Tag: Southeast Asia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Smartphone brand vivo in Malaysia has launched its fourth short film for this year’s Raya, which is in line with the upcoming launch of its new vivo X80 Series.

Shot using the new vivo X80 Pro, the film was produced together with well-known local director Ghaz Abu Bakar, who has launched many Malay films, television dramas, and music videos.

Titled ‘Chup! Raya Dulu!’, the short film tells the story of a rich family and their journey in being a part of the community during the Raya celebration. It is also accompanied by a theme song – Takbir Lebaran, which was performed by the Malaysian singer celebrity, Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza. 

vivo Malaysia shared, “The new and self-developed vivo V1+ imaging chip is making its debut in the upcoming vivo X80 series, where it is bound to enhance the display and imaging capabilities of the device.”

Most recently, vivo Malaysia has also announced a special partnership with premier gaming brands Razer and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) to launch a brand-new smartphone series, vivo T1 series, with gaming at its heart.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As part of MEASAT’s Raya campaign this year, the Malaysian communications satellite operator has launched a heart-warming short film to inform Malaysians that closeness with their loved ones does not end when they leave their hometown after the festive season.

The short film, which was jointly developed by media agency Trapper and advertising agency YourMaker, highlights MEASAT’s wifi hotspot service CONNECTme, which offers 100Mbps high-speed broadband with the upcoming new MEASAT-3d satellite, allowing Malaysians nationwide to continuously keep close proximity with their loved ones even at the remotest places.

Titled ‘Nenek Di Mana-Mana’, which in English translates to ‘Grandma is everywhere’, tells the story of Ida and her close relationship with her grandmother. It also shines a light on one undisputed, universal truth – that no matter the distance, our loved ones can always be right next to us with MEASAT’s CONNECTme.

Yau Chyong Lim, MEASAT’s COO, said, “The Nenek Di Mana-mana short film created together with Trapper and YourMaker delivers impactful imagery and a progressive outlook that continues to propel MEASAT forward as a brand committed to connecting the ‘unconnected’.”

Meanwhile, Sue-Anne Lim, Trapper’s CEO, shared that CONNECTme is currently the only prepaid solution for Malaysians to continuously be connected to one another regardless of where they are in the entire country.

“That is what makes this Raya film so special and why it’s important to ensure we send this message to all the right people at the right places, at the right time. MEASAT does not only have a commercial value here but a very strong social mission,” said Lim.

Lee Tak Shune, YourMaker’s co-founder, noted that it was a real challenge to highlight the bond between Ida and her grandmother – especially when they are trying to tell two different stories in the same frame.

“For us, authenticity is of utmost importance to ensure the film also resonates well with our East Malaysian audience. The film was shot in Sabah with all local talents, right down to the chickens! We’re mindful that CONNECTme has a strong consumer heartland in East Malaysia,” said Shune.

The campaign is now live on national TV, radio, and digital platforms including YouTube and Facebook.

Manila, Philippines – Dubai-based esports organisation Galaxy Racer has partnered with talent agency Tyronne Escalante Artist Management (TEAM), aimed at opening up new doors for talents, whilst paving the way for Galaxy Racer’s vision to become the largest content powerhouse in the Philippines. 

Through the partnership, TEAM and Galaxy Racer Philippines will mutually support their rosters of content creators to create a new breed of talents. TEAM will support Galaxy Racer’s efforts by providing expertise in acting and training sessions for the gaming content creators, while Galaxy Racer serves as TEAM’s esports and gaming arm to guide film and entertainment artists in expanding their digital presence into the online gaming space, venturing into live streaming games as a way to grow their influence to a wider audience, and solidifying their interaction with fans.

Moreover, Galaxy Racer Philippines is also looking into expanding to collegiate esports by producing grassroots leagues and programs that would support and develop student-athletes, and provide scholarship opportunities through esports.

Mitch Esguerra, Galaxy Racer’s CEO for SEA, noted that the Philippines is a key market for their growth in the region, driven by the explosive growth in the number of content creators and viewers in the market. 

“We are seeing the lines blur between lifestyle and gaming influencers with an increasing demand for live gaming content, where fans are able to engage directly with their favorite content creators. Our entryway into the Philippines is just the beginning of what we have planned for the market and the region and we are excited to contribute to the esports and gaming industry,” said Esguerra.

Meanwhile, Marcia Guillermo, Galaxy Racer’s country manager for the Philippines, said that they value the work that content creators put into their craft, which is why they are constantly seeking opportunities to invest in them in the region and grow their following reach.

“As the esports industry and ecosystem is continuously growing, we are more than excited to have partners that prioritise initiatives to develop talents and provide opportunities that would create a positive impact on all facets of the industry and the community including collegiate esports. This outlook and commitment would definitely position Galaxy Racer to lead for the coming years,” Guillermo added.

Galaxy Racer Philippines is also set to launch its merchandise GXR Limited and music record label GXR Records this year. GXR Limited will release a collaboration collection with Galaxy Racer’s exclusive content creators Kristine Satamena and Tukomi Twins, while GXR Records will kick off by collaborating with local producers to plan for the music release featuring other Galaxy Racer exclusive artists.

Jakarta, Indonesia – To honour the resilience and self-belief shown by Indonesians during the pandemic, Grab Indonesia has partnered with OTT video streaming service Viu to launch a six-part series titled ‘Cerita Tentang Percaya’, which in English translates to ‘Stories of Belief’. 

The series is inspired by real-life stories of Indonesians who persevered, dared to fail, and rose again during the pandemic. Each of the 22-minute episodes of the show, which is streamed on Viu, focuses on a different story of survival during the pandemic. It has also been timed to launch with Grab’s ad campaign ‘Percaya’, which in English translates to ‘belief’, that salutes the resilient spirit of Indonesians. 

A collaborative effort of three players – The Academy Consulting (TAC), Iron Hill Media (IHM) and Passion Pictures Indonesia (PASSION). The original concept and strategy were pitched to Grab and Viu by TAC, while IHM fleshed out the six stories, and PASSION executed the production with film director Hafiz Ibrahim.

Melinda Savitri, Grab Indonesia’s country marketing head, commented that they are pleased to have partnered with Viu for ‘Cerita Tentang Percaya‘ series, which reflects the character of Indonesians, who are known to be extremely persistent – relentlessly trying again and again to overcome challenges. 

“As an inseparable element of the nation, Grab stands and fights with all Indonesians. Through collaboration with Viu and supported by TAC, PASSION, and IHM, we want the audience to feel a connection that this is a story about all of us, a story about celebrating the fight itself,” said Savitri.

Meanwhile, Varun Mehta, Viu Indonesia’s country manager, said, “The core concept of Cerita Tentang Percaya the series appealed to us greatly and that is why we wanted to partner with Grab by providing a platform where not only these stories but also the creativity of Indonesian content can be seen by a larger audience both in Indonesia and internationally.” 

Sheen S Singh, the founder of TAC, IHM & PASSION Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand, noted that it was a proactive initiative that was developed by the team at TAC which has found that there is a fast-growing appetite amongst the consumers for long-form entertainment and an opportunity for brands to entertain and engage with them by telling relevant stories. 

“From a creative perspective, this series was designed to entertain with the brand being a part of life versus having the stories evolve around the brand. The content we aspire to produce for brands will always put “entertainment” first to ensure it is widely viewed. We are thankful to Grab and Viu for recognising this opportunity,” said Singh.

The platform has been streaming two episodes each week with the last episode scheduled to be shown on the 27th of April.

Singapore – Singapore-based beauty company Believe has raised a Series C funding of US$55m from incoming investors Venturi Partners and IIFL AMC, as well as the participation of Jungle Ventures, Accel, and Alteria Capital, as well as Genesis Alternative Ventures. 

Believe serves the global Muslim audience with brands spanning skincare, fragrances, make-up and hair care. Its brands, which include Lafz, ZM and Dr Rhazes, have received incredible customer love in Bangladesh and India with a growing base in GCC countries

The newly secured funding will catalyse Believe’s consolidating market share in Bangladesh and India via strategic acquisitions while deepening its reach in GCC and SEA through both organic and inorganic growth, paving the path to becoming a large global CPG conglomerate.

Ankit Mahajan, Believe’s CEO, said, “We have created a relentless marketing organisation that has the ability to identify consumer needs, use 12-member strong R&D expertise to make fantastic products and then put our international supply chain to deliver global standard products to countries across the world.”

Meanwhile, Nicholas Cator, Venturi’s founder and managing partner, shared that they are excited to be backing the most experienced BPC founders in the region and have been extremely impressed by their ability to build a diversified portfolio of products and a unique distribution network during a pandemic.

“We are convinced that with its strong team and group of investors, Believe will become the leading global halal and clean BPC house of brands,” said Cator.

Vietnam – Insurance firm Tokio Marine Insurance Vietnam (TMIV) has partnered with information company OpenText to implement OpenText solutions, aimed at modernising its client communication strategy and enabling rapid delivery of information to customers.

Through the partnership, TMIV will be leveraging OpenText Exstream and accelerating the creation of policy documents by 40%, helping the company to process growing volumes of client requests. Moreover, manual processes will be replaced with streamlined digital authoring and editing tools, cutting production costs and improving customer satisfaction as clients now receive their policy information faster. This solution was also utilised by the company’s Indonesia non-life insurance entity, PT Asuransi Tokio Marine Indonesia (TMI), for policy issuance.

Hideki Maeomote, TMIV’s general director, shared that they needed a solution that would streamline and accelerate their document workflows, which is aligned with their values to ‘Japan Quality’ to their customers. 

“With OpenText Exstream, we have modernised internal processes and cut time spent on preparing insurance documents by almost half,” said Maeomote.

Meanwhile, James McGourlay, OpenText’s executive vice president of international sales, said, “By relying on OpenText, TMIV is transforming standard client communication processes to provide highly effective and efficient client experiences. We’re pleased to continue working with our valued partner Delaware to explore more avenues to help TMIV expand their digital modernisation strategy.”

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – Vietnam-based sustainability company EQUO has raised US$1.3m in a seed funding round, which will be used to increase EQUO’s brand awareness and exposure globally, expand the product line, and develop technical capabilities to drive the business.

The funding was led by NextGen Ventures, as well as with participation from Techstars and East Ventures. 

Founded in 2020, EQUO provides 100% plastic-free and compostable solutions made of materials like coffee, coconut, and sugarcane to replace single-use plastics. The company aims to disrupt the industry by offering solutions that are easy and convenient to use, without asking consumers to change their lifestyles or behaviour.

Marina Tran-Vu, EQUO’s founder and CEO, noted that the company will be offering products made from alternative materials – but doing it in a fun and approachable way that gets consumers, businesses and big corporations to pay attention.

“Our vision is to replace all single-use plastic on the planet. This isn’t just about the visible plastic we see in our environment, but also about the downstream effects of microplastics. We are excited about the new products we are delivering this year to show the world all the things we can do WITHOUT single-use plastic and paper,” said Tran-Vu.

Jakarta, Indonesia – Hypefast, the house of e-commerce native brands in Southeast Asia, has appointed Mohammed Alabsi, former senior vice president of engineering at e-commerce platform Bukalapak, to be its new chief technology officer.

In his new role, Alabsi will be joining the senior leadership team, and will be managing Hypefast’s tech team, focusing on developing technology to support the development of the company’s end-to-end tech-driven retail ecosystem.

Alabsi is a seasoned technology leader with experience in the US, Asia, and the Middle East. He brings over 17 years of experience in the technology industry, with a proven track record of building AWS services powering the infrastructure of tech companies worldwide. He was also a founding member of Amazon’s advertising and B2B e-commerce businesses. In addition, Mohammed is active in the startup scene, advising and investing in startups across SEA and the US.

Commenting on his appointment, Alabsi said that the opportunity to build and accelerate technology innovation for Hypefast gained his attention from the start, especially the idea of developing ultra-relevant tech solutions for the e-commerce native brands in SEA based on real problems and challenges they are facing when managing their own portfolio brands. 

“We want to use this to bring innovation and effective solutions to the brands. I also look forward to building Hypefast’s new best-in-class tech team and together taking Hypefast one step closer to the company’s vision,” he added.

Meanwhile, Achmad Alkatiri, Hypefast’s founder and CEO, commented that they are excited to welcome Alabsi to their leadership team, as his diverse experience in tech makes him distinctively suited to drive innovation as Hypefast accelerates their tech-driven retail ecosystem and brings solutions to e-commerce native brands.

“His experience, combined with our best-in-class team in retail and e-commerce, will lead our continued investment in the leadership team for the industry and strengthen Hypefast’s commitment to super-charge the growth of e-commerce native brands in Southeast Asia,” said Alkatiri.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Enterprise SEO developer NexMind AI has launched NexWriter, an AI-powered content generation software for users to generate SEO-driven and human-like text within minutes. 

NexWriter is suitable for generating both short and long content, particularly advertising copy, web page headers, and company and product information, as well as blog articles. It currently supports English and Arabic, and Japanese will be added later this month. It is also marketed to in-house marketing executives and digital marketing consultants looking to generate content for clients to boost website visibility, and is available on a subscription basis.

Moreover, the new software is equipped with a Q&A Outline Module that provides users with analytical insights every time a query is made, to address long-tail search intents effectively. It also makes it easy for users to generate content useful for website ranking by providing smart recommendations appearing as subtopics to guide them throughout the process.

Francis Lui, NexMind’s CEO, said that the company is on a mission to revolutionise SEO using AI and automation, and NexWriter supports that. 

He further shared that their software is unique because it is an AI-trained model, not a translation tool, and the most important thing is that it is embedded with SEO, and the automated process that they are introducing helps marketers become more efficient in their work.

“Content output generated through our NexWriter meets common language standards leaving no space for error and it is with zero plagiarism,” said Lui.

NexMind said that the software is available as a standalone, and it is also bundled with NexODN SEO optimization software, as well as, available in a non-SEO version for general content generation requirements.

Singapore – Singapore-based telco MyRepublic has announced the comeback of its esports festival, Achievement Unlocked Season 3, which will happen from 25 April to 26 June 2022, with a new lineup of exciting games and weekly and seasonal challenges. 

First launched in 2020, Achievement Unlocked is a MyRepublic GAMER initiative that brings together gaming enthusiasts in Singapore across all demographics to celebrate their skill and dedication to their gameplay. For this year’s season, the festival will feature games namely Elden Ring, Valorant, and Genshin Impact, as well as Stardew Valley.

All gamers in Singapore can participate in Achievement Unlocked Season 3 from the comfort of their homes, using their own gaming rigs. They can simply play the games in their own time and be the first to complete a series of challenges, including the ’20-Season Achievements’, where each game will feature five-Season Achievements, and gamers must complete the challenges during the season to qualify for the prizes, as well as the ’24-Weekly Achievements’, where each game will run for two weeks, with three weekly achievements each week. Gamers who will unlock these achievements will be rewarded IRL with prizes worth over $3,000, including Elden Ring Collector’s Edition, branded gaming peripherals, and Grab vouchers.

Lawrence Chan, MyRepublic’s managing director for Singapore, said that there’s no better time to launch a new season of Achievement Unlocked to take their gaming to the next level and offer real-life rewards to complement their in-game accomplishments.

“This is only the beginning; we have more initiatives to engage gamers in the coming months, so stay tuned,” added Chan.