Tag: Storytelling

Singapore – Citi Commercial Bank (CCB) has launched the second season of its ‘Makers’ video series, shining a spotlight on 17 clients who are homegrown entrepreneurs across six markets in Asia Pacific. 

The series tells the stories of visionary leaders and how they grew their formidable businesses across Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia and Singapore, and will run until April 2024.

From a close to 90-year jewelry brand that flourished from one goldsmith shop to nearly 1,000 stores covering Greater China; to a bioenergy business with a passion for ESG that started with no working capital and then went on to establish factories in Indonesia and China; to an e-commerce-led business which expanded from Singapore to other parts of Asia and now sees around 500,000 to 750,000 orders a day, the new season shines a spotlight on well-known companies from diverse industries. 

As business leaders narrate the stories behind their success, the series speaks to CCB’s ability to support rapidly growing mid-sized corporates that are increasingly born global or going global in record time. 

Gunjan Kalra, head, Asia North and Australia and Asia South at Citi Commercial Bank, said, “We are extremely proud of the ‘Makers’ video series and the strong partnership we have with our clients as we help them pursue their ambitions. The mid-market space is growing at an unprecedented pace globally and in Asia Pacific, driven by a strong spirit of entrepreneurship and a vibrant ecosystem that fosters startups. We understand this and we are actively using Citi’s global network of 95 markets to make it easy for our clients to expand their businesses across borders.”

She added, “With Citi Commercial Bank’s global industry coverage model, we are also supporting specific client needs across different industry groups by offering industry-specific knowledge and expertise rooted in a deep understanding of broader trends and how they might impact our clients’ businesses.”

Singapore – Global marketing and communications network Publicis Groupe, Singapore Management University (SMU), and communications technology group Singtel have joined forces to organise an AI-driven storytelling workshop for students.

Using as many as five AI tools, 37 undergraduate students from SMU created engaging video stories on Singtel’s impact on digital inclusion.

The student participants were given the project brief to utilise the latest AI storytelling tools such as Runway Gen2, Meta AudioCraft, ChatGPT, ElevenLabs, Lexica, DreamStudio, and Clipdrop to come up with a compelling story focused on digital inclusion.

Given this challenge, students were exposed to the latest artificial intelligence tools and technology readily available for their use. However, it also challenged them to conceptualise and create engaging, impactful, and memorable stories and characters for various audiences and media. Furthermore, the workshop aims to provide students with the skills they’ll be able to apply to real-world client projects.

As part of the workshop, five undergraduates with the best short films were also awarded with full-time, 12-week summer internship opportunities at Singtel and Publicis Groupe, where they can put their newly acquired skills to use. Meanwhile, the top 10 selected films were showcased in a mini-festival at SMU. 

The project brief for this AI storytelling workshop was created by Leo Burnett Singapore, a part of the Publicis Groupe. This is also the second time Publicis Groupe Singapore has worked with SMU to provide students with hands-on experience with AI tools. 

Something new in this project, however, is the involvement of a real brand, which is Singtel. The jury panel for the storytelling project included Bill Ang of Singtel; Jean-François Thery, head of growth at Publicis Communications, Singapore; and Tommy Tan, head of strategy at Publicis Media, Singapore.

The workshop was part of a 13-week SMU-X course titled ‘Storytelling for Organisations and Brands’ offered at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB). It was led by LKCSB Professor of Communication Management Mark Chong and Laurent Thevenet, head of creative technology for APAC at Publicis Groupe.

Bill Ang, director of brand marketing at Singtel Singapore, said, “A.I. is already transforming many facets of life. At Singtel, we are leveraging this technology to ideate and co-create in ways that will enhance customer experiences and drive learning. It’s great to see the energy and creativity in the work from the SMU students. Their submissions have been incredibly inspiring and have given us much food for thought.”

Speaking about the workshop, Professor Chong also explained, “As a telecommunications leader, Singtel knows how important it is for students to take new risks and try new processes using the latest technologies. It has been an honour partnering with the largest mobile network operator in Singapore to encourage a new generation to embrace AI. and push the edge of new possibilities.”

Thevenet also added, “This collaboration with Singtel has given a new cohort of 37 SMU students an advantage in the future workplace. AI is fundamentally changing the creative process, and although human creativity is more important than ever, learning how to partner with machines to create something out of the ordinary will become an essential skill for graduates.”

Meanwhile, Thery said, “Singtel has always been at the forefront of pushing the best in technology for Singapore, so it’s been an incredible experience working with SMU students to help prepare them for the future workplace—we’re thrilled with their creations.”

Mumbai, India – Humans of Bombay (HOB), a local storytelling platform, has launched a new YouTube talk show titled ‘The Humans of Bombay Show’. Saidshow aims to provide viewers with an unfiltered glimpse into intriguing concepts and the powerful real-life stories of ordinary people from all walks of life across the country.

HOB believes there is power in human stories; hence the program will bring these narratives to a larger canvas through its new YouTube show. With a vision to present raw and authentic tales of individuals from diverse sections of Indian society, “The Humans of Bombay Show” promises to inspire, educate, and entertain.

Moreover, the show will not only delve into the extraordinary experiences of everyday heroes but also explore compelling concepts, professions, and various categories such as metaphysical phenomena, life in the defense forces, and sex education.

Karishma Mehta, founder and CEO of Humans of Bombay, expressed her excitement about the new venture, stating, “The journey has just begun for ‘The Humans of Bombay Show.’ There are countless more stories waiting to be unearthed—those of ordinary people who have lived extraordinary lives. We invite you to tune in to the HOB YouTube channel, where stories ignite emotions and touch your very core.”

“The Humans of Bombay Show” will mark a significant expansion of HOB’s storytelling platform, bringing their signature style of authentic storytelling to a new medium. 

India – Local storytelling platform Humans of Bombay (HoB) has announced its new brand films division, which will see the platform leverage its niche to tell impactful stories for brands and comes as the next step in growing into a full-fledged 360-degree media house.

Through this new vertical, the platform intends to further expand its vision of telling raw and real-life stories. It aims to leverage its expertise and experience to bring out the human side of the brands it partners with and makes them more relatable to their audiences via authentic stories and clutter-breaking content. 

HoB’s new division will focus on crafting brand films, TVCs, short documentaries and short films, providing end-to-end production services. 

The platform has recently worked with fabric manufacturer Siyaram with a brand film that amplified the brand’s CSR activities in the health sector. 

Karishma Mehta, founder of Humans of Bombay, mentioned, “Our new division mirrors what we set out to do 9+ years ago – telling stories of seemingly ordinary people who’ve had extraordinary journeys! And now, as we foray into a new vertical, we deal with spontaneous challenges. However, our creative vision was always in line with the brand, which made the process smooth.”

She added, “We believe the story is always the hero, where brands are integrated organically and seamlessly, so it truly resonates with the audience. As storytelling partners for brands, we are banking on our credibility as authentic storytellers to tell the brand’s stories in long format by crafting genuinely impactful branded films.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As a homage to the short film genre, Lion & Lion’s Film & Content Production Studio has released its very own film just three months shy of establishing its dedicated in-house team.

The short film, titled ‘Love on the Line’, tells the story of an elderly man who, dressed in his best, makes a daily trip to his neighbourhood telephone booth to make a phone call at 6 o’clock sharp. 

As the story unfolds, audiences are drawn into a touching tale that explores themes of love, memories, commitment and human connection. The film’s powerful storytelling is enhanced against a backdrop of nostalgic settings and small-town charm, shot on location in Seremban.

“Love transcends time and space – even in the absence of our loved ones, their memories continue to inspire us to live and love more deeply,” said Johnson Ling, head of production at Lion & Lion and director of ‘Love in the Line’, summing up the essence of the team’s debut film.

He added “We wanted to convey the message that the little things in life can make a big difference. Our story aims to remind viewers that every moment counts, and that love, no matter how fleeting, can have a profound impact on our lives. Through our film, we hope to inspire others to cherish the small moments in life and to never take them for granted.”

Cheelip Ong, regional chief creative officer at Lion & Lion adds, “With the launch of our Film & Content Production team to create greater impact for our clients, producing and making cinematic films and shorts that can demonstrate the capabilities of our directors and the storytelling abilities of our creatives comes naturally. It allows our talents to broaden their canvas for creativity, telling stories that delight and that touches hearts through the film format.”

The short film was produced entirely in-house by Lion & Lion’s team of creatives, showcasing the agency’s expertise in end-to-end film production. While their services also encompass production for TVCs, branded entertainment and digital-first content, the launch of a short film marks a significant milestone for the team, whose guiding North is to create engaging content that builds intimacy with their audience.

The film is now available for viewing on Lion & Lion’s website and Youtube channel.

Singapore – Candee, the parent group of storyteller platform Viddsee, announced the launch of its entertainment ecosystem Candee Labs, which aims to empower the creator and fan community via innovation, experiences, and data insights to develop next-gen stories. 

Candee Labs will enable creators and fans to monetise through ownership while fostering community building and loyalty. Moreover, brands and businesses can leverage its expertise to unlock maximum storytelling potential across different ecosystems. 

The new project also seeks to support content creation across Web2 and Web3 ecosystems, push the boundaries of traditional storytelling, and solidify the group’s position as the region’s creator ecosystem.

According to Candee, this likewise allows the group to support the creator economy by allowing for more raw talents and potential to be discovered to support the future growth of storytelling.

“We’ve witnessed how Viddsee became the platform for creators to showcase their storytelling skills, distribute content and gain audiences from unique stories. We want to continue developing content through creative and innovative ways that will evolve the future of storytelling,” said Ho Jia Jian, CEO of Candee.

He also added that Web3’s open web allows more equitability for creators and fans to collaborate, share experiences and develop next-gen stories, which in turn challenges how stories are told and remembered.

The group is also working alongside prominent Web3 projects such as BBRC x IVY Boys, to bring next-gen stories to their communities.

“We’re excited to work with Candee Labs, with their track record of Viddsee and its relationship with creators, to bring the BBRC x Ivy Boys IP to reality. The goal in this collaboration is for it to be developed into an entertainment IP and create an amazing show out of it,” said Nelson Yap, co-founder of BBRC.

Last September, Viddsee also expanded its IP incubator Viddsee Labs in Asia-Pacific.

Singapore – Storyteller platform Viddsee is expanding its IP incubator Viddsee Labs in Asia-Pacific following several deals with filmmakers in the region to develop original titles for the platform. Interestingly, South Korean filmmaker Doyeon Noh is one of those who signed the deal.

The regional expansion of Viddsee Labs comes after the success of its first two ‘Shorts to Series’ projects in Singapore with ‘The Lying Theory’ and ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’.

Viddsee Labs will work with a diverse group of storytellers from South Korea, Hong Kong/Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines with Indonesia, making up most of the slate with six projects. 

Other titles from the ‘Shorts to Series’ project include Indonesian short horror film ‘Stratagem’, Indonesian social commentary film ‘In The Middle of Blackhole’, Indonesian comedy film ‘Opor-Operan’, Filipino post-apocalyptic film ‘LOLA’, Malaysian post-apocalyptic film ‘Hawa’, Singaporean film ‘How To Bury a Dead Cat’, Singaporean original series ‘The Multiverse At 13 Hill Ave’, Indonesian tragic comedy film ‘Antar Ibu Pulan’, Malaysian film ‘Longhouse Chronicles’, and a film adaptation of the book ‘Fallen Butterflies’.

As an IP incubator, Viddsee Labs helps facilitate the growth of Asian storytelling by identifying and developing talent and testbedded IPs. Its long-term goal is to support the region’s democratisation efforts of the creator economy by disrupting how stories and talents are discovered and developed; to bring more authentic Asian stories to bigger audiences.

Derek Tan, co-founder and chief commercial officer at Viddsee, said, “We recognise talent and IPs are key aspects of our storyteller community, which encouraged Viddsee Labs to tap upon its existing regional footprint to develop these diverse range of projects. Moving forward, we hope that this first look deal will help to further support Asian filmmaking talents by enabling entertainment partners to discover the next generation of storytellers with us.”

Sydney, Australia – Few days left for the observance of Pride Month this June, yet new data from LGBTQIA+ media advocacy organization GLAAD and visual communications company Getty Images shows how even developed regions, specifically in the ANZ region, have low or stereotypical representation among visual storytelling in their respective markets.

According to their findings, 30% of such visuals depict gay men as ‘feminine’ and 31% of such visuals depict lesbian women as ‘masculine’. They also noted that 36% of such visuals depict gay men as ‘flamboyant’ and 25% of such visuals depict LGBTQ+ people carrying the rainbow flag in some capacity.

Consumer-wise, while 8 in 10 ANZ consumers say they expect brands to be consistently committed to diversity and inclusion, only 4 in 10 feel accurately represented.

According to Kate Rourke, head of creative insights for Asia Pacific at Getty Images and iStock, Australian and New Zealand brands have a great opportunity to look beyond token opportunism, and create and use visuals that effectively reflect and speak to the LGBTQ+ community – without fear of backlash or to simply ‘tick a box’.

“Brands that continue to use cliched visual stereotypes to minimise risk of offending the more conversative customers, will do more harm in the long run. Our society is constantly evolving and changing. Our recent research also revealed that for Australians and New Zealanders the top way they know a company is truly committed to diversity and inclusion is by consistently showing a wide range of people, lifestyles, and cultures in their communications. Ignoring these cultural changes means they will lose out to their competitors in the long run,” Rouke stated.

That reliance has left some advertisers feeling hesitant when it comes to proactively depicting the LGBTQIA+ community in their campaigns and communications, especially outside of events like Mardi Gras. 

In response, Getty Images’ has recently released its ‘LGBTQIA+ Guidebook for Inclusive Visual Storytelling’ that gives brands and businesses practical recommendations for confidently making more inclusive visual choices when depicting the broader LGBTQIA+ community.

“Our hope for the Guidebook is to empower businesses to step up and depict the LGBTQIA+ community in authentic and thoughtful ways, rather than relying on often overused stereotypes. This can be as simple as choosing visuals of real LGBTQIA+ people in their daily lives such as walking a dog, going to school, at work, cooking, running errands, even grabbing a coffee or doing laundry,” Rourke added.

Singapore – Social storytelling platform Wattpad, through its advertising and partnerships arm Wattpad Brand Partnerships, has partnered with pop culture-inclined marketing agency Culture Group to bolster’s Wattpad presence in the Southeast Asia region.

Through the partnership, Culture Group will help connect brands to Wattpad’s growing Gen Z audience, which has now reached a global community of over 90 million people, including more than 22 million users in Asia-Pacific countries. Wattpad is a platform where users can post self-written stories, novels, and full-on books, which are then voted by readers by genre and popularity. 

Over the years, Wattpad has been recognized by various media entities in Southeast Asia. The company’s studio division, Wattpad Studios, has produced hit projects like ‘Slow Dancing’, a six-episode series from Mediacorp and Wattpad in Singapore; and ‘Turn On’ from Wattpad, Vidio, and Screenplay Entertainment in Indonesia. 

Wattpad also works with Anvil Publishing, Inc., one of the leading book publishers in the Philippines, to bring Wattpad stories to bookstores. The companies have partnered to create Bliss Books, a ground-breaking YA imprint for Filipino book lovers.

Furthermore, the move will offer advertisers more opportunities to tap into Wattpad Influencers, original stories, and thriving Southeast Asian fan communities for innovative brand campaigns and activations. Brands will be able to create content-driven marketing programs in a variety of formats, including audio and video content, associated with fan-favorite Wattpad’s stories. 

Commenting on the partnership, Chris Stefanyk, head of Wattpad Brand Partnerships said their expansion to the SEA region responds to a larger untapped younger generation for brands to be exposed to.

“Southeast Asia is home to some of the largest and most engaged communities on our platform, and there’s enormous potential for brands to tap into the Wattpad Stars and long-form Influencers that have found international fame on Wattpad. We’re excited to work with more brands in Southeast Asia to tell their stories in a culturally relevant way that resonates with today’s youth,” Stefanyk stated.

Meanwhile, Culture Group’s founder and president Michael Patent, stated, “We believe firmly that Gen Z is the world’s ‘creation generation’ and nowhere is this more apparent than on Wattpad, where amazing stories are told. We’re thrilled to be partnered with Wattpad in creating immersive, multi-format partnerships through content and fan communities in Southeast Asia.”