Australia – Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) have appointed Special as their creative agency of record to lead the launch of Max in Australia, working across brand strategy, advertising, earned media and content, following a competitive pitch.
This agency appointment recently follows WBD’s appointment of EssenceMediacom as its media agency for the streaming service’s launch in Australia this year.
Sasha Mackie, senior director of marketing and publicity for ANZ at Warner Bros. Discovery said, “Launching a brand like Max is a once-in-a-lifetime, so we needed an agency as bold as the opportunity. Enter Special: from day one, they nailed it with a pitch concept that’s punchy, innovative and unapologetically Max. We can’t wait for Australia to see what’s coming – it’s going to be special in every sense of the word.”
Meanwhile, Lindsey Evans, partner and CEO at Special Australia, commented, “From the outset the Warner Bros. Discovery team inspired us with their smarts, passion and ambitious drive to set a new standard. This, coupled with their premium product offering, creates a unique opportunity to engage in the conversations and moments that matter to people, leaving lasting cultural impact and extraordinary value creation.”
India – Britannia has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBGCP) to introduce a limited-edition Harry Potter-themed biscuit collection, offering fans a magical and indulgent sensory experience inspired by the world of Hogwarts.
Britannia’s limited-edition Pure Magic Choco Frames are open choco biscuits, each pack containing five intricately designed treats featuring Hogwarts’ four houses—Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff—with a rare chance to discover one embossed with Platform 9¾.
Perfect for everyday indulgence or gifting to Harry Potter fans, Britannia’s limited-edition Pure Magic Choco Frames offer consumers a delightful and collectible treat inspired by the wizarding world.
Siddharth Gupta, general manager of marketing at Britannia Industries, said, “At Britannia, we are committed to constantly innovating and finding new ways to delight our consumers while evolving our portfolio to meet changing preferences.”
“Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBGCP) marks a significant milestone as we bring a Harry Potter-inspired indulgence for fans through our Pure Magic Choco Frames. This strategic partnership is an attempt to bring the iconic legacy of Harry Potter together with Britannia’s expertise in crafting indulgent treats for everyone. It’s more than just a product; it’s an opportunity to create a memorable moment that resonates with fans across generations,” Gupta continued.
The Britannia Pure Magic Choco Frames is available only for a limited time on Blinkit or at Reliance stores.
Australia – Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has appointed EssenceMediacom as the media agency to lead the hotly anticipated launch of the Max streaming service in Australia.
Following a competitive pitch, EssenceMediacom will be responsible for leading all aspects of media, including media strategy, planning, implementation and measurement. They will also support WBD’s in-house team across biddable channels.
Coming to Australia in the first half of this year, Max will feature the full breadth and depth of WBD’s diverse slate of content, including iconic brands and treasured franchises. From blockbuster series and movie events, to loved and comforting shows, Australians will have access to premium content from HBO, Warner Bros., Harry Potter, Discovery, the DC Universe, Animal Planet and much more.
The win follows a run of success for EssenceMediacom, including winning Specsavers and extending its contract with Uber and the Queensland Government.
Sasha Mackie, senior director marketing for ANZ at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “When Max arrives in Australia, it will be home to some of the world’s best and most loved content. This premium value proposition needs a media agency who is up to the task of getting that message out far and wide, and we think EssenceMediacom is the agency to do that. The connection, chemistry and culture fit was evident from the outset, and their team really impressed with clear articulation of the strategy, and focus of delivery against results.”
Meanwhile, Pippa Berlocher, CEO of EssenceMediacom Australia and New Zealand, commented, “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery on the launch of Max in Australia. WBD content has always been at the cutting edge of culture and we’re looking forward to helping them breakthrough and bring it to life locally in a uniquely Aussie way. From the first interaction of the pitch, we loved working with the team at WBD and had amazing chemistry from the start. We can’t wait to get cracking.”
Philippines – Streaming service Max has launched a content partnership with digital services provider PLDT Home to provide entertainment to more customers in the Philippines.
As part of the partnership, new customers subscribing to PLDT Home’s ‘Fiber Unli All Plan 1799’ can access the Max Standard Plan for two months. The promo runs from December 10, 2024 to February 9, 2025.
Warner Bros. Discovery recently launched Max in Southeast Asia, with PLDT as the latest addition to its base of global partners and with plans to forge more partnerships to offer entertainment to more Filipinos.
Max houses shows and films under the HBO Original, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Warner Bros. Discovery collections.
In the standard plan, as offered by PLDT in its promo, customers can stream on two devices simultaneously with full HD video resolution.
“As Max launches across Southeast Asia, we are pleased to expand our partnership with PLDT to bring even more quality entertainment and iconic brands to Filipino audiences,” Tony Qiu, general manager of Greater China and Southeast Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery, commented.
Patrick S. Tang, PLDT Home’s vice president of acquisition marketing, said, “Our new and exciting partnership with Max is PLDT Home’s way of delivering not just unli entertainment to our customers, but also a reinforcement of our commitment to making quality time for Filipino families at home as fun, fulfilling, and meaningful as possible with its endless variety of entertaining content.”
“As the Philippines’ leading digital services provider, we aim to bridge Filipino families to the world’s best content platforms and other lifestyle innovations to further better their life at home in more ways than one,” Tang added.
Singapore – Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that its streaming service Max will launch on November 19 in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong. Max will be a brand new streaming experience in the region bringing fans blockbuster movies, groundbreaking series, iconic titles, real-life content and other family favourites through a strong product experience.
Max brings together entertainment titles from brands like HBO, Harry Potter, the DC Universe, Cartoon Network, Max Originals, and the best of Hollywood movies, as well as programming from Discovery, TLC, AFN, Food Network, ID and HGTV all in one place.
From November 19, subscribers can enjoy an elevated streaming experience on multiple devices with an easy to navigate interface including personalised recommendations, seamless search, genre rails and brand hubs.
Moreover, by providing a more intuitive way of exploring Max, subscribers can create up to five unique profiles, each customisable with favorite characters as avatars, receive content picks based on viewing habits and customise profiles for kids, curated with age-appropriate content and parental controls.
JB Perette, CEO and president of global streaming & games at Warner Bros. Discovery said, “We are thrilled to bring Max to more consumers in Asia. Max brings together unparalleled quality content from iconic brands like HBO, Discovery, the DC Universe, Harry Potter, AFN, and Cartoon Network, as well as Hollywood blockbusters all in one place. Building on successful launches in the U.S., Latin America and Europe, Asia Pacific represents the next phase of Max’s globalization, making Max available now in over 72 markets with more to come in 2025.”
Meanwhile, James Gibbons, president at Warner Bros. Discovery, APAC commented, “Warner Bros. Discovery has long entertained fans across Asia Pacific with culture-defining content from powerhouse brands. For the first time, this programming will be available in a brand new streaming app for regional audiences, with Max combining incredible breadth and depth and a best in class viewing experience.”
Hong Kong – Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of Prudential plc in Asia and Africa, and Warner Bros. Discovery in Asia Pacific (WBD) are collaborating on a content series called ‘Decode with Prudence’ to help educate audiences on the planet, human lives and their livelihood.
Through fact-based storytelling, ‘Decode with Prudence’ aims to provide informative, engaging content on current issues that inspire actions for a better and more resilient future. ‘Decode with Prudence’ will kick-off the series by targetting two key topics around the climate crisis – heat and air pollution.
Diana Guzman, chief sustainability officer at Prudential and chair of the Prudence Foundation said, “Prudence Foundation is committed to building climate and health resilience, working with our partners to implement programmes that protect communities from the impacts of climate change. We’re pleased to collaborate with Warner Bros. Discovery and leverage on their ability to reach millions of households in Asia.”
She added, “With Decode, we’re highlighting the importance of the individual and collective human action to address the climate crisis. We want to inspire people to action, using what they learned from the programme to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.”
Meanwhile, Tony Qiu, GM for Greater China & Southeast Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery, commented, “WBD has a long history with environmentally focused storytelling, with stories that educate our audiences and inspire action. We are pleased to partner with the Prudence Foundation on this initiative to help drive increased awareness of key topics affecting our society.”
The content series is available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Southeast Asia and Taiwan TV channels and social media platforms, including Discovery Channel Southeast Asia, Discovery Channel Taiwan, TLC Southeast Asia, TLC Taiwan, and Discovery Channel Southeast Asia Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For this content series, global NGO Climate Resilience for All has come on board as a content partner for the topic of heat, to ensure accuracy of information related to the topic.
Kathy Baughman McLeod, CEO at Climate Resilience for All said, “One of the best ways to protect health and livelihoods from the impacts of heat is to build awareness, and campaigns like this are a great example of action communities everywhere can take.”
Singapore – Global media and entertainment company Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to launch ‘Celebrating Every Story’, an island-wide campaign for the company’s 100th year anniversary in Singapore.
With Singapore being chosen as the key destination for Warner Bros. Studio’s global centennial campaign, the partnership will bring in new initiatives to spotlight the country’s destinations and the global media entertainment company’s beloved characters and stories.
One of the highlighted activities is ‘WB100 Celebrating Every Story’, a large-scale event in Southeast Asia and in partnership with Sentosa that will feature 100 years of Warner Bros. franchises. The event will feature a host of free and interactive experiences catering to fans of all ages.
Warner Bros. Studios promises a fun and exciting experience as visitors can look forward to entertaining experiences that celebrate beloved franchises from DC’s Batman and Aquaman to Wizarding World and Looney Tunes.
Other characters included in the event are the Singapore-inspired Tom and Jerry, who will star in a brand new series launching later this year on Cartoon Network. The seven-part production represents the franchise’s first ever localised series, with each episode inspired by unique sights, places of interest, and destination highlights of Singapore. Merli, a character inspired by Singapore’s iconic Merlion, will also make a special appearance.
A sneak-peek episode called “What’s that Smell” featuring the iconic durian already aired on August 7 on Cartoon Network in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, the rest of the series will premiere on Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific and regional streaming service HBO GO in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, before being rolled out globally.
The global launch of the series will also be complemented by a dedicated line of Tom and Jerry-branded consumer products.
The Singapore-inspired Tom & Jerry series is part of a multi-year partnership that WBD and STB inked in 2022 to collaborate on entertainment and lifestyle content, as well as marketing activities, to spotlight and inspire travel to destination Singapore.
Clement Schwebig, WBD’s president and MD for India, Southeast Asia, and Korea, said, “We’re building on our partnership with STB with two fantastic new projects which truly demonstrate how we are ‘Celebrating Every Story’ and Warner Bros.’ historic 100-year legacy. Tom and Jerry have been delighting audiences of all ages around the world for generations, and we’re very proud that its first ever localised adaptation will come with a Singapore twist. The WB100 celebration at Sentosa will showcase some of the highlights from a century of Warner Bros. content – and we look forward to welcoming both families from Singapore and those visiting.”
Speaking on the partnership, Melissa Ow, chief executive at Singapore Tourism Board, said, “We are delighted to partner Warner Bros. Discovery on this milestone celebration. The all-new Tom and Jerry series and the WB100 family festival will showcase Singapore in a fun and creative way, setting Singapore apart as a vibrant and exciting city for both visitors and locals. We invite families to spend some quality time together at the festival while enjoying the antics of Tom and Jerry.”
Singapore – Warner Bros. Discovery has announced the launch of a localised version of the popular cartoon series ‘Tom and Jerry’ which will be set in Singapore. The new series will be produced locally and first distributed in Asia.
The localised series will be composed of 7 episodes, each with 3-minute durations, and will premiere on Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific and HBO GO in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong later this year, before being rolled out internationally.
The pilot episode will be released this August, with further details to be announced soon. Moreover, there are also plans to launch additional Tom and Jerry-branded consumer products to complement the series launch later this year.
Christopher Ho, head of kids for Southeast Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “This series brings back the iconic music and classic animation style from the Hanna-Barbera 1950s era – but with a modern Singaporean twist. With distinctive landmarks, backdrops and atmosphere, the Asian city-state is the ideal location to create a humorous addition to the Tom and Jerry canon. Working with homegrown creative talent in Singapore and across Asia, this project grows the much-loved franchise in the region and beyond.”
Meanwhile, Vishnu Athreya, senior vice president of series at Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, commented, “Tom and Jerry are two of our most universally loved characters, proving that laughs can translate to any audience. The fans in Asia have long embraced these characters and it’s great to finally give them a version to call their own.”
Singapore – Global media and entertainment group Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has announced that it is rebranding its kids’ television channel Boomerang to Cartoonito in Southeast Asia. The rebrand officially takes effect on July 28. Cartoonito is previously the preschool brand of Cartoon Network.
As a full regional channel offering, Cartoonito will introduce a new generation to a diverse slate of original series and welcome them into the world of WBD’s iconic franchises. Modern preschool adaptations that support each child’s unique potential include fan-favourite franchises such as ‘Batwheels’ and ‘Bugs Bunny Builders’.
Channel favourites including ‘Tom & Jerry’, ‘Baby Looney Tunes’, ‘Alice & Lewis’, ‘Pat the Dog’, and ‘Grizzy and the Lemmings’ will remain on the channel, alongside other friends such as ‘Dino Ranch’, and ‘Mumfie and Tangranimals’.
Cartoonito brings together all of these characters on one channel – while adding brand-new shows like ‘Mittens & Pants’ and ‘Vida the Vet’ – offering a wider variety of programmes for users.
The channel’s modern approach to preschool programming is supported by an educational framework called ‘Humancentric Learning’. All Cartoonito shows follow a curriculum – designed by early childhood education expert Dr. Laura Brown – to form the four pillars of: Creativity, Caring, Curiosity and Courage. The brand aims to inspire kids aged 2-6 to use their imagination, to learn from their mistakes and to treat others with empathy and respect.
Christopher Ho, head of kids networks for Southeast Asia at Warner Bros. Discovery, said, “In a year when Warner Bros. celebrates 100 years of entertaining fans, Cartoonito is set to ignite the imaginations of our region’s youngest audience. Our new-look preschool channel celebrates individuality and originality, offering a safe space where kids and their families can laugh and learn alongside beloved characters.”
Manila, Philippines – Discovery+, a streaming service under multinational mass media company Warner Bros. Discovery has officially exited the Philippine market this April 27. The announcement was made official on the streaming service’s Twitter account.
In several support articles posted by Discovery+ on its website, the decision to exit the local market follows Warner Bros. Discovery’s review of its content and streaming proposition in the Philippines.
“The Discovery+ website and app in the Philippines will be closing permanently, and you will no longer be able to watch shows on Discovery+ Philippines,” it stated.
It has encouraged its subscribers to watch other shows on WBD’s linear channels such as Discovery, TLC, Asian Food Network and HGTV.
Discovery+ has assured the public that it is only exiting the Philippine market, and no market exits will be expected in the near future. Moreover, Philippine-registered accounts will be inaccessible even overseas.
The platform launched in the Philippines back in October 2021 through a partnership with telco giant Globe.
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