Tag: Marketing

Singapore – Travel marketing agency Affilired and partnership management platform, impact.com, have joined forces to provide travel and hospitality brands in Southeast Asia with a powerful solution for affiliate marketing success.

This collaboration leverages Affilired’s deep travel industry expertise and impact.com’s best-in-class partnership management platform to unlock new markets, optimise campaign performance, and drive measurable growth for industry leaders.

The partnership with impact.com positions Affilired to accomplish significant business objectives for their clients in Southeast Asia, primarily focus on expanding their reach into previously untapped markets such as Vietnam, Philippines and also the African continent.

Additionally, they plan to harness impact.com’s solutions to refine affiliate marketing strategies and enhance performance, thereby driving growth and fortifying their foothold within the travel industry.

Talking about the partnership, Diego Gomila, chief executive officer of Affilired, said, “At Affilired, we’re firm believers in collaborative innovation to drive the travel industry forward. Our partnership with impact.com exemplifies this ethos, merging expertise and resources to elevate travel experiences worldwide. Together, we’re not merely navigating; we’re pioneering uncharted territories, shaping the future of travel through our mutual dedication to excellence and innovation.”

Meanwhile, Antoine Gross, general manager, Southeast Asia & India at impact.com, commented, “This partnership creates a powerful synergy between Affilired’s travel-focused expertise and our award-winning technology. Together, we offer a comprehensive solution for travel and hospitality brands, unlocking new avenues for market reach and growth. This collaboration will position Affilired and impact.com as the preferred go-to solution for driving success in travel affiliate marketing across Southeast Asia.”

Singapore – RICE, a strategic communications firm, has just opened operations in Thailand and the Philippines, capping 15 years of expansion around Asia. This initiative broadens the firm’s reach beyond its existing operations in Singapore, Myanmar, and Hong Kong. 

The expansion highlights social impact as a primary goal, utilising RICE’s ESG communications experience and partnerships with international development organisations, non-profit organisations, and global corporations. Leading the regional expansion initiatives and overseeing operations in Thailand, Myanmar, and the Philippines is Donna Garcia as its firm’s partner and regional director.

Now that the offices in Thailand and the Philippines are up and running, RICE is committed to offering thorough insights, tailored strategies, and involvement that is grounded in meaningful results.

Speaking about the expansion, Garcia said, “Our expansion into Thailand and the Philippines aligns with our larger vision of stewardship, which focuses on how RICE and our people can positively impact our team, clients, and the wider community. We’re not only broadening our reach geographically; we’re building creative impact hubs similar to what we’ve established in Myanmar, and making services more accessible to non-profits, NGOs, and social enterprises in the region.” 

She added, “As we grow, we deepen our commitment to this philosophy by employing marginalised people who might otherwise find it challenging to land meaningful roles in our industry. In Thailand, RICE has partnered with Education for the Deaf (EDeaf) to train and hire graphic designers from their network.” 

Meanwhile, James Brasher, managing partner at RICE, said, “The Philippines and Thailand offer RICE plenty of opportunity for growth and social good. Guided by our vision, we’re always looking at how our work can make a positive contribution to our clients, colleagues, and the communities we serve.”

Singapore – PUB, Singapore’s national water agency and VML Singapore has recently launched their latest campaign, encouraging Singaporeans to conserve more water.

Based on the idea that every act can make a difference, the refreshed campaign tagline, “Save water. Big ways, small ways. All OK!”,  aims to spur people across the nation to play their part in building a sustainable water future for Singapore.

Launched in conjunction with PUB’s annual Singapore World Water Day Celebrations in March, this year’s campaign recognises how Singaporeans incorporate good water habits into their daily lives.

From simple actions like turning off the tap whilst brushing your teeth, to recycling and reusing rice water, or making a more conscious effort to purchase water-efficient products, the campaign highlights that each action, no matter how big or small, matters.

Talking about the campaign, Nimesh Desai, CEO, VML Singapore, said, “Water conservation shouldn’t be a chore, but something we are proud to do. The campaign aims to celebrate all of the efforts people are already making, encouraging them to keep up the good work in big and small ways, whilst giving them useful pointers on what they can do to start.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Automotive company SAIC Motor Malaysia Sdn Bhd has officially debuted the MG vehicle brand, showcasing its latest electric offerings, the MG4 EV and MG ZS EV.

To amplify MG’s market debut, SAIC Motor Malaysia orchestrated a launch blitz with Kingdom Digital across multiple platforms, showcasing the vehicles’ tech prowess and design language, aiming to give excitement in a style that’s youthful, daring, and addictive.

This launch is part of SAIC Motor’s goal of crafting trust with Malaysian drivers by weaving stories of heritage, uncompromising quality, and a bold, youthful spirit. Furthermore, the brand will be introducing more MG models, interactive joyrides, and a showcase at the KL International Motorshow later in 2024.

Talking about the campaign, Phang Rick Kee, head of marketing at SAIC Motor Malaysia Sdn Bhd, said, “Being part of MG’s rebirth is an absolute honor. Together with our partners, we’re injecting Malaysia’s roads with adrenaline-packed driving adventures.”

Meanwhile, Ryan Ong, chief executive officer of Kingdom Digital, commented, “We’re excited to be a part of SAIC Motor’s entrance into Malaysia. Armed with our marketing wizardry, we’re set to catapult MG to the forefront of the automotive arena.”

Bangkok, Thailand – As a special tribute to the beloved Songkran Festival, KFC Thailand has released its newest ‘Songkran Bucket 2024’ that holds a yummy celebration of the country’s rich cultural heritage. 

In true KFC spirit, the Songkran Bucket not only serves up a meal, it also artfully depicts Thailand’s warmth and culture in its limited-edition packaging. Each bucket is a nostalgic journey through Thailand’s landscapes of smiles, evoking the feeling of reuniting with family and friends for a special meal during the auspicious season of Songkran.

The unique package is bursting with the essence of Songkran, a design that can be kept as a keepsake. Packaged with love, the Songkran Bucket will make KFC fans in Thailand experience the nostalgic feeling of home, sharing their memories of this occasion with loved ones during this prosperous Songkran.

And not only is it beautiful outside, the Songkran Bucket also holds a culinary treasure inside. Buying the bucket means fans will have their hands on the finger-lickin’ feast of KFC favourites, including Fried Chicken, Wingz Zabb, Chicken Pop, and French Fries. 

Suhayl Limbada, CMO of KFC Thailand, said, “There’s nothing quite like the comfort of home, especially when it comes to enjoying a delicious meal surrounded by loved ones. At KFC, we understand the significance of homecoming, and this year, we’re delighted to commemorate our 40th anniversary in parallel in Thailand with a bucket that encapsulates the warmth and flavours of home.” 

“It’s a homecoming of its own and a party in a bucket too, guaranteed to keep you full and happy throughout the Songkran festivities,” Limbada added.

Seoul, Korea – Global brewing company Heineken has launched their latest ‘LaundroMatch’ campaign, turning 24-hour laundromats into all-night sports bars so that Korea’s most avid football fans now have a place to watch the UEFA Champions League.

To achieve this, Heineken teamed up with LePub APAC and established a partnership with WashEnjoy, one of South Korea’s laundromat franchises, setting up a place for the real hardcore fans to get together and enjoy the games. 

The idea was inspired by the realisation that Asia is home to some of the world’s most hardcore football fans who choose to wake up very early in the morning to watch games live. Specifically, it’s also difficult to watch UEFA Champions League matches together with friends in Korea because most bars are closed at this time. Home might not be the best place to cheer on teams with friends at 4am, either.

The campaign, called ‘LaundroMatch’, launched on 10-11 April with two consecutive events, when fans flocked to WashEnjoy in Seoul to watch teams compete. Additionally, four all-expense paid trips to the final UEFA Champions League 2024 match in June were also up for grabs, promising fans with a dream-come-true experience.

Until June, South Korean fans will be able to scan QR codes found at WashEnjoy laundromats nationwide to access complimentary 30-day SPOTV subscriptions, so they can enjoy the UEFA Champions League quarter and semifinals at a nearby Heineken LaundroMatch.

Talking about the campaign, Giwoun Park, marketing director at Heineken Korea, said, “Heineken believes that being a ‘real hardcore’ football fan isn’t about how you look, it’s about how you behave – anyone who wakes up at ridiculous hours to watch their team, names their pets after their icons, or wears their lucky pair of socks during matches qualifies as hardcore. We wanted to celebrate Asia’s fans who truly live and breathe the sport in a positive, sometimes quirky way. And what could be quirkier than staying up all night to watch the UEFA Champions League at a laundromat?”

Meanwhile, Cyril Louis, executive creative director at LePub APAC, added, “You may think the world’s most passionate football fans are based in Europe or Brazil, but they can actually be found in all corners of the world – cities like Seoul, where fans are crazy enough to stay up all night to cheer on their team. We had the crazy idea of using laundromats to recognize the efforts of these fans and celebrate them with Heineken. When bars are closed, now there is a place for Korea’s real hardcore fans: 24/7 laundromats, transformed by Heineken into go-to venues for enjoying match day with friends.”

As customers increasingly rely on in-person and various online channels when making purchases, marketers need to adopt an omnichannel approach to provide a seamless and integrated customer experience across all touchpoints. 

An essential component of omnichannel marketing is the implementation of chat platforms as a lead generation tool. By facilitating one-to-one conversations between a brand and customers, businesses can customise interactions to align with customer preferences, introduce their latest products or services, and provide support in real-time.

Now more than ever, marketers have to navigate and resolve the challenges associated with integrating new messaging channels into their existing omnichannel strategies.

These topics were tackled at the keynote presentation of global SaaS brand SleekFlow during the What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in Singapore conference held at Furama City Centre on March 7, 2024.

Sharing his insights as a presenter at the conference, Asnawi Jufrie, vice president and general manager for Southeast Asia (SEA) at SleekFlow, underlines the importance of customer-centricity within omni-enterprise models, as well as the role of automation in effectively managing multiple messaging channels while maintaining a consistent brand message.

Why chat is important in a conversion-driving marketing strategy

According to Jufrie, chat is an often overlooked but highly effective subsegment of the traditional marketing funnel. Research shows that 7 out of 10 people feel more connected to brands that are accessible via direct messaging, rather than relying solely on emails or phone calls. However, many CRM platforms primarily focus on tracking emails and phone calls, neglecting the potential of chat.

This is especially significant nowadays with messaging applications such as WhatsApp having over 2.5 billion monthly users, with a daily engagement rate of 70%. Among these users, 175 million of those users are communicating with businesses every day. Additionally, other messaging platforms such as Telegram and Line also attract millions of users.

When explaining chat’s significance in customer-centric marketing, he noted that conversations through chat align with how typically communicate and establish connections in their daily lives, making these channels inherently familiar and easy to use. The integration of AI further elevates the potential of chat in the marketing space, with marketers and brands exploring AI platforms like ChatGPT.

Jufrie further emphasised that brands that fail to leverage this market opportunity risk falling behind. Engaging in conversations allows for the development of stronger brands, improved customer engagement, and ultimately leads to higher conversions. 

Accelerating lead generation through chat

Jufrie reiterated the need to prioritise improving lead generation through chat as an efficient means of communication when driving traffic to a brand’s website. To achieve this, brands can implement simple tools like a messaging platform widget or an embedded link. These tools allow consumers to quickly submit queries, concerns, or feedback. Offline media can also utilise chat-based lead generation strategies by incorporating QR codes that direct consumers to messaging platforms.

When leads are generated through chat, it’s crucial to qualify them. This can be easily achieved using automation features within messaging platforms, which lighten the workload for sales staff when dealing with a large number of leads.

Once leads are qualified, the focus shifts to nurturing and retargeting them. Traditional methods like email marketing (EDMs) and social media orchestration are commonly used, but Jufrie highlights WhatsApp as a more effective option due to its 98% open rate and personalised messaging.

To maximise efficiency, Jufrie suggests promptly responding to leads and adopting a chat-first strategy. This can be facilitated through website form submissions and Facebook instant forms, which direct leads to chat for a seamless process. The same approach can be applied to organic social media engagements, automating responses to comments and initiating direct chats.

In addition to these processes, collaboration and smart routing are essential. Organising and assigning conversations to support or sales staff based on queues or specific conditions optimises team collaboration and ensures prompt responses to lead needs.

Considering data management is crucial for effective chat processes. Data ownership and visibility are key factors since chat conversations may contain valuable information such as mentorship processes and collaborative strategies. Locally storing data is also vital for security, especially when it involves customer data.

Lastly, Jufrie addressed the importance of driving customer loyalty through a chat-first strategy. Instead of relying on email surveys, brands can use messaging to gather feedback, providing a streamlined and personalised approach that values the customer’s voice. Moreover, a chat-focused approach increases the visibility of promotions and event invitations.

How SleekFlow empowers brands with an automated platform for chat marketing

For these channels, it’s very important to organise a chat-first strategy. By leveraging SleekFlow, marketers and brands have a wide range of features at their fingertips to efficiently streamline customer interactions and push this strategy forward towards their consumers.

“At SleekFlow, we advocate for a chat-first strategy and develop brands into an omni-enterprise by orchestrating everything into our platform. Our solution is rather agnostic, meaning that it’s versatile and can integrate with different messaging and chat platforms, making it a suitable solution for industries like education, beauty & wellness, finance, and more. If you use varying messaging or chat platforms to communicate with your customers, we are a good solution fit,” Jufrie mentioned.

To help put this strategy into fruition, SleekFlow offers brands and marketers an AI-powered Omnichannel Conversation Suite that enables a seamless and personalised customer experience across popular social and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, SMS, live chat, and more.

Jufrie’s presentation is part of a series of presentations and discussions under the What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in Singapore hybrid conference, where SleekFlow was a proud Gold sponsor. In it, SleekFlow led the discussion on the challenges and solutions in integrating new messaging channels, as well as how applying customer centricity with this method leads to enhanced customer experiences.

With SleekFlow’s customer engagement platform, enterprises can conveniently manage all customer interactions in one centralised hub, automating their business growth from sales and marketing to customer support. The most recent launch of SleekFlow 2.0, which includes the launch of SleekFlow AI, aims to empower companies to centre all their workflows around meaningful conversations.

What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in Singapore is part of the trilogy of conferences from MARKETECH APAC’s “What’s NEXT 2023-2024 Series.” The conference featured a diverse lineup of marketing leaders across Singapore, representing local and international brands including DirectAsia, Grab, HP, Johnson & Johnson, Kaspersky, Singapore Management University, Singapore Post, Standard Chartered Bank, StarHub, The LEGO Group, and more.

Singapore – Starbucks and Disney are collaborating for their next Starbucks Experience, which will reveal a witty world of authentic connections through a dynamic assortment of drinkware and lifestyle accessories. 

Inspired by the friendships enjoyed by renowned Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and others, the limited-edition Starbucks “Sip of Joy” collection was created. The goal of this collection is to spread Mickey and Friends’ optimism to people of all ages throughout the Asia-Pacific area through a colourful range of items adorned with animated Disney characters and inspirational sayings. 

All the products in the “Sip of Joy” collection are collectables. This collection features quotations that inspire a sense of cohesion and unity in addition to a range of vivid hues and overlapping cut-outs that represent the accumulation of delight.

Drawing from Starbucks’ concept of promoting deep human connections, this latest partnership draws inspiration from Disney’s captivating stories of enduring friendships. The collection will make its limited-edition premiere in 12 markets around the Asia-Pacific region on April 16. 

Enthusiasts and patrons are looking forward to sharing a “Sip of Joy” with their loved ones beginning April 16. This fresh-themed collection will be available in 12 markets, including Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Speaking about the partnership, Samuel Fung, vice president, product and marketing, Starbucks Asia-Pacific, said, “Building on the success of our last collection, we’re thrilled to team up with Disney once again to bring fans a new Starbucks Experience this summer. Rooted in our values of inspiring joyful connections, the latest launch celebrates the magical friendship bonds that uplift the everyday.”

He added, “Just like the perfect blend of coffee and conversation, the new collection aims to bring joy and togetherness to every sip and spark more heartwarming moments with friends and families. We hope this meaningful Starbucks Experience will capture the hearts and minds of fans in the Asia-Pacific region and encourage fans to celebrate their bonds with pals and loved ones.” 

Bangkok, Thailand – Boonthavorn, a Thai home improvement retailer, collaborated with VML Thailand to show consumers how easy it is to turn their most inventive home design ideas into reality with the release of a riveting new film. 

With the title “Ideas Come to Life,” the brand’s latest video demonstrates its dedication to bringing any idea to life, no matter how unusual. Customers are challenged to push the boundaries of their inventiveness in their living spaces and to aim for lofty goals.

Boonthavorn, Thailand’s home renovation, aims to transform the home improvement market by enabling clients to reimagine their living areas and transforming their imaginations into vivid, real-world experiences in their day-to-day lives. 

Speaking about the campaign, Park Wannasiri, chief creative officer at VML Thailand, said, “The new campaign challenges consumers across Thailand to think outside the box and explore limitless possibilities for their homes. Whether it’s a whimsical concept or a daring architectural feat, Boonthavorn pledges to turn any idea into a breath-taking reality.” 

Meanwhile, Chanat Choochart, deputy managing director for digital business & branding, Boonthavorn, stated, “We have been working with VML Thailand for some time now, and continue to launch successful campaigns together, including our 2022 ‘Live Your Way’ campaign. With even greater and better consumer insights, the new ‘Ideas Come Alive’ campaign underlines our paradigm shift from a specialty store to an ‘ideas store’, boasting a high-calibre team of room stylists, professional designers and well-versed salespeople, and highlighting our creative use of AI technology to increase efficiency and take customer experience at Boonthavorn stores to the next level – all because we love to see your ideas come alive.”

Singapore – Tire company Bridgestone Asia Pacific, India, China (BSAPIC), a group company of Bridgestone Corporation, has launched “Master the Art of Ultra Performance 1”, a regional marketing campaign that aims to creatively engage audiences by showcasing ultra driving performance as beautiful art forms.

In this campaign, BSAPIC collaborated with creative agency distillery’s Singapore office to seamlessly merges the worlds of driving and art, aimed at highlighting the brand’s premium ultra performance tyres.

To achieve this, the team harnessed spatial and speed data captured by AI-enhanced sensors installed on a high-performance sports car during intense driving scenarios to create four captivating art pieces in static and motion forms. These art pieces vividly depict the tire’s performance for speed, grip, control, and precision.

The result is Bridgestone’s first-ever collection of unique AI artworks, each meticulously designed to resonate with the brand’s values and capture the essence of driving enthusiasts.

Talking about the campaign, Lennard Kwek, director of brand marketing & communications at BSAPIC, said, “Drivers understand the sensory & performance meaning of speed, control, precision and grip. These are the critical tyre benefits for high performance vehicles. But we are curious. What do they like? What interesting outcomes can we generate from transforming something that we feel to something we can see?”

Guilet Libby, distillery creative director, APAC, also stated, “At distillery, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation. Our collaboration with Bridgestone exemplifies our dedication to delivering impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences and drive results.”

Meanwhile, Steve Wheen, global CEO at distillery, emphasised, “At distillery, we prioritise tangible outcomes over mere marketing noise, leveraging creativity to achieve measurable results for our clients. The Bridgestone campaign stands as a prime illustration of how we generate value for our clients.”

The ad film will be broadcast across key digital media channels in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, with additional markets to follow soon after.