Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Pizza Hut Delivery (PHD) Indonesia has designated GroupM-owned companies, global media network MediaCom, and programmatic business Xaxis to handle all of its future programmatic campaigns.

According to a press release by Xaxis, PHD Indonesia pivoted to run more programmatic campaigns to ensure that its marketing efforts reached only the most relevant audiences.

Xaxis said that one of the weak links it targeted to fix for PHD is its disconnected online and offline customer data, which makes for a lack of visibility into the overlap and differences between its in-store and digital customers.

With such pain point, Mediacom will be taking over to consolidate audience insights with the use of Xaxis’ audience analysis solution Beyond.

Alfitrahmat Saputro, brand digital manager of PHD shared that unlike traditional panel-based market research, Beyond provided them with an audience analysis based entirely on the real-world behavior of their actual customers on both the website and physical stores.

Meanwhile, Yunnita Avreda, country head for Xaxis Indonesia said, “We were excited to work with a client so open to trying new innovations. With customers who can interact with the brand online through their delivery website, in-store, or through pick-up and take-out, Pizza Hut Delivery Indonesia was a perfect fit for Beyond and its capability to bridge online and offline consumer data.”

Xaxis Beyond will be made available across the APAC region.

United States – As more businesses in the APAC region turn to eCommerce amid the pandemic, Google has decided to make it free for merchants to list their products on the Google Shopping tab, which takes effect in mid-October.

The free listing has been available in India and Indonesia since 2019 and was earlier introduced to the United States in April as part of its COVID support to retailers.

“For retailers, this change means free exposure to millions of people who come to Google every day for their shopping needs, regardless of whether they advertise on Google. For shoppers, it means more products from more stores, discoverable through the Google Shopping tab. For advertisers, it means paid campaigns can now be augmented with free listings,” said President of Google for APAC Scott Beaumont on a product update.

Google said the time of the pandemic changed the way people shop and sell in the region. According to Google analysis, 53% of online shoppers in APAC stated that they’ll choose to buy online more frequently after the pandemic, while almost 40% who weren’t online shoppers before said they intend to continue buying online.

To help retailers adjust to the changes, Google will be offering skills training through its dedicated learning resource Grow with Google. Google will also be sharing research and insights on its market research platform Think with Google to inform retailers’ business decisions.

In addition, Google has launched a playbook and webinar series on how to better manage digital storefronts. It will also be working closely with a number of partners to help merchants manage their products and inventory; this includes global partners like eCommerce platform Shopify, and those across the region such as Vietnam-based SEO website design platform Haravan, eCommerce Shopline in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and Thailand’s eCommerce business provider LnwShop.  

The free listings will be automatically applied to retailers already registered on its Merchant Center and those currently using Shopping Ads, while for new registrants, Google will continue working to streamline the onboarding process over the coming weeks.

Singapore – State-owned Thai telecommunications company TOT has collaborated with Genesys, a California-headquartered cloud customer experience and contact center solutions to accelerate its contact centers.

According to a press release by Genesys, TOT, as a company responsible for operating government contact centers in Thailand, experienced a surge in call volumes when the Coronavirus broke out.

To effectively manage the increase in calls, Genesys embedded machine learning and conversational AI capabilities with the use of Genesys Cloud and Google Cloud Contact Center AI (CCAI) into its system, allowing callers to now interact with AI-powered virtual agents who are able to accurately capture a customer’s intent easily, routing them to the agents most well placed to handle their needs.

Genesys Cloud is the company’s proprietary web-based unified communications solution, connecting contact center users, business users, vendors, partners, and customers; while Google Cloud CCAI is Google’s solution that helps integrate AI into contact center processes.

According to Genesys, one of the pain points it has also targeted for TOT in integrating the new solution is the company’s added complication of having less manpower to receive calls amid social distancing measures.

“The telecom provider needed a solution capable of scaling rapidly to meet the unexpected surges in call volume, address a constantly evolving set of requirements, optimize agent resources, and still deliver superior customer satisfaction with empathy,” said Genesys.

Senior Director for Cloud and Digital at TOT K. Santhiphap Phoemmongkhonsap said that customer experience remains one of the most significant measures of success for TOT as a government organization.

Phoemmongkhonsap also shared that with audiences increasingly utilizing digital channels, TOT has made it a priority to modernize contact center infrastructure and maintain high customer experience standards despite significant changes to customer requirements due to COVID-19.

“TOT and Genesys shares a common vision of improving lives with technology, and we look forward to continue serving businesses and consumers in line with Thailand’s digital transition vision with a like-minded partner,” said Phoemmongkhonsap.

Commenting on the partnership, Gwilym Funnell, senior vice president, and general manager at Genesys Asia-Pacific said, “Genesys is honored to assist TOT in serving the needs of local businesses and consumers, and more importantly, harness technology to make lives better amid the ongoing pandemic. We operate with a strong belief in the transformational potential of AI and Cloud technologies for modern economies. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to collaborate with one of Thailand’s telecommunications pioneers to accelerate digital transformation within one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing internet economies.”

Meanwhile, Head of Product for Conversational AI at Google Cloud Antony Passemard said “The successful application of Google Cloud’s CCAI solution by Genesys for TOT is a tremendous example of how applied AI can help organizations digitally transform quickly, and ultimately drive stronger, more efficient experiences for their customers while maintaining control of their costs.”

Singapore – Amazon has announced that its annual deal event Prime Day will be running on its official dates, October 13 and 14. The event will be a first for Amazon Singapore since it launched last year. 

Aside from the discounts and savings in store for shoppers, Amazon will be launching e-Gift Cards on the event. Amazon.sg’s e-Gift cards can be redeemed on an extensive selection of products and during Prime Day, members who purchase at least S$50 e-Gift card in a single transaction will be able to receive a bonus e-Gift card of S$10. 

Amazon will also be introducing 10 new categories of products on Amazon.sg during the event. These will be musical instruments, gardening, furniture, jewelry, and watches, as well as luggage, business industrial, scientific supplies, and also video DVD, music, and software. 

Starting October 1, customers can already shop early exclusive offers and deals on Amazon.sg leading up to Prime Day. Each day from October 1 to 12, items from one of Amazon’s category will be up for a 30 – 45% discount.

“This year’s Prime Day is an amazing opportunity for Prime members to enjoy savings with thousands of deals, explore our new expanded selection and get their holiday shopping done early, all from the comfort of their homes. In the midst of an unprecedented year, we’re excited for Prime members in Singapore and worldwide to discover new ways to support local retailers and save big on everything they need and love,” said Henry Low, country manager of Amazon Singapore.

In an effort to build on the momentum of the event, Amazon Singapore has also partnered with digital media Mothership to launch a shopper personality quiz on the site to help shoppers discover their shopper persona.

Hong Kong – Travel and leisure booking platform Klook officially unveils the newest feature on its app, an interactive livestream called Klook Live!.

While users on Klook have only been enticed of new food and travel offerings via images and text on the app, users will now be able to view up-close the offerings through interactive and instant video content on Klook Live!. 

The feature has been formally launched in August in five APAC markets Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.

During this period, Klook released a series of hyper-localized content on Klook Live!, featuring offerings from food and dining to hotel staycation packages, where the five markets have reported a 4 times average uplift in conversion rates. This is compared to in-app conversion rates on an average day.

According to the brand’s data, in Thailand, a staycation surprise deal has been sold out in just eight minutes, while in Singapore, two out of three staycation bookings made within 24 hours were direct conversions as a result of the livestream. Both countries also experienced about a two times uplift in revenue compared to an average day. 

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, a number of food and dining exclusive deals were snapped up in less than five minutes. 

With the new feature, the brand aims to introduce traveltainment, to which it refers to as a new form of immersive content that elevates users’ ways of discovering and booking both local and overseas hospitality offerings.

“The pandemic has made users even more critical and discerning when making a purchase. With Klook Live!, we enable users to gain a more authentic look at our offerings, as well as directly ask questions in real-time before buying,” said Marcus Yong, vice president of APAC marketing. 

“Our early success demonstrates that users are increasingly demanding a new way to discover things-to-do, starting from their backyard. It also signals that users prefer a more entertaining, social, and personalized customer experience,” added Yong. 

During the livestream on Klook Live!, customers can interact directly with merchants, express their feelings through emoji and polls, redeem exclusive promo codes and check-out; all while watching a live episode.

According to the company, Klook Live! is designed to cater to the region’s growing demand for online video content on mobile devices. It refers to a study by digital research brand eMarketer, that over 1.2 billion Asia-Pacific users consume video content on their mobile devices in 2019, and that this is expected to increase by over 75% to 1.6 billion by 2023. 

The company also looks to leverage the forecast that video content is expected to be a norm post-pandemic as people consume more video content. According to a study by market research firm Globalwebindex, Gen Z respondents said that they expect their increased levels of consumption of social media, videos, and streaming services to continue even after the outbreak. 

On the merchant side, Klook is confident that the new feature will aid vendors in targeting their audience reach which has proven trickier amid the pandemic. 

“With international travel restrictions in place, merchants require creative platforms to showcase their offerings to local audiences and encourage them to support local businesses that depend on tourism. With Klook Live!, merchants of all sizes can bridge that gap and build stronger connections with local users, boosting brand awareness and sales,” the company said in a press statement.

In the coming weeks, Klook Live! will be rolling out more content and products, including episodic programs to unveil a new local carnival in Taiwan and indoor recreational parks in Malaysia among others

Klook Live! can be accessed by downloading the Klook app on Google Play or the App Store. 

Manila, Philippines – In its efforts to boost domestic tourism in the Philippines, AirAsia has partnered with local hotels in the country to launch SNAP, a new flight and hotel platform on airasia.com which offers convenient fly and stay packages.  

The airline will be offering an introductory SNAP promotion of up to 50% off on flights when consumers book a flight and hotel via the platform. This special promotional fare will be available on airasia.com from 21 to 27 September 2020, for travel from 21 September 2020 to 25 March 2021.

The airline assures in its press statement that it will be complying with advice and regulations from the local government, civil aviation authorities,  and global and local health agencies, including the World Health Organization. 

The company said that guests can expect enhanced safety measures throughout the entire journey, including pre-flight, in-flight, and arrival processes. These include the mandatory wearing of face masks to be permitted to travel, among others. Guests will also be advised to check and comply with measures implemented by local airport authorities for a smooth travel experience.

AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said, “We are pleased to launch SNAP in the Philippines to be able to provide new and affordable offerings on airasia.com, especially for business travelers and those planning for their future getaways once leisure travel is permitted.”

Isla added, “Aside from developing airasia.com as Asia’s fastest-growing super app, this initiative has opened up opportunities to work with partner hotels, as we start to recover from the effects of the pandemic which have devastated the travel and tourism industry. We look forward to forming more partnerships with more hotels in the future.”

Singapore – Openspace Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on investing in technology opportunities in Southeast Asia has appointed former Walt Disney’s APAC head for business development Jessica Huang Pouleur as its new executive director, while finance and investment executive Aristo Setiawidjaja has been tapped as the company’s senior advisor for Indonesia.

The company said that the new appointments come as the team expands its portfolio of investments in the region.

Aside from the executive director position, Pouleur will be joining as a member of the investment committee of OSV+, the company’s newly established opportunity fund focused on mid-stage technology investing.

For over ten years, Pouleur has been focused on Southeast Asian opportunities in telecommunications, media, and technology. As Walt Disney’s head of strategy and business development for APAC, Pouleur led and oversaw strategic initiatives and managed Disney’s investment and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity across the region including key aspects of its 17 billion US dollar acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Before that, she was with Providence Equity Partners as director based in Singapore, leading the evaluation and management of growth-stage investment opportunities across the SEA region.   

Meanwhile, Setiawidjaja is a board member and managing director of hospital network Hermina Hospitals in Indonesia amid joining Openspace Ventures. Prior to that, he was a director at investment firm Olympus Capital.

Poeleur, commenting on her appointment, “Southeast Asia is evolving rapidly as a market and my experience at Disney and Providence has given me a great perspective on the exciting opportunity set. Good investment opportunities start with a clear understanding of diverse regional consumer dynamics supported by relevant product development and leading technology. I am excited to join Openspace where I have known the Partners for a long time and watched with admiration as their team has helped build some of the best companies in the region.

Meanwhile, Setiawidjaja said, “As we deal with the new normal due to COVID and rethink how daily life will change in its aftermath, there are plenty of emerging opportunities in Indonesia and the region. I am looking forward to contributing my perspectives to Openspace in sectors it is investing in, which coincide with my domain knowledge of the sectors.”

Shane Chesson, founding partner at Openspace remarked, “Openspace is now operating four funds across the region with a team of 25 diverse individuals delivering on the unique requirements of technology investing in Southeast Asia. We welcome our new team members who add to this diversity and skill set. The investment environment is attractive during this phase and we will keep executing on our busy pipeline.”

Singapore – Local retailers selling on Amazon.sg can receive the Digital Resilience Bonus (DRB) administered by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), reminds the company in a press release.

DRB is one of the efforts by the Singapore government amid the pandemic to uplift the digital capabilities of businesses across their different points of operations. Initially, DRB is offered to F&B and retail enterprises. 

IMDA has listed the different solutions that enterprises can apply for a subsidy, which includes eCommerce. Sellers, if eligible, can receive a one-time S$2,500 automatic cash payout.

According to IMDA, in order to qualify, the enterprise must be incorporated on or before 26 May 2020 with a Food Service or Retail SSIC code, and has been using the digital solutions on IMDA’s list between 1 June 2020 and 30 June 2021.

Bernard Tay, the country leader for Amazon.sg seller services said, “As local retailers continue to adapt to the new normal, digitalisation is key to enabling them to build resilience and tap into new revenue streams domestically and internationally.”

He added, “Small and medium businesses are a part of Amazon’s DNA and we remain committed to their success. The new initiatives will provide the necessary push in encouraging local retailers to step up digitalisation efforts and we’re happy to work with IMDA on the Digital Resilience Bonus to offer additional support to them during this time of need.”

Just recently, Amazon has pledged to invest US$18 billion in 2020 to support small and medium businesses globally and an additional US$100 million assistance to be given out during its annual deal event Prime Day and throughout the holiday season.

The Singaporean unit of the company is also in an ongoing collaboration with Enterprise Singapore on the eCommerce Booster Package which will offer local retailers a one-time grant of up to S$9,000 when they register to sell with Amazon.sg.

Manila, Philippines – The European Parliament has released September 17 a resolution urging the Philippine government to renew the broadcast license of one of the largest media networks in the country, ABS-CBN. 

The parliament, which composed of 705 members from the member states of the European Union, regards the resolution to its diplomatic affairs with the Philippines, where it has made a number of addresses to the country’s present situation on human rights. 

In the document, the parliament laid out its position on the issue of press freedom, making a specific call to the country’s government to grant ABS-CBN its franchise.

The resolution read, “[The Parliament] is alarmed about the deteriorating level of press freedom in the Philippines.” 

“[The Parliament] recalls that press freedom and freedom of expression are fundamental components of democracy [and] calls on the Philippine authorities to renew the broadcast [license] of the main audio-visual group, ABS-CBN,” read the document.

The network’s franchise expired on May 4 of this year. Since 2014, the network has been applying for the renewal of its broadcast rights. Refusal to prioritize the network’s application is continuously being associated with the country president’s personal grievances due to allegedly biased news coverage involving the president. This has led to protests in the name of press freedom, occurring both online and on the streets. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Evolution Wellness, the owner and operator of an Asia-wide network of fitness clubs has announced that it has launched a licensing program for one of its clubs, premium boutique gym FIRE Fitness.

FIRE Fitness was established in Malaysia in 2015 by fitness industry veterans who are also husband and wife, Dave Nuku and Tracy Minnoch-Nuku, and fitness veteran Rich Hutson.

There are currently four FIRE Fitness clubs, or Firestations as they are called, in Malaysia delivering virtual and physical proprietary classes.

Evolution Wellness CEO Simon Flint said that within the licensing program, fitness entrepreneurs will have access to its unique entry-level yet high-quality FIRE-branded HIIT studio, FIRE Revolution, which delivers a CapEx-light concept. 

Meanwhile, at the premium end of the spectrum, investors in a FIRE license will also have the option to open one or more proprietary studio concepts under the same roof, said Flint. 

“For example, our downtown Kuala Lumpur club is a three-studio outlet, delivering [the fitness programs] FORCE, STRIKE, and BARRE at [that] one location,” added Flint.  

According to Flint, licensees will benefit from the expertise and industry know-how of Evolution Wellness, and receive on-going support in the form of marketing materials and workout content among others. 

“The FIRE signature class innovation pipeline is strong, and we are committed to continuing to deliver new fitness experiences to the market, and with the look and feel of the brand being every bit as exciting as the classes delivered on a daily basis, we can’t wait to see how the global fitness market responds to this great opportunity,” said Flint. 

FIRE Fitness’s line of signature programs include proprietary classes BARRE, FORCE, and RIDE as well as STRIDE and STRIKE, and are designed “to deliver engaging and uplifting results-driven fitness experiences in an intimate boutique environment.”

STRIDE combines treadmill running, weight training, and body weight movement, while in a STRIKE program, treadmill work is replaced by boxing moves. 

RIDE Yoga, on the other hand, combines thirty minutes of high-intensity sprints, followed by a power yoga segment which presents participants with the thrill of HIIT cycling and the calmness of yoga.

“FIRE Fitness’s signature programs are time-efficient and geared towards delivering results while transcending various exercise modalities. [About] 80% of signature classes comprise fusion classes which not only challenge the body in new ways but also keep fans motivated with variety,” said the company in a press statement. 

This year, FIRE fitness expanded its classes to include virtual sessions, being able to sign up an audience from Asia and outside countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Costa Rica.