Tag: Marketing

Australia – Clemenger BBDO, a creative communications agency, has welcomed four new talents to boost its strategy team.

Jon Turton has been named experience strategy director, Vanessa Quincey as senior strategy director, Maya Mausli as head of product, and Brooke Thompson as head of strategy.

Before his post at Clemenger, Turton held the strategy director position at AKQA and consumer insights manager at MYER. His expertise is in enhancing customer experience.

Quincey will work on brand and social strategy for Clemenger’s clients after being the senior strategy director at VaynerMedia and senior strategist at Grey Group.

Having worked with Samsung Australia and McCann Worldgroup among others, Mausli will leverage her skills to develop products and services in her new role at Clemenger.

Meanwhile, Thompson will spearhead the planning and execution of marketing strategies for Clemenger’s clients. Thompson was previously the strategy director at whiteGREY and Mindshare.

Clemenger BBDO chief strategy and experience officer Simon Wassef commented, “Clems has a long history of reframing businesses, behaviours and culture. Now, we are reframing strategy for a new era in culture, marketing, experience and technology with these world-class talents. A company with Clems’ ambition needs strategists of this calibre.”

“Ness is a gun whose grasp of how to build brands in culture is exactly what we need. Maya’s ability to solve really hard business problems is prodigious. JT enables us to drive our renowned brand thinking throughout the customer experience. Brooke’s insight and empathy make her an incredible head of strategy. I’m stoked to round out the strategy department with these legends alongside behavioural scientist Helena Duniec, brand strategist Cecilia Hund and head of cultural design, Rhian Mason,” Wassef added.

Singapore – Viddsee, a short film platform, has announced key appointments to advance its content development and marketing capabilities. Christopher Cumming has been named as  Viddsee’s vice president of commercial and Irsyaduddin Ifwat as associate creative director.

Leveraging his leadership skills, Cumming’s new role requires him to push for the company’s business growth while executing marketing strategies. Meanwhile, Ifwat is at the helm of developing creative solutions for Viddsee’s clients.

Both new team additions have notable experiences in the field. Prior to his appointment at Viddsee, Cumming served as general manager at CUE Group and group business director before that. He also held leadership roles at Wavemaker and Wunderman Thompson. Ifwat was a communications design lead at SATS Ltd. and a senior designer at PropertyGuru Group.

“I am thrilled to join Viddsee at such a pivotal time in its growth journey. I look forward to working with the talented team to enhance our commercial strategies and deliver outstanding value to our clients through innovative content solutions,” Summing said. 

Ho Jia Jian, founder and chief executive officer of Viddsee, commented, “The addition of Christopher and Ifwat, combined with our commitment to growth, reinforces our dedication to creativity and excellence. We eagerly anticipate their contributions to our mission of empowering storytellers and enhancing client experiences.”

Shenzhen, China – Electronics manufacturer OPPO celebrates cultural diversity in its new ‘Culture in a Shot’ global project in collaboration with Discovery Channel. Its launch coincides with the commemoration of Oppo’s 20th anniversary. 

‘Culture in a Shot’ not only showcases tradition in various countries. It also aims to preserve culture through Oppo’s imaging technology, supporting individuals who contribute to the continuity of their tradition.

The theme ‘Portraits of Legacy’ explores rich and vibrant marks of local culture around the world while placing the individuals behind them in the limelight. 

To launch the initiative, photographer Jerome Teo met ethnic minority groups in Thailand to capture their weaving and music traditions. Teo then went to Indonesia to take photographs of artisans in their practice of batik, a painting of intricate patterns. In Spain, flamenco dancers were in the spotlight.

In addition, OPPO also launched the ‘#OPPOMalaysiaThroughTheLens’ initiative in Malaysia, inviting people to showcase their culture through their smartphones.

“As a tech company, OPPO is also exploring innovative ways to revive culture through technology. Using the latest GenAI technology, the OPPO AI Studio launched in the Reno12 series allows users to generate a studio-quality portrait of themselves as a flamenco dancer—an intuitive way to immerse in flamenco culture no matter where you are,” the brand in a press statement.

OPPO and Discovery Channel are set to elevate the ‘Culture in a Shot’ initiative in the next months by using imaging technology to take people on virtual tours in India, Mexico, and more.

Singapore – Beverage company Coca-Cola has collaborated with super application Grab for the Coke&Go initiative, offering convenience to consumers. The initiative allows consumers to purchase Coca-Cola products at smart coolers in Singapore using the Grab application. 

Leveraging Grab’s technology and Coca-Cola’s product range, the initiative supports the digital evolution of the food and beverage industry in Singapore.

The smart coolers which can be found in areas with high foot traffic in Singapore, can be unlocked using a a QR code. The beverages are accounted for through image recognition technology. Once the smart coolers are closed, the Grab application will display the products’ quantity and price. Cashless payment methods are available to complete the purchase.

“Through our partnership with Grab, we’re merging convenience with innovation. By leveraging Grab’s digital capabilities, we’re able to offer unprecedented convenience to our consumers while expanding our own digital footprint. We are excited for consumers to embrace the future with Coke&Go self-serve beverage experience,” Sam Way, vice president of digital acceleration office at Coca-Cola, said.

Ken Mandel, regional head of GrabAds and brand insights, commented, “We’re excited to take our partnership with Coca-Cola a step further with their Coke&G program. The initiative recognises how global brands like Coca-Cola can strategically partner with Grab to reach more consumers across Singapore and the wider Southeast Asian region and deliver an effortless and outstanding experience to them. The collaboration is also a testament to the forward-thinking digital strategy of Coca-Cola, effectively utilising Grab’s robust retail media network capabilities for impactful marketing.”

The collaboration strengthens the goal of Coca-Cola and Grab’s partnership, which is to enhance digitalisation in the consumer market across Southeast Asia. It is also worth noting that the Coke&Go initiative was launched last year through a webapp.

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.