Tag: McCann Worldgroup

China –McCann Worldgroup has appointed Mae Ng as the chief client officer of McCann China, marking her return to the agency in a new leadership role focused on client strategy and market growth.

In her return to McCann, Ng will focus on enhancing the agency’s client strategy, bringing a client-side perspective to better address market demands and support McCann’s work with brands in China.

With over 20 years of experience in brand communication, Ng offers a dual perspective from both brand and agency sides, enabling her to identify client needs and align agency capabilities to drive brand growth.

Before rejoining McCann Worldgroup, Ng was the marketing and communications director for Bottega Veneta Greater China, overseeing regional strategy. She also previously worked at McCann, contributing to brand strategy and communications for L’Oréal Paris (China).

With experience across industries including beauty, hospitality, consumer electronics, and FMCG, Ng has worked with various global brands and received multiple international awards for her contributions.

Ng is also interested in the role of AI and AGI in brand marketing, seeing technology as a tool for enhancing content creation, process efficiency, and innovation. She views data-driven personalisation as a way for brands to scale while maintaining emotional connection with consumers.

Speaking on her appointment, Ng shared, “I am thrilled and deeply honoured to return to McCann Worldgroup, an agency that has always been at the forefront of creativity and innovation.” 

She continued, “It feels like reconnecting with a team that shares my passion for bold ideas and meaningful storytelling. The future of McCann’s vision is incredibly bright, and I am optimistic about what we will achieve together. Reuniting with some of the industry’s most talented minds, all aligned in purpose and ambition, is a recipe for success. I can’t wait to contribute to the next chapter of McCann’s legacy and create work that not only inspires but also drives real impact.”

Carter Chow, CEO of McCann Worldgroup Greater China, also commented, “In today’s challenging and complex market, Mae has a deep understanding of our brand clients’ core needs from their perspective, even in times of change. Her return will further strengthen our strategic partnerships, enabling us to provide even more robust support for brands to achieve sustainable growth in an ever-evolving market.”

Ng’s return reflects McCann Worldgroup’s focus on a client-centered approach in China. Her industry experience and market insights will support the agency’s efforts to develop brand marketing strategies in a competitive landscape.

McCann Worldgroup has significantly contributed to brands’ success throughout its decades of providing solutions as a creative agency. With its global network, the company’s capabilities are spread across countries, yet its team in Southeast Asia (SEA) stands out through its work.

Having offices in key markets such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, McCann Worldgroup’s presence in SEA is significant. Still, the agency continues to expand its capabilities to cater to its broad range of clients.

Maintaining this creative momentum has its tricks and tactics, but in MARKETECH APAC’s Agency Leadership Decoded, Nick Handel, president at McCann Worldgroup SEA, shares his strategies to foster a culture of creativity in the agency while it persists through challenges in the industry.

Unveiling the drivers of creativity

Nick has been leading McCann Worldgroup SEA for four years. Throughout his leadership, he has prioritised how the agency promotes creativity, ensuring it is recognised and rewarded within the team.

To sustain the agency’s creative momentum, Nick fosters his three key drivers of creativity: conscious inclusion, collaboration, and client fitness.

“Conscious Inclusion is a philosophy which promotes consistent practices and deliberate actions to foster an inclusive culture. It is through conscious inclusion that we create meaningful experiences for our people and teams, drive better business practices with our vendors and clients, and ultimately, unleash the creative power of our people and our work,” Nick explains.

As Nick shares, collaboration is another crucial aspect that flourishes when different skills and expertise come together effectively.

“We want to create a more integrated and open workplace where the sharing of ideas, skills and efforts isn’t just encouraged but is an intrinsic part of our DNA. Where anyone in McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia – whether they are part of McCann, MRM or CRAFT – can draw from a common well of talent and tools, no matter where they may sit or which logo may appear on their business card,” he said.

According to him, tangible marks of creativity can only be seen if they align with their client’s needs. While these needs evolve, Nick shares how the agency constantly ensures their relationship with clients moves forward.

“In an industry sometimes characterised by its short-termism, we’re proud to count eight clients who have been with us for more than a decade. I’d like to think that constantly assessing our client fitness and our restless search for “what’s next”, has played no small part in that achievement,” he said.

An eye within the agency, the other beyond

Throughout his leadership, Nick has set distinct initiatives to make the agency more effective. In these strategies, he looks both within the agency for the welfare of its employees and outside of it, taking a broader view of its position in the industry.

Citing one of the initiatives for employees, he said, “To create a shared sense of belonging, we launched ‘Day For Meaning’, an annual event where we pause all regular business for one day so that all employees can find the time to create solutions to remove barriers to inclusion.”

He added, “In response to the pressures of modern agency life, we also introduced an innovative annual leave policy. Called ‘Time Well Taken’, the policy allows all full-time staff to take as much additional paid leave as they need, subject to the approval of their managers.”

Building on its client fitness, the agency continued implementing its agency integration model, ‘Open Architecture,’ which groups employees into multi-specialist teams instead of placing them within discipline-driven departments. To further ensure good relationships with clients, the agency engaged in a third-party client satisfaction survey, allowing them to see improvement opportunities.

Last year, McCann Worldgroup SEA also introduced something new to the industry. 

“To ensure the agency is ahead of the curve in new and emerging flavours of creativity, we launched three new service offerings: McCann Content Studios, a culture-first editorial and entertainment studio dedicated to creating content, experiences, and conversations that resonate with today’s fast-paced social landscape,” Nick said.

Besides the studio, McCann Worldgroup also worked on a production automation platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) called ‘XD’ and ‘Hedy,’ a delivery centre specialising in integrating content, commerce, and CRM platforms. The agency also commissions its own research that helps brands and businesses in the region.

Challenges as stepping stones

For Nick, the fast-paced nature of marketing technologies and AI came as both a challenge and an opportunity for McCann Worldgroup. Despite the difficulties in remaining on top of these technologies, the agency continued to leverage them in its operations, helping them achieve new heights and even contributing to their remarkable industry awards.

“We also became the first network to partner with [Ai]magination, the world’s leading AI creative studio. The partnership will grant the agency early and preferred access to [Ai]magination capabilities for real-time content creation and asset support for brand campaigns,” Nick shared.

For other leaders in the industry, Nick leaves the advice of never being too big for small things, as other leaders inspired him to be.

“We’re in an industry that often talks about the importance of big ideas. And whilst this is undeniably true, I think it’s important also for leaders to have the humility to resolve the seemingly small things which, like a stone in the shoe, can have a disproportionate impact on someone’s motivation. As in most service industries, details matter,” he said.

Interestingly, Nick also encourages them to “never eat lunch alone.” 

“Marketing is very much a people business. Its leaders need to be open and approachable – even if (like me) they may often be guilty of dining ‘al desko,’” Nick concluded.

Nick’s leadership at McCann Worldgroup SEA has redefined creativity as a core value. Through his beliefs as a leader, Nick has shaped the agency’s trajectory as a leader of its own kind, helping the individuals within it achieve success with creativity made tangible for its clients. With a focus on collaboration and client fitness, Nick contributes to how McCann Worldgroup is shaping the creative industry in the region and beyond.

Singapore – Creative agency McCann Worldgroup Singapore has brought feng shui recommendations to the digital space with a personalised phone app layout guide.

Called ‘Phone Shui,’ it provides a guide for organising apps aligned to their career, romance, finance, and health goals.

Aimed at mobile-savvy Gen Z, ‘Phone Shui’ aims to inspire mindfulness in their digital habits, introducing the traditional ideas of harmony and balance in the digital space.

‘Phone Shui’ provides personalised recommendations based on users’ zodiac signs, offering optimal and intentional app placements while injecting humour. 

“As a Gen Z, the digital space can get overwhelming. Phone Shui is about welcoming luck and a sense of winning every time you unlock your screen, giving you a fun way to create balance and intention in today’s hyper-digital world,” Seth Low, art director at McCann Worldgroup Singapore, commented.

Singapore – Save Our Street Dogs, an animal welfare organisation, has launched the ‘Yapping Paper,’ a gift wrapper that turns presents into donation points for shelter dogs. 

The campaign, launched in collaboration with McCann Worldgroup Singapore, infuses wrapping paper with media messages. Tapping into the Christmas season as a time of gift-giving, SOSD aims to encourage people to send presents to shelter dogs. 

Through ‘Yapping Paper,’ SOSD is spreading awareness of animal welfare, inspiring people to lend a helping hand in their care.

‘Yapping Paper’ is set to be released this week at Pet Safari stores in Singapore, namely VivoCity, Waterway Point, NEX, and The Star Vista. It will also be available at vet clinics, daycare centres, grooming parlours, pet stores, and through SOSD’s network.

Andy Cheng, management committee member of fundraising at SOSD said, “At SOSD, we believe every dog deserves a second chance. We hope that this creative gift wrap, beautifully designed by the McCann team, can help us to increase awareness of animal welfare in Singapore, and inspire others to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these deserving dogs.”

“Yapping Paper transforms the wasteful medium of gift wrap into something that can do some good in the world, and we are proud that it’s both driving donations for this great cause as well as showcasing real dogs looking for loving homes,” Dan Parmenter, creative director at McCann Worldgroup Singapore, commented.

Singapore – McCann Worldgroup Singapore has announced the appointment of Dan Parmenter, who has joined the team as a creative director on the multinational accounts of Mastercard, Reckitt, Microsoft and Cisco. 

With 18 years’ experience in South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore, Dan will be instrumental in enhancing the agency’s creative vision and driving successful campaigns for clients.

Dan has previously worked with top agencies, including Ogilvy, TBWA, FCB, Y&R and M&C Saatchi and his work has been recognised at international and regional shows including Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, London International, and The Loerie Awards. Some recent highlights include launching Sprite Zero’s first global campaign.

Speaking on his appointment, Dan said, “I am excited to join McCann Worldgroup Singapore and work alongside such a passionate and talented team. I look forward to contributing to the agency’s growth and pushing the boundaries of creativity to deliver exceptional campaigns.”

He added, “I’ve loved working across APAC, via Hong Kong, over the last few years and it’s exciting to continue that journey in Singapore. The weather is definitely hotter here, but I’m taking that as a sign that the work will be too.”

Meanwhile, Alfred Wee, ECD at McCann Worldgroup Singapore, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Dan to our team. His diverse background and creative energy are a perfect fit to bring a new spark to the team and drive fresh, innovative ideas through his leadership.”

London, United Kingdom – After a competitive pitch organised by AAR, McCann Worldgroup, led by McCann London, has been appointed as the new global agency of record (AOR) for Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the premium Italian lager.

In this role, McCann Worldgroup will develop a long-term global creative platform that will underpin Peroni Nastro Azzurro’s unified brand narrative across various consumer touchpoints and markets, including the UK, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

The remit also encompasses creating a new global positioning and creative platform for the iconic Italian brand. As the lead strategic and creative agency, McCann Worldgroup will manage the brand’s core communication campaigns, including the Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0 x Scuderia Ferrari partnership and the House of Peroni Nastro Azzurro experiential platform.

Commenting on the win, Polly McMorrow, CEO of McCann London, shared, “There is a reality that some pitches just mean more. And this one means more. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is an iconic brand, led by a brilliant team of people. The opportunity to work with them to deliver an enduring brand platform that will not only honour the heritage of this brand but also drive its future growth across key markets is a unique one. We can’t wait to get started.”

Javier Campopiano, global CCO of McCann Worldgroup and McCann, added, “To be entrusted with taking this incredible brand to its next phase has energised and inspired our entire team at McCann Worldgroup. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is the brew of choice in Italy, and we’re excited about ensuring that it captures the hearts of beer drinkers around the world.”

Meanwhile, Nathalie Pfaff, chief growth officer at Asahi Europe & International, said, “Creatively and strategically, McCann impressed the team over the course of a rigorous pitch process, and we’re excited to start this next chapter of growth together. I would also like to thank Trouble Maker for their valued creative contribution to the Peroni Nastro Azzurro brand over many years.”

Singapore – McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia has announced the launch of McCann Content Studios, a culture-first editorial and entertainment studio obsessed with creating content, experiences and conversations that move at the speed of social.

Operating out of both Singapore and Bangkok, McCann Content Studios will house the network’s social, editorial and influencer strategy capabilities; social creative ideation and content creation; in-house end-to-end production and post-production, social audience and connection strategies and activation; influencer content co-creation and production; and performance measurement and optimisation. 

It combines full-service social and creator strategy and execution into a single entity, and offers tailored end to end solutions to clients, tapping into rich and nuanced regional knowledge, while accessing the scale and power of the global McCann Content Studio network.

McCann Content Studios comes armed with a variety of both global and local proprietary tools to jack into culture and create content and conversations at scale, including ‘Trend>>Content,’ a trend-based intelligence and ideation strategic operating system that enables the studio to spot and jack social and cultural trends in real-time; ‘Social Voice Mapping,’ an AI-enabled tool to identify an ownable brand voice to guide always-on content optimisation across clients’ social touchpoints, and ‘CreatorIQ,’ an end-to-end influencer and creator management platform for real-time co-creativity at scale currently activated across all IPG agencies.

Since its launch in Singapore, McCann Content Studios has already worked with the Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group to assure families in Singapore of support through the ‘Made for Families’ initiative. McCann Content Studios has also been awarded the social media management and content creation duties by GovTech, as well as leading social content strategy efforts for Microsoft, and supporting social duties for McCann Worldgroup Singapore’s existing clientele. 

In Thailand, McCann Content Studios was instrumental in the agency’s recent win of L’Oreal Paris across growing digital, social media and influencer capabilities, and has also been deployed on the agency’s Red Bull (TCP) business. 

Leading McCann Content Studios Singapore’s suite of offerings include Fathrul Fazakir, general manager at McCann Worldgroup Singapore and practice lead, McCann Worldgroup Public Sector Practice and will act as client services lead for the studio; as well as Liza Lorenzo who is appointed as social lead for McCann Content Studios. Meanwhile, leading McCann Content Studios Thailand’s suite of offerings include Sukit Kittinuntakul, general manager at McCann Worldgroup Bangkok and Napatrapee Pitaknarongporn, associate social director.

Nicholas Handel, president at McCann Worldgroup Southeast Asia and regional managing director at MRM Asia Pacific, said, “In an increasingly complex environment, where brands are looking for ever more sophisticated solutions across influencer, commerce and content, McCann Content Studios represents a consolidated offering that enables us to continue to provide best-in-class services for our clients.”

Shanghai, China – McCann Worldgroup China has announced the appointment of Carter Chow as its new CEO for Greater China. 

A highly regarded leader with over 20 years of experience, Chow is rejoining McCann Worldgroup for his second stint. He previously served as the managing director of McCann Worldgroup’s Shanghai office before advancing to the role of chief marketing officer for McCann Worldgroup Greater China.

Chow returns to McCann Worldgroup after an eight-year absence, during which he held several prominent positions: China CEO of J. Walter Thompson, China CEO and Greater China CEO for Wunderman Thompson, and most recently, president of VML.

The McCann Worldgroup network in Greater China includes McCann, MRM, and CRAFT. Chow’s appointment as CEO for Greater China marks a pivotal moment of growth for the network, underscoring its dedication to fostering creativity and innovation within the Chinese market.

Ghassan Harfouche, president of McCann Worldgroup APMENA, commented, “I am delighted that Carter is returning to us to take up the reins of our Greater China operations. Carter brings a unique blend of leadership, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the Chinese market, along with a proven track record of success. This makes him the ideal candidate to lead our operations in one of the most dynamic and important regions globally.”

Also speaking on his appointment, Carter said, “I’m so pleased to be re-joining such an iconic advertising and marketing brand that’s been so close to my heart. The Chinese market presents immense opportunities, and I am committed to leveraging the strengths of the McCann Worldgroup network and to fostering innovation to enhance our capabilities and offer best-in-class services to our clients.” 

Bangkok, Thailand – Global Thai enterprise TCP Group has teamed up with McCann Worldgroup Thailand to launch its latest campaign for ‘Ready’, an energy drink specifically designed for women. 

Called ‘FUN-ergy’, the new campaign’s focus is to captivate a fresh wave of consumers with the introduction of TCP’s ‘Ready Sparkling’. 

Employing a music-marketing strategy, TCP and McCann Thailand joined forces with the T-Pop girl group Pretzelle for an up-tempo and fun song titled ‘I’m Ready’ to ignite enthusiasm across social media and streaming platforms. Enhancing engagement, the campaign extends its reach through entertaining dance tutorials and an exhilarating TikTok challenge, offering participants the chance to snag exciting prizes.

The online aspect was further energised with vibrant activations. TCP’s ‘Ready’ teamed up with ‘Gravity Motion,’ a group of K-POP enthusiasts, to orchestrate lively flash mobs in Bangkok. Additionally, ‘Ready’ DJ trucks roamed strategic city routes to distribute free product samples to young women. 

Renowned for its iconic ‘Kratingdaeng’ (Red Bull) energy drink, TCP aims to expand the energy drink category’s horizons by creating a lifestyle energy drink crafted specifically for women. 

Sukit Kittinuntakul, general manager from McCann Worldgroup Thailand, said, “Empowering all Thai women through the Ready energy drink is the mission entrusted to us by TCP. This brief fills us with inspiration yet presents a challenge of how to spark conversation around the new product launch—we needed to kick off with a big bang! Music and dance are the right universal passion points for young people and can seamlessly amplify the momentum from online to offline.” 

“McCann Worldgroup Thailand, along with IPG Mediabrands, as TCP’s agency partners, are excited to be part of the product campaign that not only supports groups of young pioneers in T-Pop through collaborations but also drives passions in music and dance among young Thai women at the social level as well,” he added. 

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the TCP marketing team said, “‘Ready Sparkling’ Soda Energy Drink, formulated to boost and refresh energy levels, is aimed at expanding the business through the growing segment of a new generation of women within the energy drink category. In collaboration with our agency partners, we are pleased to launch this campaign featuring the ‘Pretzelle’ T-POP girl group. This fresh and exciting campaign is perfectly aligned with the brand promise of ‘Ready’, the energy drink for the new generation, ready to empower every Thai woman.” 

Bangkok, Thailand – L’Oreal Thailand has officially appointed McCann Worldgroup Thailand as its digital full-service agency, fully responsible for the creative, integrated marketing services and social media management of the L’Oreal Paris brand in Thailand.

McCann Worldgroup has an existing 27-year partnership with L’Oreal Groupe in Thailand. This extended agency collaboration with the L’Oreal Paris brand will further deepen the engagement between both parties, centered around growing digital, social media and influencer capabilities.

Timed to launch after the L’Oreal Paris “Worth It” Bangkok event, which took part last week, the first marketing campaign of this new collaboration will see a series of digital and social-first advertising campaigns and content across multiple product launches and pushes, providing robust support for L’Oreal Paris’ transformation to drive the worth of science, entertainment and advocacy.

Sukanya Kiravittaya, brand general manager at L’Oreal Paris for Thailand said, “We have been working with McCann Worldgroup as a business partner from the global level to the local level. With a high understanding of our brand’s image and core values, combined with the outstanding digital talent of McCann Worldgroup, we will make a good progress for the brand together.”

Meanwhile, Sukit Kittinuntakul, general manager at McCann Worldgroup Thailand said, “The extended collaborations will open opportunities in many ways. Not only to expand our contributions in digital, but also by strengthening our long-term partnership between our agency and L’Oreal Paris across services and a cast of talent who the client can trust to deliver the best quality of work.”

In Thailand, L’Oreal Paris aims to be the number one accessible luxury brand and establish its brand purpose ‘We’re worth it’ to drive female empowerment through pioneering beauty products and services.