Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Mudah.my and CelcomDigi, with support from the telco’s media agency OMD Malaysia, have teamed up to introduce a feature integrating CelcomDigi’s Fibre and 5G Home WiFi services into Mudah’s Property website, simplifying the search for homes with reliable connectivity.

With this, users can access CelcomDigi’s Fibre and 5G Home WiFi services directly through Mudah’s Property website. This collaboration makes it easier for users to explore connectivity options that align with modern digital lifestyles. With CelcomDigi’s extensive fibre and network coverage, homeowners and renters can enjoy high-speed internet wherever they live.

Homeowners can also benefit from CelcomDigi Fibre with speeds up to 1Gbps and FREE Fibre-to-the-Room (FTTR). Additionally, AI smart home devices are available starting at just RM2/day. For renters, CelcomDigi 5G Home WiFi offers a convenient solution for fast and reliable connectivity on demand.

Teh Han Ming, head of Mudah Property, said, “We’re excited to partner with CelcomDigi to enhance the property search experience for our users. Mudah Property, with over 350,000 property listings across Malaysia, remains committedto empowering home seekers by offering a wide range of choices and unparalleled convenience. Through this collaboration, we are providing users with valuable insights about connectivity options available via CelcomDigi’s Fibre and 5G Home WiFi services, helping them make informed decisions about their future homes”. 

He added, “This strategic partnership not only enhances the value we deliver to our users but also enables CelcomDigi to reach a broad and diverse audience through our trusted platform. Together, we ensure that users can discover not only their ideal home but also the best connectivity options to suit their digital lifestyles.”

Meanwhile, Aliasgar Hirani, head of digital at OMD Malaysia, commented, “OMD Malaysia led the collaboration by identifying the opportunity and building a robust partnership between our client CelcomDigi and Mudah. This market-first initiative is a good fit as it addresses consumers’ need for Internet services when renting or buying a home, thereby increasing brand consideration for CelcomDigi. It also highlights OMD’s creative media practice, which combines behavioural and cultural insights to elevate our activations and media partnerships, ensuring maximum relevance for our clients and creating more impactful connections with consumers.”

Singapore – McDonald’s Singapore is introducing a way to reward its customers through the new ‘Collect Quest’ campaign in-app, which leverages first-party data.

The launch of Collect Quest comes along with a campaign in a tie-up with Coca-Cola, OMD, and DDB.

Through the app, customers can accomplish a set of tasks to collect digital badges and get a chance to win iPhone 16 Pro, Google Pixel 9, and staycations among others.

Badges are given to McDonald’s app users depending on how they use the app and how long they have been members. Gamified apps are also available to capture users’ attention.

The campaign aims to celebrate its relationships with customers by analysing past app behaviour. At the same time, it also invites people to engage more with the app.

Its data-driven approach is supported by Google Analytics (GA4), allowing them to segment audiences based on app users. The strategy aims to maintain its users and recapture lapsed users.

Launched in Singapore on December 2, the campaign will also be rolled out in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India.

Louis Yeo, head of performance at OMD Singapore, said, “We had the task of analysing and activating the wealth of McDonald’s data in a scalable and effective way. Together with Annalect and our partners at Google, we managed to achieve this through GA4 segments tied to specific app behaviours and patterns. Collect Quest is just an early step in our effort to leverage first-party data and personalisation to maximise campaign performance.”

“At McDonald’s, we love finding fun ways to connect with our customers and make each time memorable. With Collect Quest, we’re bringing extra joy and adventure, along with surprises and rewards all month long!” Drina Chee, senior director of marketing  and digital customer experience at McDonald’s, commented.

Hong Kong – OMD HK has recently announced a new survey shedding light on the media habits of Generation Z’s youngest members, marking the transition to the emerging Generation Alpha. This survey is part of the agency’s third wave of the ‘Youngster Survey’.

In the survey, it noted that Gen Z considers social media a key companion, with Instagram leading the way. They use social platforms for connection and discovery and as search engines. Gen Z are starting to explore Instagram’s new platforms Threads and turn to Chinese social media platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu for more fun, updates in entertainment or shopping.

In terms of video media consumption, Gen Z predominantly streams video content on smartphones and smart TVs, with 52% of their viewing time spent on smartphones. YouTube is their preferred platform, and there is a growing interest in local movies and dramas as well as a preference for content in Cantonese. Youngsters are attracted to video-focused platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X/ Twitter as fads for Chinese social platforms Douyin and Xiaohongshu decline. 

Moreover, smart TVs and smartphones are key devices used to stream most video platforms. Youngsters exhibit a higher likelihood of subscribing to cheaper ad-supported subscriptions for smooth user experiences. Brands can consider connected TV and platforms such as Bilibili.

Meanwhile, daily music listening time has increased to 1.9 hours compared to the previous wave. YouTube Music remains dominant due to its user-friendly features like Discovery, Personalization, and Community. It’s also worth noting that YouTube ads effectively connect with the audience through up to 30-second audio ads, allowing for CPM bidding and optimised creative targeting of music and non-music content using Google’s solutions.

Gaming-wise, mobile gaming remains dominant but has decreased average playtime from 2.3 hours to 2 hours. Youngsters are spending less time gaming, likely due to increased physical meet-ups post-pandemic. Smartphones, PC games, and tablets are the most popular platforms. PlayStation and Nintendo Switch have declined, while handheld consoles like Logitech G Cloud have gained traction among female teens. Moreover, female teens are increasing their presence in gaming and outspending males while male youngsters prefer intense multiplayer games, while females gravitate towards immersive gaming experiences.

Lastly, youngsters aged 18-24 prioritise data privacy and security but are more open to data exchange for personalised offers, while female teens (13-17) show lower concern for data privacy. Both male and female youngsters take proactive measures to protect their data, such as using ad blockers, declining cookies, and utilising VPNs, with males being more ad-averse and having higher VPN usage.

Florence Wong, CEO of OMD HK, said, “With the release of the third wave of the Youngster Survey, OMD HK continues its commitment to providing valuable insights into the media habits of Hong Kong’s youth. This survey reflects the changing media landscape and offers a glimpse into the emerging Generation Alpha, who will shape the future of media consumption.”

Taiwan – OMD Taiwan, a subsidiary of the Omnicom Media Group, has named Jason Chen as its new general manager to support business growth. 

In his new role as general manager, Chen will focus on the continuous development and growth of OMD’s client partnerships, commercial operations, product, talent, and culture. 

Chen emphasised his commitment to using his extensive experience to address the challenges and opportunities brought about by the rapid development of marketing technology. The agency network will leverage Chen’s invaluable wealth of experience and insights in combining media, data, and marketing technology to create win-win marketing campaigns for brands and consumers. 

He will lead the team in utilising global resources, technology, and data insights tools to enhance OMD’s competitiveness and talent development and deepen the agile thinking within the agency brand. Chen’s main aim is to assist brands in creating better consumer experiences, continuously strengthen the leading position of client brands, and drive business growth, making OMD the most trusted business partner for clients.

Chen previously spent nearly a decade at OMG and OMD in Taiwan, leading its digital transformation for clients. Now, with over 18 years of experience in digital and media, Chen returns to the OMG network with extensive expertise in marketing, data-driven marketing technology, media integration, and client service. 

Prior to his appointment at OMD Taiwan, he worked at GroupM and has also worked at d.vibe Digital, dentsu Solution Center, and tech start-up Ainotam, making significant industry contributions in the areas of media, data, and marketing technology. 

Overall, his remarkable leadership earned him several accolades and numerous successful pitch wins, resulting in internationally acclaimed case studies for various brands. 

Charlotte Lee, CEO at OMD Asia Pacific, said, “Jason’s demonstrated expertise in client management, business operations, and digital strategy presents a significant advantage for OMD in Taiwan, especially as we capitalise on emerging opportunities to explore new possibilities for our clients. His recruitment aligns with our ambition to accelerate growth through digital leadership, business transformation, and a connected culture.” 

Also speaking on the appointment, Kelly Huang, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Taiwan, shared, “Jason’s leadership in digital transformation at OMG and OMD makes him one of the most influential figures in our industry. In recent years, OMD has been actively transforming and expanding, keeping pace with the rapid changes in the market. In this rapidly changing market environment, talent, data, and client servicing have always been core values of our group. Faced with the current changes in the environment, we need an agile-thinking team. We are very pleased that Jason has returned and accepted this new challenge. We believe that under his leadership, OMD will once again reach new heights and create new milestones.” 

Singapore – In a slew of leadership appointments to expand their presence in APAC, advertising agency OMD has added a head of digital to its Asia Pacific regional leadership team with the hiring of Dileep Raj Singh.

As head of digital, Singh will be accelerating OMD’s digital leadership agenda, rooted in helping clients address their business challenges and digital ambitions. He will be supporting OMD’s local teams in APAC on operational excellence,as well as its digital transformation frameworks and roadmaps.

Singh is a digital native and brings with him a wealth of experience across product, media agency and client side in APAC, North America and the United Kingdom. His last 10 years have been spent building diverse digital marketing teams covering areas like performance marketing, digital media planning, ad/martech, product marketing, branding and measurement.

Speaking on his own appointment, Singh said, “ As we embark on this journey, I want to leverage the strength of the OMD network – people, technology, data, tools and platforms – to help our clients pivot and navigate through all the new and evolved possibilities in digital media. With this, I aim to position OMD as an unrivaled partner for our current and future clients; to dominate and succeed in this incredibly competitive and multifarious digital realm.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte Lee, CEO of OMD APAC, commented, “It is our global ambition to continue our leadership position in digital, data and technology. In line with this ambition, we are excited to have Singh come on board the OMD APAC leadership team. His background of agency, in-house and start-up experience position him perfectly to understand and address our clients’ business needs.”

Singh will be reporting to Lee, and will be working with chief strategy officer, David McCallen, who were both appointed in 2022, and chief client officer, Sadhan Mishra who was appointed in June 2023, to drive and support APAC local markets as well as regional clients on digital, data and technology needs.

Mumbai, India —The Indian division of the media agency network, OMD, has appointed Charul Tomar as its new head of strategy. She will be reporting to Anisha Iyer, CEO of OMD India.

Tomar holds an extensive understanding of the media industry with over 13 years of diverse experience having worked with leading market research and media agencies, like Kantar, Nielsen, and Mindshare, Tomar brings with her robust cross-functional experience in the market research, insights, and strategy and media analytics.

In her role at OMD, she will be spearheading impactful, strategic initiatives across the board, building upon existing strengths, and driving the next stage of OMD India’s growth story while working with key stakeholders to build a strong, strategic foothold in the region. She will also be in charge of accelerating efforts around nurturing a culture where attention and empathy are treated as valuable currencies to take a more humanistic approach towards the client and people relationships.

Furthermore, advancing the mandate of the organization, she will be instrumental in augmenting the Red Spine – OMD India’s nerve centre, ensuring that each component of the system remains interconnected in an efficient way. With a spotlight on furthering Omni’s potential and an emphasis on leveraging OMD Design – the robust and highly-adaptive end-to-end process by OMD, she is all set to further capitalize on emerging trends and make complex decisions faster. In essence, Tomar will be navigating OMD India in bold new directions to achieve exponential growth and success.

Speaking on the appointment, Iyer shared, “We are stoked to have Tomar on board with us. She is a fine strategic leader and frontrunner when it comes to having a pulse on the confluence of consumer, brand and insights.”

Iyer added, “Her appointment comes at a time when OMD India is undergoing significant momentum and one that is fuelled by the most promising talent in the industry. I am certain that Tomar’s valuable expertise, combined with her drive and commitment, will help us take our offerings to new heights. The future looks promising!”

Simultaneously, Tomar, said, “I am truly excited to be on board with OMD India, chiefly due to their commitment to futureproofing and their ability to adapt and innovate in an ever-changing marketplace. The agency exudes a strong vision and energy on the back of an exciting 2022 it has had so far, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to formulate game-changing strategies and deliver scalably business solutions, all while keeping empathy and attention at the core of what we do.”

With Tomar joining the team, the agency now has three highly driven and seasoned women leaders at the top. Iyer’s grand vision is one where diversity plays a huge role in growth and development and provides everyone equal opportunity to prove themselves, making talent the most valued asset.

Mumbai, India – OMD India has appointed Iti Kaul as its head of digital practice, effective April this year. In her new role, she will be reporting to Anisha Iyer, CEO at OMD India.

Iti takes charge of the role from PHD Media, where she currently leads digital planning as its general manager. She brings in over 13 years of rich experience in the industry, and has lent her astute digital strategies on global mandates across industries for Fortune 500 companies.

Speaking about Kaul’s appointment, Iyer said, “The story of OMD India’s growth and success is one that is driven by our people and their unwavering commitment to delivering better decisions for our clients, unapologetically and innovatively. Iti’s role will add significant leverage to our digital practice as we create the next wave of transformative experiences for our client.”

She added, “We are thrilled to have her on board and are confident that her expertise and future-ready perspectives will elevate our work to drive greater impact and successes for client growth.”

Further building upon elevations within the Group, Iti is yet another leader to be promoted within Omnicom Media Group, spotlighting the company’s sharp focus on driving growth for its people.

Singapore – Omnicom Media Group’s media agency OMD in Singapore has nabbed the media agency mandate of online food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda. OMD Singapore replaces incumbent agency Zenith, while other agencies who joined the pitch are Carat and UM.

The mandate was won by OMD Singapore’s presentation of out-of-the-box client-driven ideas and strategic media planning approaches which taps into OMD’s data capabilities and network.

Laura Kantor, marketing and sustainability director at foodpanda Singapore, said that OMD Singapore impressed them with the ability to effectively combine creativity with feasibility, and that they look forward to continuing delivering great food, groceries, and also amazing content.

“Operating in an increasingly competitive landscape means we need to constantly serve up new and creative ways of engaging with our audience, and it is crucial that we partner with an agency that can run at the same pace that we do,” Kantor said.

The agency win comes after foodpanda had recently announced the launch of its brand mascot, Pau-pau, as part of the company’s 10th anniversary celebration.

Meanwhile, Sadhan Mishra, managing director at OMD Singapore, commented, “We are thrilled to learn that our strategic media planning approach resonated with foodpanda. Through the pitch process, it was gratifying to see that foodpanda valued a long-term brand building process along with short-term goals that align with the values of our agency. 

He added, “With OMD’s understanding of the market and experience in the field, we are confident that we will be able to help foodpanda establish their place as a valuable brand in Singapore in addition to fuelling their upcoming offerings.”

OMD Singapore had also recently won the integrated media account of Singapore-based insurance company Income.

Shanghai, China – Media communications agency OMD in China has won the media mandate of global denim brand Levi’s, which will drive media strategy, planning and buying for the iconic denim brand. 

Through the agency’s empathy planning workflow – OMD Design & E2E data platform – OMNI, OMD China delves into the Chinese Gen-Z’s behavior and identified opportunities to accelerate growth for Levi’s with an innovative integrated media solution. 

A spokesperson for Levi’s commented that they were deeply impressed by OMD China’s advanced strategic thinking, strong data capabilities and excellent innovation. The spokesperson also added that the agency’s youthful and dynamic team has shown great passion for the brand and the denim culture.

“They were able to resonate with our consumers and translate this youthful energy into a strong integrated communication blueprint that is rooted in Levi’s heritage and DNA. This year, we will collaborate with OMD to embark on a new journey and explore more innovative marketing possibilities in the Chinese market to bring accelerated growth to the Levi’s brand,” the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, Connie Chan, CEO at OMD China, commented, “We are excited to be working with an iconic brand who appreciates our vision and insights on the market’s Gen-Z consumers. OMD brings together a unique combination of expertise and strategic approach which taps on our network’s capabilities to deliver impactful and innovative solutions to our clients. We look forward to [supporting] Levi’s in achieving their growth targets.”

Mumbai, India – OMD, the media network of Omnicom Media Group in India, has elevated Anisha Iyer, former chief product officer, to be its new chief executive officer.

Iyer brings with her over 18 years of experience in the advertising business, with a niche in digital and technology. Prior to joining OMD in 2019, she previously worked with global media network Mindshare, advertising agency Madhouse, and media investment firm GroupM, where she delivered cutting-edge solutions and best-in-class strategy for a range of clients spanning FMCG, pharma, auto, travel, telecom, e-commerce, food, and retail businesses.

As the new CEO, Iyer will be responsible for leading the organizational vision and steering strategic goals across the business with a focus on leading future-ready teams. She will also be enhancing client relationships and delivering solutions across the board.

Commenting on her new role, Iyer said, “It’s a pivotal time for our industry and I am excited to navigate the tides in creative collaboration with stakeholders and driving OMD India to new avenues of growth and development.”

Meanwhile, Kartik Sharma, OMD’s group CEO for India, believes that with Iyer’s digital prowess and creative mindset, she will be able to lead the organization to greater heights and accelerate the momentum of growth.

“With her understanding of our clients, industry, and market, she is undoubtedly the inimitable successor for the role. We look forward to welcoming her back to India and working with stakeholders to unlock greater potential and empower our clients to make better decisions, faster,” said Sharma.