Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Global beverage company Coca-cola and super-app Grab have teamed up to unlock growth opportunities in a booming digital consumer market within Southeast Asia. The partnership will bank on Coca-Cola’s extensive offline retail presence and Grab’s large online network.

Both companies will also collaborate on impact initiatives to accelerate digital skilling for merchants and promote convenience and an array of beverage choices for consumers.

The landmark partnership spans six Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. However, the partnership in Thailand covers all areas except GrabFood.

The partnership revolves around four objectives, namely growing with merchants through GrabFood and GrabMart, engaging consumers in refreshing ways through GrabAds, enhancing support for small, traditional merchants through digitalisation, and using both company’s combined scale to do good in Southeast Asia.

Sam Way, head of offline to online at Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific, said, “At Coca-Cola, we are transforming our business model for the digital age. This new multi-market partnership extends our online reach and enables us to stay ahead of changing shopper trends as we drive customer value and growth through digital enablement.” 

He added, “We are thrilled to be collaborating with a forward-thinking company like Grab and we look forward to working closely to build new consumer connections and offer a new level of convenience to digital consumers in the region.”

Meanwhile, Saad Ahmed, regional head of merchant at Grab, commented, “We are very excited to be Coca-Cola’s preferred partner in Southeast Asia. This partnership also reflects our shared commitment to support merchants to further grow their business through digitalisation and financial services.” 

He added, “By enabling them to capture new and unmet consumer demand, we enable them to provide better services to our users. This in turn strengthens brand love for Grab and Coca-Cola.”

Malaysia – Creative agency Ogilvy in Malaysia has appointed Michelle Ong, former CEO of Dentsu One Malaysia, to be its new executive group director.

In her new role, Ong will be driving the agency’s borderless creativity strategy, approach, and opportunities across key clients, as well as elevating the diversity and business leadership capabilities across existing and potential clients. She will be reporting to Nizwani Shahar, CEO of Ogilvy Malaysia. 

Moreover, Ong will be joining the agency management team and will be working closely with Adrian Miller, Ogilvy Malaysia’s chief creative officer, Paul Gage, Ogilvy Malaysia’s strategy director, Edmund Quah, Ogilvy Malaysia’s senior program director, and the Ogilvy leadership Team. While she will focus primarily on account management, Ong’s general management experience will be critical in driving the agency’s goals. Her role will also entail streamlining the agency’s internal processes, managing key department operations, and providing guidance and leadership to agency staff members.

Ong is an experienced and solid communications practitioner with 30 years of experience in building a diverse range of brands strategically and creatively. Prior to her recent role at Dentsu One Malaysia, she also served as the COO of Leo Burnett Malaysia. Ong has also spent time in Indonesia where she was the managing director of McCann Worldgroup. Additionally, she has managed blue chip clients and brands, including Coca-Cola, Nestle (Nescafe, Breakfast Cereal), and McDonald’s, as well as Philip Morris, and Dutch Lady, amongst others.

Commenting on her appointment, Ong said, “Ogilvy Malaysia was my jumping-off point in this industry and after a great adventure, I am so glad to return home to where it all started. Ogilvy is a strong network agency which has not only great brands, but also powerful, passionate people that drive creativity with the goal of inspiring brands and people for the better. I look forward to working with Niz and the leadership team to scale greater heights together.”

Meanwhile, Shahar shared that Ong is someone she deeply admire and respect, and with her experience, drive, and proven leadership qualities, Ong brings not only vision and skill but also her wealth of experience in business leadership as well as general management. 

“This is another huge step forward for Ogilvy Malaysia as we move from strength to strength, improving our talent density across all levels and departments, and creating a diverse makeup of senior leadership to chart the path of growth. I am thrilled to have Michelle back in the family and greatly look forward to working alongside her again,” she said.

Singapore – For the first half of 2022, SMRT Trains has ranked first in the top 20 advertisers/groups with high percentage of ad spend in Singapore, while services, such as airlines, banks, and beauty, amongst others, has topped first in the top 20 industries in Singapore with an estimated $262.9m ad spend, according to global information, data and market measurement firm Nielsen.

The report also found that Lazada was second, and the Ministry of Communications and Information was third on the list of top 20 advertisers/groups in Singapore.

Meanwhile, agricultural/industrial and commercial have secured the second spot in the top 20 industries in Singapore with an estimated $78.16m ad spend, while retail was in the third spot with an estimated $54.95m ad spend.

Arnaud Frade, Nielsen’s head of commercial growth for APAC, said that in today’s complex and crowded media landscape, audiences have access to more content across more platforms than ever before, and to stay ahead, businesses need reliable advertising intelligence to develop efficient media strategies and differentiate themselves from their competitors.

“According to Nielsen’s ROI Report, media spend needs to be between 1% and 9% of revenue to stay competitive. It is crucial for marketers to continue to turn to Nielsen Ad Intel for quality intelligence, to differentiate themselves from the competition and to carve out the best path forward for their brand or media property,“ Frade added.

The insights released are to provide a glimpse into the Nielsen Ad Intel solution available to help boost marketers’ ad strategies. In this release, Nielsen highlights the biggest 20 advertisers and industry spenders in ten APAC markets, including Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, and South Korea, as well Taiwan, and Thailand.

Nielsen Ad Intel reveals that while spending varies according to each market, the biggest advertisers are within consumer goods, retail, communications and food across the reported markets during the first half of 2022. In industry rankings, governments across the region boosted ad spending during the first half of 2022.

Singapore – In the spirit of celebrating a decade of flights, Scoot, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), has partnered with The Pokémon Company (TPC) to provide customers with one-of-a-kind travel experiences through its new ‘Pokémon Air Adventures’ project.

Commencing 9 September 2022, the aircraft, named ‘Pikachu Jet’, will operate two scheduled flights per month, with the first two routes set for Tokyo and Seoul, in time for the September and year-end holidays for our customers. Fares for flights from Singapore – Tokyo (Narita) start at S$333, while Singapore – Seoul start at S$231 (one way, inclusive of taxes).

The ‘Pikachu Jet’ aircraft is a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with a capacity of 375 seats, comprising 35 seats in ScootPlus and 340 seats in Economy. Flight routes will be reviewed periodically and adjusted based on customer demand. Besides Tokyo and Seoul, the ‘Pikachu Jet’ will also be rostered on other routes operated by the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner as part of regular airline operations, though these may be susceptible to changes due to operational and maintenance needs. This means that some customers may find themselves travelling on the exclusive themed aircraft even if they had not specifically booked to fly on one of the marketed routes, adding an element of surprise and delight to their Scoot experience.

According to Scoot, the partnership with TPC marks another milestone for Scoot as the first ASEAN airline to launch an exclusive livery as part of the ‘Pokémon Air Adventures’ project. This is also a first for the SIA group while for TPC, the last international co-operated themed flight was 20 years ago.

Leslie Thng, Scoot’s CEO, shared that at Scoot, they are constantly pushing boundaries to bring delight and a dose of Scootitude to their customers. 

“Through this strategic partnership with TPC and hugely popular global franchise, we seek to engage our customers with unique travel experiences, creating unforgettable moments and memories while connecting them with much-loved destinations across our network,” said Thng.

Following the sales launch, Scoot and TPC will also be hosting a joint event to unveil the exclusive aircraft livery and reveal more detail about the scheduled flights and inflight experience. Customers and fans of Pokémon can also look forward to a new range of collectibles exclusive to the partnership that can only be purchased during flight bookings on Scoot’s website and mobile app, and on board Scoot flights.

Singapore – Popular soft drink brand Coca-Cola has recently released its limited edition collaboration with American music producer Marshmello, and is now available in select Southeast Asian countries namely Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. 

The Marshmello’s Limited Edition Coca Cola is a fusion of the artist’s favourite flavours: strawberry, and watermelon, mixed with the original Coca-Cola taste. Fans can also scan the QR code on the can to be transported to the Coca-Cola Creations online hub via coca-cola.com/creations, where several different digital experiences can be enjoyed. 

Speaking on the collaboration, Marshmello said, “It was great to collaborate with Coca-Cola on this limited-edition drop. We created a vibey blend of my favourite flavours in this all-new mix. I think it tastes amazing and I hope fans love it too.”

Meanwhile, Teejae Sonza, marketing director for Trademark Coca Cola of the Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific, commented, “Music – just like Coca-Cola – has such an amazing power in connecting communities and creating opportunities for shared experiences.”

She added, “For this second Coca-Cola Creations drop we are doing here in ASEAN and South Pacific, we sought to add an unexpected remix of flavours to a great Coca-Cola taste, and Marshmello is the perfect collaborator. It is an exciting step for our brand to introduce Marshmello’s Limited Edition Coca-Cola and invite fans to immerse themselves in Mello’s world.”

Collectible slim cans with striking black and white visuals in the limited edition cans pay homage to the artist’s signature aesthetic, as well as dripped Spencerian script, melding the brands together into a smooth and satisfying vibe. Coca-Cola partnered with creative agency Forpeople on the packaging design.

Indonesia – The airasia Super App in Indonesia has recently elevated Boni Andika, its former head of brand marketing for delivery vertical, to be its new head of marketing. 

As the new head of marketing, Andika will be responsible for managing all the brands under airasia Super App, including airasia travel, travelmall, flights, and hotels, as well as food, and more to come. Through highly engaging marketing strategies and immersive brand experience, Andika and his team will also be connecting consumers to elevate the super app’s value offerings. 

In an interview with MARKETECH APAC, airasia Super App said that Andika has shown outstanding performance in less than six months of the super app’s presence in Indonesia, and therefore, they believe his appointment will bring a greater achievement as they are consolidating everything to strengthen their position in the industry. 

When asked about the area of the platform’s marketing business is he looking to focus on and his goals for the marketing team in Indonesia, Andika said that they want to create creative content and a community that entices the super app’s members and audiences based on various relevant interest groups and channels.

He further shared, “As the trend of marketing technology has risen nowadays, having a robust marketing strategy isn’t enough anymore. Data utilisation holds an important role for marketers to modernise and specify the marketing approach to reaching the right target audience. For example, personalised product recommendations or unique discounts can be shared using unique customer data such as psychographics or real-time engagement with our brand.”

“In airasia Super App, we interact with a single consistent key message ‘It’s Super’ across all business verticals and campaigns, through the most relevant and appropriate channels. We want our customers to see, feel, taste, and experience the SUPER in everything they do with airasia Super App,” Andika noted.

Singapore – To drive inclusive growth in SEA, superapp Grab has announced the official opening of its new headquarters in Singapore. The newly-launched headquarters comes with the superapp’s new initiative called ‘GrabMerchant Centre’, which aims to help small businesses grow online.

The new headquarters in Singapore spans nine floors and more than 42,000 sqm, bringing about 3,000 Grabbers and an R&D Centre under one roof. Apart from the first GrabMerchant Centre, it will also be home to the digibank team. This new headquarters is one of two headquarters Grab has in the region. The dual headquarter is based in Jakarta, Indonesia, and serves as Grab’s regional innovation hub for small businesses.

Meanwhile, the ‘GrabMerchant Centre’ seeks to provide 1-on-1 business consultation services for Grab’s SME merchant-partners. It is a one-stop hub dedicated to helping small businesses optimise their online presence, maximise GrabFood, GrabMart, GrabFin, and GrabAds services for their businesses, and learn to use digital tools to grow.

Anthony Tan, Grab’s group CEO and co-founder, shared that as they celebrate Grab’s 10th anniversary this year, they hope that their announcements will help small businesses and their future workforce upskill and maximise their opportunities, even in this challenging macro environment. 

“Providing access to digital tools can be a powerful way to ensure all Southeast Asians can equally participate in – and benefit from – the rising digital economy, the same way 10 years ago when our driver-partners learned how to use their smartphones to earn incomes,” said Tan.

Aside from the new headquarters and the new SME initiative, Grab has also committed an annual US$1m from the GrabForGood Fund towards the ‘GrabScholar’ programme, which will provide university scholarships and educational bursaries across all countries Grab operates in SEA.

‘GrabScholar’ programme plans to award over 2,000 scholarships and bursaries annually. It will cover tuition and study-related expenses for underprivileged children to attend primary, secondary, or vocational schools, as well as universities. Internship opportunities will also be offered to tertiary students to develop their professional aptitude and prepare them for full-time roles when they graduate. It was launched in Indonesia last July in partnership with Yayasan Benih Baik Indonesia. This is in addition to existing scholarship and bursary initiatives that are offered to the children of Grab’s driver-, delivery- and merchant-partners in Singapore and Thailand.

Manila, Philippines – OpenMind, a bespoke team within GroupM that serves as the agency of record for Nestlé Philippines, has been awarded the FMCG giant’s total search business, which includes SEO, SEM, and e-retail search. This move effectively consolidates Nestlé Philippines’ entire media business under one agency.

Emm Ordinanza, vice president and head of media integration at Nestle Philippines, commented, “We are looking forward to our partnership with OpenMind on Nestle’s search strategy, knowing full well their commitment and capability to deliver a smooth and focused search experience while embracing a cross-channel approach that will synergically reinforce each other.”

Meanwhile, Puneet Arora, GroupM’s CEO for the Philippines, said that they are thrilled to secure Nestlé’s mandate to activate a truly integrated media strategy – founded on OpenMind’s Pervasive Performance model – that will cultivate long-term value and good growth for Nestlé Philippines’ business.

He added, “Using GroupM’s proprietary consumer and industry insights, we tailored a holistic plan and innovative approaches that will accelerate demand and drive preference. With a dedicated team working exclusively for Nestlé, we look forward to positively impacting their business in this thriving market.”

Singapore – Bounty Media, a pioneer of zero-party data technology with a platform that empowers consumers and brands, has closed an oversubscribed Pre-A round of US$1.8m. This round was led by SOSV along with Vectr Fintech Partners, ASTOR Management, Black Kite Capital, Plug and Play Ventures, and Quonota Investment, as well as High Cosmos, and Revium.

Through the new funding, Bounty will continue its rollout across SEA and the rest of APAC through 2022 and 2023, expanding its content partners with a plan to reach one billion-person audience by the end of 2023. 

Founded by Claes Loberg and Jake Denney in Singapore, Bounty launched in Indonesia in 2021 and has now expanded operations into three additional markets, which include Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Its unique service empowers consumers to control their personal data and be rewarded for sharing it with the advertisers they trust.

Claes Loberg, co-founder of Bounty Media, commented, “We’re excited to close out this oversubscribed round with this great group of investors and advisors. We’re now busy expanding our team in Singapore as we continue our vision of developing the foundation of a marketplace for 1 billion consumers to sell their data for $1 a day.”

Meanwhile, William Bao Bean, managing director of SOSV’s Orbit Startups, noted, “We’re in the middle of a revolution in data privacy that most brands and consumers are trying to understand how to navigate. Bounty has already gained traction with its easy and transparent solution that empowers both consumers and the brands that they trust. We can’t think of a better team to take on this mission.”

Singapore – Instagram is the platform of choice for statutory boards and ministries in the first half of 2022 as it has the highest engagement with 0.85%, according to a report by customer experience platform Emplifi.

The report also found that YouTube overtook Facebook as the second most engaging platform in comparison to the first half of 2021, highlighting the growing opportunity for the public sector to tap into imagery and video through social channels.

Varun Sharma, Emplifi’s VP for APAC and Japan, shared that social media continues to be a key channel for the public sector to inform citizens on important topics from the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination programs, travel measures to floods and social initiatives.

“We also see an increased focus on reaching millennials and Gen Z through the growing use of Instagram and platforms like TikTok. We expect this trend to continue along with a greater mix of content types – videos, stories, live streaming – to appeal to the younger demographic,” said Sharma.

Amongst the top five campaigns that drove the highest interactions, The Ministry of Health (MOH)’s vaccination content ranked first, followed by The National Parks Board (NPB)’s #CityInNatureSG campaign, The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF)’s NS55 campaign, MOH’s COVID Protocols, and MuslimSG’s Ramadan and Raya content.

The same report revealed that three out of the top five campaigns saw Instagram and YouTube dove the majority of interactions. On Instagram, #CityInNatureSG gathered 47,251 interactions (66.74% of total interactions), while MuslimSG earned 27,359 interactions (82.79% of total interactions). MINDEF NS55 registered 15,380 and 17,674 interactions (combined, 80.42% of total interactions) on YouTube and Instagram respectively. 

According to Emplifi, this is not surprising given that 88.7% of Singaporeans use YouTube two hours daily on average while four out of five select the channel as their preferred platform to watch videos. As for Instagram, it continues to be one of the most popular social networks for millennials, allowing brands to reach about 86% of the population.

Collectively, statutory boards produced four times more content than ministries in the first half of 2022. However, ministries saw better engagement, with over one million total interactions versus over 988,000 interactions received by statutory boards. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has maintained its lead from the first half of 2021 regarding the number of published content, while the second and third top content publishers were MINDEF and GOVTech respectively.

The report also found that MINDEF overtook MOH in the first half of 2022 as the top government body that drove the highest audience interactions. Most interactions were from Instagram at 112, 981 versus Facebook at 90,946. MINDEF also saw increased engagement on YouTube, receiving three times more than in the first half of 2021. MOH received only 22.8% (234,138) of the interactions it saw in the first half of 2021 where content on COVID-19 and national vaccination programs drew more interest. 

Meanwhile, The Land Transport Authority (LTA), secured third place with 140,940 interactions in the first half of 2022 with mini contest posts, behind-the-scenes content, as well as news on the land border opening between Singapore and Malaysia.

Following the 2021 trend, users remained highly engaged with government agencies in the first half of 2022. Brand content made up about half (54.52%) of all content on government profiles, with 2.05 million interactions (97.21%). Separately, while user-generated content accounted for 45.48% of the content, it led to only 58,666 interactions (2.79%).

In terms of engagement and interactions in the first half of 2022, replies took the lead at 42.83%, followed by shares with 31.12%, and posts with 26.05%. Previously, sharing was the most popular and replies the least, which shows how users are increasingly conversing with government bodies.

“Social media is a key strategic tool for the public and private sector. The speed at which messages can be passed and shared on social media can’t be equalled by any other communications channel. Whether it’s for real-time updates, answering questions or simply to show their more fun side, Singaporean governmental organisations continue to make good use of social media to reach and engage with their audiences,” said Sharma.