Tag: Partnership

Singapore – Unilever and foodpanda have partnered to now provide 24/7 on-demand ice cream deliveries through its cloud grocery network pandamart and foodpanda shops. 

Through the partnership, Unilever will be leveraging foodpanda’s quick-commerce tech infrastructure and extensive logistics network to reach a wider customer base in the region, delivering more than 20 varieties of Ben & Jerry, Magnum, and Wall’s ice cream products across Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, as well as Pakistan, and the Philippines. 

Furthermore, foodpanda and Unilever will collaborate on new product launches, bundle deals, and promotional campaigns for customers. They will also be working on optimizing digital advertising and customer engagement on the platform, which includes strategic placements of digital banners on the platform, the creative use of in-app notifications, and campaigns on social media to grow and deepen engagement with digitally savvy customers in Asia. 

Unilever’s Chief Delivery Officer Sapan Sharma said, “Our partnership with foodpanda helps us serve consumers by delivering smiles to their doorsteps in less than 25 minutes! In times like these, our partnership helps us spread happiness to customers all around Asia.”

Meanwhile, Abhishek Sahay, the senior director of new business at foodpanda, commented that they are thrilled about this opportunity to be chosen by Unilever as a delivery partner. 

“As customers increasingly turn to foodpanda for their daily needs, we continue to invest in our technology and q-commerce network to grow our daily offerings with both big and small retail partners,” said Sahay. 

From mid-June 2021, in order to show their appreciation to riders, foodpanda and Unilever will also be distributing over 20,000 ice-cream products to riders in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, as a free ice cream treat.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Marketing communications firm Citrine One Malaysia (COMY) has been appointed by the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) as their PR agency of record.

The appointment comes after COMY’s presentation on a strategic and integrated PR approach, combining media relations, digital marketing, and community partnership.

As part of the appointment, COMY will be responsible for handling the PR business for a special project under the two organizations called ‘The Improving Connectivity in the Central Forest Spine’ (IC CFS), which aims to conserve biodiversity and improve the ecosystem.

The IC CFS project, which is conducted through a collaboration with the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), will be covering selected ecological corridors in Peninsular Malaysia within targeted states including Pahang, Perak, and Johor.

The project would be a long-term effort in educating and strengthening institutional capacity to pilot sustainable forest management plans, with the aim of preserving the continuous flow of multiple ecosystem services. It will also not only involve forest reserves but several other conservation sites and a research center.

Citrine One Group’s Managing Partner Junaidi Asmara said that it is time for the Forestry Department to regain public participation and confidence as this project would involve the surroundings of the community.

“With COMY’s 20 years of knowledge and local expertise in communications, the agency would provide extensive media relations and strategic communications to reach out to the mass public as well as assisting the Forestry Department in gaining awareness on their conservation effort,” commented Asmara.

Just recently, COMY has also been appointed by investment holding company WCT Holdings in Malaysia as its PR agency of record, and was tasked to hold the public relations account of the company’s seven business entities.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Petronas in Malaysia has launched the second edition of its technology accelerator program called ‘Petronas FutureTech 2.0’, an event that aims to encourage local innovations and to scale up technology startups in the country.

For this year’s ‘Petronas FutureTech 2.0’, Petronas continues its partnership with global venture capital firm 500 Startups. The program is expected to bring in greater prospects for participating startups as Petronas, through its corporate venture capital arm, Petronas Ventures has teamed up with Government-linked companies (GLCs) – telco Telekom Malaysia and conglomerate company Sime Darby Plantation. 

The collaboration aims to unlock synergies from cross-industries expertise and maximize the value impact of the program to local startups. Through this, GLCs will be able to uncover potentially game-changing technologies, accelerate new ideas that can help transform local industries, and enable the participating teams to have greater market access for growth.

Arni Laily Anwarrudin, the head at Petronas Ventures, shared that following the success of the first FutureTech program in 2019, they foresee bigger prospects towards nation-building, and collaborating with major corporations is the right way to further nurture the ecosystem for Malaysian startups.

“It also creates a positive socio-economic impact to the community through education and skill investment, as well as fostering tech-driven innovations that support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals,” said Anwarrudin.

Meanwhile, Telekom Malaysia’s Chief Strategy Officer Tengku Muneer Tengku Muzani, commented that they are excited and thrilled to join hands with Petronas and Sime Darby Plantation to help nurture the startup ecosystem in Malaysia. 

“In line with our drive towards a Digital Malaysia, we hope to explore common ground with the FutureTech 2.0 corporate partners and startups in accelerating digital innovation by leveraging on each other’s strengths,” said Muzani.

Sime Darby Plantation’s Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Dr. Shariman Alwani said that they are looking forward to identifying innovative startups with technology capabilities and game-changing solutions to help them overcome various challenges and pain points. 

“We are excited to be part of FutureTech 2.0. To be able to give a voice to our local innovative startups and help unlock their potential in collaboration with like-minded partners such as Petronas and Telekom Malaysia is truly a valuable opportunity,” said Alwani.

Furthermore, the focus themes for this year’s FutureTech program are Industry 4.0, Specialty Chemicals and Advance Materials, Future of Energy, and Digital Transformation, as well as Retail Innovation.

Shortlisted startups in FutureTech 2.0 will undergo an intensive 12-week virtual program from September, which includes masterclasses, workshops, and coaching from 500 Startups’ mentors as well as C-suite and experts from Petronas, Telekom Malaysia, and Sime Darby Plantation. These startups will have the opportunity to accelerate their business solutions via a proof of concept (POC) and get access to insights and resources from the GLCs.

For interested startups, the applications for FutureTech 2.0 will be available until 27 July 2021.

Australia – Television network SBS in Australia has partnered with Spotify and Publicis Media’s ROI agency Zenith for its new media campaign called ‘Demand Different’.

The campaign, which runs until July 2021, aims to build a customized digital experience to drive new audiences to SBS’s video streaming platform, SBS On Demand, and reconnect with its lapsed viewers. 

Through the partnership, Zenith will be tapping into Spotify’s enhanced algorithms to curate a custom SBS weekly playlist based on a user’s unique music preferences. Spotify users in the free service will be targeted via audio and display ads across platforms, while its paid subscribers are targeted on social media. 

Users will all be directed to a ‘Spotify X SBS On Demand’ microsite where they can opt in to be served a weekly SBS playlist based on their music preferences. This will allow SBS to showcase the breadth and depth of its SBS On Demand back catalog as a world-class streaming destination while opening up a new world of programs, genres, and key sporting events to Spotify listeners.

Zenith Sydney’s Managing Director Jonny Cordony shared that the team at Zenith has worked hard to differentiate from other performance-driven campaigns, and as part of this, they identified music as a core consumption opportunity within the streaming community.

“We were able to showcase hero programs and hidden gems across various content pillars in a completely customized way, curated based on their music preferences,” said Cordony.

Meanwhile, Pieter Manten, the regional head of sales at Spotify AUNZ, said that the breadth and depth of their data and insights offer a level of targeting which is unparalleled with any other audio format, as they are with their 11.9 million users every day.

“The opportunity to collaborate with SBS and Zenith to combine our insights represents a best in class approach to targeting, as we are not only driving new audiences but creating unique and customized experiences for users across both platforms,” said Manten.

Singapore – Enterprise Singapore (ESG), the statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Singapore, has partnered anew with e-commerce platform Lazada to reintroduce its ‘E-commerce Booster Package’, an initiative that encourages local SMEs and brands to shift to digital.

The ‘E-commerce Booster Package’, which was initially rolled out last year, has been relaunched by ESG on 16 May, with the aim to help retail businesses affected by the pandemic to diversify their revenue channels and defray business costs of going online.

Through the new partnership, Lazada will be putting together three specially curated packages, which are basic, standard, and premium, offering different value propositions to cater to different merchant appetites. The packages will help boost businesses across areas of content creation and store decoration, onboarding and incubation, as well as an advance training class, and marketing credits, among others. Each package is designed to eliminate barriers to selling online. 

Availing the package, retailers can enjoy an 80% subsidy off qualifying costs, up to S$8,000. In addition to the assistance on content and creative marketing efforts of brands, the onboarding packages will also come with marketing and shipping credits, and a dedicated account manager. 

Furthermore, under the ‘Premium’ package, valued at S$28,890, qualifying retailers only need to pay S$2,000 after the subsidies, which amounts to 93% in savings.

The deadline for interested parties to apply for the ‘E-commerce Booster Package’ via Lazada is 16 November 2021.

Enterprise Singapore’s Assistant Chief Executive Officer Dilys Boey commented that they are heartened by the support shown by industry players like Lazada who have continued to work with ESG to help retailers accelerate their move to acquire more customers online. 

“With the support of our E-Commerce Booster Package, we hope to lower the barriers for retailers to build new digital capabilities, like digital marketing or product positioning, which will not only help sustain operations in the immediate term but also strengthen their competitiveness beyond the pandemic,” said Boey.

Meanwhile, James Chang, the CEO of Lazada Singapore, said that it is part of Lazada’s mission to empower retailers and transform them for the future – as e-commerce increasingly becomes part and parcel of the way to shop, it will be an avenue that retailers cannot ignore. 

“If retailers fail, e-commerce also fails. We want to extend our hand and do our part to see merchants through this period where the pandemic is ravaging many industries, especially retail,” said Chang.

In May this year, Lazada has also announced its partnership with Great Singapore Sale (GSS), offering benefits including three months 0% commission for new LazMall sellers, as well as a free live streaming slot on the platform, exclusively for members of the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) who take part in GSS.

Australia – In celebration of World Environmental Day which was celebrated on 5 June, felix mobile, a strongly-committed environmental-conscious telecom in the country, has put up a mural painting in Melbourne that is very much like a tree – using paint that absorbs CO2 emissions. 

Felix mobile is a telco startup that is certified carbon neutral and is powered by 100% renewable electricity. To double down on its support for the environment, it has made its mission to plant one tree for every active customer in a month.

Done in collaboration with hybrid creative agency Paper Moose, the mural is the centerpiece of felix mobile’s new national campaign, building off its brand platform – ‘The Plan With A Bigger Plan’.

The mural is painted with CO2 absorbing paint made by paint manufacturer Graphenstone. It absorbs as much carbon dioxide as what a mature 250kg tree does in six months. The paint also emits ultra-low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to traditional commercial paints.

Kelly Rollason, the head of sales and marketing at felix mobile, said that they are proud to show the industry that by minimizing your impact on the planet, you in turn are able to maximize brand loyalty. 

“A billboard that consumes CO2 like a tree was the perfect execution to complement our existing efforts as a mobile provider that puts people and planet first,” said Rollason.

Meanwhile, Paper Moose’s Creative Director Jeremy Willmot, said, “It’s so rewarding to partner with a brand that’s not only committed to neutralizing their environmental impact, but are eager to embrace innovative new ways to do it too.”

Furthermore, the telco has announced its commitment to planting an additional 25,000 trees, in aid of their larger goal of 1 million trees planted.

The new campaign follows Paper Moose’s announcement on its imperative to work with more sustainable brands, with its goal to drive a positive and lasting change in the economy. Through a new program for clients, the agency will be donating time and creative resources to selected organizations that are on the mission to decarbonize the planet.

Singapore – Multi-platform media company beIN Asia Pacific has extended its digital media remit with global digital media agency M&C Saatchi Performance.

beIN Asia Pacific offers a line-up of live sporting events through its premium sports brand, beIN Sports, and serves great coverage, news, and analysis of the top leagues and competitions, as well as exclusive content globally.

The extension, which will run until April 2022, comes after one year of successful partnership, where M&C Saatchi Performance was responsible for leading the digital media planning, buying, strategy, and analytics for beIN’s streaming service, beIN Sports Connect. The agency has also been handling its branding and performance campaigns. 

In addition to the markets currently managed by M&C Saatchi Performance, which are Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia, the new contract will expand to include the scope to Hong Kong as well.

beIN Asia Pacific’s Head of Marketing and Communications Magdalene Ng commented that they are thrilled to continue working with the team at M&C Saatchi Performance. 

“Looking ahead, we plan to consolidate our positioning as the leading sports streaming platform in the region. We’re confident that the integrated marketing approach adopted by M&C Saatchi Performance will help us communicate the great value offered by our platform and ultimately win market share,” said Ng.

Meanwhile, Melissa Yik, the account director at M&C Saatchi Performance, commented that over the past year, digital adoption has increased rapidly with larger audiences shifting online to watch their favorite sports competitions. 

“It has been a real pleasure to work with beIN Sports to leverage this unique momentum. We take great pride in having grown the company’s subscriber base in Southeast Asia and look forward to a long working relationship with beIN in the region,” said Yik.

India – Real estate company Gulshan Group in India has appointed digital marketing agency iCubesWire to be its digital creative partner.

Gulshan Group is an established real estate organization with vast business networks in the country. It has a presence in the infrastructure development, construction, and housing segment, as well as other business operations. 

As per the mandate, iCubesWire will be handling the digital creative duties of Gulshan’s residential and commercial projects, including Gulshan Dynasty and Gulshan one29, among others. The marketing agency will also be heading the brand’s communication and strategy across digital and offline media channels. 

Gulshan Group’s Vice President of Marketing Suneet Singh shared that iCubesWire owes its win to their expertise in marketing, especially for the real estate market.

“We at Gulshan Group believe building a better world takes time and years of experience. And since iCubesWire shares the same ideology and brings the perfect mix of creativity and strategy, we are glad to have them on board as the brand’s creative agency,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, Sahil Chopra, the CEO and founder of iCubesWire, commented that they are honored to be chosen as the creative agency for the Gulshan Group. 

“We hope to scale new heights for the brand through our innovative solutions and expertise in marketing. We are looking forward to growing the brand’s business exponentially,” said Chopra.

iCubesWire is a digital marketing agency in the country that offers 360° concepts to various clients across e-commerce, automobile, technology, and finance, as well as travel, and hospitality, among others.

India – Global luxury vehicles company Maserati in India has awarded its public relations and digital mandate to communications agency Alphabet Media.

Maserati is an Italian manufacturer of luxury automobiles including a tradition of successful cars, namely the Quattroporte flagship, the Ghibli sports sedan, and the Levante.

As per the mandate, Alphabet Media will be responsible for Maserati’s strategic planning, media relations, digital campaigns, and providing integrated communication solutions in the country.

Bojan Jankulovski, the head of operations at Maserati India, shared that the brand is driven to challenge the status quo being innovative by nature, powered by passion, and unique by design.

“The partnership with Alphabet Media is the embodiment of all these values. We are pleased to onboard the agency as our communications partner in India and we look forward to a great working relationship with the team,” said Jankulovski.

Meanwhile, Alphabet Media’s Founder Tejal Daftary commented that they are delighted to get the opportunity to work for an iconic brand like Maserati in India. 

“We are committed to delivering Maserati customer experience through well-planned communications to further strengthen the brand’s presence in the country,” said Daftary.

Alphabet Media is a public relations and communications agency that provides strategic and integrated solutions. It also offers services across public relations, marketing communications, and digital communications.

Delhi, India – As India continues to grapple with the second wave of the pandemic, people have been advised to stay indoors to curb the spread of the virus. However, constant reminders of beautiful locations and serene beaches on social media can potentially trigger housebound travelers to put their pending travel plans in action. 

To urge people to avoid non-essential travel, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has launched a social media campaign series, consisting of travel quotes with a twist, done in collaboration with 22feet Tribal Worldwide, the media agency by advertising holding company DDB Mudra Group.

The new campaign by DIAL aims to put the national interest first, for the safety of the people and the country. It was brought to life by putting a unique spin on often used terms such as ‘Carpe Diem’ and ‘Wanderlust’ with visuals that are looking out from a window, showing beautiful locations but from the safety of one’s home. The idea was to play around with people’s expectations of such inspiring travel quotes.

Debashish Ghosh, the national creative director at 22feet Tribal Worldwide, said that social media captures an individual’s imagination, especially when they are cooped up in their home with a limited set of activities. 

He further shared that in the current scenario, staying home is the best way to protect ourselves, and leisure travel must be avoided. 

“While DIAL is at the forefront of receiving and facilitating aid flights as well as Vande Bharat flights from across the globe; the travel facilitator also took on the responsibility to dissuade people from non-essential travel. The team deployed a counter-intuitive take on popular travel verbiage to inject the message with a dose of levity. And that’s how this campaign came to fruition,” said Ghosh.

The campaign is already available across social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.