Tag: Southeast Asia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia-based digital creative agency Kingdom Digital has joined Japanese advertising agency Hakuhodo Inc. This move is seen to help Hakuhodo achieve business growth and expansion in Malaysia and ASEAN region. 

Hakuhodo is an integrated marketing and innovation company with offices in 20 countries and regions and over 10,000 specialists working around the world. Meanwhile, Kingdom Digital’s growth over the past 15 years has been organic with clients across a variety of key categories. The growth has enabled Kingdom Digital to attract high-calibre, loyal talent who now count over 160 experts delivering amazing work and results for local, regional, and multi-national brands. 

Vin Chinnaraja, chairman of Kingdom Digital, commented that they have found the perfect partner in Hakuhodo Inc. for Kingdom Digital to accelerate their SEA expansion ambitions. 

“With Hakuhodo’s regional presence, we are able to deliver multi-national work for our clients and brands from day one. We are also looking forward to combining Hakuhodo’s sei-katsu-sha insights with our innovative digital services like our Digital Creative Automation (DCA) platform to deliver hyper-personalised experiences for our clients and brands,” said Chinnaraja. 

Meanwhile, Shuntaro Ito, senior corporate officer at Hakuhodo and president and CEO at Hakuhodo International, said that they are absolutely delighted to welcome Kingdom Digital, which is regarded so highly in the industry, as a member of the Hakuhodo Group at this milestone juncture. 

“I’m certain Kingdom Digital will be able to contribute to our clients’ growth by providing them with sophisticated digital solutions in a Malaysian digital marketplace that will only continue to develop in the future. I look forward to Kingdom Digital being a leading presence, alongside Hakuhodo Malaysia, in further strengthening our digital capabilities in Malaysia and ASEAN,” added Ito.

Ryan Ong, CEO of Kingdom Digital, noted, “With Hakuhodo’s acquisition of Kingdom Digital, we will be able to draw on their infrastructure, creativity, and insights to continue delivering the high standard of work that we are known for. Most of all, both Hakuhodo Inc. and Kingdom Digital share the same vision and values and us coming together will broaden and deepen our services for all our clients.”

Manila, Philippines – Insurance company Allianz PNB Life has launched its latest digital campaign that features a man’s best friend – a golden retriever named ‘Yanzy’ – who represents the company’s insurance agents ‘Life Changers’, who help potential customers to a more confident tomorrow.

Titled ‘Who’s A Good Hooman?’, the campaign continues the company’s June campaign called ‘Seeds of Tomorrow’. This time, it spotlights Allianz PNB Life’s insurance protection and ‘Life Changers’.

Apart from recognising the important role of ‘Life Changers’ in guiding prospective and existing policyholders when it comes to their insurance needs, the campaign also aims to inspire viewers and show the fun side of protection, as well as to encourage them to join Allianz PNB Life in this endeavour.

Alexander Grenz, Allianz PNB Life’s president and CEO, shared that the company firmly believes in securing the future of every Filipino, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by educating them on the importance of insurance, and encouraging them to get insured.

“This latest campaign was created to show how insurance can be like ‘man’s best friend’, who protects you and to connect you to the people responsible for this protection, our Life Changers,” said Grenz.

He added, “To the viewers who enjoyed the video, I would like to personally invite you to become part of Allianz PNB Life’s roster of Life Changers. There’s a reason we are called Life Changers. Whether you are a policyholder who trusts us with your future, or a Life Changer who has discovered a purpose in helping others, our end goal is always to change lives for the better.”

Singapore – To honour Singapore’s National Day, which is celebrated every 9 August, the telco Singtel has launched a new campaign that illustrates how its telecoms infrastructure and engineering expertise have been vital to the staging of the National Day Parade since the 1960s, through the early days of 3G to a fully 5G nation today.

Titled ‘The Making of a 5G Nation’, the film tells the story of Singtel’s planners and engineers for whom wiring up the Marina Bay floating platform with 5G is a mission they are immensely proud to undertake.

Mark Chong, Singtel’s group chief technology officer, shared that when thousands of people want to live stream and send videos at the same time, from multiple 5G-enabled devices that are concurrently streaming over global online mediums, great demands are placed on their network which will be seriously tested in terms of its power and reliability.

“From our experience supporting this event through the years, and our 5G trials in Sentosa, we’ve picked up important lessons on managing complex technology for an even more memorable experience. It is our privilege to support the Parade every year and we’re excited to bring 5G to everyone this year to commemorate Singapore’s birthday,” said Chong

Meanwhile, Lian Pek, Singtel’s vice president of strategic communications and brand, noted that this is the first time they’ve thrown the spotlight on their planners and engineers, the unsung heroes who work quietly behind the scenes, year after year, to pull off one of the most anticipated events in the national calendar.

“This year’s NDP is particularly special for us as a company as we’ve reached nationwide 5G coverage 3 years ahead of time, effectively making Singapore the first country in the world to be fully covered by standalone 5G. The significance of this milestone, and a 5G-enabled live Parade, after a two-year hiatus due to COVID, calls for a celebration with fellow Singaporeans. This is the leap in technology that will help carry Singapore forward as it moves on from the pandemic,” said Pek.

Singtel said that preparations for this year’s National Day Parade started as early as a year ago, with its teams working to enhance capacity and optimise and test 5G mobile coverage to ensure spectators at the event are well supported.

The campaign will be airing on Singtel TV and various social media channels.

Singapore –  Building on their marketing collaboration agreement last 2020, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and travel booking platform Klook have partnered anew to drive travel recovery and promote Singapore as a destination, targeting travellers from key SEA markets including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, as well as Thailand, and Vietnam 

The partnership was launched in June 2022, and since then, Klook has been partnering with over 20 in-market Influencers/KOLs and content partners to create engaging and immersive content that will be customised to each market. To complement this and further drive travel recovery from these markets, Klook will also be giving away more than $60,000 worth of deals, promotions and giveaways for visitors to Singapore till the end of December this year. 

For additional information on in-market campaigns, five unique landing pages on Klook have been created to enable visitors to discover and book their trips seamlessly. These pages will act as a central repository for travel-related information, content, precinct itineraries, experiences, events, accommodation, and promotions – enabling visitors to travel with ease by having all the information they need at the tips of their fingers.

Moreover, visitors will be able to select from more than five Klook-exclusive Multi-Passes that centre around the themes of attractions, wildlife, playgrounds, adventure, and wellness. The campaign will also showcase the lesser-known and unexpected sides of Singapore with specially curated experiences centred around Singapore’s cultural precincts, like Chinatown, Joo Chiat/Katong, and Kampong Gelam, as well as Little India.

Marcus Yong, Klook’s vice president of marketing for APAC, commented they are excited to partner with STB to drive travel interest and invite visitors to experience Singapore’s reimagined offerings. 

“As travel roars back, we want to continue to enable travellers in Southeast Asia to experience a sense of joy and wanderlust when they visit Singapore. As Asia-Pacific’s leading travel and leisure e-commerce platform, we are uniquely placed to help drive demand back to Singapore and lead travel recovery,” said Yong.

Meanwhile, John Gregory Conceicao, STB’s executive director for SEA, shared they have seen strong demand for travel to Singapore from SEA since they opened their borders to fully-vaccinated travellers without testing or quarantine. 

“Visitors from Southeast Asia accounted for nearly half of all international visitor arrivals in Singapore for the first six months of 2022 and continue to drive Singapore’s tourism recovery efforts. STB will continue to work with leading platforms like Klook to tap on new trends as we invite travellers to reimagine what Singapore has to offer,” said Conceicao.

Malaysia – Beer brand Guinness in Malaysia has launched a new credential campaign titled ‘It’s a Matter of Taste’, which highlights its quality ingredients, brewing process, and unique taste, This campaign serves as inspiration for building a world where good taste can permeate everything from occasions to conversations.

The campaign was developed in partnership with Ogilvy Malaysia. The agency was tasked to provide campaign brand strategy, creative solutions, and digital, as well as social experiences, and trade marketing collateral support for the brand’s latest campaign.

Pablo Chabot, marketing director at Heineken Malaysia, said, “Ogilvy never fails to deliver on energy and knowledge – a global powerhouse with strong local insights and shared goals. The team showed a great appreciation for our brand values but are also able to think holistically about all the elements that are needed to level up Guinness’ position in Malaysia.” 

Meanwhile, Nizwani Shahar, CEO of Ogilvy Malaysia, commented that Guinness is an iconic brand, and they are proud to be able to drive brand impact and business growth in a modern landscape, speaking to new drinkers. 

She further shared that they hold the Guinness flag high having worked on this business for so long, and with this win comes greater renewed energy. They have shared values as brands and businesses: bold, distinctive and with a laser-focused drive to succeed.

“We are extremely proud of our team who demonstrated one of Ogilvy’s core values of always practising divine discontent, and in their efforts proven our right to continue to be Guinness’s agency partner. We greatly look forward to continuing to drive brand salience and brand preference with big ideas that are meaningful, disruptive and enduring,” said Shahar. 

Adrian Miller, chief creative officer at Ogilvy Malaysia, noted, “It’s a matter of taste is the ultimate invitation to the world of Guinness – a world with a rich history made up of uniquely brewed ingredients that gives Guinness its iconic taste. This taste is further emphasised by the people who drink Guinness.”

The campaign will be running until September 2022, and includes social media, modern on-trade, traditional off-trade outlets, and activation across the country. Additionally, special Guinness premiums will also be made available to commemorate the occasion.

Singapore – Recommerce group Carousell has acquired control of Laku6, an Indonesian electronics recommerce platform, which positions Carousell Group as a market leader in the Greater Southeast Asia’s electronic recommerce industry.

Temasek unit Heliconia Capital will be supporting Carousell Group in its acquisition of Laku6 and in accelerating circularity in second hand electronics. The deal follows the initial investment Heliconia made into Carousell, less than a year ago in October 2021.

Every quarter, Carousell sees about 2 million new listings in its electronics category, making it one of the largest platforms to transact used electronics, and particularly mobile phones, in the region. Laku6’s proprietary solutions, pricing algorithms and instant cash service, when integrated with Carousell’s wide user network, will make buying and selling used electronics more accessible than ever before for millions of users.

By making it easier for our users to sell their idle devices and buying certified used devices, Carousell and Laku6 aim to extend the life cycle of electronics goods, thereby slowing down the growth of toxic e-waste.

Quek Siu Rui, co-founder and CEO of Carousell, said, “This partnership provides for a potent combination to secure Carousell’s leadership in the Greater Southeast Asia electronics recommerce market–bringing together Laku6’s AI-first remote diagnostic technology, Carousell’s regional recommerce platform of tens of millions of users, and one of the largest capital investments to-date into the region’s electronics recommerce space.” 

He added, “We are truly excited to partner with Alvin, Shing Kae, and the entire Laku6 team. The electronics recommerce opportunity is one that is win-win-win: great for users with affordable like-new devices, beneficial to the environment as people sell and buy second hand instead of new, and an exciting business opportunity with over 2.5X electronics recommerce growth potential ahead.”

Meanwhile, Alvin Yap, founder and CEO of Laku6, commented, “It is exciting to be part of a regional leader that aligns with Laku6’s vision. Carousell and Laku6 share a deep commitment of making second hand the first choice and the demand for electronics recommerce is growing faster than ever in Greater Southeast Asia. With Carousell’s scale and investment, we are well-placed to create a winning formula and offer our proven solutions to a very large audience of end-users and merchants.”

This partnership also follows Carousell’s acquisition of Ox Street, an authenticated streetwear marketplace, and Refash, Singapore-based omnichannel fashion recommerce retailer.

Singapore – MediaCom, the media agency by media investment company GroupM, has appointed Ashish Williams, former CEO at MediaCom South Africa, to be its new managing director for Singapore.

In his new role, Williams will be leading the Singapore business and will be building on the recent momentum, accelerating the agency’s capabilities with a focus on people, client solutions, and product development. 

Williams has a 14-year long track record at MediaCom across markets from China to South Africa and over 22 years of experience in the industry. Under his leadership in South Africa, the agency climbed to first place in the market via a methodical focus ensuring talent and technology strategies paved the way to create consumer connections by driving relevant and revolutionised digital products.

Commenting on his appointment, Williams said, “Taking over the leadership of MediaCom Singapore, which is also the home of our regional hub in one of the world’s most dynamic and fast-growing regions, is incredibly exciting. I can’t wait to lead our high-performance teams and work with our clients to deliver sustainable growth and help our people thrive.”

Meanwhile, Rupert McPetrie, CEO at MediaCom APAC, shared that Williams is a great leader, who has delivered terrific results over many years across many markets, with a track record of taking care of people and client businesses with a very clear vision. 

“I couldn’t be more pleased that this leadership appointment has come from within our global organisation. Our People First, Better Results ethos means we put people at the centre of our client relationships, and that we provide long-term growth opportunities within the network globally,” said McPetrie.

Singapore – Havas Media Group, the media arm of global marketing and communications group Havas, has launched its strategic full-service e-commerce offering ‘Havas Market’ in Singapore. The move follows the agency’s recent appointment of Prayarana as head of e-commerce. 

Designed to create a more meaningful shopping experience for consumers, Havas Market provides an end-to-end solution that aims to support clients looking to transform their commerce approach in order to reach an engaged audience across a highly competitive category. 

Moreover, Havas Market will provide a comprehensive understanding and analysis into the brand’s e-commerce environment, including marketplaces such as Amazon, Lazada, Shopee, TMALL, JD.com, and Social Commerce, as well as D2C, and eRetail. This approach will be guided by Havas Media Group’s unique Mx process that uses connection, context and content to create the most meaningful experience for a consumer.

Through the new offering, Prayarana will be helping unlock and support clients in the marketplace space, and will be reporting to Deanson Lee, executive director of digital strategy and client solutions at Havas Media Group.

Prayarana said, “Brands need to continuously evolve to win in today’s e-commerce space. I look forward to leveraging my past experience and Havas Market’s capabilities to future proof and transform our client’s businesses.”

Meanwhile, Lee noted, “The e-commerce space in Singapore has seen tremendous growth with a shift in shopping behaviour post-pandemic. I am confident that under Prayarana’s stewardship, Havas Market will help clients drive sales across the full shopping ecosystem to optimise their e-retail businesses.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As part of Spritzer’s commitment to champion sustainability and nature to make the world a greener place, the Malaysian natural bottled water brand has launched a new bottle design that is made with recycled material for its iconic ‘Spritzer Natural Mineral Water’.

Created in partnership with advertising agency FCB SHOUT, the campaign centres around the refreshed design. Titled ‘New Look, New Purpose’, it kick-starts with a film that showcases the iconic bottle’s transformation and the purpose behind the momentous change.

Chan Shiao Chew, group marketing manager of Spritzer, said that the brand has always had a special relationship with nature, and its mineral water comes from a 390-acre pristine rainforest in Taiping, Perak, which it has been preserving and protecting for decades now.

“But we knew we had to do more if we truly want to leave a greener world for the future. Our move to change the bottles of our Nature Mineral Water to ones made with recycled material is a statement of that mission, which is fully visualised in the campaign that we have produced in collaboration with FCB SHOUT,” added Chew.

Meanwhile, Tjer, head of creative at FCB SHOUT, noted, “Change begins with us and actions speak louder than words. Which is why our campaign focuses not on the bottle’s new look but rather, on communicating the purpose behind this bold change. We want the campaign to make a splash for the right reason, and get Malaysians on board with what Spritzer Malaysia has set out to do – giving back to nature, one bottle at a time.”

The campaign was rolled out last 14 July 2022 across all media channels, including ATL, BTL, and social media. 

Earlier this year, Spritzer has launched a new campaign for the Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration, aimed at infusing a little fun and a whole lot of natural goodness into popular CNY dishes.

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia – As the saying goes, not all superheroes wear capes, and this holds true for this year’s superhero search by Grab Malaysia. This annual initiative called ‘Grab Lejen’ looks to honour and reward exceptional driver and delivery partners who have gone above and beyond their call of duty to serve Malaysians. 

In conjunction with Grab’s 10-year anniversary, the initiative seeks to find an everyday superhero amongst its community of partners that will be entirely crowdsourced, which means that Grab users will be able to submit their heartwarming stories of choice as nominations.

Until 30 September 2022, Grab users will be able to submit their heartwarming stories of choice as nominations at https://grb.to/grablejen2022. They will then be able to vote for their favourite ‘lejens’ who won the hearts of Malaysians beginning 15 October until 15 November 2022.

Rashid Shukor, director of country operations and mobility at Grab Malaysia, shared that since its inauguration last year, they’ve seen incredible acts of kindness from their driver and delivery partners, and heartwarming and compassionate stories like these are a breath of fresh air and a true testament to the incredible selfless nature of their partners, who despite enduring hardships in their everyday lives, still find it in themselves to be unselfishly kind to those around them. 

“As a homegrown company striving for positive social impact, we are encouraged by our partners and want to continue to recognise and further enable these exemplary acts of service for many more years to come,” said Shukor.

Grab Lejen is part of Grab’s commitment to positive social impact. In addition to honouring exemplary partners who have shown extraordinary acts of service, Grab continuously finds ways to help all partners to save and grow through the platform with the GrabBenefits programme. GrabBenefits is a programme aimed at enriching the lives of Grab’s partners through three main categories; protection, savings, and academy. Together, these benefits such as petrol rebates, vehicle maintenance discounts, insurance coverage, and upskilling programmes allow them to save on everyday expenses, get the necessary protection and equip themselves with knowledge while they earn. 

Shukor added. “For the past 10 years, our community of partners has been the heart of everything Grab does and we are committed to continue supporting them as they persevere to earn on the Grab platform. GrabBenefits is one of our ways of supporting our dedicated partners and empowering them with resources to hopefully make their lives a little easier. And through Grab Lejen, we aim to honour the real-life superheroes that deserve recognition. We hope to continue building a healthy partner community that touches the lives of people around them, and by doing so, empower them to become an enabler of positive social impact. This is truly how legends are made.”