Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Travel Alliance is set to launch a cross-border telco rewards programme for its customers with ride-hailing and delivery company Grab and travel brand Trip.com.

Travel Alliance, comprised of Singtel, AIS, Globe, HKT, Optus, Taiwan Mobile and Telkomsel, is set to roll out the rewards programme starting January next year.

Through the partnership with Grab and Trip.com, customers of Alliance members can save on accommodations, flights, rides, and food deliveries.

The launch reflects Travel Alliance’s aim of providing incentives to its customers when travelling, including for transport, dining, merchandise, and lifestyle services. Since Travel Alliance’s establishment in February 2024, Grab and Trip.com are the first to become partners that provide rewards for customers.

As part of the rewards programme, Travel Alliance customers can gain discounts from Trip.com hotel and flight bookings. Additionally, they can also upgrade to Trip.com’s top-tier status, enjoying rewards such as access to VIP lounges and upgrades for car models when travelling.

Meanwhile, Grab is set to launch a Grab Tourist Pack in 2025, providing exclusive deals for Alliance customers.

“As a customer-focused company, Trip.com is delighted to partner with the alliance of seven telcos to bring exceptional travel opportunities to their users across the Asia Pacific region. This collaboration reflects our commitment to making travel more accessible and rewarding by leveraging innovative partnerships. By combining the convenience of our platform with exclusive discounts for the telco customers, we aim to inspire more people to plan the perfect trip for a better world,” Han Feng, head of marketing at Trip.com, said.

“With our presence in over 700 cities across 8 countries in Southeast Asia, Grab believes we can be the one app travellers need for hailing rides, ordering food, dining out or getting emergency supplies delivered to their doorstep. We are pleased to partner the Travel Alliance to support the travel needs of their vast combined customer base,” Chuck Kim, managing director of group business development & strategic partnerships at Grab, commented.

Singapore – Funding Societies, a digital finance platform, has secured a US$25 million investment from Cool Japan Fund (CJF), Japan’s sovereign wealth fund. The investment will help the company support SMEs across Southeast Asia (SEA), particularly in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

To enhance its business in financing SMEs, Funding Societies will funnel the investment to help businesses receive their payments faster. It will also use artificial intelligence to streamline lending origination processes.

Additionally, Funding Societies and CJF are forging a partnership to financially support Japanese companies in SEA. Aimed at boosting commercial relations for Japanese SMEs across the region and expanding their businesses, it will consequently promote Japanese lifestyle and culture.

The investment marks CJF’s first funding into a fintech company in SEA.

“We are excited to be backing Funding Societies through this investment. Their track record of supporting SMEs in Southeast Asia well places them to help Japanese companies overcome challenges when entering new overseas markets – particularly in this region,” Kenichi Kawasaki, president and chief executive officer of Cool Japan Fund, said.

“With the shift of interest from Japanese firms steering towards Southeast Asia, we believe our partnership with Funding Societies through this investment will grow the overseas demand of Japanese products and services, in turn, benefitting Japan’s economy as well as the local SMEs doing business with Japanese companies,” Kawasaki added.

Kelvin Teo, co-founder and group chief executive officer of Funding Societies | Modalku, said, “We’re honored for the commitment from Cool Japan to collaborate and support Japanese companies expanding overseas. Many businesses we serve in Southeast Asia are Japanese firms, suppliers and/ or customers to them. Together with CJF, we intend to further strengthen these ties.”

Philippines – SB Finance Inc., a Security Bank affiliate, has teamed up with delivery app Lalamove Automotive to empower Lalamove drivers with financial solutions.

As part of the partnership, SB Finance is extending its OR/CR for Cash loan offering to Lalamove’s network of drivers. This allows the delivery platform’s partner drivers to make necessary upgrades to their vehicles, manage expenses, and unlock ways to increase income.

Lalamove drivers can access an exclusive channel for financing and get a maximum of Php 2 million loan. With the goal of promoting economic stability to drivers, the initiative streamlines how they can be supported financially.

Through the partnership, usual delays in securing loans will be avoided, allowing the drivers to focus on their work.

The initiative reflects both companies’ vision of uplifting Filipino drivers’ lives, coming at a time when the delivery industry in the Philippines is continuing its growth.

“Our mission at SB Finance is to support hardworking Filipinos in building better lives. Delivery drivers are an essential part of our economy, and this partnership with Lalamove Automotive allows us to provide the financial tools they need to succeed. By making financing simple, accessible, and reliable, we’re helping drivers unlock new possibilities for growth and stability,” Abbie Dans-Casanova, SB Finance president and chief executive officer, said.

Djon Nacario, Lalamove Philippines managing director, commented, “At Lalamove, we always look for ways to support our dedicated partner drivers, who are the backbone of our platform, ensuring every delivery is a success. Partnering with SB Finance gives them access to financial solutions that can help enhance their livelihood, and provide long-term stability. This is more than a partnership—it’s a commitment to the partner driver community’s growth and future.”

Vietnam – Spotify has released portraits of Vietnam’s top artists at hair salons, allowing fans to adopt their styles. The initiative was launched in collaboration with creative agency Happiness Saigon.

As part of the launch, trending artists in Vietnam, Vũ Cát Tường, Wren Evans, and MONO, are featured in images displayed at hair salons in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi.

Spotify users who have one of the three artists as one of their favorite artists on Wrapped 2024 can replicate their hairstyles for free.

Spotify Wrapped is the app’s global annual campaign that highlights its users’ listening habits and celebrates how they shape music culture. 

With this year’s Spotify Wrapped emphasizing music’s connection with lifestyle, the launch with Happiness Saigon reflects this by integrating music into personal style.

The initiative is further blended into everyday spaces with Spotify collaborating with Đông Tây Barbershop to roll out haircutting trucks in the streets of Ho Minh City.

The barbershop was also present at the HOZO Festival 2024, a music festival in Vietnam, allowing attendees to engage with music in a different way.

Singapore – Dating app Tinder has activated a real-life ‘Passport’ portal connecting people in Thailand and Vietnam. 

The ‘Tinder Passport: Teleport to Another City’ activation introduces a new way to meet people through a livestream portal in Siam Square, Bangkok and Landmark 81, Ho Chi Minh from December 6 to 8.

The activation complements the Passport Mode found on the Tinder app, where users can browse profiles and chat with people from a chosen location.

People on each side of the portal can connect through a five-minute video, with prompts guiding the conversation. The portal also allows them to send match requests or opt out of the call.

While the campaign has been primarily launched in Thailand and Vietnam, Tinder is planning to launch the activation in other major cities in Asia next year.

“Tinder is all about sparking new connections and creating meaningful experiences, and our latest experiential activation takes that mission to the next level. By connecting two vibrant cities in Asia, we’re giving people a unique opportunity to break the ice, meet new people, and explore the potential for real-life connections across borders similar to our Passport feature in the Tinder app,” Daniel Kim, vice president of APAC Marketing at Tinder, said.

“Whether it’s finding a new friend, travel buddy, or something more, Tinder and this campaign is designed to be a fun and innovative experience on bringing people together,” Kim added. 

Singapore – Magnite has announced the expansion of its Magnite Audiences solution by making its debut in India and Southeast Asia. The solution empowers publishers to unlock the full value of their audiences, while helping buyers connect with high value audiences at scale. 

Magnite Audiences sits within the Magnite Access suite, a collection of audience and addressability tools purpose-built for publishers and buyers to maximise the value of their data assets.

Magnite Audiences’ standardised, scalable segments based on publisher first-party data enable publishers to monetise their audiences and protect their user data. These audience segments, which include interest, purchase intent, demographic, seasonal and custom categories, provide the value and scale buyers want to achieve their campaign goals across key demographics. 

Moreover, they also offer significant reach from a trusted pool of standardised data originating from first party sources without compromising quality.

Gavin Buxton, managing director for Asia at Magnite, said, “Amid the changing identity landscape, buyers and publishers need to explore different models and approaches to solve for audience addressability. Magnite is committed to providing our clients with solutions like Magnite Audiences to help buyers and publishers package, find and reach audiences in new ways. The tool is ready and available for activation in India and Southeast Asia, and we look forward to continued adoption as more publishers and buyers begin to leverage it to their benefit.”

Meanwhile, Dinesh Joshi, vice president for product monetisation and analytics at NDTV, commented, “It’s essential for us to be able to create value from the vast amount of data at our disposal so that we can both enable precise targeting for advertisers while also enhancing the user experience we provide. Leveraging Magnite Audiences is helping us tap into new revenue streams and increase the attractiveness of our ad offerings, while bringing more personalisation to our readers and viewers.”

Lastly, Harish Iyer, EVP for media & investment at Interactive Avenues, stated, “As a full-service digital marketing agency, we constantly look for new ways of activating audience data at scale. We are confident that Magnite Audiences will play a pivotal role in this journey by helping us curate customized ad inventory that aligns with our clients’ campaign goals. We look forward to leveraging this partnership to drive measurable impact for leading brands.”

Bali, Indonesia – Yell Group, a creative digital company, has teamed up with Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence arm of Alibaba Group.

Through the partnership, Yell Group aims to be equipped with cloud-based solutions to revolutionise its AI storyboard platform, AI-Deate. Alibaba Cloud will be granting Yell Group with cloud computing capabilities to provide solutions to creative teams and allowing scalability.

Through the partnership, Alibaba Cloud is also set to introduce its advanced media solutions, Elastic Desktop Service and Object Storage Service.

Yell Group’s AI-Deate can empower creators globally, with the goal of elevating the creative industry. The partnership addresses creative teams’ growing demand for generative AI use.

AI-Deate also aims to promote work-life balance for practitioners in the creative industry.

The partnership was announced during the Alibaba Cloud Global Partner Summit 2024 in Bali, Indonesia.

“This transformative partnership with Alibaba Cloud propels AI-Deate to unprecedented heights, reinforcing our core mission to enhance the lives of creative professionals through cutting-edge AI technology,” Dissara Udomdej, chief executive officer at Yell Group, said during the summit.

Singapore – Vistar Media has partnered with global data and insights provider Pureprofile to transform digital-out-of-home (DOOH) campaign measurement in Southeast Asia, offering advanced audience insights to enhance advertiser performance.

This partnership delivers advanced audience insights and robust measurement solutions to advertisers in key markets such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, enabling brands to enhance engagement and achieve measurable results.

Vistar Media’s partnership with Pureprofile aims to reshape SEA’s DOOH landscape by providing advertisers access to online panel data for pre- and post-campaign insights. Pureprofile ensures the data reflects the region’s diverse demographics, including age, gender, and income.

The integration of Vistar Media’s programmatic DOOH technology with Pureprofile’s advanced data tools offers advertisers a comprehensive view of their campaigns, connecting offline and online behaviors. This data-driven approach helps brands reach diverse audiences effectively and make real-time campaign adjustments with actionable insights.

Through this partnership, Vistar Media and Pureprofile aim to set a new standard for DOOH advertising in Southeast Asia, empowering advertisers to craft more impactful and resonant campaigns.

Commenting on the partnership, Franck Vidal, director of Southeast Asia sales and partnerships at Vistar Media, remarked, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Pureprofile to introduce a new level of measurability to DOOH in Southeast Asia. This partnership combines the strength of Vistar’s programmatic platform with Pureprofile’s unique insights into human behaviour for measurable audience engagement.”

Anna Meiler, managing director for APAC at Pureprofile, also said, “Our collaboration with Vistar Media allows us to bring unparalleled precision and relevance to DOOH in Southeast Asia. With the capability to deliver both the “what” and the “why” behind audience interactions, advertisers gain a deeper understanding of how OOH ads resonate with their target demographics, making the measurement tool uniquely effective for optimising strategies and driving engagement. Together, Pureprofile and Vistar Media are able to provide advertisers with a truly comprehensive view of how consumers engage with campaigns.”

“This partnership is an exciting opportunity to help brands make better-informed decisions and achieve deeper connections with their audiences,” Meiler added. 

Singapore – Entertainment hub KC Global Media Asia has launched its distribution arm as an effort to expand its content sales and partnerships beyond the region.

Through the launch of KC Global Media Distribution, the company reaffirms its dedication to storytelling, showcasing culture, and contributing to global entertainment’s future.

The distribution arm has been unveiled at the Asia TV Forum and Market (ATF) in Singapore, which highlights remarkable content from third-party producers.

As part of ATF, KC Global Media Distribution is showcasing its ‘Breeze By The Sea’ drama in collaboration with Deepwaters Digital Support.

KC Global is also forging partnerships with production companies Mocha Chai Laboratories, Empire of Arkadia, and Monochromatic Pictures. This initiative is part of its effort to create iconic content with prominent brands such as AXN, Animax, ONE, GEM, and FAST Channel. 

With a vertically integrated business model, KC Global Media Distribution is focusing on fostering long-term partnerships and solidifying its footprint in the global media industry.

George Chien, co-founder, chief executive officer, and president of KC Global Media, commented, “By establishing KC Global Media Distribution, the organization is taking an important step in bringing high-quality content to a wider audience. This initiative aligns with our vision of empowering diverse voices and fostering partnerships that break barriers, connecting our content partners with viewers worldwide through universally engaging stories.”

“This new venture is a testament to KC Global Media’s entrepreneurial spirit and our mission to amplify premium content on the world stage. Our expertise in connecting with viewers stems from decades of experience in building engaged audiences and an in-depth understanding of what resonates with today’s diverse and dynamic global entertainment landscape,” Bonnie Wiryani, vice president of revenue and head of content sales at KC Global Media, said.

Singapore – Max made its debut across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong with regional activations across seven markets – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

The series of creative and immersive outdoor marketing efforts showcased the streaming service’s rich collection of blockbuster movies, groundbreaking series, iconic hits, best-in-class real-life stories, and family favourites, inviting fans to feel, experience, and become part of the stories, connecting with local audiences through dynamic and culturally relevant campaigns. 

On November 19, Max celebrated its arrival with a spectacular regional light-up moment across all seven markets. Scenes from Warner Bros. Discovery’s beloved brands and franchises, including ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘House of the Dragon,’ ‘The Last of Us,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ and ‘Barbie’ were projected on prominent buildings and landmarks. 

Moreover, audiences were invited to join in local launch celebrations, where fans in the Philippines explored ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘House of the Dragon’ themed Christmas trees and were treated to a magical Harry Potter Christmas tree light-up countdown by James and Oliver Phelps, followed by an amazing fireworks display. In Thailand, audiences were captivated by a life-size “Krathong” installation during the Loi Krathong Festival, as well as on-ground pop-ups inspired by ‘Barbie,’ ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Friends’ and ‘Harry Potter.’

In Taiwan, pop-ups of iconic Warner Bros. Discovery brands including Game of Thrones and Harry Potter allowed guests to step into the world of their favorite shows. 

Upping the ante, Max also took over prominent train stations, transportation, billboards and building projections across Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, transforming daily commutes into Warner Bros. Discovery-inspired journeys.

To connect viewers in Asia with Max, a series of creative social content brought iconic characters from Max’s loved shows into the heart of each market, incorporating characters into Asia’s vibrant culture, where characters ‘react’ to hyperlocal landmarks, dishes and cultural experiences. 

“The extensive launch campaign generated significant excitement, fostered emotional connections, and positioned Max as the region’s newest streaming experience. The campaign has successfully launched Max on an upwards trajectory in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, deeply connecting with local audiences in the region,” the streaming service said in a press statement.