on his own appointment, Robertson said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead WATATAWA and maintain the high bar that Simon has set. It has been a privilege to work closely together over the decade and to develop a business and consulting model that is as relevant to our clients as ever and encourages and engages our people.”

Meanwhile, Kass Sells, CEO, international at WE Communications, commented, “This transition is a passing-of-the-torch moment to the next -generation of leadership and an example of how WE invests in and develops our leaders from within. A long-time business partner to Simon, Stephen is a seasoned communications professional who knows the market, our people and our clients, with a strong vision for the future of WATATAWA.”