Tag: Ogilvy

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.”

Singapore – Ogilvy Asia has announced the regional hub launch for TK.Lab in Singapore during the recently-concluded ‘What The Tok!’ Conference held on August 24. The event was attended by industry leaders and innovators to explore the boundless potential of TikTok. 

TK.Lab is Ogilvy’s market-first initiative that aims to revolutionise creative development, influencer marketing, commerce, and media execution in the dynamic realm of TikTok.

Anchored by a profound understanding of relevance as the new cultural currency, TK Lab is the driving force behind Ogilvy Singapore’s weekly engagement with TikTok, an exclusive distinction that solidifies the agency’s position as a torchbearer of innovative engagement strategies.

Following the launch of TK Lab in Singapore, this marks the seventh time a regional hub for this initiative has been launched across Ogilvy’s global network.

Anggie Aprillia, director of content at Ogilvy Singapore, said, “TK Lab by Ogilvy represents our dedication to innovation and our commitment to redefining the creative landscape in SEA/Asia through the TikTok platform.The ‘What The Tok! Conference’ showcased our unique relationship with TikTok, underlining our agency’s vision of pushing boundaries and setting new industry benchmarks as we affirm our position as leaders in shaping the future of creative engagement in the digital age.”

Meanwhile, Emily Poon, president of Ogilvy Public Relations Asia, commented, “Our partnership with TikTok enables us to create content that seamlessly integrates into people’s lives, adding value and resonance. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to crafting compelling culture-first, social-by-design campaigns that resonate deeply with audiences, building on our strength as the leading creative communications, social and influencer agency in the region.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Ogilvy Malaysia has announced that it has promoted Jaz Lee to the role of executive creative director. 

In his new role, Lee will work closely with Adrian Miller, chief creative officer, and will mainly oversee the creative direction for clients such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Guinness, and Colgate-Palmolive, leveraging his extensive experience and ideas to drive the agency’s commitment to excellence.

During his time at Ogilvy, he has led global brands like Samsung, Guinness, Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Petronas, earning over 150 awards from prestigious international shows such as Cannes Lions, The One Show, and D&AD.

Miller, expressed his delight at Lee’s promotion, as he believes that Lee’s unwavering passion, dedication, and relentless pursuit of creative ideas will bear outstanding results.

Speaking about his new role, Lee said, “This marks a huge milestone in my career, and I couldn’t be prouder for it to happen at Ogilvy alongside Adrian, a creative leader I deeply respect as the best in the business. Our focus remains on consistently delivering the best work of our lives for our clients every single day.”

Shanghai, China – Ogilvy has announced that Jack Yin has been appointed as the new president of Ogilvy Experience in China.

In his new role, Yin will bring together Ogilvy‘s expertise in customer interaction, commerce, marketing technology, analytics, CRM, loyalty, and digital innovation in this crucial job. 

Jack formerly served as Sapient’s managing director for China, bringing a lot of experience in engaging with well-known international and local businesses to provide personalized experiences on a big scale. His experience includes high-tech, automotive, travel, and consumer packaged goods. Prior to joining Sapient, Jack had senior positions at PWC, Dell, Alcatel-Lucent, Accenture, and Deloitte. Jack is an experienced professional in his area, with over 25 years of broad experience in digital technology, user experience design, and integrated digital operations.

Chris Reitermann, chief executive officer for Ogilvy Asia and Greater China said, “In today’s ever-evolving market landscape, particularly with China leading as the most digitally advanced market in the world, we recognize significant opportunities to collaborate with our clients on their transformative journeys and further expand and expedite our offerings in this space. Jack’s extensive experience in China will empower us to fully leverage our strategic and creative capabilities and deploy them across the Chinese digital and technology ecosystem.”

He added, “I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Jack as he joins Ogilvy. With his exceptional passion and leadership, I am confident that he will spearhead the evolution of our agency’s offerings, employing cutting-edge practices to elevate our Experience business to new heights.”

Meanwhile, Krishnan Menon, president of experience for Ogilvy Asia, commented, “Jack’s leadership, expertise and experience is an important and welcome boost to the team. He will make the most of the power of the Ogilvy network, and the deep tech and data capabilities within it, to deliver meaningful digital experiences, omnichannel CRM, loyalty programs & continuous commerce and create impactful relationships between brands and consumers across the China market.”

Speaking on his new role, Yin said, “Ogilvy is an iconic company that I have admired for many years, one that is constantly pushing creative boundaries and innovating to create impact for clients. In China particularly, Ogilvy has an exceptional value proposition that empowers us to facilitate clients’ growth through harnessing the power of creativity, brand expertise, and a deep understanding of customer experience (CX). I am extremely honored to have this opportunity collaborating with a diverse group of talented individuals and experts to nurture our existing client partnerships and foster exciting collaborations for the future.”

Singapore – Global advertising company Ogilvy has announced the launch of its ‘AI Accountability Act’ initiative, which calls for advertising and PR agencies and social media platforms to mandate disclosure around the use of AI-generated Influencers. Moreover, this would require brands to clearly disclose and publicly declare the use of any AI-generated influencer content.

Some of the factors Ogilvy has asked in its initiatives include the implementation of a new watermark on AI-generated content, providing clear visual identification and maintaining accountability in disclosing when used as part of influencer campaigns.

As part of Ogilvy’s ‘inclusive influence’ commitment, this global call to action addresses the rising use of artificial/virtual Influencers by brands and is intended to maintain Influencer authenticity and consumer transparency when used across social media. 

Moreover, Ogilvy wants to drive policy change and enable social media platforms to empower marketers to disclose their collaborations with AI-generated content; similar to the ‘paid partnership’ tag currently being used across the industry today. The call to action extends to brands and agencies alike, encouraging the industry to commit to full transparency when using AI influencers.

Julianna Richter, global CEO of Ogilvy PR, said, “The ability of AI to create and learn at speed has already transformed the way we produce personalized content online. But AI must be centred around empathy and transparency. That’s where you create honest interactions with consumers and can drive real impact at the intersection of new digital capabilities.”

Meanwhile, Rahul Titus, global head of influence at Ogilvy, commented, “The AI market is valued at $4.6 billion and projected to grow by 26% by 2025, in large part because of the growing increase using AI in Influence. As leaders in this industry, we have the responsibility to be ethical and transparent as we populate this new frontier.”

He added, “The technological advances using AI are exciting for the Influencer marketing landscape but runs the risk of compromising authenticity if we don’t declare the difference between what’s real and what’s not.”

Tokyo, Japan – To strengthen its creative power, marketing communications agency Geometry Ogilvy Japan has announced the promotion of Yasushi Arikawa as senior creative director and creative head of experience whilst adding Naoto Nishimura who assumes an executive creative director position.

The appointments are part of the agency’s efforts to support the growth of its client portfolio and as a whole agency.

Arikawa has been an integral part of the agency’s pioneering Shibuya metaverse work over the last several years. He will now oversee the work of KDDI’s new Web3 venture, Alpha-U which was launched last month.

Meanwhile, Nishimura previously worked at Beacon Communications in Tokyo where he built a strong creative portfolio. In his new role, he will work with Arikawa to strengthen the agency, bringing creative and social together to provide a more integrated offering.

Doug Schiff, chief creative officer at Ogilvy Japan, said that it’s good to recognise some of their best talents whilst bringing great leadership from the outside. Schiff also said that he looks forward to working with the team to collectively move forward and provide bigger integrated ideas for their clients.

Geometry Ogilvy Japan works with brands both in Japan and global countries to support their business ambitions and growth objectives.

Tokyo, Japan – Japan’s leading telecommunications firm KDDI, in partnership with marketing communications agency Geometry Ogilvy Japan, creates a virtually produced film to showcase aU (Alpha–U), its new web3 metaverse platform brand.

In partnership with its parent company WPP, the agency crafts a 30-second clip which showcases four artistic illustrations made by GenZ artist Mayu Yukishita which were used as building blocks connected using AI midjourney and stable diffusion to generate interpolated animation of the platform brand.

The clip was also associated with visual effects to assemble the scenes, mixed with music and narration using japanese language.

Yasushi Arikawa, executive creative director of Geometry Ogilvy Japan, said that this AI-generated creative expression was inevitable for KDDI’s new brand αU that offers services that focus on Web3 and the metaverse.

“This film, in which AI and a virtual singer tell a story about the concept of “Already, one world” that blends the real and virtual worlds, takes us beyond the “uncanny valley” to an emotionally charged story,” Arikawa added.

Geometry Ogilvy supports all the creative direction for the new Alpha U collaboration, including all branding, communication design, events, and press conferences.

The launching was also done in partnership with Sydney-based production house Alt.vfx, and their subsidiary global creative studio T&DA, along with design agency New Holland Creative and THINKR.

Singapore – Former chief client officer for Merkle and dentsu CXM APAC Krishnan Menon has been named the new president of experience at Ogilvy Asia. In his new task, he is tasked to bring together Ogilvy’s capabilities across customer engagement, commerce, CRM and loyalty, new realities and digital innovation into an end-to-end experience offering.

He will be working closely with Genevieve Tan, general manager of Verticurl, Ogilvy’s marketing technology arm in APAC.

During his stint at Merkle and dentsu CXM, he was tasked with nurturing and growing client relationships with a focus on helping world-class brands deliver customer experiences. He also served as chief client and growth officer for Wunderman Thompson APAC. His first stint for Ogilvy was from 1997 until 2007 across various roles culminating as the head of Ogilvy Action in South India.

Speaking on his new role, he said, “I am really excited and happy to be back in Ogilvy. It is like homecoming for me. The incredible depth of talent and expertise stretching from advisory to delivery across gamut of CX services, paired with the indisputable creative and brand leadership at the core, makes Ogilvy’s Experience offering unique in the market. I can’t wait to get stuck in.”

Kent Wertime, CEO of Ogilvy Asia, said, “Crafting unforgettable physical and digital experiences has never been more critical than today, and we are thrilled to have someone of Krishnan’s caliber join us to help clients in this space. Having previously worked with us in India for close to a decade, Krishnan understands Ogilvy’s legacy of unmatched creativity, and the possibilities that it offers to unlock growth for clients across industries, at the intersection of data, culture and technology.”

Meanwhile, Ab Gaur, Global CEO of Verticurl, commented, “Consumer demand for personalized experiences that use deep, accurate insights and timing, powered by technology and data is at an all-time high. Having worked with Krishnan in his earlier roles within WPP, I believe he has the right combination of skills to propose the optimum solution mix to help brands take their experiences to the next level, engaging with their audience in a creative way and leveraging our clients’ existing technology investments.”

In addition to Menon’s new appointment, Sheilen Rathod, who previously headed Ogilvy’s experience arm in Asia since 2020, will transition into a new position as chief growth officer in Asia. In this newly created role, he will be focusing on strategic growth initiatives across the region and initially focus on several China-specific projects.

Bangkok, Thailand – Ogilvy Thailand has elevated Jiravara Virayavardhana, formerly its managing director, to be its new chief executive. She will be overseeing all aspects of business performance, people management, and client relationships for the company, as well as implementing the strategic direction of creativity that will be powered by data and technology. 

Virayavardhana first joined Ogilvy Thailand in 1995 and has been promoted to various senior positions. She brings with her wide experience in handling various blue chip international and local clients across industries, from consumer goods, food and nutrition, retail, health, beauty, fashion, and technology, as well as cooperation with large government agencies and NGOs. 

Throughout the past 27 years that she’s been with Ogilvy, the agency said she has demonstrated a profound understanding of clients’ brands and businesses and has always been able to use creativity, data, and technology to turn challenges into achievements, enabling phenomenal success and impact on clients’ organisations, people, and society.

Commenting on her elevation, Virayavardhana said that she is very pleased and honoured to be at the helm of Ogilvy Thailand. She further shared that for her and all Ogilvy people, what makes them different is their unique ability to use creativity to solve their clients’ problems – from the way they discover insights to the way they produce their works.

She added, “What I aim to do under this new role is to spread this belief to our clients and partners. Faced with today’s challenges, we could not simply rely on the same strategies and tactics to help us get by. We need to differentiate ourselves through our work and transform the ways we do our business.” 

“To help our clients at a challenging time, we will focus on making works that create an impact in three, vital areas – Impact for People: showing how the products and services make people’s lives better and easier. Impact for Planet: demonstrating the brands’ contribution in improving our community, society, and the world we live in. Impact for Performance: while accelerating growth for brands and businesses sustainably. We will be the driver for positive change through this Impact Framework, and we will bring our people, our clients, and our industry forward with us,” said Virayavardhana.

Meanwhile, Nopadol Srikieatikajohn, chairman of Ogilvy Thailand, noted that throughout her time with Ogilvy, Virayavardhana has devoted herself to the growth of the company and their clients’ businesses, and she has fully immersed herself to the challenges and risen above all with effective and sustainable solutions. 

“The works under her supervision did not only shape people’s affections, but also their thoughts and behaviours, and went on to create ripple effects that transformed our society for the better. She is a true female icon who is loved and respected not just within the Ogilvy network, but by the wider communication community. I believe that, with her new, well-deserved role, Jiravara will continue to empower her people and bring our company forward with her unmatched business and emotional intelligence,” said Srikieatikajohn.

In September 2022, MARKETECH APAC interviewed Virayavardhana for theseries ‘Agency Leadership Decoded’, where industry leaders share how they are innovating their strategies to keep the morale and engagement of their teams in tip-top shape.

“Leaders must have the courage – to embrace the unexpected, to try the untested, and to charter the unknown territory – and they will surely conquer the furious tides of change,” she said in the interview.

Bangkok, Thailand – Ogilvy Thailand has elevated Gumpon Laksanajinda, its former executive creative director, to be its new chief creative officer, where he brings in craftsmanship and awards expertise.

Under the new role, Laksanajinda will be providing creative leadership, strengthening and diversifying Ogilvy’s creative capabilities, and empowering teams across all creative functions.

A true visionary who skillfully combined creativity, data, and technology to create breakthrough communication works, Laksanajinda is the creative force behind the company’s consistent wins at Cannes Lions and other prominent awards during the past few decades.

Laksanajinda noted that moving forward, he will focus on enhancing the agency’s creative capabilities in four key areas. 

“The first is Variety. Thanks to our comprehensive services that include Advertising, PR & Influence, Experience, Health, and Consulting, we are able to solve clients’ marketing problems creatively and innovatively. [The] second is Speed & Scale. We will utilise [the] latest technologies in Creative Cloud to make our creative process seamless and our creative works scalable in order to serve clients’ increasingly dynamic needs,” said Laksanajinda.

He added, “The third is Talent. We welcome fresh and seasoned talents from a wide variety of backgrounds, skills, and interests, as long as they are passionate about using creativity to make big differences. The last area is Effective Impact. We are convinced that works with mere commercial results are not enough to grow and sustain brands in the long run. We will join hands with our clients to push forward projects that promote [a] positive impact for the people and the planet on top of business performance. We will make sure our clients walk with confidence toward the future with us by their side.”

Meanwhile, Nopadol Srikieatikajohn, chairman of Ogilvy Thailand, said, “It is about time that Gumpon uses his accumulated experiences and expertise to bring our company to a new era of success and to pass on our unique DNA to the next generation of creative talents.”

In August 2022, Ogilvy also appointed Chatree Chokmongkolsatian as its newest chief strategy officer in Thailand.