Singapore – Food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda has doubled down on its commitment to its delivery partners with ‘panda hearts’, its flagship programme aimed at uplifting and supporting delivery partners.
Through panda hearts, foodpanda aims to drive the program to improve the safety, well-being, and personal development of their delivery partners, alongside community and welfare perks.
Going into detail, panda hearts will be focusing on providing its delivery partners with health screenings, mental health assistance programmes, insurance, exercise and sporting events. This is then supplemented with initiatives that encourage delivery partners to prioritise their safety on the road.
Furthermore, the program provides delivery partners with a range of opportunities for growth, including upskilling courses, financial literacy workshops, bursaries, scholarships, and entrepreneurship opportunities. These help to support the aspirations of foodpanda’s delivery partners, beyond their day-to-day delivery tasks.
The program also aims to build a dependable support system, where delivery riders can easily access in-app communication channels, like roving roadshows or focus groups, to share feedback. Lastly, panda hearts offers delivery partners a wide range of additional benefits to help alleviate the cost of living such as fuel subsidies, supermarket vouchers, discounts on motorbike rental or mobile network plans.
Talking about the program, Bhavani Shankar Mishra, senior director of operations at foodpanda, said, “We recognise that gig work is here to stay, and our responsibility as a company is to ensure that our delivery partners thrive in their roles. We want them to feel valued, supported and empowered so they feel good about partnering with us.”
“To do this meaningfully, we regularly engage with them to understand what matters most to them, and learn how we can improve what we’re currently doing to provide the necessary resources and support,” he added.
Tag: Program
Manila, Philippines – Tech-driven media company Hepmil Philippines, a regional arm of Hepmil Media Group, has launched a series of new programmes that aim to strengthen the capabilities and skills of all talents and creators under its network.
First on the list of Hepmil Philippines’ new programmes is the launch of its social commerce solutions, which will allow content creators under its network to explore other avenues to monetize their content.
A part of this initiative is the introduction of a new incubation programme that is largely focused on developing the skills of their talents and creators in social selling and forging partnerships with regional e-commerce brands that can support their direct-to-consumer efforts.
The media company has also expanded its list of new and accomplished creators, with big names such as Jico Umali (Jiconyo), Pipay Kipay, and Adam Alejo joining their roster of exclusive creators under their digital creator community, Hepmil Creators’ Network (HCN).
As part of the company’s programmes to support its talents, Hepmil Philippines also rolled out a list of entertainment shows and relatable content for their wide variety of audiences.
The exhilarating travel show ‘Oner Gang’ will feature social media sensations Jico Umali and Risha Rodriguez as they explore the tapestry of local communities and diverse cultures across the Philippines. PGAG, Hepmil’s marketing company, also injected humour into their latest lineup of shows with ‘Sa Office’, a workplace satire that provides a comedic look at office life.
The new programmes come as Hepmil and its partners work on developing communication strategies that are tailored to cater to the newer generation of mobile-first consumers. The company aims to make authentic connections with audiences who want entertainment value, making sure that there is still organic integration of local culture into engaging digital content.
Jel Directo, country manager at Hepmil Creators’ Network, shared, “The unstoppable rise of TikTok Shop in the Philippines has brought a platform for our creators not only to elevate their game in content creation but also to increase their opportunities for monetized content.”
“Since this is fast-growing in the local market, we have trained our creators in effective live selling, live streaming, and also affiliate content building. With this, we continue to be partners of brands that are first-movers in bottom funnel creator marketing, able to support them as they speed up test-and-learn efforts,” she added.
Directo further explained, “We want our creator network to be represented by those who truly understand our passion and skill in content creation. With Jico as our homegrown creator in PGAG; Pipay, known on TikTok for her comedy and wit; and Adam Alejo, a YouTuber known for his most-watched idea-first challenges, we are able to showcase our ability to support brands in creating content that connects and matters to their audience.”
Also speaking on the programme launch, Erwin Razon, general manager at PGAG and Bent Pixels Asia, said, “We continue to innovate new shows with our partner creators to bring engaging and entertaining content to our fans, new and old. The company’s strategic partnerships with rising platforms like Oner Gang and PGAG offer brands a strategic entry point into the evolving realm of digital marketing. As the rules of engagement are being rewritten, Hepmil is poised to author the next chapter in the industry.”
“We strongly believe in the balance of advertising and entertainment on content, a mindset that allows us to thrive in integrating brand messages seamlessly within our content while maintaining the authenticity and entertainment that our fans love,” he added.
New York, USA – Global financial services company Mastercard has recently opened applications for their new program, the ‘Mastercard Gamer Academy’, a first-of-its-kind development program from Mastercard that will provide 10 gamers the connections, mentorship and skill sets needed to pursue their passion for esports as a career, all while fostering a more inclusive gaming ecosystem.
The program is set to kick off in early 2024, offering participants the opportunity to have all-expense paid trips to major esports events, access to seasoned esports professionals from G2’s roster, in-person and digital sessions with mentors that also feature workshops, and a comprehensive educational curriculum covering brand engagement, marketing, content creation, event execution and more.
Curriculum highlights will be captured in a series of episodes for fans to enjoy and learn more about the various opportunities in gaming and esports. Mastercard cardholders will get early viewing access on Mastercard’s Priceless website.
This initiative from Mastercard is one in a series of continued efforts within the gaming industry, becoming the first global partner of the world’s largest esport, League of Legends, in 2018. Earlier this year, the brand also extended its esports sponsorship to include Valorant Champions Tour and VCT Game Changers.
Anyone that is 21 or above is welcome to apply in the program and interested applicants are required to submit their entry before December 17, 2023 on the Mastercard Gamer Academy website and complete an online form and video that showcases their passion for gaming and esports.
Taking about the initiative, Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer at Mastercard, said, “As a global sponsor of some of the biggest, fastest-growing esports, we’ve seen firsthand the incredible passion gaming evokes among players and fans alike. With the Mastercard Gamer Academy, we celebrate the incredible growth of esports, and we are proud to invest in gaming’s dynamic and diverse future.”
Meanwhile, Romain Bigeard, general manager of League of Legends at G2 Esports, commented, “Our strength in esports is our community, and how we stand together for the love of the game. The Mastercard Gamer Academy is an extension of this community, bringing people together for a program unlike any other.”
“The Academy is designed to cover all areas of esports to highlight different career paths in the industry. We want to give the participants, as well as people watching at home, the opportunity to gain experience and learn from some of the most talented and well-respected people in the industry. Our goal is to create a clearer pathway to a career in esports, to inspire and motivate people looking to launch their career,” he added.
Sydney, Australia – As part of the company’s stride to check out potential talents for the advertising and marketing industry, dentsu Media in ANZ has announced the launch of its learning and development program ‘Basecamp’ catered to interest high school students and university graduates.
The program invites interested students to potentially learn and develop their advertising and marketing skills in order to score a position at any of dentsu’s multiple agencies.
Applications have opened with pre-screening until early December before assessment day mid-December and offers are given before Christmas. The program will then commence in February 2022.
Those joining the program will experience an interactive and immersive environment through four intensive learning sprints in strategy, digital, tech and data, and trading. The conclusion of the six-month program will give participants a chance to nab an executive role at one of dentsu’s media brands, namely Carat, iProspect, Dentsu X, or The Story Lab.
Sue Squillace, CEO of dentsu Media ANZ, the one who announced the project, said that the program is their stance of needing to act now in order to attract more diverse, motivated, and curious people to their business and to build their talent pipeline for the future. She added that the ‘war on talent’ isn’t just an important issue for them as a business, but also vital to the future of the industry.
Sue added, “Our commitment is simply to offer the next generation of talent the opportunity to experience dentsu in an environment that gives exposure to the best on-the-job training and the unrivaled knowledge and mentorship of our leaders. And better yet, we want to make it real; with participants landing a permanent role within our business.”
A dedicated group of dentsu leaders has been set up to build a rounded development program in partnership with L&D, People Team, and Agency Leadership. This will leverage media knowledge, publisher partnerships, and MFA for content development.
All participants will have an executive mentor and a peer-level coach to guide them through the experience. They will also have extra support from the managing directors and general managers from each of the state offices, together with Amplifi, dentsu’s media innovation and investment arm, and training leads from Media Opps, a local media consultancy.
Lauren Small, managing director at Carat Sydney, said, “We’re thrilled to launch dentsu media Australia’s first early careers program; Basecamp, not only will it demonstrate the importance of investing in our future with diverse and fresh talent, but will also provide growth opportunities for new people managers within the business to develop and grow their leadership skills. Our graduates will not be defined by the qualification they hold, or education level they attain, but rather by their curiosity and a growth mindset.”
Meanwhile, Marcelle Gomez, general manager at iProspect NSW, added, “The shortage of talent in our industry is a test for us all. At dentsu, we have turned this challenge into an opportunity that will further differentiate our brands in the market. In a business that is built on and around our people, Basecamp confirms the commitment to our people, our willingness to invest in their future and equip them for successful careers with the company. We can’t wait to get started and help accelerate the learning of this future talent.”
Interested applicants for the program may apply for the respective websites for Sydney and Melbourne participants.