Tag: Marketing

Singapore – This Chinese New Year season, spending by Chinese and other Asian tourists surpassed that of CNY 2019, with Southeast Asia (SEA) as one of the top travel destinations globally, according to a press release by Alipay.

Notably, Alipay categorised SEA as one of the most popular travel destinations for Chinese tourists, with Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore combined seeing a 7.5% increase over 2019, and a 580% leap over 2023.

Going into more detail, the global top destinations in SEA are namely, Thailand placing 4th, Malaysia (5th), and Singapore (6th). Alipay+ played a role in the rankings of the aforementioned countries, enabling new international e-wallets to be used within each country.

In Singapore, Alipay enabled the use of six new e-wallets namely, Hipay (Mongolia), MPay (Macao SAR, China), MyPB by Public Bank (Malaysia), Toss Pay and Naver Pay (South Korea), and Tinaba (Italy). 

On the other hand, Thailand also received these six options, with the addition of GCash (Philippines), Changi Pay (Singapore) and OCBC Digital (Singapore). Malaysia received these options as well, and gained access to HelloMoney by AUB (Philippines) and TrueMoney (Thailand).

Talking about this turnout, Cherry Huang, general manager of Alipay+ offline merchant services, Ant International, commented, “Based on the recent Chinese New Year spending trends, we can see that it has already far surpassed 2023 and back to 2019 levels. Other than Chinese tourists, we have also seen an increase in spending by other Asian tourists via our Alipay+ partner payment apps.”

Hong Kong – Global independent programmatic DOOH adtech Hivestack has launched an assortment of programmatic DOOH installations to real estate offices for the first time in North Asia, in line with its partnership with real estate agency Midland Realty.

Through this partnership, DOOH screens in over 50 Midland Realty branches in commercial and residential locations across Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories will be integrated via the Hivestack Supply Side Platform (SSP) and available for programmatic buys via Private Marketplace (PMP) and Open Exchange.

Now, for the first time in North Asia, brands, agencies and omnichannel DSPs integrated via the Hivestack platform will be able to target a variety of new audiences in affluent residential and commercial areas in Hong Kong via Midland Realty’s unique shop front DOOH screens.

Talking about the partnership, Troy Yang, managing director for North Asia at Hivestack, commented, “The partnership with Midland Realty represents a significant milestone in the programmatic DOOH market in North Asia as it launches an entirely new environment and audience set for marketers to target with their brand campaigns. 

“Midland Realty is the first mover in the real estate market to enable programmatic DOOH transactions via their shop front window screens and we are delighted to work with them to drive incremental revenue growth from programmatic DOOH,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Sammy Po, chief executive officer of Midland Realty’s Residential Department in Hong Kong and Macau, added, “We are glad to become the first and only media owner in the Real Estate sector across North Asia now integrated for programmatic DOOH. Our electronic screens primarily display real estate-related information but through the partnership with Hivestack, brands and advertisers can now reach real estate audiences at our branches located throughout Hong Kong.”

Singapore – We Are Social Gaming, the gaming-focused division of global socially-led creative agency We Are Social, has announced three distinct new offerings to help brands, publishers and developers cut through in gaming spaces.

The first one is the gaming division aiming to simplify theprocess of getting non-gaming brands into the gaming space by showing them there are levels to play and multiple ways to win. For We Are Social, there is no “one size fits all” approach – as bespoke solutions put clients and their products and the centre of conversation at a time where gaming is shaping culture.

In addition, the agency is also offering game developers and publishers a full-funnel, connected and amplified approach to socially-led product marketing, with a focus on brand building, conversion, and player retention across new and existing titles.

Lastly, We Are Social also taps into its broad roster of clients and connections to create meaningful partnerships with brands and developers, introducing each to new audiences. 

We Are Social Gaming consists of a global squad of more than 50 of the agency’s most skilled gaming and esports experts from multiple disciplines, who work across We Are Social’s entire client portfolio to identify gaming opportunities for brands in all sectors and industries. 

Some of its gaming clients include Activision/Blizzard, Riot Games, Sony, Twitch, G2 and Fnatic, and it has worked with non-gaming brands such as Uber Eats, Vodafone and Renault on gaming-focused campaigns over the last few years. 

Rachel Rakowski, global head of gaming at We Are Social said, “It’s safe to say that gaming is no longer niche – it has firmly cemented itself as part of culture and as such is one of the most sought-after media spaces for brands today. However, gaming spaces are not like traditional media, and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Brands and developers need to think differently to cut through the noise.”

She added, “This is why we’ve launched our three new offerings, which will give companies from any sector or industry an opportunity to connect with gaming communities in a number of different ways. We’ll be focused on work that’s rooted in culture, driving connections between people, communities, and brands, all while crafting messages meaningful to our clients’ audiences and providing meaningful ROI.” 

Philippines – After dedicating two and a half years to the company, John Richard (Chad) Sotelo announced he had been appointed as the inaugural chief marketing officer of Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC). This is concurrent with his role as senior vice president and business unit general manager for RLC Residences.

In a recent exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Sotelo unveiled his strategic vision to unlock added value for the business by embracing customer-centricity. He emphasised the importance of delving deeper into understanding their customers’ needs and preferences.

According to Sotelo, understanding customers on a deeper level is a fundamental aspect of marketing, and he is committed to making sure that every marketer in the RLC becomes an expert on it. 

Among the things he’s looking forward to prioritising in his new role are maintaining constant and meaningful conversations with customers, handling customer data with the utmost respect for privacy, deriving insights into customer behaviour from consented information, and ensuring that data is treated as actionable insights that flow to the right people at the right time rather than staying as mere statistics.

“There are a lot of untapped opportunities for RLC when we look at things from the customers’ perspective: how they experience each business and how we can improve that by having the different business units work closer together. There’s also tremendous value to be unlocked as we take a step back and look at how RLC can work with the other business units in the Gokongwei Group,” Sotelo told MARKETECH APAC. 

Reflections on the leadership journey at RLC 

For Sotelo, the last two and a half years have been an eye-opening experience, having to work on and ultimately learn a new industry that is different from his previous ones. 

Before joining RLC, Sotelo was working in various industries, including consumer electronics, beauty, and FMCG. Having to transition from these industries to real estate and property development, he considers his journey with RLC to be one that is ‘delightful’ and ‘educational’. 

He shared, “A lot of my reflections have been from the point-of-view of an ‘outsider’ to the industry, yet as a ‘veteran’ of using the industry’s product. One thing that really stands out for me is how growth-oriented the industry is, yet the knowledge of the customer is still not as deep as it can be. I’m very excited about how RLC can get even better once it gets to be an expert at knowing its customers, getting insights from this knowledge, and translating those insights into action that brings more value to the customer, hopefully in a unique and differentiated way.” 

Navigating the challenges of real estate marketing in the Philippines 

Sotelo believes that real estate brands are currently facing the challenge of maintaining their relevance to customers, a trend he sees will continue for the next two to three years from now. 

Looking at the current economic climate, inflation remains elevated and is showing no signs of decline yet. High banking interest rates also persist. Furthermore, emerging from a recent pandemic has left many feeling uncertain, impacting confidence levels worldwide. These factors are posing challenges to the real estate industry locally and globally. 

According to him, the real estate sectors continue to face distinct hurdles: commercial properties grapple with the shift towards remote work, while hotels, resorts, and malls benefit from a resurgence in tourism. Although residential real estate shows signs of recovery, it has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Nonetheless, Sotelo is determined to face these challenges as he steps into his new role. He underscored the importance of focusing on giving customers options that will serve their current needs, something that RLC will be focusing their attention on with Sotelo now heading their marketing strategies. 

“RLC is a well-diversified real estate company, and we will continue to offer customers a broad portfolio of choices that hopefully should cater to their needs. As of YTD (year to date) September 2023, all of our business units were doing extremely well and growing at a fast pace,” Sotelo stated. 

In his LinkedIn post, Sotelo also shared, “[I am] proud and honoured to be appointed as the first ever Chief Marketing Officer of Robinsons Land Corporation, concurrent to my current role in leading the RLC Residences division. I get to put back on my marketing geek hat! To say I’m excited is an understatement! Thank you, Sir Lance Gokongwei, for the trust! ” 

Jakarta, Indonesia – Online fashion and lifestyle retail company ZALORA has kicked off its ‘Zaloraya – Celebrate love that never goes out of style’ campaign, welcoming the Ramadan festivities with exclusive item deals, designer collaborations, as well as a campaign film. 

In the film, ZALORA showcases a relatable bond between two sisters across the years, with Hari Raya further strengthening the genuine love that they don’t usually show for each other on normal days. 

Going into detail, the film follows younger sister Aamina, who complains about always having the same dress as her sister Aisha as they grew up. After some time, Aamina finally changed up her style and even went to further lengths to show that she isn’t like her sister in mischievous ways.

During Hari Raya however, the sisters exchanged gifts and realised that they had accidentally bought each other the same blue dress. This made both of them laugh and made Aamina realise that it’s also beautiful when things stay the same.

This campaign film emphasises ZALORA’s campaign for Hari Raya 2024, showing audiences that celebrating and loving tradition never goes out of style. 

‘Zaloraya – Celebrate love that never goes out of style, will be running until mid-April on ZALORA’’s social media platforms where the brand aims to captivate followers with engaging Instagram stories and TikTok challenges.

Talking about the campaign, Achint Setia, chief revenue and marketing officer at ZALORA, said, “Zaloraya transcends mere fashion; it’s a timeless celebration of enduring love and style. From our meticulously crafted films that embody this sentiment to our dynamic events that breathe life into our collections, we’re deeply honoured to resonate with the hearts of our customers.”

Australia – Following a competitive pitch, UM announces its appointment as the media agency of record for global automotive manufacturer Chery. 

As the brand establishes itself in the market, UM’s duties cover every facet of media strategy, planning, and purchasing in Australia. With this support, Chery will be able to launch its new vehicle releases until 2024. 

Speaking about the mandate, Anathea Ruys, CEO of UM, said, “It is fantastic news so early in the year and her team were excited to play a pivotal role in Chery’s Australian success. “UM’s strategic approach to media planning and buying will play a key role in bolstering Chery’s market presence in Australia connecting the brand with new audiences across various media platforms.” 

She added, “With a shared vision of driving ambitious growth, we will together unlock new possibilities to engage audiences, helping Chery create a lasting impact in Australia’s competitive automotive landscape.” 

Meanwhile, Mark Vukoja, brand and marketing director of Chery, stated, “We were very impressed with UM’s excellent understanding of our business and the agency’s creativity and strong effectiveness record, but it is their team’s passion for achieving results through open and collaborative partnerships that really made them stand out and we are delighted to welcome UM’s team to Chery’s agency village.” 

“With an ambitious growth agenda, Chery aims to become one of Australia’s top automotive brands, having launched 2 new SUV models this year; the Omoda 5, Tiggo 7, and more models on the way in 2024,” Vukoja added. 

India – Sociowash, an integrated advertising agency, has earned the digital mandate for Tide Arabia, the UAE’s laundry detergent brand. The agency will be in charge of enhancing the brand’s digital presence through the development and implementation of strategic creative methods.

The Mumbai team of Sociowash will oversee the account. As part of this strategic alliance, the agency will be in charge of carrying out campaigns that will raise brand memory and engagement in order to increase the brand’s digital share of voice. In order to help the company accomplish its goals, Sociowash will increase its online visibility and connect with its intended audience. 

Speaking about the mandate, Raghav Bagai, co-founder of Sociowash, said, “Tide is the most prominent name when it comes to laundry detergents, globally. We are elated to have been chosen to manage the digital landscape for Tide Arabia. We are confident that our team’s extensive experience and expertise in FMCG brands will help redefine and elevate the brand’s digital positioning in the region. Together, we can create an impact that goes beyond what has been achieved before, reaching new locations, setting new benchmarks, and adding genuine value for the brand.” 

Meanwhile, Arushi Sethi, brand director of Tide Arabia, said, “With Sociowash, Tide Arabia looks forward to leveraging new technologies and tactical digital strategies; to further cement our position as a leading laundry detergent brand. We are excited to collaborate and craft engaging campaigns, increasing audience engagement and elevating our overall digital presence.” 

Manila, Philippines – Global marketing and communications company Stagwell has added Octopus&Whale, a Philippines-based game and brand experience design agency, to its growing Global Affiliate Network to bolster full-service and specialty digital solutions for clients across Asia-Pacific.

The partnership comes as Stagwell accelerates its commitment to growth across Asia, anchored by its regional offices in Singapore and Malaysia, and over 25 affiliate partners in Asia to date.

This partnership also coincides with Octopus&Whale’s fourth year, having expanded its client base to include some of the Philippines’ most iconic names in business, such as SM, Meralco, NutriAsia, Unilab, and Philippine Airlines.

As the country’s only brand experience agency with a focus on gaming, they aim to complement the full-service of creative, media and digital services offered by Stagwell.

Talking about the partnership, Joey David Tiempo, founder and CEO of Octopus&Whale, said, “Through our partnership with Stagwell, we see endless opportunities to amplify our creative vision and reach untapped markets that could benefit from our specialty digital capabilities. We are excited to collaborate with other players in this tech-first network and be the guide for businesses who want to explore the gaming space.”

Meanwhile, Randy Duax, managing director, Asia-Pacific for Stagwell, commented, “Tiempo and the entire Octopus&Whale team strive to exceed client needs while pushing boundaries across immersive experiences. We’re pleased to partner with them and bring their expertise in the fast-growing gaming and experience space to larger clients in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.”

This addition of Octopus&Whale serves to reinforce Stagwell’s offering of agile global solutions for clients, with Stagwell further aiming to partner with more regional experts to scale marketing capabilities to new regions.

Sydney, Australia – Ethical investment firm Australian Ethical has launched its latest campaign through film and OOH displays, encouraging Australians to invest in bringing positive change to help save the planet.

Made in collaboration with Paper Moose, Australian Ethical’s campaign showcases awe-inspiring footage sourced from a variety of nature photographers, championing nature’s beauty and life that is worth saving. 

The campaign also amplifies the company’s commitment to influence change on a corporate level, helping to invite more Australians who want their investments to support decarbonisation, emissions reductions and social good.

Talking about the campaign, Maria Loyez, chief customer officer at Australian Ethical, said, “We love the natural beauty and the sense of a community movement in this vibrant campaign. We want all Australians to know that ethical investing has the power to grow your money and influence change, and the more people that switch to ethical options, the bigger difference they could potentially make.”

Meanwhile, Brad Bennett, head of client success at Paper Moose, commented, “Investing with Australian Ethical allows each of us to harness the power of money to deliver both returns and positive change for people, planet and animals which is pretty rad.”

Sydney, Australia – Multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis Groupe has announced the appointment of Clare Pickens as CEO of Leo Burnett Australia.

Being picked out in a global search for Leo Burnett Australia’s next CEO, Pickens will then be taking the helm of the agency in April.

Prior to her appointment, Pickens worked in various roles at Wieden+Kennedy based in Amsterdam and London. She led brand strategy and creative quality, delivering on business objectives for brands including Uber, Nike, Mondelez, Instagram, Heineken, P&G, Netflix, Diageo, Levi’s and Booking.com.

She was also previously Global Managing Director of creative agency Red & Co. and was most recently Managing Director of HERC Amsterdam.

Speaking on her appointment, Pickens said, “I am deeply excited by the opportunity to join the Leo Burnett team in Australia. Being part of such an established group with a legacy of effective and quality creative work is a great privilege. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping usher in a new phase of progressive partnership and business solutions with our wide client base.”

Meanwhile, Michael Rebelo, CEO of Publicis Groupe ANZ, commented, “Clare is a leader who has worked across multiple markets and client categories, with a progressive view on creativity and what it takes to deliver innovative and effective work. Her commercial acumen has been honed leading creative agencies focused on building business through creativity. We are excited to bring such a unique international leader to Australia to lead Leo Burnett.”