Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Popular dating app Tinder has rolled out a new public awareness campaign to safeguard users in Southeast Asia against romance scams. The in-app campaign is part of Tinder’s commitment to ensure the platform provides a safe space where users can make meaningful connections.

From August 28 to September 10, Tinder users will receive an alert upon launching the Tinder app, where they can get directed to more information on how they can stay cautious of romance scams on the app. The campaign will also be accompanied by in-app inbox messages and push notifications. 

In Singapore, Tinder users will be directed to Scam Alert SG – a resource supported by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF). The comprehensive guide will serve to remind Tinder users to be alert and aware as they look to make new connections online. 

Meanwhile, in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, users can browse tips on Tinder’s Romance Scam resource that details actions they can take to protect themselves from online scams. This includes insights on the frequent methods of a romance scammer, alongside a list of Tinder’s suite of in app safety tools that can help fight fraud, including reporting and verification tools and more. 

Users can also access their local Tinder’s Safety Centre, an evolving in-app section dedicated to keeping daters informed about safety features while providing guides, tools and resources.

Earlier this year, Tinder’s parent company Match Group announced that its companies are continuing making investments to enhance machine learning tools that proactively detect, prevent and remove spam across Match Group’s global portfolio.

Additionally, nearly 5 million bots and spam accounts have been removed between January and March 2023 — before the accounts gained access to the platform or shortly after signup, in an effort to prevent potential harm. 

Papri Dev, vice president for APAC communications at Tinder, said, “Our goal is to make Tinder the safest place to meet new people online. Financial and romance scams can be highly sophisticated, and scammers are constantly working to find new ways to take advantage of others. We are committed to continuously work to evolve our own efforts to help prevent them.”

She added, “While these scams can and do occur on all online platforms, we recognise we can do more to help daters protect themselves from potential scams. Through education and information, we hope to help our users feel more confident in making new connections in more fun and safer ways.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia –  Dentsu Malaysia has announced the appointment of Audrey Chong as its new CEO effective October 1, 2023. Chong will be taking over from Kien Eng Tan who will be retiring after having served as CEO since February 2021.

Previously having been the CEO of Universal McCann Malaysia, Chong brings 25 years of industry experience across media, creative, strategy and digital marketing with in-depth understanding and expertise of the Malaysian market. 

In her role, she will be responsible for growing and continuing the business transformation journey whilst driving integration across practices. Her perspective on building an agency model that delivers on clients’ needs will see new opportunities and growth.

Speaking on her own appointment, Chong said, “I look forward to joining dentsu Malaysia and foresee exciting times ahead. I strongly believe in dentsu’s strategy and the direction they are moving in, with new products, integrated servicing, and innovation to meet the market’s needs. They have strong momentum off the back of some significant market wins, and I believe Dentsu is poised to break away from the pack and build new growth and industry opportunities. 

Sanjay Bhasin, CEO of dentsu Southeast Asia commented, “I really wanted a hands-on practitioner who understood the market challenges and nuances; someone who could build upon the wins and momentum Kien and his team have created which have mostly been large local giants requiring deep understanding of the dynamic Malaysian market. Audrey’s reputation speaks for itself. She’s built a solid media agency now ranked number one in RECMA. She has a competitive skill set that will drive the business to new heights and is also a warm, intelligent, caring person who will make a great addition to our strong local Malaysian agency and our Southeast Asia leadership team.”

Meanwhile, Kien Eng Tan, outgoing CEO of dentsu Malaysia, said, “I’ve had an incredible journey with dentsu Malaysia and I’m happy to have spent my time here in the last few years of my agency career. I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity I have had to lead such a talented and creative team and I am confident that the spirit of innovation and passion for creativity will continue to thrive. The industry is fast changing, and I eagerly look forward to seeing great campaigns under the guidance of our new leadership.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Mercedes-Benz has appointed Amanda Zhang to the roles of CEO and president of Mercedes-Benz Cars Malaysia and head of region of Mercedes-Benz Cars SEA II. This took effect last 1 August.

Zhang’s appointment marks a progression of the current CEO, Sagree Sardien, who will advance to the position of head of region overseas at Mercedes-Benz Cars in Stuttgart, Germany.

Prior to this, Zhang served as the CEO at Mercedes-Benz Romania overseeing four business divisions. During her tenure, Zhang and her team generated significant momentum, achieving a robust double-digit growth in both sales and customer services. She also effectively implemented the electrification strategy within a demanding market landscape and played a pivotal role in revitalizing the dealer network in the Romanian market.

Speaking on her roles, Zhang said, “I am truly honoured to take on this new role in Malaysia and SEA II. Having been part of Mercedes-Benz’s remarkable journey in the Central & Eastern Europe Cluster, I am now eager to lead the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia team and join forces with our retail partners to continue our pursuit of excellence for this dynamic and vibrant market. 

She added, “I firmly believe that innovation, customer-centricity, and sustainable growth are the cornerstones of success, and I am committed to fostering a culture that embraces these values at every level of the organisation.”

Meanwhile, Sardien commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Amanda Zhang to the helm of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia. Her extensive leadership experience and strategic acumen will undoubtedly further support to drive our company forward in the dynamic Malaysian market. I am confident that under her guidance, the company will continue to flourish and uphold its reputation for innovation and excellence.”

Singapore – Eastwest PR has been appointed by cybersecurity company Tenable as its strategic partner in Southeast Asia. Eastwest was appointed after a competitive request for proposal that saw participation from three other notable Singapore-based agencies.

Under the regional remit, Eastwest will work with Tenable to build the cybersecurity firm’s brand presence and expand its media share of voice in Singapore and SEA.

The agency will also leverage its proven track record of acting as a strategic advisor to client-partners to shape and grow Tenable’s PR programme in the region. 

Pamela Philip, principal PR manager for APJ at Tenable, said, “Eastwest impressed us with comprehensive knowledge of the cybersecurity industry and deep understanding of the media landscape in the region.”

She added, “Their audacious yet pragmatic approach to building Tenable’s media presence in the region, supported by

Singapore – Martech company Antsomi has welcomed digital marketing and advertising company D.A.Consortium (DAC) as its strategic investor, positioning DAC as a regional reseller of Antsomi’s innovative customer data platform, CDP 365, in the Southeast Asian region. 

With an undisclosed amount, the investment will be used for product development and regional expansions, including business development and client success capacities. 

Moreover, Antsomi’s collaboration with DAC has yielded other results, with the onboarding of regional clients, including Dunlop Thailand. This achievement highlights the strength and potential of the partnership and showcases Antsomi’s and DAC’s commitments to providing solutions to their clients. 

The strategic partnership between Antsomi and DAC is also poised to make a significant impact on the marketing landscape in the Southeast Asia market. By combining Antsomi’s advanced AI-driven customer data platform with DAC’s established market presence and expertise, both companies aim to improve existing marketing practices, empower businesses with data-driven insights and personalised customer experiences, leading to improved customer loyalty and business success. 

Serm Teck Choon, co-founder and CEO of Antsomi, said, “Our collaboration with DAC represents a pivotal step forward for Antsomi’s regional expansion and sustainable growth. DAC’s extensive industry expertise and strong market presence will accelerate our mission of transforming businesses into data-driven companies. We are confident that this strategic partnership will deliver exceptional value to our clients and drive unparalleled success.”

Meanwhile, Michihiko Suganuma, senior executive officer and head of global business group at DAC, commented, “We are thrilled to invest in Antsomi and become their strategic partner. This collaboration is a testament to our dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions to our clients and driving their success in the digital age. With Antsomi’s innovative and data-driven technology, we can unlock valuable customer insights and enable our clients to deliver personalized experiences at scale. We believe this partnership will bring immense value to both DAC and our clients.”

Singapore – GrabAds, the advertising arm of Southeast Asian superapp, Grab, has released its latest travel-centric report, showing that around 72% of respondents plan to travel abroad in the next 12 months, jumping from just 39% when borders reopened in 2022, indicating the travel intent has climbed by 84% in just a year.

According to the data provided by GrabAds, brands should take this as an opportunity to switch gears from short-term “revenge travel” campaigns to planning long-term repeat-customer strategies.

The report reveals main factors that justify why this is the case with Southeast Asians, such as families prioritizing ‘stress-free’ options in accommodation, business travelers seeking booking convenience, and travelers wanting certainty upon reaching their destination. 

Moreover, the survey states that 78% of respondents are not subscribed to any hotel loyalty programme. Considering that 73% of them plan an average of three leisure trips in the next 12 months, there’s undoubtedly room for repeat business, which the report acknowledges as an opportunity to educate would-be travelers on hotel loyalty programs and associated benefits. 

Talking about the report, Jennie Johnson, head of marketing at GrabAds, said, “GrabAds data revealed a massive increase of 84% in international travel intent compared to just one year ago. Last year, brands may have focused on short-term impulse campaigns based on pent-up lockdown FOMO (fear of missing out) – but they now need to shift towards developing long-term relationships with savvy Southeast Asian travelers as they dream, plan, book and experience travel.”

“It could be as simple as maintaining year-round communication with consumers or utilizing online to offline channels to promote the latest offers. For example, the campaign we’ve built with Media Bank Inc. for the Japan Tourism Agency utilizes our Grab fleet and app to creatively target users of our platform. At GrabAds, we look forward to working closely with travel and tourism brands to innovate and provide an exciting, dynamic travel experience for Southeast Asian jetsetters,” she added. 

Singapore – In a slew of recent senior appointments in Asia, global brand and customer experience agency VMLY&R has appointed Saw Gin Toh as its new head of strategy for Singapore.

In her new role, Toh joins VMLY&R Singapore’s management team to lead and plan the development and growth of the strategy team, helping to grow business and building trusted connections with key clients and partners. 

Toh brings a mix of strategy and insights development across multiple categories and consumer segments, garnered from more than 20 years of experience with major networks and clients. She started out in strategic planning and insights for creative agencies before moving into communications, channel planning and insights on the media side. Most recently she was head of strategy consulting at Dentsu Consulting.

Commenting on her own appointment,Toh said, “I am constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to apply my knowledge, skill sets, experiences, and exposure in new areas of application. And VMLY&R, a leader in brand experience, customer experience and commerce, provides the perfect opportunity for me to do just that. As the lines between creative and media blur, there is an opportunity for us to offer integrated solutions to clients’ needs by focusing on commerce as the intersection point between business experience and customer experience.”

Meanwhile, Rhys Taylor, managing director of VMLY&R Singapore, said, “Strategy has always been at the heart of what we do at VMLY&R, so Saw Gin’s extensive experience makes her the ideal fit to head up strategy for Singapore, our regional hub.”

 “She has a strong track record in delivering growth for clients by helping them navigate ever more complex marketplaces, as well as having been recognised at regional and global awards as a game-changer, and for insights and research methodologies. She joins an already strong team of capability leads across our broader services — all with the focus of building connected brands for our growing client portfolio,” he added.

Her appointment is a part of VMLY&R’s ongoing strategy to fortify its regional hub in Singapore, as she joins a growing team of capability leads, built to ensure that services are optimized to best suit client needs through creativity, technology, data and culture.

Malaysia – Southeast Asian network Lion & Lion has announced five new major wins on a domestic and regional scale across its hubs in SEA, coinciding with the agency’s celebration of expanding their team and renewing a long-standing global client partnership.

Recently having secured five domestic and regional account wins across its hubs in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, Lion & Lion sets its sight on steadfast growth, renewing a 3 year old partnership with a global eyewear company and expanding their creative and social team in the process.  

Lion & Lion will also be expanding their solutions team of creative and social media experts, adding 10 new positions in Malaysia from creative group heads, copywriters, art directors, designers, and social media managers alongside new client servicing hires.

Commenting on these developments, Fredrik Gumpel, CEO of Lion & Lion, said, “Our consistent success in both local and regional markets undeniably demonstrates the effectiveness of our strategies. Our adoption of an agile framework through our ‘One Company, Multiple Markets’ approach.”

“This further highlights our capacity to seamlessly integrate specialized regional expertise from Southeast Asia into our offerings, enabling us to deliver tailored solutions to our clients, which adapt to their ever-changing needs,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Cheelip Ong, Regional Chief Creative Officer of Lion & Lion, mentioned,  “Our teams’ solid understanding of creativity, social media and digital experiences has helped in creating winning proposals that resonated with clients. With the multiple brands we have won recently, it makes strategic sense for us to invest in new talents so as to better serve our clients.”

Singapore – Video game publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment has recently appointed We Are Social Singapore as its new creative agency for Southeast Asia.

In time with their upcoming releases, the partnership with We Are Social Singapore aims to fortify Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia’s regional footprint to achieve greater success in Southeast Asia’s flourishing gaming community.

As their creative and strategic agency, We Are Social Singapore will spearhead the development of Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia’s initiatives, focusing on localised content for Southeast Asia countries to enhance consumer journey and engagement across various touchpoints. 

Leveraging its experience in delivering strategies that drive business growth, We Are Social aims to capitalize on the existing online presence and brand awareness of Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia to captivate and engage the game publisher’s fanbase in SEA, while expanding its unique proposition within the marketplace.

Speaking about the collaboration, Leong Wei Fen, brand marketing manager at Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia said, “We Are Social displayed great passion and enthusiasm for our games, both old and new. We needed a creative agency that deeply understands the gaming landscape in Southeast Asia and could help us connect with our local and diverse communities. With many exciting titles set for release this year, it’s the perfect time for Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia to partner with an agency who can elevate our brand and drive growth in this dynamic market.”

Nai Yen Wang, head of account management at We Are Social Singapore, added,”Our collaboration with Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia marks an exciting milestone for us. Together, we have the power to shape the gaming landscape in Southeast Asia and deliver memorable experiences to gaming enthusiasts. We are excited to channel our creativity and expertise to propel the brand to new heights.”  

Meanwhile, Kelson Ong, business director and business development lead at We Are Social Singapore, also commented, “With our business offerings across Social Gaming, Virtual Influence, and Social Commerce coupled with We Are Social XYZ, our future strategy and innovation arm, we aim to empower brands to redefine the boundaries of engagement and elevate brand experiences to unparalleled heights.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – AirAsia has enlisted the help of Malaysian synth-pop artist Sam Lopez (aka lost spaces) for the Sounds of Asean music project to celebrate and showcase the diversity of Southeast Asia for ASEAN Day.

‘Sounds of Asean’ contains a line-up of tracks featuring five songs from five cities: Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore. Each track is based on field recordings and will feature audio bites from these eclectic destinations.

For this audio journey project, the Malaysian artist visited these cities, mingling with the locals, embarking on adventures, capturing the sounds, and sampling the vibes of Asean along the way.

Rudy Khaw, CEO of airasia brand co., shared the reasons as to why they chose Sam for the project.

“Sam’s music has this great chill vibe, yet at the same time, it also features bright, clean sounds and great use of sound sampling. We knew right away that we had to get him to work with us on this project. We’ve always been passionate about supporting local talent, and Sam has really managed to bring each city to life with Sounds of Asean,” he said.

Sam has created an audiovisual experience through the Sounds of Asean that brings the listener (or viewer) closer to the rest of Asean, allowing them to immerse themselves in the region’s rich, intricate tapestry.

His works were inspired by the heritage buildings, hawkers, jeepneys, and tuk-tuks, train announcements, temple bells, and even local cats he encountered during his travels for the project.

Speaking on this project, Sam hopes that the vibes of each city will inspire more people to get out and explore the world.

“Bangkok is one of my favourite cities, I call Kuala Lumpur home, Singapore is just so well-planned and walkable. I love Jakarta’s music scene, and this project also brought me to Manila for the first time! Before this project, I’d never thought about how different yet ‘same same’ we are in Southeast Asia, and it’s been fun to work on this project and come up with these tracks,” he added. 

The project will also feature a full playlist and an upcoming travelogue series on Sam’s guide to his favourite places in each of these cities.