Tag: Marketing

With 2024 now in its early full swing, the contours of the marketing landscape in Asia-Pacific are being reshaped by a confluence of factors ranging from emerging technologies to shifting consumer behaviours and evolving regulatory frameworks.

In this era of digital acceleration and heightened connectivity, the very fabric of marketing is undergoing a profound evolution, where traditional boundaries are blurred, and new frontiers beckon. As brands endeavour to navigate this intricate web of opportunities and challenges, the imperative to anticipate and adapt to the evolving needs and preferences of consumers has never been more compelling.

As part of MARKETECH APAC’s “What’s NEXT”, our dedicated thought leadership series is back–unravelling the threads of innovation, cultural nuance, and strategic foresight that weave together the tapestry of this diverse and dynamic marketplace. From the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) to both creative and enterprise uses, to familiarisation of data-driven strategies amidst the privacy-centric advertising era on the horizon, these are the insights various industry marketing leaders have shared to push forward the regional marketing scene further into 2024 and beyond.

Check out the initial line-up of published insights by marketing leaders under the series:

For our inaugural What’s NEXT thought leadership piece, Sudipto Das, Vice President, Advertiser Solutions, APAC at PubMatic, shared his thoughts on the future of programmatic supply chain, which means rethinking the supply chain which in turn will create new opportunities for differentiation and value creation for the industry. Check out the full article here for more insights.

In this piece by Billy Loizou, Area VP, APAC, Amperity, he notes how executives who genuinely buy into the process of digital transformation are more likely to facilitate change effectively and communicate its benefits to their teams. Check out his byline here on how these priorities are essential for guiding organisations toward a successful and adaptive future.

From free ad streaming TV’s (FAST) exponential growth to the impact of AI in advertising, check out this comprehensive byline here from various industry leaders from Nexxen and read some of their insights at some strategic shifts poised to define the year ahead.

This byline from Jennie Johnson, Head of Marketing, GrabAds, details how brands in Southeast Asia can effectively serve as the ideal companion travellers need in their pursuit of an authentic, superior travel experience – both right now and in the future. Check out her byline here.

From the long-anticipated shift from third-party cookies to first-party data to the harnessing of AI and the evolution of e-commerce, these are the trends that will help shape the future of brand connection, according to this byline from Harley Ramien, Director for Asia Pacific at Bonzai.

Sathya Anand, Digital Strategy Director at Iris Singapore, shares his actionable insights in this piece here on how CMOs and marketing leaders must step back, create a martech framework that works for them and be the person to champion it at their organisation.

Marketers who have spent years trying to ‘win’ the organic search engine visibility game may feel understandably crestfallen by this latest disruption, and have to adapt and innovate their search marketing strategies once again to meet a new set of parameters. Worry no more, because Gary Cheung, General Manager of NP Digital Hong Kong & Taiwan offers his actionable insights to win online search this year in this piece.

For Matt Tindale, Head of Enterprise APAC, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn, the future of work that B2B marketers should note of, ranging from the implementation of AI across enterprises, the continued importance of measurement framework, and focusing on more human-centric approaches in building consumer trust. Check out his insights here.

In this byline from Killian Menigot, Senior Production Manager, Tokyo, Nexxen Studios, shares the various benefits of data-driven, in-stream video ads for publishers and advertisers. Check out the article here to learn more about how these types of ads not only offer publishers a robust tool for monetisation but also pave the way for viewers to experience advertising that is both engaging and tailored to their preferences. 

With AI now being used to improve every aspect of DOOH advertising, from targeting and personalisation to creative development and measurement, Divya Acharya, Vice President, Solutions Design & Development & Marketing Science, APAC, at GroupM Nexus, shares how ambitions of the AI-focused businesses being formed today will likely drive this growth in the years to come in her piece here.

On this piece by Shahid Nizami, VP, Sales, APAC at Braze, he imparted advice for marketers on how effectively tapping into the power of first-party data starts with creating a unified customer view, as well as how data agility enables a brand’s data to move at the speed of its business. Check out more of his insights here.

Amidst a relentless expansion of digital platforms and the ever-evolving landscape of consumer behaviours have escalated the battle for attention, compelling brands need to redefine their marketing strategies and carve out distinctive identities. Shant Oknayan, Vice President, Asia, Oceania & Africa, TikTok Global Business Solutions, imparts his insights on encouraging brands to instil a creative bravery mindset in their modern marketing strategies this year. Learn more of his advice here.

While consumers’ needs have not undergone drastic shifts, the evolving dynamics of how retailers meet these consumer needs constitute a dynamic blend of art and science. For Lee Soon Yean, Country Manager, Malaysia, Adyen, adaptability is key for long-term success in the ever-changing retail landscape. Check out more of his retail-centric insights in this piece here.

In this piece from Jonathan Reeve, Vice President APAC, Eagle Eye, he imparts actionable insights on how the subscription-based model, despite its continuing popularity, its competitive edge will come from brands that efficiently and effectively execute it in partnership with specialised and experienced solutions providers who excel at optimising these programs. Check out his detailed insights on the topic on his byline here.

While most advertisers think about third-party cookies in the context of targeting, they are used across a variety of tools that span data collection, audience segmentation, data onboarding, and, most importantly, measurement. For Peter Ibarra, Head of Adtech Solutions, Amperity, brands that have left the cookie-centric environment are experiencing a competitive advantage and will continue to do so since most of the industry has not shifted their reliance on 3P cookies. Learn more about this in his byline here.

Taj Samson, Executive Director, Brand Performance, APAC, Landor, shared how a strategic and comprehensive implementation process, following the outlined steps, enables organisations to navigate the data deluge purposefully, ensuring valuable insights translate into tangible improvements and sustained success in the dynamic world of marketing. Learn more of how marketers can navigate the sea of data in this piece here.

‘What’s NEXT 2024 Thought Leadership Series’ is part of the ‘What’s NEXT 2023-2024 Series’, which gathers marketing and industry leaders in APAC to share their marketing insights and predictions for the upcoming year. If you would like to be a part of this initiative, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Jakarta, Indonesia – Online fashion and lifestyle retail company ZALORA launched its ‘ZALORAYA 2024’ campaign, aiming to showcase its festive modest wear collections for the Hari Raya season.

As modest wear continues to grow in popularity across the region, this year’s ZALORAYA features a diverse range of pieces from 19 renowned brands, including ZALORA’s private labels, and established and emerging local designers from Malaysia and Indonesia.

Indonesian labels, Ria Atelier and Embara, and Malaysian label, FM by Fuzana Mokhtaza, will also be part of this year’s ZALORAYA collections for the first time. Additionally, there will also be exclusive pieces from popular Malaysian designers Neelofa, founder of Naelofar, and Tom Abang Saufi.

ZALORAYA’s regional-wide campaign also includes both online and physical activities. In Malaysia, this includes a fashion showcase in Sentul Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur, exclusive benefits for VIPs, such as early access to the collections and the chance to attend the exclusive fashion showcase, and exciting giveaways throughout Ramadan, to celebrate the launch of this year’s collection.

In Indonesia, there will be a ZALORAYA 2024 pop-up store and fashion show at Kota Kasablanka in Jakarta, which will also showcase pieces from local designers and brands as part of ZALORA’s commitment to support the Indonesian government’s ‘Bangga Buatan Indonesia’ (Proudly Made in Indonesia) campaign.

Talking about the campaign, Mia Lim, category manager for Modest Wear at ZALORA, said, “Being Asia’s fashion expert, ZALORA recognised the immense opportunity early on in catering to the diverse needs and tastes of our Muslim consumers. Since launching our modest wear category in 2014, we have been seeing positive growth.”

“From our early foray into modest wear to our ongoing collaborations with local designers, we remain committed to growing this vibrant market segment and leading the way in shaping the industry in this region”, she added.

Singapore – As MARKETECH APAC brings its What’s NEXT series to Singapore, we are proud to announce that Braze has joined us as a Gold Sponsor for this conference and will be leading the discussion on how AI can help revolutionise customer engagement.

The company empowers marketers to tap into their creativity through its customer engagement platform that delivers relevant, cross-channel experiences, as well as innovative AI features such as Sage AI that helps assist in reinforcing the connection between consumers and the brands that they love.

Through the conference, Yi En Chye, GM APAC & director, strategic consulting at Braze, will be presenting a keynote presentation that explores the potential of artificial intelligence in providing meaningful customer interactions in today’s dynamic era of engagement.

This discussion is beneficial for brands and marketers as reinforcing customer engagement strategies with the help of the latest AI advancements can ensure a degree of personalisation and customer satisfaction that goes beyond the effectiveness of methods such as traditional chatbots, as well as making tasks easier and more efficient for teams to focus on strategising and other creative efforts.   

Teddy Cambosa, regional editor at MARKETECH APAC, said, “Embracing AI to transform customer engagement isn’t just about innovation; it’s about forging invaluable connections. By leveraging AI technologies, we empower businesses to understand, anticipate, and exceed customer needs, thereby sculpting experiences that resonate and endure in the hearts of those we serve. We look forward to Braze’s presentation on aiding businesses to adopt more AI-powered solutions for their customer engagement strategies.”

MARKETECH APAC’s “What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in Singapore” conference is the second instalment of the What’s NEXT 2023-2024 Series conferences. It will feature a diverse lineup of industry leaders across multiple local and global brands including Grab, HP, Kaspersky, Singapore Management University, Singapore Post, Standard Chartered Bank, StarHub, The LEGO Group, and more. Head over to the official event site to see the full agenda and roster of speakers of What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in Singapore.

In a world of ever-increasing complexity, many brands have great frameworks in place to collect and interrogate data. Millions are spent on brand tracking programmes, hundreds of slides are produced and a sizeable number of meeting hours are booked for companies to go through reams of insights. But after these meetings, the insights typically gather dust and are often not meaningfully incorporated into day-to-day actions and strategy.

Considering the expense and effort, it’s time for a paradigm shift – a move towards a more prescriptive and focused approach to seamlessly transform data comprehension into successful implementation from organisations. Here is an approach that makes the process of data comprehension and implementation seamless:

Ensure comprehension

Begin by recognising that data cannot achieve everything in a single sweep. Initial insights and analytics debriefs should prioritise full understanding of the results. Data needs time to be fully absorbed; only when it is truly absorbed can it be acted on. Always start with deep comprehension before tackling implementation. 

Model Data for Clarity

Navigating through vast datasets becomes effective when models are employed to cut through complexity and highlight priorities. This not only aids in data comprehension but also aligns teams on growth objectives. Models serve as a guiding light, enabling stakeholders to see the broader picture and prioritise efforts for driving success.

Play up implementation and use workshops to bed this in

It’s vital for brands to have descriptive statistics that give a clear landscape of the competitive marketplace. This type of data also allows people to have a good foundation for further exposure to more complex analysis. But often this is where most companies stop after an insights and analytics debrief; people go back to their desks and carry on as before. After insights are delivered, allow a brief period for teams to absorb and reflect. Following this, initiate implementation workshops, dedicating time to map out changes in different business units based on the insights gained. This interactive process, involving stakeholders and setting measurable actions against timelines, ensures a strategic hierarchy of efforts.

Set aside time and budget for curating insights

Start with triangulating all relevant data to get an overview. This sounds seemingly simple, but only a small minority of organisations do it in any impactful way. The most successful teams work across disciplines and business units to set out what data they have and what the common business actions are. Investing in a copy-writing and creative resource to curate the key insights and actions is a must. Data has to inspire people and give them a better handle on priorities. Producing a beautifully designed annual insights compendium is a great way to condense and show what the key priorities and actions are. 

Foster a long-term vision

Produce a three-year data plan that shows what insight commissions are on the horizon, this will inspire teams to pre-plan what challenges new commissions can solve for them. Long-term planning often helps with engagement and empowers employees by making them feel more proactive than reactive. 

Re-measure and keep the focus on continuous improvement

Evaluate changes made by stakeholders a year later, gauging improvements in brand equity, market share, and more. Successful outcomes provide motivation to sustain focus on deployment, optimising insight and analytics budgets for ongoing success.

In conclusion, the key to turning insights into action lies not only in what organisations do but also in how they do it. A strategic and comprehensive implementation process, following the outlined steps, enables organisations to navigate the data deluge purposefully, ensuring valuable insights translate into tangible improvements and sustained success in the dynamic world of marketing.

This article is written by Taj Samson, executive director for brand performance in APAC at Landor

The insight is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series under What’s NEXT 2023-2024. What’s NEXT 2023-2024 is a multi-platform industry initiative which features marketing and industry leaders in APAC sharing their marketing insights and predictions for the upcoming year.

Singapore – Interpublic Group (IPG) has announced a global partnership with Adobe to accelerate content creation and activation throughout the corporation’s activities.

As the pioneer in this effort, IPG has incorporated Adobe GenStudio, a tool that enables rapid content ideation, creation, production, and activation through generative AI, into its marketing technology platform.

The engine created by IPG automates the entire customer experience, assisting marketers in discovering better ways to engage, convert, and retain audiences across paid, owned, and earned channels, as well as on an individual basis.

Within the IPG engine, Adobe GenStudio manages the content supply chain by combining Adobe Workfront, Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Adobe’s creative generative AI models, and Frame.io. 

Through the IPG engine, the company employs its proprietary Acxiom data and identification products to gain a thorough understanding of consumers and generate authentic connections with brands. Furthermore, the IPG engine optimises marketers’ investments in marketing technology and media by seamlessly integrating customer knowledge throughout the content interaction landscape. 

The IPG engine enhances content, experiences, and commerce on a massive scale by merging partner technologies with its unique data. With different combinations of support for each stage of the content lifecycle creation, curation, assembly, personalization, and measurement—this IPG engine is being deployed throughout the IPG portfolio. This enables all marketing specialties and client teams inside the company to effectively provide brands with outcomes. 

Additionally, Adobe and Acxiom are committed to delivering individualised customer experiences based on thorough consumer insights by improving customer value via their data and identity products. This project will move forward more quickly by leveraging Acxiom’s identity and data solutions to improve the core features of Adobe Experience Platform and Adobe Real-Time Customer Data Platform. From AI-driven audience building to identification resolution, this integration will improve a number of areas.

Speaking about the partnership, Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of IPG, said, “Marketers today are looking to accelerate personalised connections with consumers, with an audience and commerce-led approach to every engagement. This new partnership with Adobe takes our capabilities to a new level. We’re deploying a unified operating system across our entire portfolio, fueled by data and audience insights, to craft content strategies that enhance human creativity with ethically sourced gen AI.” 

Meanwhile, Anil Chakravarthy, president, digital experience business at Adobe, stated, “Brands are struggling to meet the growing demand for digital content, particularly now that consumers rightly expect experiences to be personalised to their individual tastes and preferences and delivered in real-time. By leveraging Adobe GenStudio, IPG is bringing together comprehensive, best-in-class creative and digital marketing capabilities, fueled by generative AI, with IPG Engine to deliver its clients true content velocity at the speed of social.”  

Furthermore, Jayna Kothary, chief solutions officer of IPG, stated, “By harnessing Acxiom’s rich data resources, we’re able to amplify Adobe’s AI tools, enriching customer data profiles and delivering unparalleled insights for enhanced personalization, improved engagement, and superior outcomes. Our operating system transforms the way brands and marketers approach customer experiences, whether it’s for information, entertainment, or shopping. We’re excited to bring this offering to our clients and drive actionable growth for their businesses.” 

Singapore – The Ascott Limited, the lodging business unit under CapitaLand Investment, announced the launch of ‘Ascott Unlimited’, a year-long medley of initiatives to mark its ambitions to break new ground as it celebrates 40 years in hospitality service.

This launch signifies a new era for Ascott, as the hospitality company navigates a future of unlimited possibilities against a backdrop of global change and evolving perspectives of travel.

Aiming to transcend traditional limits, Ascott embarks on a transformative journey to go ‘unlimited’ for its guests, owners, partners, and associates. 

Going on this route, Ascott promises unlimited opportunities by delivering enhanced value to owners and investors, while providing career growth opportunities for associates, as well as allowing for unlimited choices, with a myriad of stay experiences for guests, whatever the purpose of travel and wherever the destinations may be. 

Additionally, Ascott also offers owners with a flex-hybrid hotel-in-residence model that allows for a flexible and free stay, whilst committing to a culture of care and hospitality, backed by a spirit of innovation to do good in the future of travel.

Commemorating this milestone, a campaign microsite features the latest updates on events, offers and happenings that guests may enjoy or participate in. An interactive game also allows guests to put their knowledge on Ascott to the test, with a chance to win stay vouchers and reward points to unleash their wanderlust.

Talking about the campaign, Kevin Goh, chief executive officer for Ascott and CLI Lodging, said, “2024 will be our launchpad – one that will propel Ascott into an era of greater ambition, as we go unlimited. Unlimited with enhanced value for our owners, unlimited with myriad experiences for our guests, and unlimited with growth opportunities for our associates.”

Meanwhile, Tan Bee Leng, chief commercial officer at Ascott, commented, As we go Unlimited, we are excited to be launching initiatives that have been curated to deliver one-of-a-kind stay experiences for our guests. This will be exemplified in everything we do – from free night stays and complimentary membership tier upgrades to signature experiences and programmes unique to each brand. All to ensure our guests unlock a gateway to unlimited possibilities, wherever they are in the world.”

Singapore – WE Communications (WE), a worldwide communications agency, announced the appointment of Charmaine Lin as director of sectors and Michelle Lim as associate director of sectors in Singapore. Lin and Lim joined WE in February and report to Troy Lee, the head of sectors. 

Together, they are tasked to expand WE’s skills in tourism, travel, and hospitality, as well as technology, B2B, and crisis communications. 

Lin will oversee the Singapore Tourism Board account in her new role and manage WE’s growing clientele in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. 

Lin joins WE with more than 17 years of brand marketing and communications expertise. She spent ten years in Shanghai, where she occupied a number of leadership roles. Her most recent position was five years as managing partner at Gusto Collective. Lin was the vice president of client experience at Weber Shandwick for five years before that.

For many international tourism, travel, hospitality, fashion, and beauty companies, such as the Estée Lauder Companies, Marriott International, Royal Caribbean, Shiseido Group, Tourism Australia, and Victoria’s Secret, she has advised and led campaigns throughout her career.

Meanwhile, Lim has a decade of expertise in B2B, technology communications, public affairs, and crisis communication. Her most recent position was as account director at Fifth Ring, where she worked with brands including BASF, CHINT Global, Delta Electronics, Smith+Nephew, and XSQUARE Technologies. For nearly ten years before joining Fifth Ring, she directed communications and crisis planning for many Home Team units within Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs.

Speaking about the appointments, Daryl Ho, managing director of WE Singapore, said, “Charmaine and Michelle bring a wealth of experience and expertise to WE, and their combined talent in integrated communications, strategic storytelling and crisis communications will be an unstoppable force in supporting our clients as we chart the agency forward. I am beyond thrilled to welcome both of them to the team and am grateful that they’ve chosen to call WE their home.”

Manila, Philippines – Snack food company Rebisco has recently announced the appointment of Kenneth Yu as its head of integrated sports marketing and communications, specifically leading its sports and entertainment arm, Action Republic Corporation.

This marks Yu’s return to Rebisco, having previously served as a digital marketing manager for three years until he moved to Allianz PNB Life as its digital brand management head, and more recently with Pru Life UK as its head of brand.

MARKETECH APAC caught up exclusively with Yu to discuss the inner workings of his new role, understanding Rebisco’s ramped sports marketing strategies this year–particularly in promoting Philippine volleyball, as well as understanding the outlook of sports marketing in the Philippines.

Rebisco at the forefront of promoting sports in the country

For Yu, he enters Rebisco at an exciting time, as it is at the forefront of helping advocate the promotion and development of Philippine volleyball.

“Rebisco believes that through volleyball, and through working with other like-minded stakeholders from the public and private sectors, we can do either of–or both–of the following: inspire many Filipinos to take up the sport and find education, careers, and hope for a brighter future through it; teach them the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, resilience, hard work and effort, camaraderie, and intelligent play–values which people can ingrain into their lives even if they are not volleyball players, coaches, or officials,” he explained.

When asked asked about Rebisco’s focus on sports marketing this year, Yu states that they will be focused on particular pillars to help not only bring product-brand and company-brand awareness to the market, but continue to help build volleyball in the country. These pillars include grassroots and countryside development, the university-level, the professional, the development of coaches and officials, and even support of the Philippine national teams.

For its grassroots and countryside segment, Rebisco has the yearly Rebisco Volleyball League. The months-long league has the involvement of high school teams from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that culminates in a week-long semifinals and finals tournament where the champion can take the crown of best high school team in the country.

Meanwhile, Rebisco, through its packaged cake brand, Fudgee, supports the Ateneo Blue Eagles, but is also a sponsor and advertiser of the university tournament, the UAAP, or the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

Lastly, through the professional league, the Premier Volleyball League, Rebisco has been an active participant through its two teams: the multi-titled Creamline Cool Smashers, supported by the Rebisco ice cream brand, Creamline; and the up-and-coming Choco Mucho Flying Titans, named after Rebisco’s chocolate bar and cookie products. 

“The viewership of these games has increased dramatically over the years. And Rebisco will soon expand into a third professional team as well,” Yu said.

On bringing back new leadership lessons to Rebisco

For his return to Rebisco, Yu said that he hopes to offer not only his broadened skills from Allianbbut a deeper understanding of customer needs and wants because of my stint with insurance and how customers can be treated as individuals.

“I am grateful for my stint in insurance because I can now bring broadened skills and experiences back to Rebisco. Though I have always been involved in branding, writing, content and digital marketing in some form or another, while in the insurance industry, this expanded to activations, internal and external communications, PR, employer branding and engagement, CSR, and even customer experience and journey-mapping,” he said.

Yu added, “One difference between the two industries is that in FMCG snack foods, the company does not necessarily know each customer independently, while in insurance, you need to know them on a personal level.”

Trends and opportunities for sports marketing in the Philippines

For Yu, the biggest opportunity in sports marketing in the country is in the deeper and further development of the stories of the players and teams. In the case of Philippine volleyball, each of the players and teams have their stories to tell no matter what stage of their volleyball arcs they are in.

“Competition in sports is a natural field for authentic drama to develop, and each team and player, and even coach, has their own perspective and involvement that can be of interest and can add to the popularity of any sport, in this case, volleyball. Of course, the main challenge is vying for the market’s attention versus other sources of interest (be it music, films, video games, other sports, etc.), which is why the volleyball stories and the characters involved must be well-presented and told, and easily accessible,” he explained.

He recently shared how Rebisco ended 2023 with the record-breaking gate attendance of nearly 25k live viewers for the finals between the Creamline Cool Smashers and the Choco Mucho Flying Titans. With this, he added that there is much interest in volleyball that during the short offseason, social media was still very active with anticipation for when the next tournament will start. 

“The UAAP season is currently ongoing, and the Rebisco Volleyball League will start later in the year, so we are sure that the local high school teams are already preparing for this year’s competition. The Rebisco Volleyball Academy, too, has upcoming programs to develop more Filipino coaches and officials. And of course, the national teams continue to progress and train for their competitions,” he said.

Outside of volleyball, Yu said that he is also keeping an eye on the biggest international sports event of the year, the Olympics. He added that he is interested not only in the sporting event itself, but also in the various marketing and communication campaigns that are going to be done by various companies and even by the Olympics itself. 

“Some of these campaigns can be quite creative and innovative, and I hope to learn from them. Personally, I’m wishing all Filipino Olympians “good luck”, particularly our country’s top pole vaulter, EJ Obiena, who, by the way, is also Rebisco’s brand ambassador for Rebisco Extreme Choco Coated Sandwich Cracker! I am rooting hard that he does well in Paris,” he concluded.

Bangkok, Thailand – Pepsi Thailand is bringing to life its fizziest activations to celebrate Pepsi’s entry into its new era, with a brand takeover that aims to reshape the brand’s image as well as give fans a good time with interactive installations and a campaign that features their exciting new ambassadors. 

Conceptualised with VaynerMedia, Pepsi introduced its new logo and positioning in Thailand dubbed ‘Thirsty for More’ (‘ซ่าหน่อยมั้ย?’), with a massive on-ground, social and OTT takeover alongside Kpop girl group Babymonster. 

At the core of the Pepsi’s interactive experience in Thailand lies a colossal interactive dome that saw visitors lining up to participate in the immersive experience during the opening. Attendees were transported into a world that brought Pepsi’s new concept to life through exhilarating zones.

New Era, Same Great Taste
Pepsi Globe

From plunging into ‘New Era, Same Great Taste’ where a pulsing sphere bursts into a refreshing, panoramic spectacle of ice cubes, water, bubbles, and sparkling lights, to dancing in the ‘Pepsi Globe’, a massive digital playground where visitors are invited to move and create visual art within an interactive 360º dome, the experience left visitors thirsting for more. The experience will continue to unfold across many other provinces in Thailand after its Bangkok run. 

Talking about the campaign, Anawat Sangkhasap, chief marketing officer, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand) Company Limited, said, “This year, Pepsi is gearing up to bring fresh excitement by reshaping the brand’s image with a unique and era-relevant style, giving it a cooler, more modern, fun, and playful vibe. We’re stepping into a new era with a stronger and bolder Pepsi vibe, launching this at PEPSI: INTO THE NEW ERA.”

Meanwhile, Chan Woei Hern, head of creative at VaynerMedia APAC, commented, “PEPSI: INTO THE NEW ERA is so much more than an introduction to Pepsi’s new logo. It’s an immersive brand experience with social at the centre, culture at its core, and a platform for Zs to share that thirst-for-more energy with everyone around them. We are grateful, thrilled, and proud of this partnership with PepsiCo Thailand.”

Hong Kong – Kathy Wong has been appointed general manager of We Are Social, a global creative agency, in Hong Kong. She will report directly to Pete Lin, CEO of We Are Social in North Asia. 

Wong’s new position will include overseeing both We Are Social Hong Kong and the creative agency Metta/We Are Social. Wong will lead a team of 20 at We Are Social and work with clients including Keetah, Abbott, GEOX, and Alipay. 

Wong brings a wide range of knowledge and experience to her new role, having worked for more than 18 years. She had worked for several advertising firms in the past, such as Ogilvy, TBWA, and FCB, and RollRollRoll, where she was the business director. 

Wong began her professional career at Metta Communications, which in 2022 amalgamated with We Are Social to establish Metta/We Are Social. She has managed clients like Mercedes Benz, Barclays Capital, Hong Kong Disneyland, and L’Oreal Travel Retail. 

Kathy Wong takes over the role previously held by Donald Wong, who left We Are Social Hong Kong to seek possibilities in the United States. 

Speaking about her appointment, Wong expressed,“I am thrilled to join the We Are Social team in Hong Kong, and to rejoin Metta where I have many great memories. I look forward to drawing on my experience in both agency and client-side roles to continue to help We Are Social’s clients excel creatively and strategically. I am excited to expand the team at We Are Social, drive the digital discipline in Hong Kong forward, and serve the digital marketing demands of both local and international clients.” 

Meanwhile, Lin commented, “We’re delighted that Kathy has chosen to join the team at We Are Social. She’s a first-class communicator with an unrivalled reputation in the Hong Kong advertising world, and there’s no better person to take our growing team to the next level.”