Tag: Marketing

Singapore – A staggering 98% of B2B marketers in Southeast Asia are already utilising influencer marketing, yet 60% are still not experiencing improved lead generation from B2B marketing activity, a new Ogilvy study shows. 

The research shows that B2B influence is among the fastest-growing marketing priorities in SEA.

In an interview with 550 chief marketing officers (CMOs) across 11 markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, from brands including LinkedIn, Dell, EY, IBM, and Samsung, it was shown that 75% of B2B marketers are now utilising B2B influencer marketing. Additionally, 93% of those are already planning to increase influencer activity.

Furthermore, the survey, which polled marketing leaders from across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the USA, showed that C-suite leaders are already recognising the potential of B2B influence activity in building a credible brand and supporting lead generation.

Half of 49% believe influencers can help their brands be more credible and trusted, while 40% experienced improved leads or sales because of influencer marketing strategies.

In Asia specifically, industry adoption is soaring, with almost 94% of businesses in the region already integrating B2B influencer marketing into their strategies, and among them, 77% have expressed their intention to further increase their investments in this area. With this number, it is expected that those who haven’t formulated a B2B influencer marketing strategy may find themselves falling behind their competitors.

When it comes to influence effectiveness, 66% of businesses found that B2B influencers deliver more significant impact when compared to traditional brand-only marketing approaches. Further adding to this, almost all of the industry executives in Asia consider B2B influencers on social media as vital tools for staying updated and engaging with their respective industries (98%). This surpasses the global average of 90%.

Meanwhile, the study also showed that more than half of industry executives in Asia incorporate insights gleaned from B2B influencers into their presentations. Similarly, over 50% of these executives actively share relevant content with their network.

However, despite these impressive numbers and high usage, the survey also showed a worrying percentage of B2B influencer marketing potential that is still not realised or utilised properly.

The findings of the survey suggested that no teams are utilising after-sales influence to its full potential, despite 47% agreeing there is an opportunity for B2B influencers to have the biggest impact during after-sales when executed correctly. With 60% not yet experiencing improved lead generation from B2B marketing activity, there is also a large opportunity to immediately realise more value from influencer marketing.

In addition, the global research pointed out some missed opportunities for ROI, considering there is a symbiotic relationship between employees and influencers that few CMOs have spotted, with limited numbers identifying that employees can be influencers themselves. 

With this, the global report has pointed out three key imperatives that CMOs can use to improve their B2B influencer marketing strategies.

First, peer-to-peer 2.0, which is a widely recognised marketing channel to reassure prospective buyers and revolutionise digital relationships and professional communication. Second, the holistic growth approach recognises the importance of including influencers in the entire business operation and integrating them into the post-sales experience. Lastly, CEOs and CMOs must recognise their employees as valuable assets in promoting their brand, with each having a network of connections outside the company.

Commenting on the study, Emily Poon, President of PR and influence in Asia at Ogilvy, said, “With 66% of CMOs in Asia saying they find B2B influencers more impactful than their usual marketing activities, a B2B influencer marketing strategy has become a must-have for brands and businesses. Our global research— the first-of-its-kind—with local insights from senior marketers in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines provides actionable steps for CMOs, communications, and business leaders in the region to turn influencers into the most versatile full-funnel tool in their B2B marketing communications armoury.”

Ashutosh Gupta, country manager and head of online sales for LinkedIn APAC, also added, “B2B companies are increasingly choosing creative ways to connect with their target audience in a more authentic and engaging way. A big reason behind this trend is the trust and credibility that these experts offer. On LinkedIn, we have seen industry leaders carve a niche for themselves as thought leaders in their space, where their opinions hold significance within their network. Thought leaders often provide a more genuine connection than brand advertising thanks to the fundamental trust that is already fostered between them and their network over time.”

Shanghai, China – Marking its 120-year anniversary as a global automotive manufacturer, Ford, in partnership with advertising company Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, launched the ‘Wild At Heart’ campaign, featuring its iconic vehicles such as the Ford Mustang, Ford Bronco, and the Ford Explorer Timberline.

In showcasing how Ford adds adrenaline to everyone’s wild side, Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai created a film centred around a human’s desire to move through the personal life stories of 3 characters who fall in love with movement – and everything that comes with it.

The film showcases a coming-of-age story told from the 1990s to the present day, following the characters who meet their match with a Ford vehicle, specifically highlighting each character’s desire to go wild, be free, and feel the thrill.

Zhong How, creative director at Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, said, “We all grew up with the desire to move. From your first step to your first bike to your first car. These are moments filled with excitement and thrill. Ford really understands that and wants you to feel and embrace it.”

Meanwhile, Aier Xu, creative director at Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai, also mentioned,  “We have so many up and coming local vehicle brands in China nowadays, it’s crucial for Ford as a foreign brand to show its strong relevance with this market, that’s why we chose to go for an emotional approach as opposed to talking about functions and features.”

India – VANTO, the premium luxury furniture brand, has awarded its creative and digital mandate to Hotcult, a part of PAD Group, following a competitive multi-agency pitch in Hyderabad. Hotcult will focus on reinvigorating the brand, developing a communication strategy, and creating compelling creatives to strengthen VANTO’s presence in the luxurious furniture market.

Hotcult’s responsibilities include creating consumer insight mapping, outlining brand architecture, putting the go-to-market (GTM) strategy into practice, and coming up with a comprehensive brand and launch strategy. Their duties also include planning crucial digital and creative campaigns, maintaining a social media presence, managing online responses, and performance optimization.

Speaking about the partnership, Gautam Reddy, founder of Hotcult, said, “It is always an honour when a client trusts you with their brand and gives you the complete communication mandate – strategic, creative &  social. We are delighted to introduce this unprecedented level of luxury to India.” 

He added, “This strategic move perfectly aligns with our vision to raise the brand to a coveted status among lifestyle and luxury enthusiasts nationwide. As Hyderabad emerges as a prominent destination in the luxury segment, akin to Delhi and other major metros, we are poised to be at the forefront of this exciting development.”

Meanwhile, Rupesh Kashyap, co-founder and chief content officer of Hotcult, said, ”We are elated and excited with the VANTO win. Armed with a deep understanding of their target audience and preferences, we’ve constructed an insightful cultural framework as a part of our content strategy. We’ve already created a distinctive world for VANTO in the ultra-premium furniture category and have crafted the brand positioning.” 

“We’re eagerly anticipating creating compelling content for all marketing and communication touch points. This wouldn’t have been possible without the trust of our valued clients”, Kashyap added. 

Adith Linga, COO of VANTO, commented about the partnership, “PAD Group (parent company of Hotcult) has orchestrated remarkable triumphs for numerous top-tier Indian brands, many of which have emerged as pioneers in their domains. Hotcult’s deep understanding of our sector aligns seamlessly with our vision, making them the perfect partner. We eagerly look forward to a dynamic and fruitful long-term alliance with them.” 

Tokyo, Japan – Global digital advertising platform GumGum announced their reinforcement towards the Japanese market by appointing seasoned digital media executive, Kenzo Selby as GumGum Japan’s managing director to lead its growing business in the area.

In his new role, Selby will be growing GumGum’s brand presence in the market, as well as deepening its relationships with brands, agencies, and publishers to embrace a mindset-first, cookie-less solution.

Notably, Selby and the Japanese team will be spearheading GumGum’s ‘The Mindset Matrix’, a concept that pushes brands to leave behavioural targeting behind by helping to pinpoint environments that drive the most attention and aligning ad creative to capture a consumer’s frame of mind, resulting in brand lift and boosted outcomes.

Selby joins GumGum after more than six years of driving growth for Teads in Japan as head of sales, leading a 14 person strong sales team. Prior to Teads, Kenzo was a sales leader at AOL’s BeOn. He also brings a wealth of business management and financial acumen from experience gathered at Ernst & Young and other accounting firms where he focused on Japanese corporations doing business in Australia.

Selby will replace outgoing managing director, Naokazu Wakaguri, who has driven the growth of the business in Japan for five years. Wakaguri will support Selby in a transition period through the end of the year before leaving GumGum to pursue personal projects at the start of 2024.

Commenting on this, Wakaguri said, “As I embark on my next stage, my belief in GumGum and the future it holds for our industry is strong. With Kenzo as the new leader, I am excited for the next chapter of GumGum in this region and am fully committed to providing my ongoing support during this transition period. We have all the ingredients for success; a compelling vision, amazing products, respectful people, ethics, and great culture.” 

Speaking on his own appointment, Selby said, “There is a huge opportunity for GumGum here in Japan as advertisers are looking for ways to deliver campaigns that demand attention and drive outcomes. GumGum’s Mindset Matrix will give advertisers the ability to understand their campaigns on a deeper level and pinpoint where to optimise for improved ROI. I’m excited to be joining GumGum’s amazing team and will be growing our market presence.”

Meanwhile, Sorrel Osborne, head of media, JAPAC, at GumGum, commented, “Kenzo’s appointment represents GumGum’s continued commitment to strong growth in Japan through bringing best-in-market media, targeting and measurement capabilities to this vibrant and dynamic media landscape. As always, our focus is on delivering outstanding business outcomes for our valued partners in Japan and Kenzo is expertly positioned to do so, with the support of the global business.”

India – Posterscope, the OOH specialist agency from dentsu India, has announced the appointment of Pallavi Patil as vice president-strategy to oversee clients nationally and empower strategy across out-of-home, retail, activation, and rural marketing verticals.

In her new role, she will focus on delivering a fresh perspective on the agency’s strategic expertise combined with a rich blend of innovation to clients in the OOH space. 

Pallavi will align with Posterscope’s global vision, addressing complicated issues with simple, strategic, human-centric solutions. She will report to Imtiyaz Vilatra, managing director at Posterscope India.

Prior to joining dentsu, Pallavi led strategy in Madison OOH as their AVP. She has a career spanning over 18 years and has worked with Kinetic Worldwide (GroupM), TNS (Kantar), Nielsen, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Force Motors.

Over the years, she has carved out expertise in marketing, research, and media strategy. She has also worked on some recognised and awarded OOH campaigns.

Imtiyaz Vilatra, managing director at Posterscope India, said, “We are thrilled to have Pallavi as part of the Posterscope family. With her wealth of experience and knowledge, I am confident she will bring a lot of value with fresh insights and ideas. I would like to welcome her onboard and am certain she will be instrumental to further scale our growth momentum.”

Commenting on her appointment, Pallavi added, “Embracing new opportunities, I step into this position with elation as I join Posterscope India. With experience as my guide, I am ready to contribute, learn, and thrive with the team in this exciting journey of growth and innovation.”

Manila, Philippines – Majority of Filipino workers consider digital innovation crucial to their work, but only half believe that the companies they work for are putting in the resources to drive innovation, according to innovation outfit F(DEV)’s Philippine Employee Digital Readiness Report with market research firm Tangere. 

Data from the report suggests 47% of respondents cite lack of resources and support or unpreparedness for innovation as the biggest barrier to digital adoption, with budget or financial cost following at 42% and the lack of relevant knowledge or skills coming third at 38%.

Despite these barriers, Filipino employees remain keen on upskilling. 70% of respondents are willing to invest in and learn more about business innovation and leadership, whilst 65% prefer other areas of interest such as design thinking, product development, graphic design, and marketing, as well as 59% wanting to explore data-related skills such as collection, analysis, and laws. 

In upskilling outside of corporate spaces, employees have notably taken strides using outside platforms, especially social media. Notably, 44% rank TikTok as the most effective platform for consuming educational content, followed closely by YouTube at 38%, and Facebook at 36%.

Talking about the study, Xavier Marzan, group chief digital officer of the Filinvest Group and CEO of F(DEV), said, “We believe that innovation is about disrupting ourselves first before others can disrupt us. While we’ve initiated various programs internally in collaboration with industry experts, our primary objective was to gather unbiased data into employees’ perspectives on innovation and the factors that drive their ability to innovate.”

“The findings have not only reaffirmed the effectiveness of our existing programs, but have also unveiled exciting opportunities to elevate our strategies for empowering our workforce to be future-ready,” he added.

Sydney, Australia – The Works, a creative agency part of Capgemini, has announced its partnership with Australia’s iconic theme park Dreamworld to shape creative direction for the brand and its marketing strategies. 

The partnership aims to help rejuvenate Dreamworld’s brand by delivering fresh, engaging content that resonates with both new and returning visitors via the creative agency.

The Works will bring their expertise and proven track record in reimaging some of Australia’s well-known brands to Dreamworld. 

Located on the Gold Coast, Dreamworld has long been a beloved destination for families and thrill-seekers alike, offering a diverse range of attractions, shows, and experiences. 

The creative agency’s appointment comes as Dreamworld looks to evolve and innovate. The partnership marks a significant milestone in the park’s ongoing commitment to deliver a world-class experience to locals and visitors alike. 

Damian Pincus, founder and creative partner at The Works, said, “Dreamworld is an iconic Australian theme park and has a unique offering in the market place. Dreamworld has lost its rightful place as Australia’s number one park, and we plan to help them get back there.”

He added, “Dreamworld continues to invest in their offering and is constantly focused on bringing new rides and experiences to the market.”

Also speaking on the partnership, Karla Judge, sales, marketing, and digital director at Dreamworld, said, “Having celebrated over 40 years of making memories for our guests and with so much fantastic investment coming to Dreamworld by the end of 2024, we’re excited to see what The Works will create for our brand as we launch it into the next 40 years and beyond.”

Mumbai, India – Integrated communications and advertising agency Laqshya Media Group announced new key leadership role appointments, with Amarjeet Singh Hudda promoted to chief operating officer, Yuvrraj Agarwaal for chief strategy officer, and Satyabrata Das for chief alliance officer in India. 

The new promotions underscore Laqshya Media Group’s commitment to nurturing internal talent and leveraging the expertise of industry veterans to drive innovation, growth, and client excellence. 

In his new role, seasoned professional Amarjeet Singh Hudda will manage Laqshya Solutions and Laqshya Assets under Laqshya Media Limited. Prior to his promotion, Hudda was working as COO for Laqshya Solutions.

He carries with him over two decades of industry experience and is widely acknowledged in the field of out-of-home (OOH) in India. He started working at Laqshya back in 2005 and has since been working on building a name for the agency in OOH advertising.

Meanwhile, in his appointment, seasoned business leader Yuvrraj Agarwaal will focus on shaping the organisation’s strategic direction and driving new business development for key clients.

He initially joined Laqshya as the group’s national head for new initiatives. Agarwaal brings with him over 24 years of experience in the media and advertising sectors, with expertise in digital transformations, strategy, and revenue generation.

Also part of the strategic promotions is media and entertainment veteran Satyabrata Das. He will take charge of crucial business alliances with both the corporate and government sectors, with the aim of strengthening Laqshya’s market position even further.

Das had three decades of experience prior to his promotion. He formerly served as a strategic alliance specialist and is known for building strong marketing communities. He is a cross-sector business transformation specialist who excels in various aspects of media and entertainment, from print to digital transformation and storytelling. 

The strategic leadership changes signify an exciting new chapter for Laqshya Media Group as it continues to evolve and expand its presence in the dynamic media and advertising industry.

Atul Shrivastava, CEO at Laqshya Media Group, stated, “We are proud to announce the well-deserved promotions of Amarjeet Singh Hudda, Yuvrraj Agarwaal, and Satyabrata Das. Their dedication, experience, and leadership will be instrumental in propelling Laqshya Media Group to new heights of success.” 

Singapore – Financial services company Singlife has recently unveiled their latest brand campaign, designed to inspire and empower individuals across Singapore to embrace the ‘can-do’ spirit on their journey towards financial freedom. 

Singlife’s new campaign via MullenLowe Singapore uses the quintessentially local expression “Caaaaan!” throughout its marketing and communications assets, highlighting the parallels between its brand story and Singapore’s national journey.

This phrase highlighted in the campaign also serves as a reference to Singapore’s spirit of resilience and determination, while simultaneously showcasing Singlife’s commitment to helping Singaporeans achieve their financial goals.

Titled ‘The Dream’, the campaign depicts the aspiration of everyday Singaporeans to retire early with peace of mind, showing a middle-aged couple embarking on an adventurous and relaxing retirement journey with Pierre Png, Singlife’s brand ambassador, showing up  as their ‘dream’ neighbour. The film wraps up with the significance of pursuing one’s dreams, and how Singlife empowers Singaporeans to take the first step in achieving their vision of financial freedom.

‘The Dream’ builds on Singlife’s first campaign ‘The Jugglers’ and will also be rolled out over the next few weeks through an integrated, multi-channel communications strategy, encompassing broadcast, radio, digital, and out-of-home advertising (OOH).

Debra Soon, group head of brand, communications, and marketing at Singlife, said, “Some people have grand dreams, while others have modest ones – all are entirely valid. Whatever your dream, Singlife is here to help you confidently say ‘can’ and achieve it with financial freedom.”

Meanwhile, Paul Soon, chief executive officer, MullenLowe Singapore and China, expressed, “In partnership with Singlife, our goal was to craft a campaign that inspires honest conversations among Singaporeans, instilling in them the confidence and reassurance needed to believe they can pave their own way to financial freedom.”

Singapore – International advertising agency dentsu has announced the appointment of Clay Schouest as chief strategy officer for client and solutions in APAC to handle the agency’s client portfolio in the region. 

Schouest is back in Asia and with dentsu after five years in Europe. As a dentsu veteran, he spent 11 years at the agency working on strategy roles in Shanghai, Singapore, and London.

In his newly created role, he will be based in Singapore and will lead the strategy and vision for dentsu’s client portfolio, building integrated, end-to-end solutions that deliver client revenue growth, profitability, and satisfaction.

Prior to his appointment, he served as the global strategy director for communications for Reckitt in 2021.

Schouest brings with him a unique experience after having worked in key markets across the world, including New York, London, Amsterdam, and Shanghai. He has devoted his career to building strategies that merge media and creativity, working with prolific brands including Coca-Cola, Unilever, P&G, Diageo, and L’Oreal.

Yusuke Kasahara, CEO for client and solutions in APAC, said, “Clay is a truly global citizen, having lived and worked across major markets in all three regions, giving him a unique ability to build hyper-relevant strategies that deliver long-term growth and loyalty for brands.”

He continued, “He will work closely with our Chief Client Officer and CEO, Media, APAC, Prerna Mehrotra, to build a culture of client-centricity and excellence in our business, drawing on his 25 years of experience to help our clients navigate the complexity of the marketplace with laser-sharp focus on delivering solutions to help them achieve their growth ambitions. I am delighted to welcome Clay back to dentsu and back to Asia.” 

Commenting on his appointment, Clay Schouest shared,  “Some of my most memorable and career defining years were at dentsu and I am delighted to be returning back to the business and a region I have missed and call home.” 

“There is no question that Asia is the most exciting region in the world, with its exponential growth in wealth and population creating significant opportunity for brands. But to thrive in this environment, brands have to truly understand the vast profiles of the Asian consumer and how best to engage with them, given the strength of local brands and the proliferation of channels these consumers chose to engage with. I’m looking forward to re-engaging with dentsu’s clients in Asia and partnering with them to deliver on their long-term priorities and identify new paths to growth,” he added.