Tag: Singapore

Singapore – Marketing and monetisation technologies provider InMobi has announced its strategic partnership with climate action programme Ad Net Zero to strengthen its commitment to developing more sustainable advertising practices. 

The partnership comes as InMobi recognises the growing importance of including sustainability in business decisions. 

The tech company’s resolute commitment to sustainability aligns with Ad Net Zero’s mission to revolutionise the advertising landscape through decarbonisation initiatives spanning ad production, distribution, and publication.

By joining forces, InMobi will align its future actions with Ad Net Zero’s five-step plan designed to minimise the carbon footprint of advertising. The organisation’s five-step plan highlights the need to reduce the carbon emissions coming from media and advertising production and operations. 

This partnership also builds on InMobi’s sustainability commitments to the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), Givsly, and AdTechCares. It recognises the significance of demonstrating sustainability efforts to both its existing clients and potential partners. 

Further highlighting their commitment to sustainable ad practices, the company is putting the spotlight on their InMobi Exchange. The platform is powered by Microsoft Azure, which boasts complete carbon neutrality.

The data gleaned from the Microsoft Azure Impact Emissions Dashboard showcases InMobi’s impressive emission reduction metrics, ranking them in the top fifth percentile compared to average server emission factors.

The server usage also demonstrated a remarkable 80–90% higher green efficiency compared to alternative on-premise solutions, even high-efficiency ones. And direct SDK integrations, when paired with machine learning, have driven emission reductions of up to 30%.

Kunal Nagpal, chief business officer at InMobi, said, “InMobi’s partnership with Ad Net Zero symbolises our dedication to ushering in a more sustainable era for the advertising industry.”

“We are proud to stand alongside fellow tech companies and agencies, united in the pursuit of a greener, more responsible future. By fully embracing Ad Net Zero’s comprehensive plan, we are steadfast in our commitment to minimising our environmental impact while advancing the power of advertising,” he continued.

Commenting on the partnership, Rishi Bedi, managing director at InMobi Asia Pacific, also said, “Our partnership with Ad Net Zero strengthens and accelerates InMobi’s commitment to creating a more sustainable advertising ecosystem.”

He added, “By embracing Ad Net Zero’s comprehensive five-step plan, InMobi will be able to further reduce carbon emissions, minimising our environmental impact while advancing the power of advertising across the globe.”

Meanwhile, John Osborn, director at Ad Net Zero U.S., said, “Ad Net Zero is thrilled to work with InMobi as they support more sustainable advertising solutions, contributing to our collective global impact. InMobi’s commitment is another significant step towards an eco-friendly future for the industry.”

Singapore – Asian gaming company Ampverse has announced the acquisition of Singapore-based gaming startup Championfy, which includes the startup’s .technology and IP assets. Said acquisition will help innovation within Ampverse Labs, cementing Ampverse’s position as a pioneering force in the realm of game-tech solutions for brands, fans, gamers and game publishers.

Some of the offerings that will be boosted include a proprietary gamification platform, an innovative reward system, and a robust gaming product marketplace.

Championfy, founded by Zad Ngor and Saurabh Sharma, industry veterans with previous roles at companies such as Google and Grab, had carved out a niche as a trailblazer in the gaming technology sphere.

Sascha Jochum, director of Web3 and Ampverse Labs at Ampverse, said, “The amalgamation of Ampverse and Championfy marks a pivotal moment in our journey. With Championfy’s impressive track record of collaborations with esteemed brands such as Razer and Samsung, we are poised to harness their technological prowess to fuel our mission of redefining game-tech solutions in the region.”

Meanwhile Zad Ngor commented, “We are thrilled to become an integral part of Ampverse, you can expect this collaboration to result in innovative products and services that will disrupt the gaming landscape. We share the same vision to connect brands with communities across Southeast Asia and India through immersive experiences and fostering meaningful connections.”

Ampverse Labs has been actively working on the development of new products, including a unique gaming product marketplace, an interactive quest tool, and a dynamic gamification solution. These innovations align seamlessly with Ampverse’s broader objective of leveraging first-party data through advanced technological tools and initiatives. 

Singapore – Global financial super app Revolut has onboarded two new animal welfare charities namely, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and SOSD, to its in-app donations platform in Singapore.

To encourage Singapore customers to support SPCA and SOSD, Revolut Singapore will be enabling personalised cards for all customers, with S$2.00 going straight to the aforementioned charities.  

Through this initiative, Revolut Singapore customers can play a part in supporting these organizations while at the same time getting their very own personalised card which they can design to show their love for animals with emojis, sketches and / or names of their pets. Additionally, they can also go directly to the Donations platform in-app and make a donation to the charity of their choice.

Furthermore, Revolut Singapore is also holding a social media giveaway, where customers can upload a photo or story of their personalized card on Instagram with the hashtag #MyPawsomeRevolut and tag @revolutapp, @spcasingapore and @sosdsingapore. The five most creative designs will win prizes, including a 6 months free Metal membership from Revolut, and prizes from SPCA and SOSD.

Ashley Thomas, head of strategy & operations at Revolut Singapore, said, “We are thrilled to partner with SPCA and SOSD to support the vital work they are doing. At Revolut, we are always looking for ways to make a positive impact on society and this partnership allows us to do just that.”

“By ordering their very own personalised card, customers can play an important role in supporting these charities. They can also make additional donations through our in-app Donations platform, enabling them to give back to the community and support causes they care about in a simple and effective way,“ she added.

Meanwhile, Aarthi Sankar, executive director at SPCA, also commented, “The SPCA is very grateful for partners like Revolut who share our commitment to animal welfare. Companies like Revolut exemplify the essence of social consciousness by ingeniously crafting pathways that not only align with their goals but also rally more individuals to champion impactful causes. They bridge the gap between commerce and compassion, cultivating a community of individuals who are not only customers but also compassionate advocates.”

Lastly, Magdalene Eng, head of outreach and fundraising at SOSD, mentioned, “SOSD is delighted to announce our collaboration with Revolut. All proceeds from the donations will be dedicated to SOSD, ensuring that it benefits the dogs in need.  We are grateful for this collaboration and the chance to improve the lives of our street dogs.“ 

Singapore – Global logistics service provider J&T Express Singapore has announced new enhancements to its existing services and collaborations to meet the shifting retail demands of businesses and consumers. 

The new enhancements are part of J&T’s broader move to tap into the latest trends in the B2B retail landscape and better meet the needs of both businesses and consumers. 

First on the list of improvements for the logistics service provider is the launch of an all-in-one delivery solution to provide B2B transportation for businesses. This is an addition to their current e-commerce logistics services and will respond to the increasing demand for flexible logistics services in the retail industry that ensure efficient and cost-effective order fulfilment.

The all-in-one delivery service will offer businesses different vehicle and shipping options, such as single- and multi-way transfer options, warehouse transfers, ad-hoc transfers for parcel deliveries, and less than truck loads (LTL) or full truck loads (FTL), to support varying transportation needs at competitive rates. 

J&T Singapore is also elevating its customer experience as it rolls out a series of new features to its flagship mobile app, J&T Singapore App. The new features include an improved and more user-friendly interface that can now detect the nearest J&T Point to the user based on their location for hassle-free parcel drop-off. 

Furthermore, the logistics service provider is strengthening its ongoing partnership with TikTok Shop and multi-category second-hand marketplace Carousell Singapore. 

On top of its current services, J&T Express Singapore will also work closely with TikTok Shop to provide sales and marketing support. The partnership aims to help drive sales for sellers in the form of competitions and co-funded platform vouchers, showcasing its mission to be “customer-oriented and efficiency-based”.

Meanwhile, as the first logistics service provider to be exclusively integrated into Carousell Singapore’s platform, J&T Express Singapore will bring users more convenient delivery options with fully integrated pick-up service options. This will include the upcoming next-day delivery, self-drop-off at J&T Points located islandwide, and return shipping with complimentary label printing service.

Speaking on the partnership, Doven Yap, head of seller acquisition and incubation at TikTok Shop Singapore, said, “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with J&T Express Singapore. With the support of such a reliable logistics partner, our sellers are empowered to deliver a more seamless shopping experience for customers.” 

Singapore – Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, latest research from YouGov Surveys reveals that more than one in three (36%) Singapore residents follow F1 motor racing.

Data from YouGov’s survey also states that the highest proportion of F1 followers in Singapore are from Gen X, and that men are also more likely to tune in to F1 than women, especially among Gen Z.

When asked about this year’s Singapore Grand Prix, about 32%  of F1 followers in Singapore said that they will be watching the race on-site. Notably, about 18% of attendees are attending the race in-person for the first time.

Talking about reasons for attending physically, 59% of this year’s attendees attribute the opportunity to meet up with friends to watch the race together with attending the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix in person, while on the other hand, 57% say that they just generally enjoy a trackside view of the race.

Furthermore, about half  of race goers also cite being a fan of one or more F1 drivers who will be competing in this year’s edition as one of the reasons they are getting tickets, while 39% will attend since they’re a fan of one or more artists who will be performing at this year’s entertainment lineup. 

On the other hand, 58% of Singaporean F1 followers say that they won’t be attending due to ticket prices being out of their budget this year. Notably, ticketing costs are by far the most common reason among past attendees who are not catching the race on site this year as well.

54% of fans also prefer catching the race via television broadcast, as do almost two-fifths among past attendees. The next most common reasons, following at a distance, are not being able to secure race tickets in time and not being interested in this year’s entertainment lineup.

Lastly, it is also worth mentioning that the survey also revealed Britain’s Lewis Hamilton as the driver with the largest fan base in Singapore, and when it comes to the performing artists, Robbie Williams is the most popular artist performing at this year’s Singapore Grand Prix. 

Singapore –  Multinational computer software company Adobe has officially launched Adobe GenStudio, a new solution that harnesses the power of generative AI for the enterprise content supply chain. 

Adobe’s GenStudio integrates Creative Cloud, Firefly, Express, AEM Assets, and Workfront to enable on-brand content creation at an amazing speed. 

This new end-to-end solution is expected to transform the enterprise content supply chain by combining the best of content ideation, creation, production, and activation on top of the power of generative AI. 

GenStudio puts the power of generative AI, smart automation, and agile editing into the enterprise content supply chain, empowering teams to work in real time to collaborate on creative ideas and decisions to deliver personalisation at scale. With this, the creative-to-activation processes that typically require weeks can now be done in hours or days.

Adobe’s integration of Firefly will provide commercially safe content generation for the platform. This will help companies rapidly move from ideation to content delivery across any channel, resulting in amazing customer experiences.

Other than the commercial safety offered by Firefly in GenStudio, Adobe also plans to include custom models, access to Firefly APIs, integrated workflows, and content insights that will provide analytics on content performance across channels.

GenStudio will also leverage the integration of Express Cloud to offer organizations dramatic acceleration in speed and agility without compromising quality or brand consistency. With Experience Cloud, experienced designers and marketers, such as campaign marketers, web site managers, social media marketers, and product managers, can create, edit, and version brand-approved assets for immediate personalization.

Furthermore, Adobe’s incorporation of Workfront, Firefly, and Experience Manager will accelerate and optimise the notoriously lengthy and expensive creative and activation processes without impacting business requirements. It will also create enterprise content workflows and enable content reuse through a single enterprise portal. 

Anil Chakravarthy, president of digital experience business at Adobe, said, “Generative AI has the potential to integrate high-velocity creative expression with complex enterprise activation to deliver a modern content supply chain that can meet the promise of personalization at scale.”

He added, “Adobe GenStudio gives creative and marketing teams what they need to take full advantage of generative AI and transform the creative-to-activation process with a seamless solution.”

Singapore – To promote its new protection offering, insurance company Income and BBH Singapore have teamed up to release the music video ‘Fallin’ Apart’, performed by the American band The Calling, in a bid to delve into the themes of resilience and courage to face life, even when it is falling apart.

According to the agency, ‘Fallin’ Apart’ emotively conveys the stress, uncertainty and raw feelings which can result from an unexpected health issue, married with the realisation that one is not adequately covered.

Moreover, the viewers are also directed to the campaign microsite where they can assess the potential size of their own insurance protection gap via a ‘protection gap calculator’.

Stella Tan, vice president and head of brand and segment marketing at Income Insurance, said, “Staying adequately covered with insurance is vitally important but often, easily overlooked. Now more than ever is the right time to invest in life, health and critical illness cover following the aftermath of the pandemic and the current economic downturn where unforeseen circumstances can hit anytime. We’re amazed by The Calling’s ability to transform our message into a powerful rock song that connects with our audience on a personal and emotive level.”

Meanwhile, Luke Somasundram, senior copywriter at BBH Singapore, commented, “Songs have the profound ability to reach a place deep in our brains by way of our hearts. And crafting one with The Calling lets us tap into nostalgia to convey a message that’s more relevant and urgent than ever.”

MARKETECH APAC also reached out to BBH Singapore and Income to learn more about the campaign’s creative direction and factors considered prior to the music video launch.

BBH Singapore told MARKETECH APAC that the campaign was simple yet an urgent message for viewers to avail insurance–told in a way that brings the messaging to life via a music video.

“The message behind this campaign is a simple but urgent one – it’s about ensuring that you have adequate insurance coverage before a medical emergency strikes. The song was a vehicle to bring to life the anxiety and helplessness one feels when one doesn’t know if they have adequate coverage,” the agency.

They also added that for the music video’s sentimental messaging, while they are full aware that not many people are comfortable with discussing sad topics, people are always drawn to forms of media that communicate such feeling.

“People don’t want to talk about sad or uncomfortable topics – like whether they have adequate insurance coverage. But it’s so naturally human to love a sad song. We realised the right song could let people connect with the emotions they would feel if they didn’t have adequate coverage, which in turn could inspire them to get covered. So we decided to create that song,” BBH Singapore told MARKETECH APAC.

They also added, “Singapore has one of the highest insurance protection gaps in Asia. This campaign was aimed at Singaporeans in the 30s to 40s who hadn’t ensured they were adequately covered. We worked with The Calling, a band that was massively popular in the early 2000s because we knew this was a band that would have strong emotional resonance with our target audience.”

Meanwhile, Income told MARKETECH APAC told the campaign is rooted from the brand’s objective of raising awareness and realisation amongst Singaporeans on the importance and urgency of having adequate protection to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances that can hit anytime.

Citing data from the Life Insurance Association (LIA), Income says that Singapore faces a 21% protection gap in mortality and 74% in critical illness

“To ensure that we resonate with Singaporeans as we tackle the topic of insurance protection and financial readiness, we turned to music, which is what many turn to when confronting difficult feelings or challenging times in life and related to Singaporeans in an entertaining way that cuts above the noise,” Income told MARKETECH APAC.

They also added, “In this campaign, we lyrically brought to life the campaign message that “Life can fall apart if you are not adequately covered” and motivated Singaporeans to cease the silver lining and beat the odds by being protected ahead of time.”

While there is a myriad of factors that may have contributed to their increased traction across the primary campaign touchpoints, Income told MARKETECH APAC it boils down to two factors.

“The use of music, which allows us to effectively speak to our target audience in a unique way that engages the mind and tugs at the heart strings, [and] the engagement of The Calling, which is a band that our target audience is familiar with and hence, would be more open to listen to the song and subsequently the message that we want to bring across,” they concluded.

Singapore – Singaporean digital marketing agency MediaOne Business Group has announced that it will be distilling its strategies and services to cater specifically to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore as a recognized Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) accredited vendor, which helps Singaporean companies improve their productivity and automate existing processes through IT solutions and equipment.

The PSG accreditation demonstrates MediaOne’s commitment to helping businesses become profitable, grow, and achieve self-sustainability in terms of marketing and market share in an accelerated time frame.

With a track record of providing double-digit growth in client traffic, reach, and engagement, as well as thousands of search engine ranking improvements and impressive ROI, MediaOne has enabled SMEs to enhance their online presence, reach a broader audience, and increase their revenue streams.

Recognizing the growing importance of social media in the digital landscape, MediaOne has also recently been awarded accreditation to offer social media marketing and social media advertising services to further support businesses in their marketing endeavors.

In addition to its PSG accreditation, MediaOne also encourages SMEs to act swiftly, as support from the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) grants may see reductions by the middle of next year. By partnering with MediaOne, SMEs can take advantage of PSG-accredited services and SFEC grants to optimize their marketing efforts and drive growth.

Tom Koh, CEO of MediaOne, said, “We are delighted to extend our PSG-accredited services to include social media marketing and advertising. This accreditation is a testament to our dedication to providing top-tier digital marketing solutions. We have witnessed strong and sustained demand for these services, and we are committed to helping SMEs succeed in the ever-evolving digital marketplace.”

Singapore – Ogury, a global personalsed advertising company, has appointed Wilfried Schobeiri as its new chief technology officer. In this role, Schobeiri will work closely with Ogury’s executive team to improve and strengthen the business’s unique technology platform.

In his new role, he will be in charge of the company’s strategic technology vision implementation, improving its cookieless and ID-less solution at an important time in the market. He will be based in Paris, report directly to Ogury CEO Geoffroy Martin, and join the executive committee of the business.

With 20 years of experience in the technology sector, Schobeiri has a track record of managing large-scale, international technology projects and effective product development teams. He was the chief technology officer at Banyan, a fintech and data infrastructure company, before he joined Ogury. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president and chief product officer at Revantage, where he oversaw the creation of the product for Blackstone’s platform for real estate data.

During his time at MediaMath, Schobeiri held the positions of chief technology officer and chief product officer, where he oversaw the company’s global efforts in product strategy and technology development. 

Schobeiri was a board member for the IAB Tech Lab while working for various companies. A key contributor to the creation of the IAB Europe’s Transparency & Consent Framework during his tenure, he helped the industry establish a common language for expressing consumer preferences regarding the use of their data for advertising purposes. 

Additionally, he has served as the board chairman for several adtech and data companies, including Ocient, Ergatta, and Truthset. He is still doing this today, continuing to provide his knowledge to help them grow.  

Speaking about his appointment, Schobeiri said, “I’m excited to join Ogury because we are one of the few adtech companies that have fully embraced the technical shifts in the privacy landscape. A true precursor of change, Ogury anticipated market needs to provide advertisers with performance and relevance without collecting personal data, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

Meanwhile, Martin commented, “We are thrilled to welcome a prominent industry and technology expert such as Wil to Ogury. His experience and knowledge, which lie at the intersection of RTB and privacy while also building and scaling high-performing teams, make him the perfect fit for us.”

Singapore – SoftServe, a provider of IT consulting and digital services, launches its Generative AI Lab with the objective of assisting businesses in achieving concrete business results through the application of Generative AI solutions.

Through research and development of generative models in numerous AI applications, the newly established lab strengthens SoftServe’s AI/ML knowledge. It is supported by a team of professionals committed to improving the potential of Generative AI, spanning from initial discovery to practical integration.

The SoftServe Generative AI Lab will support research and development projects in a variety of areas, including model improvement, domain adaptation, multimodal Generative AI, cost-performance enhancements, operational management (LLMOps), and other facets. Its goal is to combine various technologies and methodologies within these focus areas to create spanning a range of industries.

The expertise and resources developed in the lab will be incorporated into realistic business scenarios by matching these research priorities with the requirements and plans of SoftServe’s clients for efficient implementation.

Alex Chubay, SoftServe’s chief technology officer, said, “Unlike other areas with more developed and mature best practices, Generative AI stands out with its novelty and emergent properties unveiling not just technological innovations, but also groundbreaking use cases that may redefine business strategies.” 

He remarked, “The pace of innovation here is staggering, often overwhelming businesses with new advancements released weekly. This is where the Generative AI Lab shines. It’s not just a hub for rapid experimentation, value discovery, and solution engineering with the latest techniques and technologies. It’s a conduit for channeling this explosive innovation directly to our clients.”

Meanwhile, Iurii Milovanov, SoftServe’s AVP of AI & Data Science, commented, “To move forward, we must be strategic about implementation. This is where a pragmatic approach becomes critical to proving these once-hypothetical possibilities can make real impacts across various business functions and industries.”