Jakarta, Indonesia – Shipping company SiCepat Ekspres in Indonesia has collaborated with Digital Mediatama Maxima (DMMX), the advertising exchange platform that provides end-to-end services, to initiate the development of DMMX’s commercial platform for MSME retail networks.

SiCepat Ekspres is an Indonesian shipping company that answers the needs of e-commerce business people. It offers 8-hour delivery to the Jabodetabek and Bandung areas and one-day delivery to major cities across the country.

The partnership aims to strengthen the strategic capabilities of the company’s digital marketing activities in the future. Through the SiCepat Group’s commerce enabler platform, SiCepat will provide full support in supplying groceries, raw materials, and supplies to MSMEs who are members of the DMMX network. These supply procurement activities will be supported by integrated logistics services from SiCepat Ekspres. 

Furthermore, through DMMX’s platform, MSMEs will be provided with digital commerce and marketplace development as well as the installation of digital marketing and digital cloud advertising at these MSMEs points.

SiCepat Ekspres’ CEO The Kim Hai shared that with various services owned by SiCepat and DMMX increasingly integrated, they are optimistic that they can make a significant contribution to the empowerment program for Indonesian MSMEs, which currently reach 62 million MSMEs to Go Digital. 

“At this time SiCepat has invested 4.5% ownership in DMMX. We plan to increase ownership in DMMX to further strengthen this synergy,” said Hai.

Meanwhile, Budiasto Kusuma, the president director of DMMX, commented that they are delighted to partner with SiCepat to further strengthen their MSME partners in following the fast growth of the digital era. 

“Various solutions have been implemented including e-commerce and marketplaces as well as the installation of digital marketing and digital cloud advertising. There is a potential for tremendous network effect that can be realized from harmonizing the DMMX marketing network with SiCepat’s logistics capabilities,” said Kusuma.

Singapore – With the initiative to give small and medium businesses (SMBs) across Southeast Asia to boost brand engagement and accessibility, short video platform TikTok has launched its newest initiative ‘Shop Local Saturday’ that gives SMBs opportunities to be featured on their platform.

Currently available for SMBs across Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, the ‘Shop Local Initiative’ features a variety of paid advertising packages to showcase the SMB branding through a unique suite of in-app spotlight features on TikTok, which will roll out starting 4 June. With many SMBs still managing the impact of the pandemic, this initiative also seeks to level the playing field by raising awareness about their businesses and amplifying their offerings.

Through the initiative, SMBs will have the unique opportunity to not only participate in TikTok’s campaign but also to leverage the platform’s scale and reach. With special perks such as a dedicated in-app page that is designed to drive traffic to the various SMBs’ sites, exclusive access to creators, produced ads, creative workshops and listings on TikTok’s website and blog, SMBs will receive next-level brand exposure to drive conversions of more users into new customers. 

Beyond the benefits to local SMBs, local TikTok users in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam can also look forward to great deals, including providing promotion codes within the app for customers, available on TikTok all across June as they do their part to support their local businesses.

Esme Lean, head of small and medium business in Southeast Asia at TikTok stated that they are thrilled with the launch of said initiative, adding that the initiative aims to empower more SMBs to use TikTok as a platform to find their authentic voice and reach new audiences.

“This is our way of supporting SMBs and enabling them to grow in spite of the pandemic. We hope to show SMBs in Southeast Asia that they can leverage TikTok to launch meaningful campaigns that will ultimately drive sales and real business results,” Lean stated.

TikTok notes in its TikTok SMB Report conducted by TikTok for Business, 1 in every 4 SMBs in Thailand as well as 1 in every 3 Vietnamese and Indonesian SMBs have used TikTok as their preferred ad platform and find TikTok ads to be most effective, highlighting the strength of the platform as a marketing tool to drive their business goals.

In addition to the various benefits brought to SMBs by Shop Local Saturdays, TikTok will also amplify the initiative further on the platform through In-Feed Ads as well as attention-grabbing full-screen displays known as Brand Takeovers, to direct users to the Shop Local Saturday listings throughout June.

Beyond Shop Local Saturday, TikTok is firmly committed to helping SMBs bounce back by providing them with the tools, resources and best practices to connect with their audiences and grow their business during this difficult time:

  • TikTok Ads Manager: SMB can leverage TikTok Ads Manager to create advertising campaigns with easy set up and flexible budgets while helping their business to reach their relevant audiences. 
  • Grow with TikTok – Starter Lab: A monthly training programme kickstarted in February 2021, where over 6,600 SMBs have since benefited from learning directly from established figures in the marketing industry and TikTok experts on getting started on the platform. 
  • Small Business Resource Center: Introduced in March 2021, it houses TikTok’s practices and resources for SMBs to learn to connect with their audience and drive results. 
  • Lead Generation: TikTok’s first-party solution that helps businesses reach prospects in order to convert them into potential customers with ease, is also available to businesses. Lead Generation enables businesses of all sizes to create seamless interactions to reach prospects in order to convert them into potential customers. 
  • Supporting Local Payments on TikTok Ads Manager: TikTok supports local-friendly payments through integration with e-wallets like DANA in Indonesia and Rabbit LINE Pay. 
  • Signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the governments in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam: TikTok has also partnered local governments in key markets with MOUs, reinforcing its commitment to supporting SMBs across the region.

Manila, Philippines – Super-app Grab in the Philippines has partnered with Microsoft to launch the GrabAcademy online platform, with the aim to provide its driver and delivery partners free and equitable access to new learning and development opportunities to enhance their skills and become competitive in the digital-first economy.

The GrabAcademy has three learning pillars, namely ‘Safety across the platform’, ‘Growing within the platform’, and ‘Thriving beyond the platform’. In addition, topics such as taxation and vehicle sanitation will also be migrated online. 

Interested participants can easily register within their Grab Driver app, and will receive a completion certificate upon accomplishing the courses.

Grace Vera Cruz, the country head of Grab Philippines, shared that the super-app’s driver and delivery partners have spent many years providing essential services to all their kababayans (fellow countrymen), and as a community partner, they are committed to supporting their everyday needs and their long-term success. 

“Our GrabAcademy is a clear expression of our long-term commitment to the development and well-being of our partners – both within and beyond our platform, and we are blessed and excited to be with Microsoft on this journey. Through this partnership, we hope to deliver these programs that will provide more holistic training support for our partners to help them become more competitive in a digital-first Philippines,” said Vera Cruz.

Meanwhile, Microsoft Philippines’ Country Manager Andres Ortola commented, “We’re excited to join hands with Grab Philippines in this effort, which will be the first of many more programs to drive positive outcomes and economic recovery for the Philippines.”

Just recently, Grab Philippines has also launched ‘GrabBayanihan Vaccination Support Program’, in an aim to motivate all its consumers, drivers, and delivery partners to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Malaysia – Inspired by Malaysian SMEs’ entrepreneurial spirit and important role in the digital economy, telco Maxis has announced the launch of its new ‘UsahaWIRA’ (hero entrepreneur) program.

The program aims to help SMEs in the country to accelerate their business reactivation and build resilience for the future through digitalization.

As part of the program, Maxis will be releasing a series of initiatives and relevant content with a focus on the SME Digitalization Program by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), which showcase success stories of real-life ‘UsahaWIRAs’ that are already reaping the benefits of the grant and digital solutions, in an aim to inspire thousands of entrepreneurs across Malaysia. In addition, Maxis’ SME Help Squad will also be accessible to answer questions from business owners.

One of the program’s initiatives is “Ronda-Ronda Ketemu ‘UsahaWIRA’, Astro TV series”, which is a six-episode series that features celebrity host and business owner Ajak Shiro, and his journey with a Maxis’ SME Help Squad representative, searching for local hero entrepreneurs who want to share their stories on taking up digital solutions through the grant.

Another initiative is “‘UsahaWIRA’ film and customer featurettes”, a content that puts the spotlight on three ‘UsahaWIRAs’ across the country who overcame their challenges by digitizing their businesses with Maxis Business solutions through the grant and obtained real results that have made a difference in growing their businesses.

“Tanyalah Maxis” is also another initiative of the program, where Maxis Business and MDEC will be releasing various content pieces including bite-sized TikTok-style videos to answer all SMEs’ questions about digitalization and the Grant at the end of May.

And lastly, the “Spark ‘UsahaWIRA’” initiative, which is an extension of Maxis’ popular Spark series a series of interactive virtual forums to help businesses accelerate digital transformation and embrace IR4.0. It is a full-day event featuring some of the biggest names in the industry along with successful entrepreneurs who will share their journey on digital entrepreneurship, and host multiple workshop sessions.

Maxis’ Chief Enterprise Business Officer Paul McManus shared that as SMEs strive to protect their businesses in this challenging landscape, the company is encouraging them to think of what they need, both now and in the future, to be future-ready. 

“The ‘UsahaWIRA’ program aims to empower them to act quickly in adopting digital technologies through learnings and results from experienced entrepreneurs. Our goal is to guide them every step of the way and help them leverage digitalization so that they can always be ahead in a changing world,” said McManus.

Meanwhile, Aiza Azreen Ahmad, the chief digital business officer of MDEC, commented that the past year has brought into sharp focus the digital mandate, condensing the development of digitalization in a short period of time, as it is no longer a choice but a necessity. 

“We welcome Maxis’ ‘UsahaWIRA’ program which will give SMEs the confidence to take the first step in going digital through the SME Digitalization programs,” said Ahmad.

Just recently, Maxis has also launched ‘eKelas Usahawan’, a structured digital marketing program to empower women entrepreneurs in rural communities to develop a stronger digital presence. It comprises a series of digital marketing workshops at no cost, with a practical and hands-on approach, equipping them with digital tools and skills to help them grow their business.

Bangkok, Thailand – Thai property developer Ananda Development, together with advertising agency GREYnJ United, has released a short music video ‘Urban Hero’ which aims to send a rush of hope and boost the morale of Thais by acknowledging Thais’ courage during these trying times.

While Thailand is looked to early on as one of the model countries in managing the virus, currently, it is now dealing with the third wave of COVID-19 infections. People are stressed and overwhelmed as the pandemic takes hold once again with the government forced to implement semi-lockdown restrictions. 

The 45-second film features a montage of locals going on about their daily lives trying their best to make sense of a normal routine. 

The song was performed by the country’s aspiring rapper OG Bobby. OG Bobby was born in Thailand but was raised in Florida, United States. He pursued his rapping career by going back to his birth land and joining record label Hype Train. Bobby is known for his song ‘Aye Aye OG’.

‘Urban Hero’ by OG Bobby tells of the current life that while difficult and uncertain, people are still managing the best they can, making them real-life heroes on their own. The song features an upbeat tune with lyrics portraying human resilience, hope, and optimism.

Asawin Phanichwatana, the deputy chief creative officer at GREYnJ United, shared that every story can be inspiring, and it resonates with the concept of an ordinary hero. 

“Everyone is a hero, especially in these times, and we are each the hero for our own story,” said Phanichwatana.

The ‘Urban Hero’ music video has been released across multiple digital platforms.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia As Malaysians celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan last 13 May, brands of various industries have launched each of their unique campaigns to come in solidarity with Muslims in Malaysia, and commemorate Hari Raya.

YouTube in Malaysia has just launched the year’s top 10 Ramadan-Raya ads that have touched the hearts of many viewers, where the list was based on factors such as organic and paid views, watch time, and audience retention.

1. Tenaga Nasional Berhad: TNB Raya 2021: Hikmah Raya Aida

For this year’s Raya, Malaysia’s electric utility giant Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) released a quirky short film, featuring the brand’s well-loved character, Aida, who came to realize that ‘family time’ is the most important treasure in life.

2. Etiqa: Etiqa 2021 Raya – Balik Tanjung Mana?

Through a married couple-themed ad, insurance and takaful business firm Etiqa in the country reminded its viewers of the value of ‘togetherness’ this Raya.

3. Watsons Malaysia: Watsons Raya 2021 #RayaUnikRayaIkonik

In a musical short film, health and beauty retailer Watsons in Malaysia introduced the unique family of Ayda Jebat and Nabil, embracing each other’s differences to have an iconic, unforgettable Aidilfitri.

4. MR DIY: Iklan Raya MR.DIY 2021: Kerana Azman

Household products retailer MR DIY inspired viewers with a heart-warming campaign that highlights ‘self-worth’.

5. Lazada Malaysia: Lazada Ada Sentuhan Raya 5.5

In line with e-commerce platform Lazada’s 5.5 Sale, the app released some amazing deals and ‘lowest price guaranteed’ promise for its customers.

6. Petronas: PETRONAS RAYA 2021: Syukur Raya

Narrated by a singing dove, the short animated film by the country’s oil and gas company Petronas Malaysia presented a fun and cheeky story of compassion.

7. RHB Group: RHB Group Raya 2021: Sempurna

Malaysian financial service company RHB Group showed its support to the deaf community through a Raya ad that tells the true story of a girl, who shares videos of herself performing sign language song covers, despite suffering from a hearing disability.

8. Saji Malaysia: Iklan Raya SAJI 2021: Mangkuk Tingkat Mak Teh

Cooking oil brand Saji celebrated Ramadan through a heart-rending campaign, highlighting a wife’s longingness for her husband.

9. Julie’s Biscuits: Ini Iklan Raya, tau?!

Through a comic yet meaningful campaign, biscuit brand Julie’s Biscuits made use of typical Raya ad scenarios to encourage its consumers to show more appreciation towards women.

10. Shopee Malaysia: 2021 5.5 Raya TVC

In a 15-second sing and dance video, Shopee in Malaysia introduced its Ramadan and 5.5 Sale which offered shoppers free shipping with no minimum spend.

Singapore – Global digital media agency M&C Saatchi Performance has won the digital mandate for beverage company Beam Suntory for its key markets in the SEA region, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as the Philippines, and Cambodia.

Headquartered in the United States, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Japan’s Suntory Holdings. It deems to be the third-largest producer of distilled beverages globally and is also producing alcoholic beverages.

As per the mandate, M&C Saatchi Performance will be responsible for the digital media planning, buying, and strategy of Beam Suntory brands in SEA such as Jim Beam, Auchentoshan, and Roku, as well as Strong Zero, among others.

Commenting on the partnership, Adeep Gupta, the managing director at Beam Suntory SEA, said, “We’re very happy to bring M&C Saatchi Performance on board as our partners on some of our most prestigious brands. Digitalization is a key theme to reach and engage consumers and we’re thrilled to partner with the team to set a new benchmark in SEA.”

Meanwhile, M&C Saatchi Performance APAC’s Managing Director Kabeer Chaudhary commented that it is an exciting opportunity for the agency to be chosen as Beam Suntory’s digital media agency, and they are looking forward to leveraging their deep market knowledge to drive transformative digital strategies in an industry that has traditionally been focused on offline media. 

“Over the next year, we’ll be working closely with the Beam Suntory team to consolidate their digital presence in Southeast Asia and hope this will be the beginning of a long-lasting relationship,” said Chaudhary.

Christian Gladwell, the CEO at M&C Saatchi Performance, also commented that they are delighted to welcome Beam Suntory to the M&C Saatchi Performance family of clients and look forward to driving their business growth across SEA. 

“I am confident that leveraging the expertise of our team in the region will undoubtedly fasten Beam Suntory’s connection to today’s digital audiences,” said Gladwell.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Cloud service provider Huawei Technologies in Malaysia has signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) with marketing agency Vita Media, to accelerate digitalization among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

At the center of the partnership is the aim to boost Vita Media’s information review hub, ‘Askpert’, and Huawei will be providing the needed infrastructure to improve the platform. The marketing agency will be carrying out business-to-business (B2B) collaborations in order to get SMEs to take full advantage of ‘Askpert’ in their business transactions.

Through ‘Askpert’, consumers are able to have more access to transparent and accurate information, enabling them to make more informed purchasing decisions by referring to other users’ comments and personal reviews. On the merchant side meanwhile, the review hub will be able to help them address users’ voices through their personal verdict of products and services. 

Vita Media’s CEO Kiro Tan said, “We are grateful to Huawei Cloud for their commitment to bringing affordable, effective, and reliable cloud services through technological innovation. We firmly believe that with the availability of a platform such as ASKPERT, combined with Huawei Cloud’s expertise, we will be able to improve the awareness among SMEs on the latest digital trends, thereby expanding the range of market scopes.”

Meanwhile, Huawei Malaysia’s Cloud and AI Business Group’s vice president Chee Siong Lim thanked Vita Media for choosing Huawei Cloud as its business and industry partner and reiterated the need for businesses, especially SMEs which are more vulnerable to the negative effects of COVID-19, to upskill digitally and adopt technology to give them a competitive advantage in today’s world.

“Huawei remains committed to driving digital growth among SMEs for the benefit of both businesses and consumers while supporting the Malaysian government’s vision to digitally transform the sector. This collaboration with Vita Media will leverage Huawei’s technology to improve accessibility to infotainment content and in doing so, enrich consumers’ lives,” said Lim.

Vita Media has also announced the upcoming launch of its new ‘live broadcast plus e-commerce’, which will be hosted on Huawei Cloud, with the aim to offer interesting live sales content in three languages and guarantees the lowest price for a three-hour broadcast limit throughout the year.

Manila, Philippines – Super-app Grab in the Philippines has launched ‘GrabBayanihan Vaccination Support Program’, to help increase vaccine access and education for Filipinos. 

The program aims to encourage all consumers, drivers, and delivery partners to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Through this, Grab will work closely with the national and local government units and leverage its ground fleet network and app.

Grab will be subsidizing COVID-19 vaccinations for the driver and delivery partners who are not covered by the national vaccination program. It will also be launching a specialized car fleet composed of vaccinated driver-partners to provide discounted mobility services to senior citizens and high-risk Filipinos going to and from vaccination centers.

Furthermore, Grab will also work with the Department of Health (DOH) to provide accurate vaccine and other public health information within dedicated high-visibility spaces in the Grab app to combat misinformation and boost public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. The super-app will launch a ‘COVID-19 Snap Survey’, which will enable DOH to gather real-time data on vaccine sentiment and conduct a series of workshops and town halls to educate Filipinos on getting vaccinated.

Grab Philippines’ country head Grace Vera Cruz said, “Now that we are gradually striving towards socio-economic recovery, we believe that the vaccination efforts from both the private and public sectors provide much-needed hope for many of our kababayans (fellow citizens). Through Grab Philippines’ technology, platform, and partnerships, we are reinforcing our commitment to supporting livelihoods and helping the recovery of our communities.”

This year, Grab has also shown its commitment to vaccination efforts in Indonesia. It has been using its platform as an educational channel to fight misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and has been opening new vaccination centers in different parts of the country, including Bali and Banten Province.

Singapore – Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), the non-profit non-governmental key representative body for the retail industry in Singapore, has announced the appointment of e-commerce platform Lazada as the first-ever official e-commerce partner for the Great Singapore Sale (GSS) 2021, an annual shopping event in the country.

GSS is a shopping fair that started 27 years ago and is annually organized by the SRA, with the aim to promote the tourism industry in the country. 

The previously held edition of GSS was in September 2020. It was also online due to the pandemic and it took place as a hybrid event as part of the SingapoRediscovers – a campaign by Singapore Tourism Board that supports local businesses and encourages people to explore the country. 

One year on, and with Singapore back to ‘phase two’ of reopening, SRA believes that the decision to partner with Lazada will greatly help the retail industry. With the platform’s expertise in equipping brands and sellers to move online, they can achieve successful sales.

Through the partnership, SRA members will benefit from Lazada platform’s technology infrastructure, payments gateway, and logistics solutions with its third-party logistics partners, which will eliminate costly barriers retailers face when selling online. They will also enjoy a 0% commission, with new LazMall sellers enjoying this promotion for the first three months on the platform from the first day they sell on their LazMall store.

James Chang, chief executive officer at Lazada Singapore, said, “The Great Singapore Sale is a national institution and sentimental for Singaporeans and those who remember flying into the country to enjoy the sales. In these challenging and transformative times, we’re doing our part to rally the retail industry and equip them with the tools they need to have a successful Great Singapore Sale in 2021.”

Furthermore, SRA members on LazMall during the fair can also take advantage of the suite of marketing solutions available to increase visibility while appealing to shoppers. They will each have a dedicated account manager to navigate the plethora of options including LazLive, Lazada’s in-app live streaming service, and flash sales, as well as the Lazada store. 

Meanwhile, shoppers are allowed to make purchases at a seller’s Lazada store and pick them up at their physical outlet. This not only provides an additional delivery option to suit customers’ needs but also paves the way for sellers to enjoy a successful hybrid operating model with both online and offline outlets.

Singapore Retailers Association’s president R Dhinakaran shared that the pandemic has had a profound impact on consumer shopping habits and accelerated retailers’ urgency to expand their digital presence quickly so as to stay engaged with their consumers and develop alternative sales channels. 

“Our partnership with Lazada this GSS is timely, in the light of tighter SMM guidelines limiting shopper traffic to stores and malls, and a changing retail landscape,” said Dhinakaran.

This year’s GSS will kick off with Lazada’s 6.6 sale campaign until 7 July, which is also Lazada’s much-anticipated annual 7.7 sales.