According to Starcom IP Asia general manager Push-kar Sane, GM will focus on search heavily, and will also increase its usage of social media, broadband and mobile.
“Not just in terms of multi-media advertising, but also broadband videos and interactive TV,” he said.
The assignment will also see Starcom IP focus on GM’s key regional markets — namely, Australia, India, China, Korea and Thailand. Starcom currently handles GM’s media buying and planning duties in North America, via its GM Planworks unit, which also handles interactive duties.
“Planworks has been doing a phenomenal amount of work with GM in this area, so we’ll be looking at transferring best practices to Asia-Pacific,” said Sane.
“These are exciting times as more and more Asian automotive shoppers are going digital at key points in their search and decision process. While the internet is important in all markets in Asia, mobile, gaming and broadband are emerging as powerful avenues in several markets, as consumers, both young and mature, embrace technology with unprecedented eagerness.”
The development does not affect GM’s media buying and planning AORs in Asia, which remain split according to local market lines.
Sane noted that the first phase of the assignment would see Starcom attempt to develop strategy and guide activation of GM brands and also establish regionwide metrics to measure digital effectiveness and return on objectives. He added that central strategy for the business would be hubbed out of Starcom IP’s Hong Kong offices.
The appointment follows Sane’s own promotion to general manager for Starcom IP Asia, after previously overseeing the North Asia region.
“This association will enable GM Asia-Pacific to implement best digital marketing ideas in the region that leverage global developments,” said GM Asia-Pacific regional marketing manager Vinay Dixit in a statement.
