Tag: Publicis Groupe

Thailand–Advertising agency Leo Burnett has appointed Prasert Vijitpawan as the new chief creative officer in Thailand. 

In his new role, Vijitpawan will work with major clients, including Nescafé, McDonald’s, First Choice, Samsung, Suntory’s Brands, Lotus’s, Kubota, and Visa. 

Vijitpawan is known as an exceptional creative who has received numerous awards from prestigious award-giving bodies such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, New York Festivals, The One Show to Spikes Asia, ADFEST, and many more. 

During his first tenure with Publicis Groupe, he spent five years at Saatchi & Saatchi Thailand and left in 2011. Prior to his appointment at Leo Burnett, Vijitpawan spent 13 years at Ogilvy Thailand, where he amassed a number of awards and accolades. 

Speaking on the appointment, Thipayachand Hasdin, CEO at Leo Burnett Thailand, said, “Prasert’s appointment signifies a pivotal moment for Leo Burnett Thailand. Being among Thailand’s foremost creative talents, his presence underscores our dedication to creating impactful and culturally resonant brand narratives rooted in a deep understanding of human behaviour. With Prasert on board, we’re poised to embark on a thrilling new chapter.” 

Ajay Thrivikraman, chief creative officer at Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia, also stated, “Leo Burnett Thailand, with its world-class talent, is renowned globally for its memorably great creative work that makes Thai advertising unique. We believe that Prasert has the calibre and capability to lead this agency into the future.” 

Meanwhile, commenting on his new role, Vijitpawan remarked, “Leo Burnett Thailand is one of the outstanding stars in the Leo Burnett global network, so it is a huge honour to be part of the team again. I have long admired the audacious bravery of Leo Burnett’s work, its visionary clients, and our shared belief that creativity has the power to transform human behaviour.” 

Sydney, Australia – Multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis Groupe has announced the appointment of Clare Pickens as CEO of Leo Burnett Australia.

Being picked out in a global search for Leo Burnett Australia’s next CEO, Pickens will then be taking the helm of the agency in April.

Prior to her appointment, Pickens worked in various roles at Wieden+Kennedy based in Amsterdam and London. She led brand strategy and creative quality, delivering on business objectives for brands including Uber, Nike, Mondelez, Instagram, Heineken, P&G, Netflix, Diageo, Levi’s and Booking.com.

She was also previously Global Managing Director of creative agency Red & Co. and was most recently Managing Director of HERC Amsterdam.

Speaking on her appointment, Pickens said, “I am deeply excited by the opportunity to join the Leo Burnett team in Australia. Being part of such an established group with a legacy of effective and quality creative work is a great privilege. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping usher in a new phase of progressive partnership and business solutions with our wide client base.”

Meanwhile, Michael Rebelo, CEO of Publicis Groupe ANZ, commented, “Clare is a leader who has worked across multiple markets and client categories, with a progressive view on creativity and what it takes to deliver innovative and effective work. Her commercial acumen has been honed leading creative agencies focused on building business through creativity. We are excited to bring such a unique international leader to Australia to lead Leo Burnett.”

Singapore – The Singaporean arm of multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis Groupe has recently announced the acquisition of Singaporean integrated communications agency AKA Asia.

The acquisition marks a significant step in expanding and diversifying Publicis Groupe’s capabilities in the Southeast Asian market, with AKA Asia bolstering the group’s strategic communications, PR and influence offering in the region.

Speaking on the acquisition, Amrita Randhawa, chief executive officer for Publicis Groupe Singapore and Southeast Asia, said, “We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of AKA Asia, which has a stellar reputation in Singapore and will complement our existing agency capabilities to deliver exceptional solutions for our clients.”

“The AKA founders, Kate O’Shea and Amy Wright, have built an incredible operation with a solid track record for conceptualising and delivering fearless creative communications campaigns to a broad range of consumer and corporate clients. We are excited to welcome them and the team into our family,” she added.

Meanwhile, Leya Teo, CEO of AKA Asia, also commented, “This is an exciting time for our agency, our growing team and our clients. Together we have worked tirelessly to build an agency dedicated to putting its people first, empowering them to deliver innovative work that’s fearlessly creative and anchored in an earned-first approach. We look forward to leveraging Publicis’s Power of One philosophy and its diverse ecosystem for clients across Asia, and the opportunities this provides our talented team.”

AKA Asia will also be joining Publicis Groupe’s regional Influence practice, led by Margaret Key, alongside full-service PR consultancy MSL Asia Pacific.

“We are both excited and proud to partner with AKA Asia. Kate and Amy have built an enviable workplace culture, evidenced by talent they have nurtured from within over the last 15 years. This union will enable us to offer more value to our clients in Singapore and across our global network”, mentioned Margaret Key, chief executive officer at MSL Asia Pacific.

Paris, France – Multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis Groupe kicked off 2024 with a one-to-one AI-powered New Year’s wish film sent to 100,000 of its employees worldwide.

In this project, a hundred thousand individually tailored films were sent to the company’s team members all over the world. Powered by AI, the campaign is a first-of-its kind experiment that pushes the boundaries of AI video creation, storytelling, and personalisation at scale.

The film contains a New Year’s message from Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe’s chairman and CEO. However, in a unique twist, he is also joined by his AI twin, the AI Directoire+, and the AI double of Maurice Lévy, the chairman of the supervisory board of Publicis Groupe.

AI Carla embraces her sporty side in a thank-you message film with Arthur Sadoun for sports enthusiast team member Eva.

By utilising the company’s platform, Marcel, the team behind the campaign gathered and connected the information of all its employees at Publicis who have contributed to its growth and success. The personalised ‘thank you’ films were also crafted to align with the team members’ interests and passions.

AI Dave performs parkour and water sports to highlight Tony’s interest in this thank-you film with Arthur Sadoun.

Among those who got the unique thank-you film was Eva, a sport-loving Groupe managing partner living in Austria. In the film, chief strategy officer Carla Serrano’s AI double is seen mountain climbing and playing different types of sports while she and Arthur, with Eva’s name tattooed in his arms, deliver their thank-you message.

Gabi, an adventure-seeking business lead from Sao Paulo, also received the well wishes, this time from Arthur sipping coffee from a mug with Gabi’s name and Maurice wakeboarding.

Other thank-you films also featured some of Publicis Groupe’s top executives, including CEO of France Agathe Bousquet’s AI gaming and skateboarding, CEO of Publicis Sapient Nigel Vaz dancing, and CEO of Publicis Media Dave Penski doing parkour stunts.

This and the thousand more films were Publicis Groupe’s way to express their gratitude for those who were instrumental in growth as they secured their position in the market in 2023.

Indonesia – Starcom Indonesia, a media agency under Publicis Groupe, has announced its appointment as the media agency of record for BMW Group in 2024, joining its Starcom teams in China and Singapore that retained their media agency of record roles.

The Starcom teams will take the lead on strategic planning, media buying, and business transformation for all of BMW Group’s brands, including BMW and MINI, in their respective markets.

Working closely with the Singapore team, Starcom Indonesia’s data-driven pitch revolved around insights on the Next Gen customers and their understanding of the client’s brands and business. The media agency aimed to showcase their expertise in channel strategy, integrating physical and digital experiences throughout the purchase funnel.

Meanwhile, Starcom Singapore has also successfully extended its partnership with BMW Group for another five years. With this, the media agency will handle media planning and buying for the Group. Furthermore, the extended relationship also places emphasis on creating strategic synergies with Starcom Indonesia.

Since their initial collaboration in 2020, Starcom Singapore continues to deliver measurable business outcomes, gaining a competitive edge in the market with their digital-focused approach, such as utilising data signals to target and engage high-intent buyers.

The Singapore team has maintained a record for successfully converting leads into test drives and sales and optimising the return on investment for each media dollar.

Also retaining their partnership with BMW Group is Starcom China, which is currently taking the helm of all of BMW Group’s brands in the Chinese market, including BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, and BMW Motorrad.

Since its appointment as media agency of record in 2015, Starcom China has since been deeply involved in BMW Group’s consumer operation ecosystem, providing holistic solutions that drive sustainable growth for the Group. The agency has also introduced One BMW, a bespoke business unit with data and technology at its core to power integrated media strategy across all media channels, including e-commerce, for the Group. 

Starcom’s wins follow a regional media review by BMW Group that began early this year. The media agency’s performance underscores their value of synergistic capabilities across markets and compelling strategies that integrate media, data, technology, and consumer-centric solutions to drive sustainable business growth for their long-time and new clients.

Commenting on the business wins, Jane Lin-Baden, CEO of Publicis Groupe APAC, said, “We have partnered with BMW Group in the region for eight amazing years. We are honoured to be given their vote of confidence in China, Singapore, and now Indonesia. We believe that sharing a mutual goal of delivering impactful business results and delighting their customers is key to the partnership’s success. It is incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to work with world-class brands like BMW Group, and we look forward to continuing the journey to greater successes for both organizations.”

A senior representative from BMW Group Asia also shared, “We are excited to continue our partnership with Starcom in Singapore. Their performance has been instrumental in our growth. They are a strong partner that supports us in delivering on our business outcomes while creating excellence in the premium automotive industry. Broadening this partnership to include Starcom Indonesia is a strategic step and a testament to our confidence in their expertise.”

“We anticipate their unique insights and comprehensive understanding of the Indonesian market will bring new dimensions to how we reach out to our customers and fans. Together with Starcom, we are committed to delivering exceptional customer experiences for BMW customers and are excited about achieving even greater successes across the region,” the senior representative added.

Singapore – Global marketing and communications network Publicis Groupe, Singapore Management University (SMU), and communications technology group Singtel have joined forces to organise an AI-driven storytelling workshop for students.

Using as many as five AI tools, 37 undergraduate students from SMU created engaging video stories on Singtel’s impact on digital inclusion.

The student participants were given the project brief to utilise the latest AI storytelling tools such as Runway Gen2, Meta AudioCraft, ChatGPT, ElevenLabs, Lexica, DreamStudio, and Clipdrop to come up with a compelling story focused on digital inclusion.

Given this challenge, students were exposed to the latest artificial intelligence tools and technology readily available for their use. However, it also challenged them to conceptualise and create engaging, impactful, and memorable stories and characters for various audiences and media. Furthermore, the workshop aims to provide students with the skills they’ll be able to apply to real-world client projects.

As part of the workshop, five undergraduates with the best short films were also awarded with full-time, 12-week summer internship opportunities at Singtel and Publicis Groupe, where they can put their newly acquired skills to use. Meanwhile, the top 10 selected films were showcased in a mini-festival at SMU. 

The project brief for this AI storytelling workshop was created by Leo Burnett Singapore, a part of the Publicis Groupe. This is also the second time Publicis Groupe Singapore has worked with SMU to provide students with hands-on experience with AI tools. 

Something new in this project, however, is the involvement of a real brand, which is Singtel. The jury panel for the storytelling project included Bill Ang of Singtel; Jean-François Thery, head of growth at Publicis Communications, Singapore; and Tommy Tan, head of strategy at Publicis Media, Singapore.

The workshop was part of a 13-week SMU-X course titled ‘Storytelling for Organisations and Brands’ offered at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB). It was led by LKCSB Professor of Communication Management Mark Chong and Laurent Thevenet, head of creative technology for APAC at Publicis Groupe.

Bill Ang, director of brand marketing at Singtel Singapore, said, “A.I. is already transforming many facets of life. At Singtel, we are leveraging this technology to ideate and co-create in ways that will enhance customer experiences and drive learning. It’s great to see the energy and creativity in the work from the SMU students. Their submissions have been incredibly inspiring and have given us much food for thought.”

Speaking about the workshop, Professor Chong also explained, “As a telecommunications leader, Singtel knows how important it is for students to take new risks and try new processes using the latest technologies. It has been an honour partnering with the largest mobile network operator in Singapore to encourage a new generation to embrace AI. and push the edge of new possibilities.”

Thevenet also added, “This collaboration with Singtel has given a new cohort of 37 SMU students an advantage in the future workplace. AI is fundamentally changing the creative process, and although human creativity is more important than ever, learning how to partner with machines to create something out of the ordinary will become an essential skill for graduates.”

Meanwhile, Thery said, “Singtel has always been at the forefront of pushing the best in technology for Singapore, so it’s been an incredible experience working with SMU students to help prepare them for the future workplace—we’re thrilled with their creations.”

Manila, Philippines – Following their commitment to breaking the cancer stigma in the country, the Publicis Groupe has recently teamed up with Ayala Healthcare Holdings and the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) to establish a global cancer-oriented initiative. 

Called “Working with Cancer” (WWC), this project will work towards reducing the cancer stigma in the workplace through a pledge of commitment agreed upon by major corporations. This will also follow a written agreement with the concerned groups, affirming a more supportive and recovery-forward culture at work for people with cancer.

The WWC initiative is supported by some leading cancer charities and organisations such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), MacMillan Cancer Support, and the Gustave Roussy Institute.  It is headed by Arthur Sadoun, the Global Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe and their global clients. 

Speaking about this significant milestone, Joanne Abrihan-Ty, chief finance officer at Publicis Groupe Philippines, said, “We’re incredibly grateful to formalise our alliance with AC Health and PMAP as we move to rally the most influential companies to build the most open, supportive, and recovery-forward work cultures for employees. In a world where one in every two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, we believe that WWC should be a movement for all businesses, big or small.”  

Ma. Elizabeth Nasol, president at PMAP also expressed her enthusiasm about the project, stating, “This cancer support initiative, born out of the collaborative effort of the founding partners, carries a profound message – that cancer should never be a personal problem.

“Through this collaboration, we pledge to encourage our member organisations to provide comprehensive support in the face of cancer – a shared challenge that ensures that those affected by it will never have a solitary journey,” she added.

Meanwhile, Paolo Borromeo, president and CEO of AC Health, commented, “We are excited about our role in helping the Working with Cancer movement grow because we recognize our responsibility and obligation, as healthcare providers and employers, to provide the best care and environment to our employees for cancer screening, treatment, and recovery. Together, we can do much to revolutionise cancer care in the workplace setting.”

Apart from this, chief digital officer at Publicis Groupe Philippines, Dave Drilon added, “With the intent of providing better cancer care in the workplace, there’s certainly a need for greater awareness and action. We must work closer with companies to ensure these programs get implemented.

“The formalization of the pledge with our founding partners AC Health and PMAP is but the first step to growing this movement in the country – something we will nurture for many years to come – and we look forward to working with more businesses and institutions in this undertaking,” he ended. 

Furthermore, several partner companies have also shown their support for the project since its announcement in January 2023.

In particular, Amrita Randhawa, CEO at Publicis Groupe Singapore and Southeast Asia, said, “The Philippines team have made an incredible effort to scale the WWC initiative such that it makes industry-wide and client-wide impact. As a team, this is what we are focused on in Southeast Asia: inviting and bringing together industry and client bodies to make sure this initiative creates scalable workforce change.”

For more information about WWC, please visit workingwithcancerpledge.com.

Singapore – Skincare brand Olay has partnered with Publicis Groupe One Singapore for the launch of its newest campaign that targets the gender disparity in India’s STEM field. 

The campaign is part of the latest instalment of its #STEMTheGap initiative and aims to shed light on the glaring absence of female mentors and role models in India’s STEM workforce.

As part of the campaign, Olay India collaborated with filmmaker Anand Gandhi to launch a digital film that delves into India’s rich history of remarkable women in STEM. The digital film will pay homage to and showcase the inspiring stories of luminaries like Dr. Anandibai Joshi, Kamala Sohonie, Dr. Janaki Ammal, and Kalpana Chawla, among others.

The film will highlight the urgent need for more female role models in STEM today and will also shed light on the societal biases deterring young girls from pursuing STEM careers by emphasising the crucial role of female mentors in the field.

Aside from the digital film, Olay also launched the beta version of a web-based virtual chat mentor that will offer guidance and information to aspiring young girls seeking to enter the world of STEM.

The virtual chat mentor, a supplement to Olay’s mentorship programme,will provide the user with knowledge, resources, and encouragement on their journeys. It was created with the help of successful women in different STEM fields in India, such as Shannon Olsson, founder and global director at Echo Network; Swarna Manjari, communication designer; Dr. Vandana Prasad, community paediatrician and public health professional; and Tarunima Prabhakar, tech and policy research at Tattle Civic Tech and Carnegie India, to name a few.

Olay’s campaign is crafted based on the results of their commissioned survey, which found a huge gap between female STEM graduates and those who actually made it into the workforce in India. A staggering number of its respondents also mentioned the need for female role models in STEM as a way to influence them to pursue their careers.

To encourage future women in STEM, Olay also continues to partner with LEAD, a school EdTech provider in India, to sponsor STEM scholarships for 250+ underprivileged girls. These scholarships aim to empower girls across India by providing them with financial support for STEM education and career development.

Priyali Kamath, senior vice president of skin and personal care at Procter & Gamble (P&G) Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, explained, “For decades, Procter & Gamble’s legacy skincare brand Olay has maintained a deep understanding of women’s changing needs through science. At Olay, we understand the critical importance of female role models in the STEM field, and our commitment to bridging the gender gap is unparalleled. This year’s theme, centred on the significance of role models and the introduction of mentorship initiatives, highlights our commitment to ensuring every young girl knows that she can be the next leader in her field.”

She added, “Through initiatives like #STEMTheGap and our commitment to gender equality, we are working hard to double the number of women in STEM by 2030 and create a more inclusive and equitable future. We’re proud to recognise and support the next generation of women in STEM who will one day be making history in their respective fields and become role models for young girls in the future.”

Ajay Vikram, chief creative officer for Southeast Asia at Publicis Groupe, also commented, “There are many accomplished women leaders in STEM in India today. Yet, a ‘lack of mentors’ is often cited as a big reason why so few women make a career in STEM. This got us thinking. How do we not just celebrate the achievements of women in STEM but actually be useful—to be there at the very moment when needed, a friend and guide to any girl or woman looking for answers as they stand at the crossroads of choosing their path forward. Technology came in handy as a way to help, but  we can’t wait to see how much more Ai-shu can do to help women find their way to a future of their choosing.”

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – Mondelez Kinh Do and Publicis Groupe Vietnam have joined forces on a new ‘One Day of Togetherness’ campaign that calls for employers to give one full day off for families to celebrate Tet Trung Thu together.

The campaign, created by Publicis Groupe Vietnam, revolves around the 400-year tradition of the Tet Trung Thu celebration that is slowly being buried and forgotten as many people began to prioritise work and business over celebrating with their families, especially since it is not a national holiday.

Tet Trung Thu, or mid-autumn festival, is the second-biggest festival in Vietnam, where the moon is at its brightest and crops are fully harvested. Traditionally, families come together to give thanks, light lanterns, and eat mooncakes together as parents make up for lost time with children after harvest seasons.

To kickstart the campaign, Mondelez Kinh Do, makers of Kinh Do mooncakes, gave their 3,000 employees a day off to celebrate the festival with their families. The company also delivered special boxes of their 25th anniversary mooncakes with personal letters to leaders of leading companies in Vietnam to invite them to join the move to give employees a day off.

Already, thirteen companies have pledged to follow suit. Publicis Groupe Vietnam also gave all their employees a day off to celebrate the festivities. 

The ‘One Day of Togetherness’ campaign is rooted in the results of a survey where 92% of Vietnamese wish they could have one day off to celebrate this festival with loved ones. Currently, almost 300,000 Vietnamese have voted on the petition on the Kinh Do platform to declare Tet Trung Thu a national holiday.

Anil Viswanathan, managing director at Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam, said, “We discovered that deep inside the hearts of every Vietnamese person is the wish to have a whole day to celebrate the mid-Autumn Festival with loved ones. To keep this festival alive, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kinh Do Mooncakes, we gave all our employees in Vietnam the day off, and we hope other organisations in Vietnam will follow suit. Happy Trung Thu! ” 

Commenting on the campaign, Kate Bayona Garcia, CEO at Publicis Groupe Vietnam, also shared, “This initiative is truly meaningful to the preservation of Vietnamese culture and to the wellbeing of our people. Last Friday, we were out-of-office and away from the keyboard, lighting lanterns and enjoying Kinh Do mooncakes with the people we love. Together with Mondelez Kinh Do, we are proud to be part of a movement to keep Vietnam’s mid-autumn festival alive.”

Singapore – The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has unveiled its new global campaign ‘Made in Singapore’, which invites the world to Singapore, where things are made a little unexpected, and where typical tourist experiences are seen in a different light in the country.

‘Made in Singapore’ replaces STB’s ‘SingapoReimagine’ international recovery campaign launched in November 2020 to rekindle passion for travel in Singapore.

Conceptualised alongside Publicis Groupe Singapore, the campaign puts a fresh spin on STB’s Passion Made Possible destination brand by spotlighting quintessentially Singapore experiences, from iconic attractions to hidden gems, that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary ones. 

From ‘forest bathing’ at the unexpected setting of Jewel Changi Airport’s Rain Vortex, to working up a sweat dining at Lau Pa Sat hawker centre and witnessing a colourful ‘air show’ at the all-new Mandai Bird Paradise, Singapore turns imagination into inspiring travel experiences.

Moreover, the campaign also aims to keep Singapore top of mind and in conversations by showcasing the country’s key attributes: an inspiring City in Nature that is not only vibrant and cosmopolitan but also rooted in open, multicultural heritage – a place where unexpected twists on familiar moments are made possible.

The campaign is launched with a film directed by Singaporean filmmaker Martin Hong, best known for his music videos with international artists such as Billie Eilish.

Kenneth Lim, assistant chief executive for marketing group at STB, said, “The Made in Singapore campaign is anchored on our Passion Made Possible destination brand, which embodies the Singapore spirit of fulfilling individual passions and creating new possibilities. Through this latest campaign, we would like to reinforce Singapore as a destination that turns imagination into reality. Our goal is to showcase how everyday ordinary moments are made extraordinary and unforgettable, experienced only in Singapore – to inspire travel here.”

Meanwhile, Janson Choo, executive creative director at BBH Singapore and The Shophouse @ Publicis, commented, “One thing we can proudly say about Singapore is that we make things happen. This spirit has turned us into a rather extraordinary place, never settling for the familiar, constantly pushing to be better and, essentially, making imagination come to life. If we can think it, we can do it. And through this campaign, we hope this passion of making things happen can inspire travellers to want to see our imaginative experiences in the flesh.”

‘Made in Singapore’ will roll out across key markets globally including China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, amongst others. Anchored on the film, the full-funnel campaign incorporates activations, brand partnerships, and always-on paid media. Crucially, collaborations with content creators and influencers will engage interest communities and build talkability about Singapore as an unforgettable destination, while two social-first content series are on the horizon.