Tag: Marketing

Kuching, Malaysia – The Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), starting off a three-year partnership aimed at promoting tourism in Sarawak. 

STB and MAG intend to work together on projects that will strengthen collaboration and boost the country’s tourism industry, especially by drawing in foreign visitors. The Memorandum of Understanding also restated the state government’s commitment to promoting Sarawak as a top vacation destination worldwide. 

Sharzede Salleh Askor, the chief executive officer of STB, signed on behalf of the company, while Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi, the CEO of MAG Airlines, represented the company. 

According to Dato Sri Abdu Karim, the combined efforts aim to strengthen and cooperate with both parties’ existing tourism marketing initiatives, with the goal of drawing more than 35.6 million tourists to Malaysia by 2026.

Speaking about the partnership, Dato Sebastian Ting, Deputy Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts minister, said, “This MoU addresses a key area in our pursuit to promote tourism in Sarawak. It aims to jointly explore and implement activities using services by MAG for mutual benefit.” 

Meanwhile, Dato Sri Abdul Karim, Creative Industry and Performing Arts minister, stated, “This partnership aligns seamlessly with our ambitious goal for Visit Malaysia Year 2026. With this MoU, we are embarking on a journey to explore and implement various activities designed to promote tourism to Sarawak. Using the services and reach of Malaysia Airlines, we will develop and execute these initiatives on an annual basis, ensuring they are continually reviewed and refined. This partnership represents a strategic and forward-thinking approach to achieving our tourism objectives, enhancing our global appeal, and firmly positioning Sarawak as a top destination for travellers worldwide.” 

Furthermore, Sharzede Salleh Askor, said, “We also have trade fairs and consumer shows that we are working with as well as collaboration with airlines to bring in key opinion leaders (KOLs), familiarisation trips and so forth. Our domestic sales are still in good numbers, but we are very happy that the reach is further this year where we will also have visitors from all 10 Asean member countries including Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia. The numbers are picking up and we are confident of a very good show with a good number of turnouts at RWMF 2024.”

Singapore – The majority of marketers in Singapore are embracing AI, with 78% having experimented with or fully implemented AI into their workflows, according to a report by global technology company and AI customer relationship management platform Salesforce.

However, data from Salesforce’s report also suggests that many Singaporean marketers lack a solid data foundation, which hinders their success optimising their AI usage with only 21% being fully satisfied with their ability to unify customer data sources.

Going into more detail, the majority of Singaporeans using AI are focused on generating content, automating customer interactions, and improving customer segmentation or lookalike audience modelling.

On the other hand, this quest for unified, real-time data is more critical and challenging for marketers, with only 42% having access to real-time data to execute a campaign – the lowest globally, and with 57% needing the IT department’s help to do so.

In terms of other key local insights, there is no shortage of data sources, but putting that data to work is a challenge for marketers in Singapore, especially when it demands a holistic or long-term view of data. 49% of these marketers are tracking customer lifetime value (CTV), whilst 84% say they have a clear view into marketing’s impact on revenue.

Companies are also increasingly turning to strategies like ABM and loyalty programs for better acquisition and retention. Yet many of these programs’ information sources remain disjointed, as does the customer experience.

60% of Singaporean marketers say that loyalty data is fully integrated across all touchpoints, whilst only 35% say loyalty program functionalities are accessible across all touchpoints. Meanwhile, 50% of B2B marketers use ABM for customer acquisition, around half use it for upselling (50%) and cross-selling (53%).

To meet rising customer expectations around personalisation, marketers are moving beyond broad audience segmentations, like location or age, to more specific identifiers like individual preferences or past interactions. There is also a difference between how the highest and lowest performing marketing teams adapt. High performers fully personalise across an average of 6 channels, compared with underperformers who fully personalise across 2.

Lastly, the report stated that marketers in Singapore are most concerned about improving marketing ROI in a highly competitive landscape, yet their biggest struggle lies in both measuring results and engaging with customers in real time.

Talking about the report, Wendy Walker, vice president of marketing for Salesforce ASEAN, said, “As Marketers, we are used to the pressure of needing to do more with less whilst meeting the increasing expectations of consumers – especially around personalisation. And so it’s no wonder that we are leading the way with integrating AI. AI makes personalisation at scale a reality, while also driving greater opportunity for brand consistency and storytelling at every touchpoint and fuelling efficiency for our teams.”

“However, as we embrace this technology, what becomes critical is the need for the data we work with to be unified across systems, to give us a comprehensive view of customer engagements. Technology should empower creativity, allowing marketers to deliver meaningful and relevant content to their audiences; this is only possible with trusted data,” she added.

Singapore – Global marketing and advertising agency dentsu has recently announced the appointments of Sanchit Mendiratta as chief growth officer, SEA and managing director of CXM at dentsu Singapore.

Concurrently, Trishe Goh has been promoted to senior director of Growth, Merkle.

Mendiratta and Goh’s appointments serve to bolster the expansion of its Customer Experience Management (“CXM”) capabilities across Southeast Asia.

Through its data-driven CXM agency, Merkle, dentsu’s Southeast Asia cluster will serve as a centre of excellence for analytics, customer data management, as well as customer experience and commerce for the network’s clients in the region.

Speaking on their appointments, Mendiratta and Goh jointly commented, “Our people-based marketing approach helps brands create a competitive advantage to thrive in the experience economy. We have local teams that keep a close pulse on the ground, and bring a strong understanding of the dynamics of each market in shaping transformative experiences that work for the right audiences.”

“But more importantly, our end-to-end integrated solutions seamlessly marries the best of creative, media, and CX to deliver winning strategies for our clients in an increasingly competitive consumer landscape. We look forward to helping more brands win in the era of Southeast Asia,” they added.

Commenting as well, Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, dentsu, Southeast Asia, said, “With our proven track record in delivering data-driven customer experience transformation and our hyper pulse on consumer behaviours on the ground, we are excited to reimagine the customer experience with brands who are ready for this journey. I am confident that Sanchit and Trishe will propel our growth in this segment across the cluster.”

Meanwhile, Chun Yin Mak, president, CXM, dentsu APAC, mentioned, “As incomes and consumption rise across Southeast Asia, consumer demographics will diversify as the competition for their time and attention intensifies. This is where we can help brands win with agility, technology, data, and experience. We have been at the forefront of driving innovation and transformation in customer experience around the world, and now, Sanchit and Trishe are well-placed to further grow our presence with our clients in Southeast Asia.”

Hong Kong – AIA Group Limited has announced the launch of its new brand campaign platform, ‘Rethink Healthy.’ The campaign intends to challenge misconceptions and narrow images of health in Asia, arguing for new definitions of health that would inspire more people to live healthier lives. 

‘Rethink Healthy’ advocates for a more inclusive, pertinent, and doable approach to wellbeing that is more sustainable and inclusive for people in Asia. This campaign is part of the AIA One Billion initiative of AIA Group Limited, which aims to empower one billion people to live better, longer lives by 2030. 

The anthemic video ‘Rethink Healthy’ challenges how social media influences how we portray health in its introduction. It will be bolstered by staff involvement initiatives, community activities, and marketing campaigns spanning multiple Asian regions.

The anthemic video tries to extend viewpoints by showing health as a mix of physical, mental, financial, and environmental well-being, rather than relying primarily on physical appearance as a health indicator. It aims to revolutionise the way healthy lifestyles are spoken and portrayed, emphasising that each person can embark on their own unique road to health and wellness. 

The video broadens the concept of activities, opportunities, and choices that promote overall health and wellness. It also redefines how exercise and healthy eating can benefit health, proving that every small step matters and that increasing confidence leads to progressively significant actions and benefits. 

The formation of the campaign was prompted by a regional wellness report ordered by AIA, which revealed that a large number of Asian consumers felt that maintaining good health was too hard and unachievable. Important research findings showed that even though most respondents wish to get healthier, 80% don’t think they are healthy right now. Consequently, 57% of individuals polled said they were unable to modify anything to make their health better. 

People throughout Asia are overwhelmed by the frequent, restricted portrayals of ideal health and fitness habits. Furthermore, 63% of respondents feel that exercise must be intense and prolonged to be healthy, discouraging many people from becoming more physically active. The majority of people polled feel that little activities cannot promote physical health, despite research showing the importance of tiny steps taken repeatedly to develop habits.

Speaking about the campaign, Stuart A. Spencer, AIA group chief marketing officer, said, “Our reality today is that Asia is getting wealthier but not healthier. The prevalence of lifestyle diseases is rapidly accelerating despite people wanting to improve their health. The research is very clear, consumers need and want help. AIA’s ‘Rethink Healthy’ campaign is a direct response to this urgent need by reframing the journey to health and wellness to be more inclusive. We need to change how we portray healthy lifestyles and make clear that this is specific to every individual, and help people take their own unique journey towards health and wellness. Every market in Asia is immensely diverse, however the discussion around health is often one-dimensional.” 

He added, “We are on a mission to change attitudes, mindsets, behaviours and debunk preconceived notions of what healthy means for every individual. Through this campaign we will engage many more people in Asia to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives and accelerate progress towards our AIA One Billion goal.”

Mumbai, India – Cheil X, an independent full-service agency under the Cheil SWA Group, has appointed Anurag Tandon as its chief growth officer.

In his new role, Tandon will be leading the newly opened Mumbai office in addition to the growth charter and expand Cheil X’s business operations in the city.

Tandon enters this role with over 20 years of experience as a seasoned business leader on units such as DDB Mudra West, and WT, Mumbai where he was responsible for managing the P&L, key client relationships and top line growth.

His other stints include Ogilvy and Leo Burnett, as well as extensive brand management experience having worked across multiple categories with large global brands like UL, Volkswagen, McDonald’s and J&J to name a few.

Speaking on his appointment, Tandon said, “Cheil’s ambition to grow its new business and build a creative reputation promises to be a journey filled with challenges and opportunities in equal measure. I’m excited to be part of building a new business ground up and I know I have the support to help realise this ambition.”

“I believe we have the vision, the expertise and the plan to quickly carve out a meaningful share of the market and establish ourselves as a key player. I am looking forward to this journey of collaborating with like-minded individuals, leveraging our collective creativity and drive to rapidly propel the Cheil X brand forward,” he added.
 
Meanwhile, Sanjeev Jasani, COO at Cheil SWA, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Anurag as he takes over the reins of our Mumbai office. Anurag is a well-known name in the industry with a reputation for delivering benchmark worthy work for clients across a wide range of industries. He is a valuable asset to the organisation and we look forward to working with him.”

Singapore – Tata Communications has announced a five-year global host broadcasting services deal covering the World Athletics Series of events.

From 2025, Tata Communications will be a key strategic supplier for World Athletics, with a view to elevating innovation and audience engagement to new heights.

Through this partnership, Tata Communications will empower World Athletics to captivate a global fan base and forge lasting connections with the sport by amplifying the excitement and drama of live global athletics competitions.

The company will deliver customised, world-class live content to broadcasters across continents, to ensure the action reaches fans in every corner of the globe. As the host broadcaster, it will take on the pivotal role of crafting immersive coverage for World Athletics events globally.

Furthermore, Tata Communications will enable broadcasters to elevate the viewer experience and create a connected fan base through localised regional feeds.

The deal with World Athletics benefits from Tata Communications global media platform underpinned by a video native edge platform and application stack, offering reliable end-to-end support that meets the coverage demands of the sport’s action-packed calendar of international events.

Talking about this collaboration, Dhaval Ponda, global head of media & entertainment business at Tata Communications, said, “It is an exciting time of new content and changing viewer demands. Tata Communications is ideally placed as a global connectivity provider to help World Athletics meet its ambition of bringing athletics and inspirational stories to fans around the world.”

“We offer the global footprint and scalable, resilient solutions necessary to carry these stories from arenas directly to viewers, whether from the UK, Tokyo, USA or beyond. As we bring the vibrancy of global athleticism to screens, I’m eager to see those stories inspire the next generation of Indian sporting excellence,” he added.

The collaboration kicks off during another huge year for the sport, with 2025 including the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing in March, World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou in May and World Athletics Road Running Championships in San Diego in September, as well as the flagship World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Singapore – Global independent marketing and communications firm FINN Partners has announced the promotion of Joshua Wang to associate vice president, brand & market intelligence for Asia Pacific.

The promotion, which expands FINN’s regional bench and capabilities across offices, helps position the group for long-term growth in APAC and expands on its client service capabilities.

In his new role, Wang is responsible for leveraging research, data analysis and strategic insight to drive revenue growth, bolster thought leadership initiatives, and foster innovation for FINN and its clients.

Speaking on his promotion, Wang said, “In today’s landscape, clients are navigating tremendous shifts. They rely on us to serve as trusted advisors, delving into their challenges and providing strategic counsel. At the foundational level, the value and brilliance of effective brand strategy is in enabling them to achieve a consistent and recognizable identity, one that enables them to stand out from the crowd.”

Meanwhile, Naeema Ismail, managing partner at FINN Partners Singapore, commented, “Joshua lives and breathes client strategy and intelligence for brands and excels at directing programs that require evaluation from multiple angles. Using research to develop strategies that contribute to clients’ bottom lines, while expanding our offerings and supporting the growth of our advisory and consulting program, we’re further able to enhance our work with data-driven insights that drive business impact.”

With the prevalence of online shopping in the current business landscape, businesses are now starting to catch on by creating an online presence that demands advanced payment solutions and sophisticated e-commerce marketing strategies to stay ahead of the curve.

Keeping these strategies in mind, there is more to e-commerce marketing besides just simply having a digital space to sell products online. Businesses and brands still have to properly interact and cater to the needs of their consumers behind their screens.

As part of our E-Commerce Marketing Series interviews, we spoke with Emmanuel Cruz, e-commerce lead at Mondelēz Philippines, to learn more about his insights on how e-commerce marketing strategies should be based on consumer behaviour, as well as how e-commerce affects businesses and brands, and the trends that dictate what’s next to come for it. 

E-commerce pros and cons within F&B

The e-commerce marketing landscape is significantly dynamic, which is matched by the agility of brands and businesses to become agile to catch on what is currently relevant.

For Cruz, this is a challenge because strategies and plans are constantly pivoting, especially for multinational corporations such as Mondelez, wherein these shifts require a lot of internal alignments and approvals which can take up quite some time.

Additionally, he mentioned that there are also other challenges, such as finding the right mix of assortment to differentiate a brand across different platforms, the rising costs on operations to fulfil orders on new platforms, and the investment on traffic, media and even promos.

These challenges may seem as an obstacle for many, but Cruz says that it can present itself as an opportunity in the online space if brands and businesses act quickly to reap its rewards within a new platform.

“ This can be seen as an opportunity because most brands usually benefit from a first-mover advantage when it comes to new platforms. Less competition means more saliency and even less investments needed,” he said.

Adapting to evolving e-commerce 

As consumer behaviour moves alongside the dynamic landscape of e-commerce marketing, Cruz mentions that e-commerce marketing strategies should always be based on consumer and shopper behaviour.

“From platform availability, assortment, pricing, content and promos, all these should always be based on the consumer,” stated Cruz.

In order to achieve this, Cruz shared that a robust end-to-end omnichannel approach should be present to understand the interplay of offline and online consumer behaviour.

Talking about how this should be applied, Cruz mentioned, “Online and offline strategies should be integrated, never on silo. The occurrence of browsing online and checking out offline (and vice-versa) is more and more apparent post-pandemic.”

This approach leads to an easier understanding of customer behaviour, wants and interests, which means that brands can seamlessly pivot and tailor-fit messaging, communication, promos and recommendations. To enhance this, Cruz said that customer data should be maximised to increase basket size or assortment, improve repeat purchases and overall build loyalty with customers.

“AI makes it even easier for brands to do so, and even if we’re not yet that deep into utilising advanced AI, we still use data to get insights and refine our activities to optimise our investments,” he added. 

The future of e-commerce in F&B

When asked about his insights for the future of e-commerce marketing in the F&B industry, Cruz commented on the prominence of social commerce as one of the biggest trends in F&B at the moment. 

As a rapidly growing branch of e-commerce that uses social networks and digital media to facilitate transactions, social commerce allows for businesses and brands to increase their reach even further, and reach out more to younger or emerging consumers.

“However, as more and more brands get onboarded on this platform, competition will become even tighter, with brands fighting neck and neck on live platforms and on their promos,” he added.

Furthermore, Cruz also mentioned that there will be a more seamless omnichannel approach that brands and businesses need to employ as e-commerce platforms provide not just online sales but influence offline decisions and pre-purchase.

“Brands within the F&B industry need to be in-tune for what’s next to come in terms of e-commerce marketing strategies, as e-commerce platforms are becoming not just a point-of-sale but more so a channel for brand and product discovery that affects purchase decisions offline,” Cruz concluded.

MARKETECH APAC is leading the conversation on the future of e-commerce marketing strategies this 2024 and beyond with the E-Commerce Marketing in Malaysia 2024 conference on July 25, 2024 at Sheraton Petaling Jaya and the E-Commerce Marketing in the Philippines 2024 conference on August 14, 2024 at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. Join us and become an integral part of a dynamic community committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and fostering unparalleled growth in the e-commerce domain.

In the dynamic realm of marketing, embracing innovation and leveraging technology isn’t just a strategy—it’s a mindset that defines the path to success. By embracing change and staying open to new ideas, marketers unlock endless possibilities to engage, inspire, and delight their audiences.

For MARKETECH APAC’s latest Milestone Series, we spoke with Maggie Effendy, associate marketing director – head of marketing for baby and child care (BCC) at Kimberly-Clark Softex Indonesia, to discuss one of her greatest milestones — blending her expertise and decades of experience to push the boundaries of technology and innovation in enhancing the consumer experience.

In this feature, Effendy delves into her illustrious marketing career spanning two decades, her first anniversary with Kimberly-Clark Softex, and her remarkable journey of relentless innovation with new technology. 

A merger of talent and opportunity

In 2020, Kimberly-Clark completed its acquisition of Softex Indonesia, a huge move that drew Effendy to join the company two years later. Attracted by the acquisition–an area missing from her career experience–Effendy saw this as an opportunity to leverage her hybrid expertise from both big local family-run companies and multinational corporations to contribute significantly to the success of Kimberly-Clark Softex.

A year after joining Kimberly-Clark Softex, Effendy had played a pivotal role in leading and contributing to some of the company’s most successful campaigns. Her tenure at Kimberly-Clark Softex has been distinguished by groundbreaking initiatives, including the recent and particularly proud launch of the ‘Sweety Dry Xpert X-Zone’ product.

As the head of marketing for Sweety, Effendy and her team have relaunched Sweety Dry X-Pert with new X-Zone Technology, featuring an X-shaped channelling system exclusive to Kimberly-Clark globally. This innovation allows the diaper to absorb liquid five times faster, keeping the baby comfortable and dry for up to 12 hours, reducing the risk of diaper rash, and promoting healthy skin.

And to top this all off, an extra special innovative feature made it into the creative process behind the product launch. Effendy and her team have integrated AI technology to generate personalised baby images on the packaging. This unique approach allows them to depict a baby that grows with Sweety from newborn to XXL sizes, something traditional photo shoots or image banks couldn’t achieve. 

“I believe we are the first in Kimberly-Clark globally to utilise AI technology for baby image on pack, and we would not be here today without the support from management that values leveraging technology. Our network of stakeholders also helped us to ensure we took all the necessary precautions in this new territory of marketing,” Effendy shared. 

Pushing boundaries and leading with innovation

The idea of using AI for the baby image project emerged from the challenge of meeting a tight timeline. With the help of AI technology, Effendy and her team not only significantly reduced the production timeline but also saved considerable costs per image compared to traditional photoshoots.

Effendy believes that the integration of AI in their packaging not only fosters a stronger connection with shoppers but also demonstrates how technology can enhance the consumer experience.

For Effendy, a successful product launch should aim to exceed customer expectations, even addressing needs that were previously unvoiced or unknown. This is where innovative technology can push boundaries. 

Effendy’s innovative way of answering challenges and providing effective solutions is honed through his decades of experience in the industry. Prior to joining Kimberly-Clark Softex, she was an FMCG international marketing professional working for global QSR companies. 

In one of her previous roles as marketing manager at an international fast-food chain, Effendy’s goal was to drive mainstream traffic to the store. Instead of just creating a better burger, she identified a barrier for group dining: the lack of options for non-burger eaters. 

By introducing chicken and rice to the menu, they were able to break this barrier that hinders the business’ growth. Consequently, the company became the first globally approved fresh chicken menu and operations standard.

Charting the course of the future

AI has played a pivotal role in Effendy’s recent product launch with Kimberly-Clark Softex, and looking ahead, she foresees AI continuing to disrupt the marketing industry, particularly in product innovation and development.

The potential for AI to transform marketing practices excites her, especially in the realms of design, communication, and social media. She, especially, anticipates AI advancements in shopper CRM. 

“I believe AI innovation will help accelerate the growth of smaller niche brands’ products and services, therefore closing the gap in current scale barriers between big mainstream brands and carefully curated ones,” she explained. 

When asked what she foresees shaping the future of marketing in the SEA region, Effendy sees Indonesia playing a pivotal role in shaping future marketing trends, given its vast population and burgeoning consumer market. And with Kimberly-Clark Softex’s global network and local agility, she is also confident in the company’s ability to capitalise on emerging trends in the personal care sector. 

Effendy shared, “I believe Kimberly-Clark Softex is well positioned with both the power of global networks as well as the agility of local movers to capitalise on future trends in personal care in Indonesia.”

Reflecting on a distinguished career

Over her 20-year career in marketing, Effendy has had numerous achievements, from successful product launches to impactful team development. Reflecting on her past works and achievements, she finds it hard to pick which is the most memorable, as there are too many of them. 

From her Mie Sedaap project to Oreo Blackpink and now her work with Kimberly-Clark Softex, each of Effendy’s works occupies a special place in her heart. However, she believes her greatest achievement is best measured not only by commercial success but also by the growth and development of the team during the project. 

“There’s nothing more satisfying for me than seeing a talent grow to their full potential,” she simply said. 

Effendy’s journey exemplifies the spirit of innovation, resilience, and leadership in the marketing industry. Her ability to navigate challenges, embrace technology, and inspire others underscores her role as a visionary marketer.

“After 20 years in marketing, I’m amazed by how much there is still to learn and even in awe of the great leaders and mentors that are always willing to share knowledge out there. I can only aspire to ‘pay it forward’ and continuously partake in building the next wave of inclusive leaders,” she concluded. 

United Kingdom – Bentley Motors has launched a new global brand campaign titled “How Do You Bentley?” The ad invites “Gen B” to discover and interact with the world of Bentley. This generation, which transcends time, colour, and gender, is Bentley’s target demographic. 

Storyteller Anders Hallberg is the director of “How Do You Bentley?”, a movie produced by IPG-X. It envisions a number of windows into the Bentley universe, each emphasising the interests of the intended audiences and recognizing the brand’s long-standing position in various fields. 

The film delves deeply into several aspects, such as the music featured in the Bentley Record Room, the design features found in Bentley Home, and Bentley Extraordinary Journeys. Through genuine, unusual, and elevated methods, the numerous transitions explore a balance of polarities unique to the brand, blending luxury with performance, well-being with power, and modernity with tradition. 

It consists of both current and potential clients, brand enthusiasts, and coworkers who are driven to question the status quo, push the bounds of luxury, and examine the future. 

Speaking about the campaign, Steven de Ploey, global marketing director, said, “This brand campaign will be instrumental in positioning Bentley as the undisputed leader in luxury and performance, highlighting all aspects of the Bentley business, well beyond automotive. The campaign will also create an even more distinct and desirable profile for the brand, appealing to both new, as well as existing target audiences, by tapping into their key passion points.” 

Meanwhile, Nick Cooper, global executive creative director at IPG-X, said, “Our campaign line, ‘How do you Bentley?’ enables the brand to lead the conversation about what luxury lifestyle looks like, using a shared mindset to communicate with both an existing and growth audience. Director, Anders Hallberg’s experience in understanding the luxury lifestyle world enabled us to dial in to the audience passion points, as much as the cars, to create a compelling and authentic narrative that embodied the brand. This campaign will be at the forefront of driving the brand beyond purely automotive and towards a luxury lifestyle proposition.”