Tag: Media agency

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Universal McCann (UM) has been appointed as the media agency of record (AOR) in Malaysia for energy drink brand TCP Red Bull Malaysia. The appointment began in March 2025, and is set to run until February 2027. 

UM’s remit includes all media duties such as strategy, planning, buying, research, and data and analytics for TCP Red Bull across Malaysia. This news comes following a competitive pitch review. 

Sue-Anne Lim, chief executive officer at Universal McCann Malaysia, said, “TCP Red Bull Malaysia isn’t just a brand; it’s an icon that embodies the relentless pursuit of innovation, peak performance, and boundless creativity. We are beyond excited to fuel TCP Red Bull Malaysia’s journey with our transformational ‘Full Colour Media’ capabilities, which embraces the differences, uniqueness, and nuance of brands.”

She added, “This partnership marks an electrifying new chapter for TCP Red Bull media strategy in Malaysia, as we aim to amplify its vibrant and adventurous spirit, making an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.”

Meanwhile, Adelene Tay, head of marketing at TCP Red Bull Malaysia, commented, “Red Bull is synonymous with pushing boundaries, embracing bold ideas, and constantly seeking new frontiers. In UM, we’ve found a media partner that not only matches our ambition but also brings a game-changing blend of strategic thinking, sharp insights, and innovative solutions to the table to help us continue to captivate and energise our consumers. Together, we’re looking to propel the TCP Red Bull Malaysia brand to even greater heights.”

This mandate appointment follows UM’s recently launched Full Colour Media, whose approach is designed to lead a renaissance of media in the intelligence era, as it recognises that, in order to truly drive growth and efficacy, and to combat the threat of blandness, brands first need to find their unique, complex and nuanced patterns.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Plant-based milk brand Oatside has appointed Trapper as its media agency of record (AOR) for Malaysia, reinforcing its commitment to expanding its presence in the market. This collaboration brings together two homegrown brands—OATSIDE from Singapore and Trapper from Malaysia—as they work together to drive brand growth and consumer engagement in Malaysia.

OATSIDE has rapidly established itself as a favourite not just amongst plant-based milk enthusiasts but also among those seeking healthier beverage options. With a wide array of products catering to multiple consumer needs, OATSIDE is well-known for its creamy texture, sustainably sourced ingredients, and a strong commitment to flavour innovation. 

As the demand for healthier beverage alternatives continues to rise in Malaysia, OATSIDE aims to strengthen its footprint in the country by leveraging Trapper’s deep local market expertise and data-driven media strategies.

This partnership will focus on integrated media strategies that enhance OATSIDE’s brand awareness, consumer engagement, and market penetration in Malaysia. With Trapper’s expertise in driving impactful media campaigns, OATSIDE is poised to dominate the market and offer high-quality beverage options to health-conscious Malaysians.

Trapper has made significant waves in the media industry, securing major wins in 2024, including the global media remit for MAG and the local media remit for Netflix in Malaysia. With this momentum, Trapper can apply its expertise in scaling high-growth brands like OATSIDE.

Shannon D. Francis, senior brand manager at OATSIDE, said, “As we continue to grow OATSIDE’s presence in Malaysia, partnering with Trapper is a strategic move to connect more meaningfully with consumers and accelerate our brand’s reach. Trapper’s enthusiasm to grow the brand and expertise in media planning and execution, coupled with their understanding of the Malaysian market, makes them the chosen partner for the next phase of our journey.”

Meanwhile, Sivanathan Krishnan, chairman and co-founder at Trapper, commented, “We are humbled and thrilled to be appointed as OATSIDE’s media AOR for Malaysia. OATSIDE is a dynamic brand that has disrupted the beverage industry, and we look forward to crafting innovative media strategies to further cement its position in the Malaysian market.”

Australia – Independent media agency Nunn Media is strengthening its strategic and planning capabilities in Sydney by appointing Michelle Miroforidis as head of strategy and Elise Dearden as planning director. 

The new hires come at a time of significant momentum for the agency, following a series of new business wins, including SunRice and Neilson Financial Services, with more soon to be announced.

Miroforidis and Dearden bring deep expertise in this space, further strengthening the agency’s ability to drive meaningful brand connections and business growth for clients.

With integrated experience across communications strategy, media and connections planning, Miroforidis is a seasoned strategist who understands the power of blending paid, owned, earned, and shared channels. Her career includes stints at Australia’s leading strategic agencies, including Naked, UM, Diageo Connect by Publicis, as well as in-house brand and creative agency roles.

Joining in the newly created role of planning director, Dearden brings years of experience across both London and Sydney at OMD, Spark Foundry, and Initiative, leading planning efforts for some of the country’s most recognisable brands, including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and HCF. Her expertise in designing insight-driven and integrated communication strategies will be instrumental in delivering impactful outcomes for clients.

Chris Walton, managing director of Nunn Media Sydney, said, “Since joining us, Michelle and Elise have already begun to make a huge impact with our clients. Their strategic acumen and deep understanding of media dynamics have helped elevate our approach, delivering sharper insights and more effective planning. Beyond that, their energy and leadership have enriched our agency culture. We’re thrilled to have them as part of the team.”

Meanwhile, Miroforidis said, “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Chris, Elise and the team as we usher in a new and exciting era for Nunn.”

Dearden commented, “There’s a lot of momentum at Nunn Media right now, and I’m excited to be joining at such a pivotal time and I’m looking forward to working with a talented team to deliver great results.”

Australia – Independent media agency, Bench Media, has announced two senior promotions plus the addition of five new team members to its team.

These changes come as the agency experiences continued growth, including the addition of Genea Fertility and Hays Recruitment to its client roster; as well as expanding the agency’s offering, adding SEO, influencer marketing and marketing auditing and consultancy to its product services capabilities.

Jamison Milessis has been promoted to performance project lead from senior performance manager, a new role focusing on expanding the agency’s marketing consultancy and advisory services. Jamie Auciello has also been promoted to team lead of performance, from senior performance manager.

Milessis joined Bench four years ago, bringing several years of industry experience. He began his career in Media as an associate programmatic trader at News Xtend in 2018, steadily advancing to senior roles across the media and data landscape.

Auciello launched his career in 2021 as a digital account executive, progressing to a performance associate role before joining Bench as a performance manager. Over the years, he has honed his expertise and grown into his current role as team lead.

Aaron Jansen, head of performance at Bench Media, said: “Since we released Bench Blueprint, we have seen increased demand from clients for audit and technical assistance with their advertising and marketing technology. Jamison naturally evolved into such a role, and we are very excited to see him grow into this new position.”

He added, “There is an important need for new leaders to emerge and drive the team forward. Jamie is a natural leader and has already taken a few new Performance team members under his wing. We can already see those team members learning so much and flourishing under Jamie’s management. I’m delighted to see Jamie grow and evolve into this new role, which brings a solid foundation to our growing team.”           

Australia – Publicis Groupe ANZ has today announced the acquisition of full-service media agency, Atomic 212°. The agency is led by chairman Barry O’Brien, CEO Rory Heffernan and chief digital officer James Dixon. It has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Darwin. 

The acquisition comes as Publicis Groupe ANZ’s media agencies continue to record strong performances. The agencies consist of Spark Foundry in Australia and New Zealand, Zenith Australia, Starcom Australia and MBM New Zealand. 

On the acquisition, Michael Rebelo, CEO at Publicis Groupe ANZ said, “Our media practice in ANZ has been on an incredible trajectory, experiencing growth and momentum across all metrics. The acquisition of Atomic 212° presents a unique opportunity to bring Australia’s most progressive independent media agency into our fold, further strengthening and scaling our media capabilities.” 

He added, “Atomic 212° is globally recognised for its world-class expertise. For over 15 years, it has consistently delivered growth to clients by leveraging marketing technology and data in media. By adding Atomic 212° to our market-leading roster of agency businesses, we solidify our position as the only group in ANZ capable of offering truly comprehensive end-to-end marketing transformation solutions to our clients.”

Meanwhile, Barry O’Brien, chairman at Atomic 212°, commented, “From our first meeting, the Publicis Groupe offering and their continuous encouragement to help our business grow was the compelling factor in making this decision. The way the Groupe’s connected platform proposition flows through the organisation, its leadership, its people and its clients is truly powerful.”

He added, “We have grown Atomic 212° into a world-class media operation, but we recognise that the complexity of marketing requires holistic services for our clients. By joining the global best in this regard, we are confident that we can offer our staff and clients an even better experience moving into the future.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Local bottled water manufacturer Spritzer has appointed Universal McCann as its media agency of record. The mandate officially commences on February this year.

UM’s remit will encompass all media duties including strategy, planning, buying, research, and data and analytics for Spritzer. The news comes following a competitive pitch review which commenced in November 2024.

Sue-Anne Lim, chief executive officer at Universal McCann said, “Spritzer is a trailblazer in the Malaysian bottled water industry, with a strong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and delivering delicious hydration solutions.”

She added, “Likewise, UM has always been at the forefront of where opposites meet – analytics and creativity, data and content, science and art – able to deliver with a full spectrum of services in between. We are excited to marry our expertise to support Spritzer as a brand leader in this market and have great things in mind for this partnership.”

Meanwhile, Shiao Chan, head of marketing at Spritzer, commented, “UM has exceptional creative thinking and innovation at its very heart. They understood the task at hand, and demonstrated a keen understanding of our brand to develop a strong strategy that clearly demonstrates growth and business impact.”

She added, “This left and right brain thinking on how media and creative comes together, hand in glove, is what we were looking for. We look forward to building on this collaboration to help us propel our brand into its next chapter of growth.”

Denmark – Global toy company The LEGO Group has officially appointed Publicis One as its global media agency. The appointment follows an 18-month pitch, which included incumbent agency Initiative.

Publicis One will commence onboarding from the beginning of July, working with Initiative over a three-month period to ensure a seamless transition and continued strong presence for the LEGO® brand.

The LEGO Group has consistently connected with and inspired fans, families, and kids on the importance of play, launching campaigns as part of the “Rebuild the World” global platform, including “Play Unstoppable” and “Play is Your Superpower.” 

They will continue exploring relevant, and authentic ways to engage its audiences. Its new agency partner, Publicis One, will focus on strengthening these connections within a complex and rapidly evolving media and retail landscape.

Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer at The LEGO Group, said, “We were impressed with Publicis One’s depth and breadth of expertise – as well as their aligned cultural values. We look forward to working together to further enhance our ecosystem, leveraging their insights and capabilities to create engaging and meaningful experiences for our audiences. Together, we aim to inspire children and families globally, nurturing creativity and fostering learning through play.”

She added, “We would like to thank the team at Initiative/IPG for a great seven years. They have been with us every step of the way as we significantly grew the business, launched our first global brand campaign, and reached more children than ever before. We are grateful for their support and collaboration.”

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. 

Sydney, Australia – Media agency Initiative has announced the promotion of Ryan Haeusler to the newly created role of national head of communications design and Emma Greenhalgh to Sydney head of communications design.

The leadership promotions come as the media agency seeks to elevate its planning offerings for its clients.

Haeusler joined Initiative in 2015 and previously held the position of Sydney head of communications design. In his new role, he brings with him years of experience, including that of spearheading the LEGO account that has been recognised for its quality and innovative media planning in the ANZ marketplace.

Haeusler is also known for his innate ability to lead his team to consistently deliver idea-led, culturally empowered ecosystems that drive effectiveness, which is evident in the projects he has worked on before.

Meanwhile, Greenhalgh, in her appointment, will step in to take Haeusler’s former role as Sydney head of communications design. Prior to her role, she served as the communication design director for IAG.

Greenhalgh strongly advocates for industry causes and has been instrumental in leading planning for NFP “WhatAbility”,  a disability support service that specialises in community service.

Both promotions are effective immediately, and Greenhalgh will be reporting directly to Haeusler. The latter will also report directly to the chief strategy and product officer, Chris Colter.

In these new appointments, Colter shared that he couldn’t be prouder to recognise the talents of two of the agency’s most outstanding team members and expand their remit further across the agency and their clients.

He said, “Ryan and Emma are two fiercely intelligent, collaborative, and creative craft leaders and have been the driving force behind a lot of Initiative’s success and the success of our clients. They have a proven track record in making the impossible possible, in architecting some of the most integrated, innovative, and, most importantly, effective work for our clients, and in designing new planning solutions that keep us on top of our game. I can’t wait to see them create the next era of Initiative.”

Meanwhile, on his promotion, Haeusler said, “I’m thrilled to be extending my remit into the Melbourne and Perth markets and to get access to all the amazing people and clients that come with it. Initiative has always put a major focus on strategic media planning as a craft, so I’m super excited to see what Emma and I can build (and break) to make it even better.”

Greenhalgh also added, “Initiative’s culture encourages high achievers to aim for the top, and I love the fast-paced environment. Ryan’s shoes are big ones to fill, but I am confident I can bring new perspectives to the role and continue to help our clients stay ahead of their competitors via an enhanced comms design offering and thought leadership.”

Singapore – IPG Mediabrands’s media agency Initiative has announced its recent affiliate agreement with IG Square Pakistan for its second new market launch: the Initiative Pakistan office.

The affiliate office aims to expand the agency’s network footprint across 14 different countries in the APAC region including Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Speaking about the collaboration, James Smyllie, president at Initiative APAC said, “Initiative has had an exciting 2023, with our launch in New Zealand, and now our affiliate partnership with IG Square, creating Initiative Pakistan.” 

“Initiative’s continued expansion into growth markets is testament to the prevailing success of our unique proposition which is steadily building Fame & Flow for brands across the Asia-Pacific region,” Smyllie added. 

Adnan Shaikh, director and chief operating officer at IG Square Pakistan supported this particular announcement and said, “The extension of our collaboration with IPG Mediabrands by introducing Initiative to Pakistan is a dream come true. Not only does it signify another step towards enlarging IPG’s footprint in this market, but it answers the industry demand for global tools and experience with local knowledge under one single umbrella.”

The Initiative affiliate relationship with IG Square Pakistan is set to take effect immediately upon announcement.