Tag: Singapore

Singapore – BlackLine, Inc. announced today the appointment of Emily Campbell, as chief marketing officer, effective January 2nd. She will be directly reporting to co-CEO Owen Ryan. 

Campbell is in charge of leading BlackLine’s worldwide marketing strategy in her capacity as CMO. In this role, her primary goal is to capitalise on the company’s leadership in digital finance transformation to fulfil the growing demand for solutions from across the globe that improve automation, efficiency, risk management, and financial control for the office of the CFO.

Campbell joins BlackLine with over 25 years of experience leading marketing teams. Most recently, Campbell held the position of chief marketing officer at Infinite Electronics. She oversaw communications, inside sales, e-commerce, customer experience, worldwide brand marketing strategy, and technical support in her capacity there. 

Before that, she was Arrow Electronics’ head of global marketing and digital innovation, where she oversaw demand generation initiatives through a variety of channels and helped build the company’s e-commerce sales channel. In addition to her vast experience, Campbell worked at Dell Technologies for 14 years in senior marketing and product management positions. 

Speaking about the appointment, Ryan said, “Emily has a strong track record building and growing technology brands globally, with a particular focus on demand generation for enterprise sales. The diversity and success of her past experiences speak to her ability to drive effective results across all facets of marketing.” 

He added, “Emily will be a critical part of our strategy as the premier accounting and finance platform for the Office of the CFO.”

Meanwhile, Campbell said, “BlackLine represents a perfect blend of innovation and impact. I’m excited to help elevate awareness of the company’s value proposition within the Office of the CFO, increase customer engagement, support growth initiatives, and strengthen our platform offering.” 

“It’s not just about marketing a product or solution; it’s about being a mission-critical part of our customers’ digital finance transformation journeys and changing how their businesses operate and thrive in the modern world,” Campbell stated. 

Singapore – As we step into the promising realm of 2024, the marketing landscape in Southeast Asia is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by evolving consumer behaviours, technological advancements, and dynamic market trends. In this era of unprecedented connectivity and digitalisation, businesses are challenged to adapt swiftly to stay relevant and competitive. The region, known for its diverse cultures, rapidly growing economies, and technological adoption, is poised to witness groundbreaking shifts in marketing strategies. 

From embracing digital advancements to fostering sustainability and social responsibility, brands that proactively respond to the changing needs and expectations of consumers will be well-positioned for success in this dynamic region. The journey ahead promises challenges, but for those ready to seize the opportunities, the marketing landscape in Southeast Asia in 2024 holds immense potential for growth and impact.

To provide brands and marketers with the most up-to-date knowledge, best practices, and resources to ready themselves for the forthcoming industry trends and forecasts, MARKETECH APAC’s upcoming “What’s NEXT 2024” conferences has officially announced added details regarding its initial roster of speakers, as well as opportunities for both sponsors and attendees.

Its first conference for the year will be held in Singapore on March 7, 2024 at the Furama City Centre. Attendees of the What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in Singapore one-day conference will be able to learn more about discussions and insights from these marketing leaders on topics revolving around AI, digital advertising, customer engagement, e-commerce, and customer experience. The initial lineup of speakers includes:

  • Jaslyin Qiyu, SVP, Head of Client Marketing and Digital Capabilities at Citi Singapore
  • Ronnie Brown, Chief Marketing & Distribution Officer at DirectAsia Singapore
  • Sulin Lau, Regional Head of Marketing and Brand for Deliveries, Mobility, Fintech & B2B at Grab
  • Jenny Tang, Head, Digital Marketing at Singapore Management University
  • Sophia Ong, Group Communications and Corporate Marketing at Singapore Post

Meanwhile, the next leg of the conference, What’s NEXT 2024: Marketing in the Philippines, will be held from March 19 to 20 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. Aside from the topics that will be covered in the Singapore conference, attendees for this two-day conference in the Philippines will also be learning insights regarding consumer insights, branding, and influencer marketing. The initial lineup of speakers includes:

  • Katrina Gonzalez, Global Marketing Director at Coins.ph
  • Benjamin Quiroga-Rivera, managing director, APAC at Emma Sleep
  • Greg Anonas, Marketing Director at Emperador Distillers, Inc.
  • Denice Sy, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc.
  • Rochelle Vandenberghe, Chief Marketing and Digital Business Officer at FWD Insurance
  • Raymund Villanueva, Chief Marketing Officer at GoTyme Bank

This follows the successful hosting of the What’s Next 2023: Marketing in Malaysia hybrid conference in the Philippines on December 5, 2023 at the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur. The conference was attended by more than 200 in-person attendees and more than 100 virtual attendees including a diverse pool of Malaysian and international brands and agencies.

To learn how to be a part of this conference, click HERE for details on the Singapore conference, and HERE for details on the Philippine conference.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Joven Barceñas at [email protected]. Meanwhile, please contact Katherine Sy at [email protected] for speaking opportunities; and Jizelle Barceñas at [email protected] for registrations.

Singapore – Following the company’s commitment to enhancing financial accessibility to MSMEs, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, in collaboration with CGC Digital, has recently announced a strategic investment in Funding Societies, a small and medium enterprise digital finance platform in Southeast Asia.

The investment targets expansion in areas beyond Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, and Johor, with plans to serve more than 25, 000 MSMEs across Malaysia by the end of 2025. This move intends to provide better financial access, spur growth, and facilitate scalability, contributing to job creation and income development for the individuals employed by these businesses.

This initiative is also accompanied by the company’s goal to extend the reach of Islamic financing solutions introduced in Malaysia earlier this year.

Khazanah’s investment is in line with its Dana Impak mandate, a key component of its Advancing Malaysia strategy. This investment aligns with the government’s vision of improving the performance of MSMEs by providing increased access to financing, fostering opportunities, and driving socioeconomic growth in rural, semi-urban, and underserved communities with limited access to financial services.

The collaboration with CGC Digital, on the other hand, is aimed at influencing the Malaysian MSME ecosystem, given Khazanah’s simultaneous investment in funding societies.

In particular, this collaboration encompasses digital guarantee products on the platform, extending sustained support to Malaysian micro and small businesses in securing long-term financing. With a digital-first approach and leveraged alternative data, the digital guarantee product aims to provide micro and small businesses with more extensive and cost-effective access to financing.

Speaking about this feat, Dato’ Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir, managing director at Khazanah, said, “The investment in funding societies reflects our commitment to fostering financial inclusion and bridging the funding gap, especially within the MSME community. Being the backbone of Malaysia’s economy and contributing nearly half of the nation’s employment, MSMEs are both critical and critically underserved. Hence, this investment aligns with our mission of contributing to nation-building and socioeconomic growth.”.

Yushida Husin, CEO at CGC Digital, also expressed her delight with the recent collaboration, stating, “CGC Digital sees this investment as a strategic win for Malaysian MSMEs. We share Dana Impak’s vision and believe that, by working together with Khazanah, CGC Digital can advance financial inclusion among underserved and unserved MSMEs in the digital ecosystem.

“CGC Digital seeks to push the envelope by developing a suite of innovative digital guarantee products for thin-file MSMEs that can be offered together with Funding Societies’ financing products to increase their chance of obtaining much-needed financing,” she added.

Speaking about the strategic investment, on the other hand, Datuk Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak, board member at CGC Digital and president and CEO of CGC Digital’s parent company, Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad, shared his sentiment as well, saying, “By joining forces with Khazanah and Funding Societies, this strategic investment by CGC Digital shows CGC Group’s commitment to taking Malaysian MSMEs, especially thin-file MSMEs, to the next level.”

Kelvin Teo, co-founder and group CEO at Funding Societies, said, “We are honoured to receive support from Khazanah and CGC Digital, who share our conviction to impact MSMEs. This is a testament to our commitment towards extending credit to reach more underserved MSMEs. We would also progressively offer MSMEs more cash flow management solutions to power their growth.”

“This is where funding societies seek to step in by serving the region’s MSMEs’ cash management challenges and needs with our extensive reach and broad range of short-term financing solutions,” Teo concluded.

Singapore – E-commerce company Lazada, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group, faces staff reductions in its Singapore office amidst the 2024 new year transition, The Edge Singapore reported.

An employee familiar with the matter has revealed that senior and junior employees from multiple departments, including those from commercial and marketing teams, had received individual calendar meeting invites from the company’s human resources department at the end of the January 2 workday.

The anonymous employee further revealed that the layoffs, which began on January 3, are speculated to last until January 5, as the HR department has reserved all meeting rooms until the end of the week.

Additionally, Lazada Singapore has also been operating without an in-house communications department since last year.

Currently, there is no exact number as to how many employees have been laid off from the company’s Singapore unit.

The reports of layoffs come months after Lazada Singapore’s former CEO, Loh Wee Lee, left the company in August 2023. He has since been replaced by Jason Chen, who also serves as the group chief business officer at Lazada.

Singapore – Accenture has agreed to buy Jixie, a media and marketing technology company. Accenture’s integration of Jixie’s intelligent digital marketing platform and team intends to improve the firm’s marketing transformation capabilities and resources.

This strategic move aims to help Indonesian clients provide more individualised experiences. It is facilitated by Accenture Song, the company’s tech-powered creative group. Increasing client involvement is the aim in order to achieve long-term business growth.

Jixie, based in Singapore, offers a wide range of monetization and marketing growth tools, with a focus on Indonesian clients. The company’s platform serves as an advertising ecosystem that makes it accessible to publishers and brand owners to work together to co-create solutions that are grounded in consumer data. This transformation makes marketing a strategic focus instead of a dispersed, uncontrollable process, improving accessibility and safeguarding consumer privacy, brand safety, and data.

Publishers may maximise advertising revenues by using Jixie’s platform to access monetization capabilities such as performance marketing and header-bidding solutions. On the other hand, brand owners can improve and safely include content without the need for middlemen, utilising insightful data to create unique and significant brand interactions.

Speaking about the acquisition, Jayant Bhargava, country managing director, Indonesia, at Accenture, said, “The convergence of marketing, data science and technology creates opportunities for businesses to redefine their customer engagement model. Jixie’s intelligent digital marketing solutions complement our technology expertise, providing a winning proposition for businesses to bring a higher level of personalization and effectiveness to their marketing efforts. 

“This acquisition will allow us to better serve our clients in navigating complex marketing challenges in this era of interconnected digital world, which is crucial in driving long-term growth,” Bhargava added. 

Meanwhile, Vincent Martin, co-founder and managing director, Jixie, said, “Jixie has seen proven success in its marketing performance capabilities that boost publishers’ revenue and the formation of an ecosystem that has attracted advertisers to run successful campaigns. The next step for us is scale. We’re thrilled to be joining Accenture and contribute to shaping a more sustainable media industry, helping companies leverage their data in a trusted and advantageous manner in service of their customers.”

Joseph Tan, Indonesia lead for Accenture Song, stated, “The value of data in today’s rapidly changing digital economy is immense, and the digital media ecosystem has seen much disruption, including the impending loss of third-party cookies. Jixie is an impactful platform that amplifies publishers’ perspectives and simplifies the digital marketing experience. This investment extends Accenture Song’s data-led commerce and marketing transformation work in Indonesia, empowering clients with highly relevant and results-driven solutions for sustainable business growth.” 

Singapore – With a 30.2% WOM exposure score, the nature-themed retail complex Changi Airport Jewel is Singapore’s most talked-about retail and leisure space over the month of November, data from YouGov BrandIndex revealed.

Changi Airport Jewel’s WOM exposure score indicates the percentage of consumers who have talked about it to family and friends over the past two weeks. With a score of 30.2%, it comes out ahead of other top sites.

Other well-known shopping malls and leisure attractions that made it to the list based on WOM scores are Gardens by the Bay (19.3%), Universal Studios Singapore (15.5%), VivoCity (12.9%), Bugis Junction (11.2%), Plaza Singapura (11.2%), Suntec City (10.7%), ION Orchard (10%), Marina Bay Sands (9.5%), and Somerset 313 (8.2%).

Changi Airport Jewel also snags the top spot on the list of leisure places of interest that consumers have heard the most good things about in the past two weeks, generating a net Buzz score of 34.2 over the month of November. This is followed by Gardens by the Bay (22.8), Universal Studios Singapore (14.3), VivoCity (12.7), Suntec City (10.8), ION Orchard (10.7), Plaza Singapura (10.6), Marina Bay Sands (10.6), Bugis Junction (9.6), and Somerset 313 (7.9).

Additionally, when asked about public places that they are considering visiting next, 38.2% of consumers also named Changi Airport Jewel. It’s consideration score places it on the lead, ahead of Gardens by the Bay (27.8%), VivoCity (23.8%), Suntec City (22%), ION Orchard (21.1%), Plaza Singapura (21%), Bugis Junction (19.7%), Universal Studios Singapore (16.9%), Marina Bay Sands (16.3%), and Somerset 313 (15.5%).

According to YouGov’s report, Changi Airport Jewel’s high scores can be attributed to the year-end travel season that boosts consumer chatter around the airport. However, its seasonal attractions, such as Changi Festive Village’s Candy Wonderland and Snow House at Terminal 3 and the Super Mario ‘Pipe Around the World’ at Jewel Mall, could have also contributed to the buzz among consumers.

Singapore – Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) low-cost subsidiary, has announced the launch of “Scoot With Heart,” a campaign that promotes the value of human connections and encourages meaningful reunions through travel. 

Physical distances and the growth of digital media are blamed for the rise in social isolation since they reduce the need for in-person encounters. In response, Scoot’s most recent campaign seeks to create meaningful connections and meaningful dialogues in order to initiate positive changes in communities across its network.

During its first campaign, Scoot worked with The Smart Local and other community-based social service organisations like Lions Befrienders and the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (FAST) to plan two families’ very touching reunions. Pelago provided funding for the families’ on-the-ground activities in Singapore, and Mercure covered one of the families’ hotel stays as part of their support for the campaign.

Speaking about the campaign, Agatha Yap, Scoot director of marketing, communications, marketing partnerships and loyalty, said, “Travel is more than just getting to a destination; it is about connecting cultures and people we love. Scoot With Heart is also more than just a marketing campaign; it is our way of encouraging the community to treasure the human connections they have in their lives.” 

She added, “Whether it is making an effort to put your mobile phone aside at the dining table to have a genuine chat with a loved one, or to ring up a friend just to check-in and re-connect, we hope that this campaign sparks off such meaningful conversations once again.”

Singapore – Skyscanner, the global travel marketplace, looks at a year in which it assisted a record number of passengers in experiencing the world. It now provides a complete overview of Singapore’s travel trends for 2023.

Bangkok maintains its position as the most popular destination in 2023. Travellers from Singapore clearly consider The Land of Smiles to be their first choice, whether they are taking tuk-tuk rides, taking in the nightlife of the city, enjoying mango sticky rice and drinking Thai milk tea at lively night markets, or touring the newest, largest shopping malls.

Bali was named the second most popular location for Singaporean tourists this year. Bali’s attraction is based on its beaches, beach clubs, and a range of water activities, including surfing experiences, making it the ideal retreat for friends, couples, and children.

Travellers from Singapore are increasingly opting to visit affordable Southeast Asian destinations that provide cultural experiences and varied culinary options in the current year. Yogyakarta is the most affordable travel destination, according to Skyscanner data, with return tickets averaged about S$168 per person in 2023.

Yogyakarta is ranked seventh out of the top ten trending locations for Singaporeans in Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024 report, indicating one of the largest annual growth rates in search volume.

Speaking about the travel trends, Cyndi Hui, a trend expert, said, “Looking back on the year of travel shows how Singapore has embraced the freedoms of international travel despite the pinch on purse strings. We see how this traveller behaviour correlates with the emerging trends for 2024. Our latest Travel Trends 2024 report highlights how value will remain a key consideration, but not at the expense of cultural exploration, travellers are simply being savvier with how they travel.” 

She added, “Next year will see Singapore travellers planning trips to smaller cities in their favourite country, Japan, with 4 Japanese cities coming out as the top trending destination for 2024. We also predict Los Angeles in the US to be a great-value destination for SG travellers in 2024, with flights having dropped by almost a quarter over the past 12 months.” 

“2024 will also see Singapore travellers going on Netflix-inspired vacations, with 84% being inspired to take a trip to a destination they’ve seen on the big or small screen. In addition, many may be heading abroad to see their favourite artists play, with almost half (46%) saying they would travel to short-haul destinations to hear their favourite tracks live,” Hui stated. 

Singapore – According to the most current YouGov Surveys data, three out of every five Singaporean customers (61%) are members of at least one airline loyalty program. 

Singapore Airlines/Scoot KrisFlyer emerges as the preferred loyalty program, with nearly half (48%) of respondents members, much outnumbering Emirates Skywards (8%) and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (6%), which rank second and third.

When asked which two major benefits they appreciate most as members of an airline loyalty program, more than half (55%) stressed the importance of redeeming their miles for discounted or free trips.

Approximately 38% of people consider seat upgrades to be the most important benefit, while 27% value airport lounge access, making up the top three most desired perks.

Travel savings on hotel bookings (20%) and more luggage allowance (18%) are the most popular incentives, outranking bargains on retail purchases (13%), priority boarding (12%), and dedicated customer service (6%).

Although the relative popularity of certain benefits is stable across genders, women have a significantly higher preference for redeeming miles for discounted or free flights (60% vs. 51%), while men prioritise airport lounge access (32% vs. 22%).

The most popular reward across various generations of airline loyalty club members is receiving discounts or redemptions on flight tickets, with Millennials indicating a particularly strong preference (62%). Furthermore, when compared to members of other age cohorts, Gen Z members of airline loyalty clubs are significantly more likely to value additional luggage capacity (23%).

When asked how they typically decide on foreign travel bookings, nearly half (47%) of airline loyalty program members said they start by researching possibilities among airlines with whom they have loyalty membership. 14% of this group said they generally limit their options to flights offered by those specific carriers.

Approximately one in every five people (21%) like to first look for flights that match their vacation plans before using their loyalty membership to narrow down the available possibilities. 

Nonetheless, 29% of respondents said their airline loyalty program membership has no bearing on their international flight ticket purchases.

Furthermore, men are substantially more likely than women to prioritise airlines where they have a loyalty membership at the start of their search for foreign flight tickets, with percentages of 51% and 41%, respectively.

Significantly, more than a third of Baby Boomers (35%) said their airline loyalty memberships have no influence on their selections to purchase overseas flight tickets.

Singapore – Around 35%, or more than a third, of Singaporean consumers are members of at least one hotel loyalty programme, a survey from YouGov revealed.

When asked about the top benefits hotel loyalty club members appreciate, the survey revealed that the most popular perk is redeeming loyalty points for a discounted or complimentary stay, with 43%, or more than two-fifths of respondents, saying they enjoyed it.

Additionally, around 31%, or close to one in three, cited early check-in and late check-out as the top advantages of their membership. The list rounds up with free breakfast at 28% as the third most popular perk.

Aside from the top three perks, around a quarter, or 26%, said they appreciate room upgrades the most, while some enjoy the discounted or priority access to hotel facilities that their membership offers.

The ranking of these loyalty membership perks also varies across different generations of members. Regardless of age, the discounted or complimentary stay offered by loyalty programmes remains the most popular perk for club members. However, it showed that Gen X (36%) members are more likely to hold free breakfast as their favourite perk, while Millennials (33%) prefer the room upgrade perk.

In terms of how they book their travel accommodations, over a quarter (27%) of loyalty programme members said they start off by searching among hotel chains of which they are a loyalty member before they narrow down the prices and proximity to their place of interest.

On the other hand, around two in five (41%) prioritise looking for hotels that are close to their place of interest before considering price and loyalty programme membership. Lastly, 30% first look for hotels within their travel budget before considering their loyalty programme membership and the proximity to their specific places of interest.

It is also worth noting that the survey found men (31%) to be more likely to prioritise hotels where they are loyal members when searching for overseas travel accommodations compared to women (21%). And across generations, Gen Z (34%) and Baby Boomers (30%) are significantly more likely to start their hotel search based on loyalty membership compared to Millennials (23%) and Gen X (26%) travellers.

The survey also revealed Marriot Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards as two of the most popular hotel loyalty programmes Singaporean consumers subscribe to.

About one in eight (12%) consumers are members of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. This includes consumers at EDITION, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, W Hotels, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Westin, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Delta, Fairfield Inn & Suites, City Express, Aloft, and Moxy.

Meanwhile, one in nine (11%) are subscribed to a loyalty programme from IHG One Rewards. This includes consumers at Regent, Six Senses, InterContinental, Kimpton, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, voco, Holiday Inn, Garner, avid, and Vignette Collection.

Also making it to the top list is Accor Live Limitless or Accor Plus, with one in fifteen (8%) consumers subscribed to loyalty programmes at Sofitel, MGallery, Raffles, Banyan Tree, Fairmont, Swissotel, Orient Express, Pullman, Angsana, Mondrian, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Novotel, Mecure, Mantra, Tribe, ibis, and BreakFree.

Other hotels with popular loyalty programmes are Hilton Honors (8%), Shangri-La Circle (7%), and the World of Hyatt (6%).