Tag: PR agency

Australia – DDB Group’s communications agency Mango has snared the account of intimate apparel and sleep brand Bendon Lingerie to be its PR agency for home markets Australia and New Zealand. 

Bendon Lingerie, which is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, is available globally in three continents through over 300 retail and partner doors. In ANZ, the brand has 59 company-owned retail and outlet stores with e-commerce via its website and social media. The company is composed of various brands such as Pleasure State, Fayreform, Lovable, and Bendon Man, as well as Davenport, among others.

As part of the remit, Mango will be supporting the brand’s return to its origins – “making comfortable underwear for women”. Mango Aotearoa and Mango Sydney will work in tandem to lead Bendon’s communications, handling seasonal launches and innovations, such as the recent Conscious Simplicity Collection – the brand’s first foray into a sustainable range. 

Furthermore, Mango Aotearoa will be working on the brand’s first-ever New Zealand Fashion Week Show, which takes place next year.

Sonya Wilkinson, Bendon’s general manager of marketing, shared that the brand was impressed by the strategic and creative thinking of both teams in New Zealand and Australia. 

“It’s an exciting time at Bendon Group, and we’re looking forward to Mango helping us grow our profile and business,” said Wilkinson.

Meanwhile, Tabitha Fairbairn, Mango’s managing director for Sydney, commented, “Being appointed by the smart and entrepreneurial team at Bendon sees Mango continue to bolster its list of trans-Tasman client partners. The brand’s history and future plans set it up for a huge year in 2022.”

Sean Brown, Mango Aotearoa’s general manager, commented “We are so pleased to be working with such an iconic New Zealand brand. The appointment is fantastic for the Mango teams in New Zealand and Australia. We’ve already hit the ground running and are looking forward to receiving plenty of great briefs and delivering some amazing results for Bendon.”

Sydney, Australia – Leading accommodations platform within the sharing economy, y Airbnb, has appointed independent public relations agency, Thrive PR, as its sole PR agency for the ANZ region.

The appointment will see Thrive supporting Airbnb’s consumer and corporate public relations work, and initiating a number of major projects throughout the year. Led out of Sydney, Thrive will be boosting Airbnb’s strategy and creative duties, with specialist support across key locations including Melbourne, Brisbane, and Gold Coast, as well as Perth, and Auckland.

Leilani Abels, Thrive’s founder and managing director, believes that both companies share the same entrepreneurial spirit and passion for community and creating memorable experiences. 

“I’m excited for our consultants to have the opportunity to work with Airbnb’s first-class team, on an incredible brand and with a world leader in its category. We have begun our journey to deliver great value, innovative thinking, and business impact to Airbnb,” said Abels.

In August this year, Thrive has announced the appointment of two new senior hires, namely Natanael Bloch, the new group account director for Melbourne, and Taryn Silver, the new account manager for Sydney, to lead its specialist business team called Business, Purpose, and Brand Reputation.

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.

Singapore – FairPrice Group, the cooperative that runs Singapore’s largest supermarket retail chain and cooked food centers, has appointed global marketing agency Lewis, to be its agency partner for public relations.

FairPrice Group is an organization that brings together four social enterprises – namely NTUC  FairPrice, NTUC Foodfare, and Kopitiam, as well as NTUC Link.

Through the partnership, Lewis will be responsible for providing brand, communications, issues consultancy, and media relations, as well as content creation, and issues monitoring. 

In addition, the agency will also be working alongside the group’s corporate communications team to bring the cooperative’s vision to life and strengthen the brand’s relationship with the community as consumer needs evolve.

FairPrice Group’s Director of Corporate Communications Jonas Kor shared that the formation of the group has provided an opportunity to develop a holistic approach to cater to the evolving food needs of consumers. 

“During the pitch process, the Lewis team demonstrated a deep understanding of our brand and the areas where we are keen to strengthen. Since working together in April, the agency has developed and implemented creative communication and media strategies that are designed to serve the Group’s unique services and proposition,” said Kor.

Pamela Tor Das, the managing director at Lewis Singapore, commented that they are excited to have the opportunity to share its story with the people of Singapore and look forward to working closely with the FairPrice Group team.

“The demand for brands today goes beyond delivering great services or products. We’re living in a time where brands increasingly need to act with purpose and meaning – traits that FairPrice Group embodies. It’s a brand that touches many of our lives with a clear vision that is fuelling its growth,” said Das.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Public relations and content marketing agency Mutant in Malaysia has appointed branding communications veteran Archana Menon to be the new country head of Mutant Malaysia.

Through her new role, Menon will be responsible for overseeing and growing Mutant’s business in Malaysia, offering specialist services in branding, content development, PR, and digital marketing to both existing and new clients and driving results that boost sales, leads, and customer retention. 

Prior to her recent appointment, she was formerly the country head for the Malaysian arm of communications company Ruder Finn. She has accumulated more than 14 years of experience in integrated communications, media planning, and branding to the agency. 

She has also worked across a variety of sectors, including property, healthcare, technology, and telecommunications, and also includes a diverse track record that includes strategic counsel and crisis management for local and regional SMEs, startups, and government bodies.

“Mutant’s ability to pair strong storytelling with public relations has helped clients successfully navigate the transformation we’re seeing in the media landscape. I’m excited to now take things a step further by combining content, PR, branding, and digital marketing to attract a strong roster of clients, and help them stand out and drive business goals,” Menon commented regarding her appointment.

Her recent appointment comes as Mutant plans to expand regionally in Asia, including its goal of becoming a full-service, integrated agency, with new digital marketing and branding offerings. 

Menon will report directly to Joseph Barratt, founder and CEO of Mutant.

Barratt said, “Mutant is redefining how PR, content, digital marketing, and branding come together to help businesses succeed, and I’m excited to see how Archana will take her depth of knowledge, strong leadership, and passion for the job to solidify and grow Mutant in Malaysia.”