Tag: Marketing

Singapore – Global brand suitability and contextual advertising platform Channel Factory has strengthened their APAC operations, recently appointing Kevin Rooney to managing director for Southeast Asia and India, and Kriti Jetley to head of sales SEA.

In their new roles, Rooney will be assuming overall responsibility for SEA and India and collaborate with other APAC leaders, whilst Jetley will be instrumental in driving Channel Factory’s sales efforts and building on key client relationships in the SEA region. 

With an impressive career spanning over 20 years, Rooney brings extensive expertise in sales, leadership and marketing, having over 19 years across WPP agencies with his former role being APAC CEO for mSix and Partners. His notable achievements include winning Campaign’s New Business Team of the Year and setting two ‘R3 new business leagues’ records.

On the other hand, Jetley brings with her 14 years of experience in the dynamic digital landscape of the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently Head of Product Marketing at TikTok SEA, she has also held senior sales roles at Criteo and Outbrain, bringing with her an extensive knowledge of the digital ecosystem. 

Speaking on his appointment, Rooney said, “I am honoured to join Channel Factory as Managing Director for Southeast Asia and India, and I look forward to driving the company’s growth in these vibrant markets. Channel Factory’s commitment to transforming the media landscape through brand suitability and advanced technology aligns perfectly with my passion for innovation and business development.”

Speaking on her appointment as well, Jetley also mentioned, “I am proud to now be a part of Channel Factory, a company that is at the forefront of revolutionising brand suitability by aligning content seamlessly with advertisers’ needs.”

“In the era of burgeoning User-Generated Content, reaching in-target audiences at scale has become a challenge for brands and the demand for effective brand suitability solutions has never been more critical. I am thrilled to extend my expertise across the digital landscape and contribute to Channel Factory’s mission in this regard,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Alex Littlejohn, managing director of APAC at Channel Factory, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Kevin and Kriti to the Channel Factory team. Their wealth of media and industry experience will contribute significantly to our growth in the APAC region, and we look forward to achieving great success with this robust team.”

Sydney, Australia – With the impact of the cost-of-living crisis creeping up into the lives of Australians amidst sustainability issues, market research firm Kantar states that brands must show initiative and leadership to inspire behavioural change. In Kantar’s report titled the Kantar Sustainability Sector Index 2023, the firm explores the issues that Australians face, as well as their opinions around it. 

Data from the report mainly suggests that 7 out of 10 Australians cite cost as being prohibitive to actioning real sustainable behaviour change, saying that things better for the society and the environment are more expensive.

Moreover, the study also explored the sustainability issues that Australians are most concerned with, citing mental health, poverty, and climate change as the most prominent issues that they want to see addressed.

To be specific, the cost-of-living crisis is biting hard on Australia’s mental health, which is the sustainability issue that Australians want addressed for the second year in a row. Additionally, 76% of respondents want to live a sustainable lifestyle but only 22% are doing so because they struggle to translate their values into action due to this crisis.

With this in mind however, 6 in10 Australians say that it is hard to tell which products are good or bad ethically or for the environment and over one-third don’t know where to find sustainable or ethical products. Plus, more than half of them want clear certification explaining the environmental or ethical benefits that would influence their purchase.

Notably, climate change also continues to rank highly as both an issue of concern and one that people want addressed as 60% of Australians say they expect to personally feel climate change effects in their lifetime and want real action. They believe it is a responsibility of companies and brands to help solve or tackle climate change and environmental issues, with only 27% thinking that those companies and brands are already taking those actions.

Talking about these findings, Carolyn Reid, head of qualitative at Kantar Australia, said, “A new consumption culture is emerging, and brands must think or rethink how they create value and innovate. Successful brands make people feel empowered to make truly better choices. Brands can enable behaviour change by using the Sustainability Sector Index to identify levers that will prevent or enable change to both design and execute for success.”

“It is imperative to prioritise both the social and environmental issues impacting your brands, products or services – and the lives of the people you seek to meaningfully connect with. It ensures the insights, territories or innovations that you address are ownable and distinctive to your brand, while understanding your brand’s sustainability table stakes. Further, it provides actionable guidelines on how to express your ambitions and actions in the most authentic, impactful, and differentiated way,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Madeleine Andrews and Mathilde Pernot, sustainability leads at Kantar Australia, also commented, “Sustainability isn’t an option for brands anymore but delivers a business imperative and a commercial opportunity. Getting this right is crucial. However, many people feel let down when it comes to sustainability. Acting with bravery and boldness to lead the way in sustainability is a critical imperative for any sector.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Travel platform airasia MOVE teams up with pan-regional OTT video streaming service Viu to enhance its brand visibility and engagement through the latest Viu Original series, ‘From Saga with Love’. 

With the title being ranked first in Viu Malaysia, airasia MOVE and AirAsia X will be featured prominently in the new rom-com series, which will be made available to over 65.5 million local and international monthly active users in 16 different markets.

‘From Saga With Love’ follows Karma, a budding social media influencer who bluffs her way into becoming an interpreter for A-list actress Bianca Rozario during her trip to Saga, Japan. Juggling her deception and a secret task from Bianca’s mother, Karma, along with videographer Bob and mysterious Sham, navigates a humorous whirlwind of problems, solutions, and romantic complications.

The partnership is part of airasia MOVE’s latest efforts to enhance its brand visibility and engagement as a travel superapp. Other initiatives include its community platform airasia Chat, digital radio station RedRadio, gaming hub RedGames, and Vtuber platform Project Kavvaii.

This initiative also follows the rebranding of airasia Digital to MOVE Digital, which the featured superapp also adopts, being seen and depicted as airasia MOVE within its appearances in the show.

New Zealand – Digital content company VideoTaxi (VT) announces the appointment of two new senior roles in the form of Jared Grib as group national sales manager and Calum Davies as marketing and customer experience manager. 

These appointments follow VideoTaxi’s recent client wins, as well as its Wellington office launch last month, advancing VT’s national expansion plans and business model development.

In his new role, Grib will be supporting new business growth across VT and independent communications agency Artemis Communications, bringing his extensive experience in digital strategy and business development from his time as the previous head of growth at Firefly Digital. 

On the other hand, Davies will be further enhancing customer relationships in his new role, with his experience at VT as a content producer and in digital marketing, giving him a unique insight into VT’s evolving customer needs.

Going forward, these appointments prove substantial as VT has recently been engaged by brands and companies such as New Zealand grocery company Foodstuffs North Island, Tui Tuia Learning Circle, iconic Kiwi restaurant chain Cobb & Co, early childhood education provider Best Start, New Zealand’s largest parking provider Wilson Parking and international gym franchise Anytime Fitness, amongst others.

Speaking on these developments, Isobel Kerr-Newell, group CEO of VideoTaxi and Artemis Communications, said, “Visual content is at the heart of modern communications and it is an honour to be trusted as the production partner for more of Aotearoa’s best-known brands. We are also delighted to announce the appointment of Jared Grib and the promotion of Calum Davies.”

“Both are truly multi-talented digital content operators, deeply connected to and passionate about this rapidly evolving space. I know they will bring incredible value to clients and our business as we continue to evolve our offering and footprint,” she added.

Singapore – With the success of the campaign’s first phase, Grab’s regional advertising platform GrabAds, alongside their collaboration with Japanese digital marketing solution provider Media Bank has recently announced the second phase of their tourism campaign for Japan Tourism Agency (JTA). 

For this phase of the campaign, they plan to engage Grab users across both offline and online touchpoints, from in-app ads to fleet car wraps and hangers.

It will be called ‘Discover the Incredible Gems of Japan,’ which highlights the country’s best-hidden secrets such as the picturesque landscapes of Awaji Island, Nagasaki, Hokkaido, and Aso in Kumamoto. 

Part of this project includes an in-app branded challenge, where a lucky winner can have the chance to receive a ticket to one of these incredible destinations. 

Previously, the two had already started the campaign earlier this year by featuring another side of Japan beyond its traditional tourist hotspot which includes scenic hiking trails and historical samurai districts. 

The said the project garnered a strong user engagement across four SEA markets with rates surpassing GrabAds’ regional marketing benchmarks. 

Talking about the success of the project, Patrick Ngan, director at Media Bank Inc. said, “We are delighted to see that the first phase of our campaign, designed for JTA, has resonated positively with travellers in Southeast Asia.”

“The campaign that leveraged GrabAds’ full-funnel ecosystem and hyperlocal insights has been effective in reaching high-value and ready-to-travel individuals across Southeast Asia. We are excited to further deepen our collaboration with GrabAds as we launch the next phase of the campaign that creates awareness of Japan’s secret gems,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dave Yang, regional head of sales and GTM at GrabAds shared, “We are humbled to receive the recognition and support from JTA and MediaBank to continue with the second phase of our partnership. The success of our campaign with JTA reflects the strength of GrabAds’ ecosystem, powered by Grab’s hyperlocal insights and offline-to-online retail media capabilities. The positive results demonstrate the promise of GrabAds as an advertising solution for travel and hospitality brands looking to tap into the Southeast Asia market when it comes to leisure travel.”

“Insights from our 2023 Southeast Asia Travel Insights report tell us that Grab’s high-value audiences remain eager to travel, including to Japan. It’s not too late for brands in the travel category to capitalise on the opportunity with GrabAds,” he ended. 

Following its success, GrabAds and MediaBank are determined to establish a significant stride in the same four markets: Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Singapore – VCCP Singapore has announced that Ismail Jooma has been appointed as its new head of planning for APAC. 

Jooma has a diversified career journey through several network agencies, bringing a knowledge and perspective on Asian culture and trends. His history includes positions at Ogilvy and TBWA, and he was most recently the head of strategy at VMLY&R Singapore. Prior to this, Ismail was the chief strategy officer at South Africa’s independent agency Brave Group. 

His professional experience includes technology (Apple, MTN), automotive (Hyundai), FMCG (Coca-Cola and Colgate), broadcast (DStv Africa, SuperSport), banking (HSBC, Standard Chartered), fast-food restaurants (KFC, Nando’s), and fashion retail (Nike, Edgars).

Speaking about the appointment, Katya Obolensky, managing director of VCCP Singapore, said, “We could not be more delighted to have Ismail join our leadership team as we continue to strengthen our VCCP offering in Singapore. His wealth of experience, sharp intellect and dynamic approach to problem solving will augment our ability to challenge the categories our clients operate in.”

Meanwhile, Jooma commented, “I’m incredibly excited to be joining an agency with a rich planning culture, one that truly places strategy at the heart of everything it does. Katya and the team are building something special here and I’m keen to bring VCCP’s challenger spirit to more ground-breaking work for our clients across the region.”  

Singapore – Following the momentum of a two-year Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed in April 2023, as well as their previous partnerships, experience and travel services platform Klook and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have decided to scale up partnership efforts with joint investments of over S$2m to drive inbound tourism to Singapore.

Through this initiative, Klook and STB launched an integrated events marketing campaign to raise awareness of the diverse range of leisure events in Singapore, and will be rolling out a second initiative anchoring on STB’s latest brand campaign ‘Made in Singapore‘.

With a vast array of events to occur in Singapore such as the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium, Jumptopia, ZoukOut, and Singapore Comic Con, Klook introduces unique product bundles to enhance the overall experience and facilitate further discovery to encourage visitors to explore Singapore in a more holistic way, in turn driving strong returns for the local tourism and economy.

For the second initiative, the marketing and tactical partnership between STB and Klook in Southeast Asia will focus on digital content powered by Klook’s network of ‘Klook Kreators’, which are micro and nano content creators and affiliates that aim  to drive engagement and conversion.

By using its Kreator channel to create authentic content, Klook is planning to leverage the power of social media to connect travellers to the best of what Singapore has to offer. From beauty and fashion to food, this digital-led campaign aims to engage and inspire social media-savvy travellers in Southeast Asia to experience the unique local Singapore flavour for themselves.

Talking about the partnership, Sarah Wan, general manager of Klook Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, said, “Singapore has been a key destination leading travel recovery within Southeast Asia, and we’re excited to once again partner STB. We aim to inspire travellers by highlighting how Singapore makes unexpected, diverse and unique experiences possible.”

Meanwhile, Terrence Voon, executive director, Southeast Asia of STB, said, “We are delighted to team up with Klook to strengthen Singapore’s position as a compelling travel destination and leading events hub in Southeast Asia. Our new initiatives aim to drive tourism recovery and highlight distinctive experiences that make each journey to Singapore memorable. They will also complement STB’s new Made in Singapore campaign, which showcases how our city transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences.”

Sydney, Australia – It’s Friday, an independent creative firm, has appointed Heather Sheen as its head of strategy. Sheen will energise the agency’s strategic vision and improve its overall performance by accelerating brand growth. 

Sheen was most recently Head of Strategy at R/GA Australia. Prior to that, she worked at DDB Sydney as a Planning Partner. 

With over 20 years of experience in the field, Sheen has led the way in strategic thinking for companies like Nestlé, Amazon, Westpac, Transport for NSW, and Coca-Cola. 

Speaking about the appointment, Pete Bosilkovski, CEO and Founder of It’s Friday, said, “Heather is the perfect addition to It’s Friday’s leadership. She has had a non-linear path in strategic planning starting out as a creative, where she learnt how the power of strategy could unlock disruptive creativity. Great strategies are useless if they can’t be brought to life effectively and this is one of Heather’s strengths.” 

He added, “Heather is a modern planner bringing with her a tonne of big brand experience like Westpac and Coca-Cola. Heather will be a great influence on our planning department and clients’ businesses. We are just thrilled to have her on board.”

Meanwhile, Sheen expressed, “It’s Friday has experienced phenomenal growth over the past two years. I’m thrilled to be joining Pete, Vince, Jeremy, and the team at such a pivotal point in their journey. I can’t wait to get stuck into driving growth for both clients and the agency.” 

Singapore – The board of directors of Genting Singapore has approved a S$6.8b investment to propel its integrated resorts brand Resorts World Sentosa as a premiere tourist destination in Asia.

“We are confident that this investment will firmly anchor RWS as the most sought-after tourism destination in Asia, and propel the Group’s strong future growth. This investment will be funded through internal resources,” the company recently stated.

According to the company, its development on The Waterfront has received government’s provisional permission with construction set to commence in 2024. Moreover, it will comprise approximately 700 hotel keys and experiential  lifestyle content in a captivating blend of biophilic architecture that is designed by award winning firm Benoy.

In addition, the transformation of the Forum, the Minion Land in Universal Studios Singapore and the Singapore Oceanarium spaces are progressing well and expected to soft open in early 2025.

The new announcements comes after Genting Singapore recently announced the results of its third business quarter earnings, which saw benefit from the sustained recovery of travel and tourism as it grew 31% quarter-on-quarter to $350.4 million.