J&J rolls out Acuvue iPhone app
SYDNEY - Johnson & Johnson Vision Care has launched an iPhone application on the back of a social media campaign first launched on Facebook in 2007.
Choose Campaign site
Microsoft, Mediabrands software arriving later in 2009
ASIA-PACIFIC - New software developed by Microsoft Advertising and Mediabrands that its developers claim will "re-invent the way media is planned, purchased, measured, reported and optimised" will be brought to Asia-Pacific later this year.
Cisco hires Upstream Media to build social media site
SYDNEY - Cisco Consumer Business Group has charged Upstream Media with the construction of an educational microsite that will allow the brand to engage with consumers in Australia and New Zealand.
All About...WOM tracking
Agencies are boosting word-of-mouth surveillance.
Live Issue... Green Dam glitches leave China's advertisers guessing
The Chinese Government's edict ordering computer makers to pre-install censorship software onto their devices generated plenty of column inches around the world.
Vodafone NZ extends PHD relationship
AUCKLAND - Spark PHD and PHDiQ have retained Vodafone New Zealand's media and digital accounts following a six-month pitch process.
Turner Entertainment hires regional PR head
ASIA-PACIFIC - Turner Entertainment Networks Asia has hired Jennifer Doig (pictured) as its regional public relations director.
Tequila Australia appoints digital head
SYDNEY - National head of digital at The Furnace Charles Clapshaw (pictured) has been appointed managing director of Tequila Digital in Australia following Tim Knight's decision to relinquish his role as managing director of all Tequila Australia divisions.
Entries for Cannes Lions down 20 per cent
GLOBAL - Organisers of the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival have revealed a 20 per cent drop in entry figures for the 2009 event.
Mindshare poaches Carat's Sorokin as digital head
GLOBAL - Mindshare has hired president of Carat Scott Sorokin (pictured) to fill the newly created position of global head of digital media.
Sinha departs DDB Mudra
MUMBAI - Senior vice-president of strategy for Mudra Marketing Services Manish Sinha (pictured) has departed the company one year after joining the firm.
Handel regional director digital for Leo Burnett and Arc
ASIA-PACIFIC - Managing director of Arc Singapore Nick Handel (pictured) has been promoted to the post of regional director of digital for both Arc and its sister company Leo Burnett.
Jet Airways launch digital campaign on Yahoo HK
HONG KONG - Indian airline Jet Airways has launched a digital marketing campaign on Yahoo Hong Kong's travel section in an effort to attract North Asian travellers to India.
Live Issue... iPhone opens a new window of opportunity on the web
In November, the South China Morning Post's assistant director of multimedia David Savelson came across some surprising numbers for SCMP.com's WAP site: monthly unique visitors rose 106 per cent from the second quarter to the third quarter.
Vivienne Tam animates designs
HONG KONG - Luxury fashion designer Vivienne Tam has broadened her brand's exposure by teaming with Animax Asia to create animated versions of her outfits for the network's LaMB television show.
Veet launches Goodbye Bush campaign
AUSTRALIA - Hair-removal brand Veet has paid tribute to American president Barack Obama by launching a print ad proclaiming 'Goodbye Bush' to usher out the old administration.
Ogilvy China appoints Moore PR director and Guldin, group senior manager
BEIJING - Ogilvy has bolstered its Beijing communications team with the appointment of Sandy Moore (pictured) as director of Ogilvy PR and Sarah Guldin as a senior manager for Ogilvy Group.
Wunderman wins Nokia digital business
GLOBAL - Wunderman has edged out JWT's RMG Connect and Euro RSCG 4D for Nokia's global digital business, according to sources within the agency.
Friendster strengthens AP presence
SINGAPORE - Social networking site Friendster has strengthened its presence in Asia-Pacific by appointing online advertising sales partners in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines as well as opening offices in Singapore and Australia.
FT.com appoints Shrimsley managing editor
LONDON - The Financial Times has appointed news editor Robert Shrimsley (pictured) as managing editor of FT.com as part of its strategy to emphasise its online content.
Alibaba appoints London agency as part of overseas campaign
LONDON - Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.com has appointed UK-based Truly London as its lead creative agency in Europe, the Middle East and Africa as part of its US$30 million strategy to promote its brand internationally.
TBWA bolsters Vietnam marketing arm
HO CHI MINH CITY - TBWA Group has acquired integrated marketing agency BizSolutions in Vietnam in an effort to bolster its presence in the emerging market.
CCTV targets new search engines
BEIJING - One month after a CCTV report caused a backlash - and a potential mass lawsuit - against Baidu after it was found to have included unlicensed medical companies among its top search positions, the television network has released a second report citing several other search engines in China of committing the same act.
MTV EVP replaced
SINGAPORE - Executive vice president and managing director of MTV Networks Southeast Asia and Greater China Amit Jain has departed his role at the network, and has been replaced by senior vice president and managing director for Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products, Indra Suharjono (pictured).
Yeo appoints Euro RSCG for creative
KUALA LUMPUR - Asian food producer Yeo Hiap Seng has appointed Euro RSCG Malaysia its creative agency-of-record without holding a pitch.
Catapult Action debuts in Asia
SINGAPORE - Creative and strategy agency Catapult Action-Biased Marketing has teamed with Singapore-based strategic-marketing company Gosh! to open its first international office in the country in an effort to popularise its shopper-marketing model.
China Youku blocks Baidu and Google
BEIJING - Chinese online video site Youku has blocked search engines including Baidu and Google from crawling its website in an effort to scale down bandwidth costs, reports out of China claim.
Fanshawe appointed Euro RSCG's CEO SE-Asia
SOUTHEAST ASIA - Euro RSCG Asia Pacific has promoted its CEO of Singapore and Malaysia Matthew Fanshawe (pictured) to the newly created post of CEO of Southeast Asia, effective immediately.
MEC wins $13 million in new business
SINGAPORE - MEC has announced several year-end media planning and buying wins throughout the region that, it claims, total more than US$13 million.
China: more than 22% now online
BEIJING - According to a government-sanctioned research company, the number of China's internet users has rocketed nearly 42 per cent in 2008 to 298 million - a figure that only represents 22.6 per cent of the country's population.
H&K rebrand crisis unit
HONG KONG - Hill & Knowlton Asia Pacific has rebranded its crisis and issues management and training practice to become its Crisis, Planning and Communication Training unit.
Qunar.com found guilty of infringement
BEIJING - Chinese travel search engine Qunar.com must pay online travel agency CTrip.com the sum of Rmb 1,000 (US$146) after it was found guilty of copyright infringement by a Beijing court.
Channel V relaunches website
HONG KONG - In a push to bolster its digital presence, music network Channel V International has relaunched its website to include on-demand videos, VJ blogs and networking features.
Iris hires Mapleston as MD
SINGAPORE - Independent marketing agency iris Singapore has appointed general manager of Bates141 Singapore Craig Mapleston (pictured) as its managing director, replacing Dan Saxby who was promoted to the post of global account director for the agency's Sony Ericsson account.
Citrus PR opens in Singapore
SINGAPORE - Former head of public relations for The Adecco Group Ian Grundy (pictured) has founded PR agency Citrus Public Relations in Singapore whose focus will include sports marketing.
Coke launches CNY campaign
HONG KONG - Coca-Cola China has launched its Chinese New Year campaign, 'First Coke of the year', by encouraging consumers to share a Coke.
Ruder Finn wins American Cotton in China
GUANGZHOU - The American Cotton Incorporated (CI) and Cotton Council International (CCI) has selected Ruder Finn China to manage their consumer public relations campaign in China following a competitive pitch that ousted incumbent Fleishman Hillard.
Zed Digital appoints Hemming
SINGAPORE - ZenithOptimedia's digital arm Zed Digital has appointed Isobar Sydney's senior account manager Adam Hemming (pictured), to the newly created post of general manager of Zed Digital in Singapore.
Arc promotes Stobart to GM and Manggunio to ECD
HONG KONG - Leo Burnett Arc Hong Kong has promoted client services director Ben Stobart (pictured) and group creative director Victor Manggunio to the newly created positions of general manager and executive creative director, respectively.
TBWA revamps China leadership
HONG KONG - TBWA has overhauled its Chinese leadership with the appointment of Donald Chan (pictured) as the agency's CEO replacing Gavin Heron, who will relocate to lead TBWA's Johannesburg office.
China awards 3G licences
BEIJING - The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has awarded China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom licences for the country's TD-SCDMA, CDMA 2000 and WCDMA 3G standards, respectively.
MSN Indonesia strengthens media arm
JAKARTA - Microsoft's MSN has moved to broaden its presence in Indonesia by partnering with news companies MNC Group and Metro TV to include video and print coverage by the networks.
China's e-commerce up despite downturn
BEIJING - A report issued by research firm IDC has revealed that China's e-commerce industry exhibited a 20 per cent rise in trading volume in 2008, despite the economic downturn.
China releases fresh list of 'vulgar' sites
BEIJING - A series of Chinese government bureaus has issued a list of 19 websites it believes provide 'vulgar' content to Chinese netizens, including search powerhouses Baidu and Google.
Baidu takes $20 million revenue hit
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu has adjusted revenue projections for its fourth quarter down by US$20 million on the back of recent high-profile attacks on it.
YouTube names head of ANZ sales
SYDNEY - Google Australia's head of sales and operations, Kate Vale (pictured), has been promoted to the newly created role of head of YouTube sales in Australia and New Zealand in a further effort to make YouTube the world's first profitable online video site.
eBay to acquire Gmarket
SEOUL - eBay has announced its plans to acquire South Korea's leading auction website Gmarket for US$1.2 billion in an effort to bolster its presence in the region.
Tata calls digital pitch for Nano
MUMBAI - Tata Motors is holding a digital pitch for a website that sources say will be among the main avenues of sales for its newly launched Nano model.
Starcom IP names Shankar strategy director India
MUMBAI - Starcom IP Singapore's strategy director Suyesh Shankar will relocate from the market to India to assume the position of national strategy director.
Proximity China's leadership vacuum
SHANGHAI - Proximity Shanghai is seeking to fill a leadership vacuum in light of the departure of three agency executives, including managing director of one year Narelle Hicks (pictured).
Blizzard signs with NetEase
BEIJING - World of Warcraft maker Blizzard Entertainment will licence a NetEase subsidiary to distribute the MMORPG game in China, ending its partnership with gaming operator The9.
Pearson acquires Wall Street English
BEIJING - Global media company Pearson has acquired Wall Street English - an English-language education publisher for adults in China - from The Carlyle Group for US$145 million.
Nokia ties with Youku to broadcast live concert
BEIJING - Nokia and Chinese video-sharing site Youku will broadcast a live, three-hour concert as part of a promotion for Nokia's XpressMusic handset - an event that marks the launch of the Youku Live platform that aims to integrate brands' live events with the online space.
Ruder Finn to represent US Expo pavilion
SHANGHAI - The organising team of the US national pavilion for the Shanghai 2010 World Expo has appointed Ruder Finn as its global public relations agency.
Haier appoints Maxus China
SHANGHAI - Global appliance giant Haier has appointed Maxus China as its media agency-of-record in the market following a four-way pitch that ousted one-year incumbent Initiative Media.
Anna Sui launches Super Black Mascara campaign
HONG KONG - Anna Sui has launched a through-the-line campaign for the luxury brand's Super Black Mascara that includes pushes via Facebook, Youtube, SMS and in-store advertisements.
Euro RSCG appoints chief creative officer
BEIJING - Euro RSCG has appointed Jordan Hsueh as chief creative officer for Beijing and North China in a move that sees him depart his role as ECD at JWT Beijing.
BMW China launches social network
BEIJING - In an effort to bolster brand loyalty, BMW has launched an exclusive social network for its drivers in China - a worldwide first for the brand.
Standard Chartered bolsters online presence
HONG KONG - Standard Chartered Bank has launched a global private banking site to bolster its online presence in the midst of the economic downturn.
NetEase extends online footprint
BEIJING - Chinese internet and gaming company NetEase has extended its online footprint through the launch of several products that emulate digital staples in the West.
Sina seals tie with Chinese football
BEIJING - The Chinese Football Association Super League announced that Chinese online portal Sina will be the organisation's exclusive online media and online service provider starting in 2009.
HK International Art Fair announces push to attract investors
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong International Art Fair announced it spent more than US$750,000 on an integrated marketing push that includes public-relations initiatives, outdoor, print and online advertising in an effort to further attract mainland Chinese investors.
Google China offers free music downloads
SHANGHAI - Google China has begun offering free music downloads in an effort to gain market share and better compete with China's leading search engine Baidu.
Bates141 names China creative head
BEIJING - Bates141 has named Kenny Choo (pictured) its national creative head in China.
Rolex and FT launch video campaign
HONG KONG - Rolex and The Financial Times have launched a video campaign on the FT.com's Chinese-language site that has domestic CEOs reflecting on their business experience in China.
Ruder Finn expands interactive unit in HK
HONG KONG - Public relations agency Ruder Finn has expanded its interactive unit to Hong Kong.
Ruder Finn wins Roche in China
SHANGHAI - Pharmaceutical company Roche has appointed Ruder Finn to manage its corporate public relations business, adding to the agency's 11 other healthcare wins in China this year.
Sohu and Haier to launch online TV channel
BEIJING - Chinese internet portal Sohu and appliance brand Haier have announced their intention to launch a high-definition online TV channel with a selection of 40,000 movie titles.
Johnson & Johnson in Chinese digital pitch
SHANGHAI - At least four agencies have completed a round of presentations for the digital accounts of several Johnson & Johnson consumer brands in China.
Alibaba profits hit by downturn
BEIJING - The downturn appears to be affecting Alibaba's business, with fourth-quarter net profits dropping 57 per cent year on year.
UM Australia promotes Johnson to GM Sydney
SYDNEY - Universal McCann Australia has promoted its national digital director Travis Johnson to the post of general manager of UM Sydney.
Cheil Worldwide appoints Zhao China COO and ECD
SEOUL - Cheil Worldwide has appointed Publicis Beijing's executive creative partner Jason Zhao (pictured) as COO and ECD of the agency's Chinese network.
UM retains Target Australia
MELBOURNE - Target Australia has reappointed Universal McCann as its media-buying agency-of-record following a competitive pitch that included a shortlist of Mediacom, OMD and ZenithOptimedia.
Shoppers research FMCG online before buying
ASIA-PACIFIC - Fifty-five per cent of shoppers research their purchases before buying, a recent survey by Synovate and Microsoft Advertising finds, and much of this browsing is done for FMCG.
TBWA\Korea wins Korean online gaming business
SEOUL - Korean gaming company CJ Internet has appointed TBWA\Korea to manage the sports marketing business for its Ma9Ma9 online baseball game following a two-way pitch that with Cheil Communications.
B2B sees growth, despite global downturn
ASIA-PACIFIC - Business-to-business spending in Asia-Pacific has seen significant growth in 2008 despite the global downturn, bolstered by initiatives taken to secure market share as economies began downgrading, according to a report by Business Strategies Group.
Google overhauls South China and Australasia sales and marketing operations
ASIA-PACIFIC - Google will restructure its South China and Australasia region sales and marketing operations as part of a cost-cutting measure that sees nearly 200 jobs from these departments cut worldwide.
China ad revenue rises 9 per cent
BEIJING - China's advertising revenue rose more than nine per cent in 2008 to Rmb 189.9 billion (US$27.8 billion), the State Administration of Industry and Commerce announced.
Coke's bid for Huiyuan off
BEIJING - Coca-Cola has halted its US$2.3 billion takeover bid for Chinese beverage producer Huiyuan Juice Group after government departments ruled the acquisition is in violation of anti-trust laws.
Singapore Airlines hires Ionides while Forshaw moves to Microsoft
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft Asia Pacific has appointed former Singapore Airlines communications head Stephen Forshaw (pictured) to the post of regional corporate communications director.
RMG Connect global CEO departs
GLOBAL - RMG Connect's worldwide CEO Philip Greenfield (pictured) is leaving his position of four years and has been replaced by the agency's newly appointed worldwide digital director David Eastman.
JWT Australia wins government business
SYDNEY - Australia's Department of Health and Aging has named JWT Sydney its creative-services agency responsible for its National Sexually Transmissible Infections Preventions Program following a competitive pitch for the account.
Publicis launches Vivaki and Digitas in Australia
SYDNEY - Publicis Groupe has launched its strategic media arm Vivaki and digital agency Digitas in Australia.
TBWA\Korea wins Dragon Ball
SEOUL - Korean MMORPG Dragon Ball Online has appointed TBWA\Korea as its digital agency-of-record following a competitive pitch that included incumbent IDA Communications.
Live Issue... Media firms look to mobile television
A flurry of deals suggests mobile TV may finally be evolving into an ad platform.
All About... Visual search
What does Yahoo's new service mean for marketers?
Live Issue... SapientNitro puts digital in lead role
Is the purchase of Nitro by digital agency Sapient a sign of things to come?
Microsoft's Bing to hit Asia this year
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft's Bing search engine will launch fully in Asia later this year following a beta-launch on 3 June.
Maxus wins Jetstar in Australia
SYDNEY - Jetstar has appointed Maxus to handle its media planning and buying account in Australia.
Fuchs appointed MD Vizeum China
SHANGHAI - Robert Fuchs (pictured), former client services director at Carat Japan, has been appointed managing director of Vizeum China.
Qatar Airways launches Chinese-language website
HONG KONG - Qatar Airways has launched a Chinese-language version of its website in an effort to gain market share in China's growing travel industry.
Coke awards Ogilvy digital duties
SYDNEY - Coca-Cola Australia has extended its relationship with Ogilvy by awarding the agency the digital duties for several of its beverage brands following a competitive pitch that began in January.
Fujitsu acquires Telstra's IT arm
TOKYO - Japanese information technology and communications provider Fujitsu has acquired Kaz, the IT arm of Telstra, Australia's biggest telecom and media company, for AU$200 million (US$126 million).
Maxus appoints Shepherd for digital
MELBOURNE - GroupM subsidiary Maxus has appointed Mindshare's associate business director Ben Shepherd (pictured) to the newly created role of digital director in Australia.
WSJ extends reach in Japan
TOKYO- The Wall Street Journal and The Yomiuri Shimbun have signed content-licensing agreements that will allow the Japanese newspaper to print the Journal's Asia edition as well as its Weekend Journal.
AIA set to appoint Leo Burnett ahead of IPO
ASIA-PACIFIC - American International Assurance (AIA) is set to hire Leo Burnett Asia-Pacific to boost its image in the region ahead of its initial public offering (IPO).
TAG Heuer hires Proximity Live for mainland PR
SHANGHAI - Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer has appointed Proximity Live as its public relations agency in China in an effort to strengthen its presence in the market.
Cartier launches music-based campaign in China
SHANGHAI - Cartier today launches a large-scale digital-led campaign in China to promote its Love charity collection, enlisting celebrity brand ambassador Tanya Chua to promote Cartier's 'Declare your love' theme in concerts and an exclusive pop track.
UM wins Chinese pneumonia brief
SHANGHAI - The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has appointed Universal McCann China as its media planning and buying agency ahead of the launch of its educational campaign on infant pneumonia.
Xinhua to air English programmes in Europe
BEIJING - China's Government-sponsored news agency, Xinhua News, will reportedly launch an English-language TV news programme to air in supermarkets and Chinese embassies in Europe.
Microsoft to sell Razorfish
GLOBAL - Microsoft has reportedly announced its intention to sell its global digital agency Razorfish, with Publicis Groupe thought to be the leading suitor.
China Telecom pairs with Madhouse
SHANGHAI - China Telecom has enlisted Chinese mobile advertising network Madhouse as the advertising platform for its search services subsidiary, Best Tone Information Service.
WSJ to launch Japanese-language site
TOKYO - Dow Jones has inked a partnership with Japanese financial services provider SBI Holdings to launch a digital, Japanese-language version of The Wall Street Journal at the end of the year.
OMD wins Sony brief
SYDNEY - OMD has beaten Mindshare to win Sony's international US$160 million Computer Entertainment business following a shortlist round that began last month.
Publicis results show Asia slump
GLOBAL - Publicis Groupe has reported a sharp fall in revenues for its Asia-Pacific business after unveiling its first-quarter results.
Chinese firms jump up brand value rankings
GLOBAL - WPP research agency Millward Brown Optimor has found that the reputation of Chinese brands is growing, especially in the banking sector, according the agency's BrandZ Top 100 report.
Nokia shortlists media shops ahead of second round
ASIA-PACIFIC - At least four regional media agencies are believed to be making presentations to Nokia as early as this week in Asia-Pacific as part of the second round of the mobile brand's global media pitch.
WPP reports disappointing Q1 results
GLOBAL - Following disappointing first-quarter financial results that saw revenues down nearly six per cent from the same time last year, WPP has lowered its earnings expectations for 2009.
Cartier selects agency for China digital
HONG KONG - Cartier has appointed Agency.com as its digital agency in China following a pitch that also included a Digitas/Starcom IP team and Euro RSCG 4D, sources close to the brand confirm.
Social media clampdown 'will not affect advertisers'
BEIJING - Digital media outlets that have been blocked by the Chinese authorities in the days leading up to the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests expect minimal impact to advertisers who ran campaigns during those days.
OgilvyOne China launches WOM service
BEIJING - OgilvyOne China has launched a digital word-of-mouth tracking system and a Digital Lab to bolster its online offering in the mainland market.
Illuminant wins Green Office Alliance
BEIJING - The Green Office Alliance (GOA), a network of green building and furnishing products companies, has appointed Beijing-based Illuminant Partners as its PR and strategic communications agency following a competitive pitch.
SinoTech launches brand tracking online platform
BEIJING - Digital marketing consultancy SinoTech Group has launched an online reputation monitoring platform to assist agency partners with tracking brands' status in the market.
Publicis to launch 'Rise beyond' campaign
HONG KONG - Publicis will launch a digital campaign in Hong Kong that aims to brighten the mood in a financial hub plagued with economic uncertainty.
Cartoon Network launches online game
HONG KONG - As part of a continued effort to bolster its digital gaming reputation, Cartoon Network has announced the Asia launch of its multiplayer online game Fusion Fall.
Tong departs Euro
BEIJING - Euro RCSG Beijing's chief creative officer Fred Tong (pictured) will depart the agency for a second time just months after he was appointed to the role.
Media revenue up 20 per cent in China
BEIJING - China's total revenue from the radio, film and television industries reached Rmb 166 billion (US$24.3 billion) in 2008, a year-on-year increase of more than 20 per cent, according to a report published by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
Visa's Kapoor takes London-based post
ASIA-PACIFIC - Visa International's regional EVP and GM of marketing Rajiv Kapoor (pictured) has been promoted to head of products and marketing for Central Europe, Middle East and Africa.
OgilvyOne restructures regional management
ASIA-PACIFIC - Ogilvy Group has divided the regional management of OgilvyOne in North and Southeast Asia to Chris Reitermann (pictured) and Chris Riley, respectively, following the expansion of regional president of OgilvyOne Kent Wertime's role to include president of Ogilvy & Mather Japan.
Youku trials 3G mobile site
BEIJING - Chinese online video site Youku will beta-launch a 3G mobile site that focuses on user-generated content, music, sport, humour and current events on 17 May in time for World Telecommunications Day.
Tencent reports profit surge
BEIJING - Tencent, the Chinese digital gaming, portal and communications giant, has announced a 93.8 per cent jump in first-quarter profits from the same period in 2008, further solidifying its leading position in the market.
Google Hong Kong GM resigns
HONG KONG - General manager of Google Hong Kong Preston Lau (pictured) has resigned his role at the company "to pursue other opportunities", a statement from Google reads.
Downturn hits Chinese digital growth
BEIJING - China's online advertising revenues totaled more than Rmb 3 billion (US$440 million) in the first quarter of 2009 - nearly six per cent up from the same period in 2008 but flat compared with the year's fourth quarter, the Data Center of the Chinese Internet announced.
Vizeum China wins Mango
SHANGHAI - Spanish apparel chain Mango has awarded Vizeum China its media planning and buying account in the mainland market following a pitch that included four agencies.
WE appointed to Shanghai's Golden Grand Prix
SHANGHAI - The Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, an annual track-and-field athletics event, has appointed Waggener Edstrom Worldwide as its public relations agency-of-record for brand awareness in China.
Starcom strengthens digital with new hires
SHANGHAI - In an effort to strengthen its digital capabilities in the market, Starcom MediaVest Group China has appointed two senior managers, including Tim Haynes (pictured) as general manager based in Shanghai.
Leo Burnett wins Zendai in China
HONG KONG - Chinese real estate company Zendai has appointed EmporioAsia Leo Burnett as its digital agency following a competitive pitch for the account.
dgm to handle Club Med search business
ASIA-PACIFIC - Club Med has appointed search engine marketing firm dgm to handle its search business in Southeast Asia.
Tetra Pak hands Indian media to Carat
MUMBAI - Tetra Pak India has named Carat Media Services as its Indian media agency-of-record following a two-way pitch involving incumbent Starcom India.
Nokia appoints Wunderman
GLOBAL - Wunderman has edged out JWT's RMG Connect and Euro RSCG 4D for Nokia's global digital business, according to sources within the agency.
Smirnoff launches classic Hollywood campaign down under
SYDNEY - Smirnoff Australia has launched a 1920s Hollywood-inspired digital campaign to promote the brand at a time when the Australian government has imposed a taxation on booze mixers akin to the restrictions issued during the Prohibition era.
Magna Global rebrands to Orion Trading
GLOBAL - Magna Global Trading, a subsidiary of Interpublic Group's Mediabrands, has rebranded to become Orion Trading as part of an expansion plan that includes the opening of an office in Australia, its first in Asia-Pacific.
Australian newspapers resist global decline
SYDNEY - Australian newspaper sales have shown a slight year-on-year decline in the first three months of 2009, the Audit Bureau of Circulations has found, suggesting the precipitous downward trend for print in the West has not yet reached Australia.
Banner ads drive search behaviour: study
GLOBAL - The effectiveness of banner ads should be measured through search behaviour as much as by click-through rates, a survey from iProspect has found.
Pixel Media launches ad network
ASIA-PACIFIC - Digital sales house Pixel Media has launched an Asian ad network named Adsfactor, with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Four vie for Activision Blizzard media account
GLOBAL - US videogame developer Activision Blizzard has shortlisted four global digital media agencies in what sources close to the brand say is the "final stretch" of the pitch that began four months ago.
Profile... FT.com's Grimshaw seeks path to future profit
The site's managing director insists that charging for an online news service is a viable business plan.
Live Issue... Can publishers make the internet pay?
News organisations are looking for new ways to make money from their websites.
World of Warcraft producer holds media pitch
GLOBAL - US videogame producer Activision Blizzard is pitching its global media business as it searches for a partner that will best position the company to expand its presence in Asia.
BBC.com and Lonely Planet launch travel widget
ASIA-PACIFIC - BBC.com and Lonely Planet have teamed to launch a travel widget that will include information from LonelyPlanet.com and link to BBC's main page.
Red rebrands training arm
SYDNEY - Public relations firm Red Agency has rebranded its media-training practice to be called Redact.
Lenovo promises 'leaner' marketing
GLOBAL - China's largest computer maker Lenovo Group has refused to rule out marketing layoffs following the announcement of an 11 per cent reduction in its worldwide staff.
Intel may open-source digital
ASIA-PACIFIC - Digital agencies in Asia-Pacific admit Intel has approached them within the past year regarding future interest to work on aspects of the company's business amid rumours of Intel's growing dissatisfaction with its partnership with McCann Worldgroup.
Singapore Police launch drunk-driving campaign
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Police Force has launched its first digital drunk-driving awareness campaign that highlights the repercussions of being caught driving while drunk in the country.
Yahoo lays off 1,500
ASIA-PACIFIC - Yahoo has begun laying off employees worldwide, including in Asia-Pacific, less than two months after announcing it would reduce its international workforce by 10 per cent, and said it will close down offices in the region.
All About... Winners and losers
Which companies emerged from 2008 with honours?
Profile... Seasoned traveller charts Lonely Planet's course
The globetrotter-turned-marketing chief for the iconic travel brand has a deep understanding of his market.
AOL exits China for the second time
BEIJING - One year after AOL touted its reentrance into China after more than three years out of the market, the internet portal has announced it will exit China a second time.
Carat predicts regional ad spend down
ASIA-PACIFIC - Media agency Carat predicts ad spend in Asia-Pacific in 2009 will fall .8 per cent from last year but will rebound to grow by as much as 4.3 per cent in 2010.
DDB scoops global Reebok duties
GLOBAL - Reebok International has named DDB Worldwide as its lead creative agency for its international business based out of Hong Kong, Berlin and Chicago.
CNN promotes Leong to digital role
ASIA-PACIFIC - CNN Asia-Pacific has promoted Julia Leong (pictured) to the role of regional associate director of digital sales development and operations.
Nine pitch for HKIA creative
HONG KONG - Nine agencies are believed to be vying for Hong Kong International Airport's creative business following an initial briefing last week.
Initiative wins three accounts in China
BEIJING - Initiative has announced three business wins in China, including its appointment as Grupo Bimbo's media agency-of-record following a two-way pitch against MPG.
Skinner to replace Lam as MD for UM
HONG KONG - Universal McCann's managing director Alice Lam (pictured) will leave the company after holding her position for two and a half years.
Infortrend appoints Ogilvy PR as AOR
TAIPEI - Infortrend, a Taiwanese network storage solutions provider, has appointed Ogilvy PR as its public relations agency of record following a competitive global pitch.
CFO Asia and China to close
HONG KONG - The Economist Group will shut down its CFO Asia and CFO China magazines this month.
Tudou.com departs AdSense for Baidu Union
SHANGHAI - Chinese video-sharing site Tudou.com has departed Google's advertising network AdSense in favour of Baidu's network, Baidu Union.
Cartier pitches Greater China digital
HONG KONG - At least three China-based agencies are believed to have pitched for Cartier's digital business for the Greater China region this week.
China's NetEase profit up 48 per cent
BEIJING - Virtual gaming company NetEase has beaten expectations for its fourth quarter after it posted a 28 per cent year-on-year revenue increase and a nearly 48 per cent profit boost compared to the same quarter in 2007.
Carat and wwwins team for digital consultancy
HONG KONG - Carat and wwwins Consulting in Hong Kong have teamed to launch a digital strategy consultancy product created to advise brands on how best to navigate digital platforms.
Sanrio Digital appoints Ferrari VP publishing and business development
HONG KONG - Gaming developer Sanrio Digital has appointed Robert Ferrari as vice-president of publishing and business development, charged with managing the business of virtual games including Hello Kitty Online.
FT launches China investment news online
HONG KONG - The Financial Times will launch an analytical e-newsletter and website that predicts and reports on investment trends in China to subscribers across the globe.
Microsoft hires Sunshine to boost profile
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft Advertising has hired M&C Saatchi's brand consultancy Sunshine to revamp its strategy as it seeks to boost its profile within Asia's marketing community.
Starcom awarded National Foods in Australia
SYDNEY - National Foods in Australia has awarded Starcom Mediavest Group its communications strategy, planning and buying business in a move to consolidate its media account under one agency.
Live Issue... QR codes struggle to live up to the hype
The barcodes once touted as the future of mobile are not taking off outside Japan.
Newsweek targets affluent in redesign
GLOBAL - Newsweek will launch its redesigned magazine and website this week to shift its focus away from mass market to target an upscale demographic of educated, affluent, news-interested readers and users.
Aegis reports steep decline in revenue
GLOBAL - Aegis Group reported an 11.6 per cent fall in organic revenue in its first quarter of 2009, the steepest decline experienced by any of the six major holding companies.
Yahoo India appoints MD
BANGALORE - Yahoo India has appointed Arun Tadanki (pictured) as managing director, charged with bolstering the company's presence in sub-continental Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Aegis overhauls Isobar leadership
GLOBAL - One day after Aegis Group reported an 11.6 per cent fall in organic revenue in its first quarter of 2009, the holding company announced the executive overhaul of its digital agency Isobar and media communications network Aegis Media.
Frucor leads charge into Xbox advertising
AUCKLAND - Beverage maker Frucor will be the first New Zealand brand to advertise within Xbox games following Massive's announcement that it will open up in-game advertising in the market later this month.
Havas sees 25 per cent slump in Asia
ASIA-PACIFIC - Havas' regional organic revenue plummeted nearly 25 per cent from the first quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009, marking Asia-Pacific out as the holding company's worst-performing market in the world.
WSJ expands in India
MUMBAI - The Wall Street Journal Asia has begun daily printing in India, making same-day delivery available to subscribers and newsstands in India's major cities for the first time.
FT launches campaign aimed at media buyers
ASIA-PACIFIC - As part of its year-long campaign to educate regional media planners of its advertising opportunities, The Financial Times has launched a desktop widget "themed around the pursuit of knowledge".
News agencies form Japanese ad network
TOKYO - In an effort to jumpstart ad revenues as the economy worsens, several domestic and foreign news agencies have launched a digital advertising network in Japan to sell ads collectively across their online domains.
Mindshare teams with Red Cross in wildfire drive
MELBOURNE - The Red Cross and Mindshare Melbourne have teamed to host a telethon tonight in an effort to raise donations for victims affected by the Australian wildfires.
Cheong set to take Ogilvy creative lead
ASIA-PACIFIC - Two-and-a-half months after Tham Khai Meng vacated his post as creative president of Ogilvy & Mather Asia-Pacific to assume the role of worldwide creative director, Ogilvy has selected Eugene Cheong (pictured) to fill the regional position.
Sproule named Microsoft VP corp communications
GLOBAL - Microsoft has appointed Nissan's corporate VP of communications of five years Simon Sproule (pictured) as its VP of corporate communications.
Live Issue... Games firms eye Asian expansion
Gaming giant Activision Blizzard is joining rivals in targeting the region's gamers.
E*Trade launches campaign
HONG KONG - E*Trade has launched a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign in Hong Kong in an effort to bolster its brand amid the recession.
UM China hires three digital executives
SHANGHAI - Universal McCann China has hired three executives, including two new directors, to bolster its digital capabilities in the areas of search and brand management.
All About... Branded TV channels
Is the launch of adidas.tv a sign of things to come?
Hill & Knowlton Sydney wins NIDC business
SYDNEY - Australia's National Indigenous Development Centre (NIDC) has named Hill & Knowlton Sydney as its marketing agency-of-record following a competitive pitch that also involved Ogilvy PR and Professional Public Relations.
MasterCard calls global digital pitch
ASIA-PACIFIC - MasterCard is holding a global digital pitch, regional representatives for the credit card company have confirmed, but say that it is "too soon to tell" what Asia-Pacific's role in the review will be.
VIDEO: Yahoo Asia chief defends China strategy
SEOUL - Rose Tsou, managing director of Yahoo Asia, has hit back at criticism of the portal's strategy in China, following a month of negative press that continued this week with the reported closure of its one-year-old social networking site Yahoo Guanxi.
MediaTV: Faberge's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the second part of MediaTV's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, Fabergé's CEO Mark Dunhill discusses how digital plays an integral role in the jewellery company's expansion plan.
MediaTV: Faberge's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the second part of MediaTV's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, Fabergé's CEO Mark Dunhill discusses how digital plays an integral role in the jewellery company's expansion plan.
MediaTV: Faberge's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the second part of MediaTV's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, Fabergé's CEO Mark Dunhill discusses how digital plays an integral role in the jewellery company's expansion plan.
MediaTV: Shanghai Tang's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the first part of MediaTV's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, executive chairman of Shanghai Tang Raphael le Masne de Chermont speaks about the rise of China as a luxury powerhouse, not only as a market of consumers, but as a breeding ground that will produce high-end brands of its own.
VIDEO: Yahoo Asia chief defends China strategy
SEOUL - Rose Tsou, managing director of Yahoo Asia, has hit back at criticism of the portal's strategy in China, following a month of negative press that continued this week with the reported closure of its one-year-old social networking site Yahoo Guanxi.
MediaTV: Alain Mikli's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the fourth part of Media's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, Raymond Mok, Asia-Pacific general manager of eyewear brand Alain Mikli, says that one of the biggest challenges of marketing his products is making consumers understand what they are paying for.
MediaTV: Alain Mikli's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the fourth part of Media's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, Raymond Mok, Asia-Pacific general manager of eyewear brand Alain Mikli, says that one of the biggest challenges of marketing his products is making consumers understand what they are paying for.
MediaTV: Alain Mikli's luxury strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the fourth part of Media's series on luxury brands' marketing strategies, Raymond Mok, Asia-Pacific general manager of eyewear brand Alain Mikli, says that one of the biggest challenges of marketing his products is making consumers understand what they are paying for.
MediaTV: Zuji's marketing strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the second part of MediaTV's series on travel and tourism brands' marketing strategies, Charlie Wong, the new general manager of Zuji Hong Kong, says the company has placed greater emphasis on direct marketing and sales initiatives as a result of the current economic environment.
MediaTV: Zuji's marketing strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the second part of MediaTV's series on travel and tourism brands' marketing strategies, Charlie Wong, the new general manager of Zuji Hong Kong, says the company has placed greater emphasis on direct marketing and sales initiatives as a result of the current economic environment.
MediaTV: Zuji's marketing strategy
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the second part of MediaTV's series on travel and tourism brands' marketing strategies, Charlie Wong, the new general manager of Zuji Hong Kong, says the company has placed greater emphasis on direct marketing and sales initiatives as a result of the current economic environment.
Tencent guides the way for Chinese firms heading West
Two years ago, Tencent's president of online media SY Lau detailed the company's plans to shift its business strategy to become a more mature portal. Since than, the online giant has not only graduated from that stature but also taken its first big step to extend beyond the Chinese roost.
Holding companies chase their share of the growing search market
Although search has been steadily growing in prominence for marketers over the last two years in Asia, this year search-specific agencies within holding companies have mushroomed.
Reuters Media VP of Asia, Joachim Schmaltz, to grow digital capabilities
Reuters' vice president Asia at Reuters Media strives to grow the newswire in a region that is its lowest revenue generator.
VIDEO: Yahoo's EVP & CMO Elisa Steele discuss the brand's creative direction
GLOBAL - As Yahoo prepares to move into the next phase of the 'It's Y!ou' campaign, the company's global executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Elisa Steele (pictured), discuss the campaign's creative direction and addresses the challenges it has faced in the past months.
China still reveres celebrity endorsers
Find the best match for your brand, and the aspirational consumer will reward you.
Pro bono campaigns offer fulfilling work for agencies, but should they work for free?
With an abundance of nonprofit organisations, from women's rights in China, to clean air in Cambodia, Asia's ad agencies have the opportunity to create some of the most socially meaningful advertising and marketing campaigns worldwide.
Google's mobile services partially blocked in China
BEIJING - Google has confirmed that its mobile services are being partially blocked in China in what is believed to be a further repercussion following its decision to shut down its search engine in the market.
VIDEO: The FT's Angela Mackay weighs in on online payment models
GLOBAL - With the topic of newspapers' online payment models being thrust back into the headlines with The New York Times and the Financial Times announcing changes to their online access plans, executive director of the FT Asia-Pacific, Angela Mackay, says this is only the beginning of a long-term movement to migrate online content behind a paid wall.
Live Issue... Ongoing turmoil in Thailand stalls arrival of 3G
The latest setbacks to Thailand's 3G services, with two operators delaying their roll-outs, prolong a drawn-out saga that is holding back the nation's digital sector.
Alibaba debuts $30m global campaign
BEIJING - Alibaba Group has launched a US$30 million international campaign in 20 key markets to bolster its e-commerce websites' global presence.
Yahoo Southeast Asia prepares for cutbacks
SINGAPORE - Yahoo's Southeast Asia operations are expected to face cutbacks following the announcement that it will cut 10 per cent of its global workforce.
Media Prima hires Pixel Media for ad sales
KUALA LUMPUR - Integrated media group Media Prima Berhad has appointed Pixel Media as its exclusive online ad sales network for eight of its television, radio and portal websites.
Yahoo unveils Singapore e-commerce service
SINGAPORE - A week after Yahoo announced its plan to cut US$400 million in spending worldwide, Yahoo Southeast Asia has launched an online marketplace on its Singapore front page in an effort to maintain its hold on the market.
Nike urges Chinese to 'fall proudly'
SHANGHAI - Nike has unveiled its latest 'Just do it' integrated campaign in China, including TV, outdoor and online executions hosted on popular portals QQ.com and Sina.com.
BA joins dgm affiliate network
SINGAPORE - British Airways has signed a deal to join digital marketing group dgm's affiliate marketing network across the region.
Baidu posts profits surge
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu posted a 91 per cent rise in year-on-year net profit in its third-quarter report.
Mixi debuts Chinese site
SHANGHAI - Japanese social network leader Mixi.com has launched a localised, Mandarin-language site in mainland China.
Baidu launches legitimate music channel
BEIJING - Baidu has partnered with seven record companies to launch a music-streaming channel in an attempt to better combat illegal downloading.
VW launches Bora digital drive
BEIJING - FAW-Volkswagen today launched a digital campaign in China to introduce its updated Bora marque, aiming the product at up-and-coming professionals looking to move up in life.
Singapore looks to gadgets for media: PAX
SINGAPORE - Following the release of its annual Pan Asia-Pacific Cross-Media (PAX) survey with a focus on Hong Kong earlier in the week, Synovate released figures from Singapore, showing that affluent audiences are relying on more gadgets to as a means to consume their media.
Nivea kicks off China repositioning push
SHANGHAI - Nivea has launched its 'Live your beauty' campaign in China with the aim of repositioning itself as an overall beauty brand rather than just a skincare brand.
Asian audiences focus on news and education
HONG KONG - According to Synovate's annual Pan Asia-Pacific Cross-Media (PAX) survey, Asian audiences are watching and reading news, education and business programmes and publications more than entertainment-based alternatives.
Nielsen agrees Chinese web tracking JV
BEIJING - Nielsen Online has teamed with the operator of ChinaRank in an attempt to boost its internet measurement offer in the market.
Alibaba readies $30m global brand push
BEIJING - Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba Group has announced that it will invest US$30 million to boost its brand name internationally.
eLong and Ctrip report losses
BEIJING - Online travel agency eLong posted a third-quarter operating loss of Rmb 15.5 million (US$2.2 million), a drop of US$1.18 million from one year earlier.
Proximity/BBDO unveils in-house digital consultancy
SINGAPORE - Proximity/BBDO has partnered with independent digital communications agency Deploy to launch an in-house online media consultancy that will focus on digital media planning, buying and search analytics for Proximity clients.
24/7 OgilvyOne partner in China ad network
SHANGHAI - Digital marketing company 24/7 Real Media and OgilvyOne's ITOP Performance Marketing unit have partnered to launch a display and contextual ad network in China.
Baidu to overhaul ad system as backlash grows
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu will launch an ad platform that separates its list of paid links from its general search listings in response to a backlash following reports that it included non-licensed medical websites among its search results.
VW ties with MyClick for Lavida campaign
SHANGHAI - Shanghai Volkswagen has contracted MyClick to extend the mobile aspect of its ad campaign promoting its Lavida model.
Ad-funded mobile content to offset piracy losses
MACAU - A report by the Mobile Entertainment Forum shows that revenue garnered through mobile entertainment products supported by advertising will help offset lost revenues due to piracy on mobile content such as games, music and ringtones in Southeast Asia.
Baidu and MCSC settle copyright infringement out of court
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu and the Music Copyright Society of China (MCSC) will settle their copyright infringement discord out of court, ending the 10-month-long spat.
ihub Media names Cheong as to lead business development
SINGAPORE - ihub Media Group's director of sales strategy for marcom Keith Cheong (pictured) has been promoted to the newly created post of business development director and has moved from ihub's Singapore office to its Shanghai bureau.
Singapore launches travel search engine
SINGAPORE - The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has launched a Singapore-centric meta-search engine that aims to promote travel in and out of the country and market Changi Airport as a world-class hub.
Iris Worldwide launches iris Experience in Asia-Pacific
SINGAPORE - Integrated marketing firm iris Worldwide will launch its experiential agency iris Experience in Asia-Pacific.
Live Issue... Alibaba looks overseas as competition builds
Is a $30m investment in 20 key global markets enough to turn it into a bona fide international brand?
Tencent shortlists two in creative review
BEIJING - Chinese portal host Tencent has narrowed the field down to two agencies following a high-stakes creative pitch that that began early last month.
Wanmo bolsters consulting arm
BEIJING - Chinese digital agency Wanmo Performance Advertising has named Shane Crombie (pictured) director of its ad agency consulting division.
Pixel Media signs HKEJ deal
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Economic Journal has appointed Pixel Media as its exclusive online ad sales network, charging the company with all advertising sales of its HKEJ.com homepage.
The Esplanade overhauls site
SINGAPORE - Singaporean art centre The Esplanade has revamped its website to convey its informational and entertainment offerings to audiences.
Puma debuts F1 racing game
CHINA - Puma with McCann China and mobile marketing agency Phonevalley will launch a racing game on the sneaker brand's mobile site to coincide with the Formula One event held in Shanghai this month.
Taobao VP departs
BEIJING - Taobao's VP and GM of B2C business Ruo Huang has announced his resignation, citing managerial differences with the company as his reason for departure.
Friendster extends text alerts to Singapore
SINGAPORE - Social networking site Friendster has launched a text alert service for Singaporean users that notifies them of events such as messages, comments and bulletin posts from friends.
Band hires Balakrishnan for regional role
SINGAPORE - Band Public Relations has named Shawn Balakrishnan (pictured) as account director for the agency's Asia-Pacific offices, which include China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Sony Ericsson consolidates SEA with H&K
SINGAPORE - Sony Ericsson Singapore has ousted incumbent public relations agency Camber Communications in a move to consolidate its regional business under Hill & Knowlton Southeast Asia.
Bond takes on global role at Proximity
SINGAPORE - Richard Fraser has been named Proximity Asia's regional managing director, replacing Simon Bond (pictured) who has been appointed to the newly-created post of global head of business development for Proximity Worldwide in New York.
Skype under fire over China censorship claims
BEIJING - Internet telephony giant Skype faces international criticism after a report claimed its Chinese business was monitoring conversations for sensitive content.
Live Issue... MySpace China struggles for a niche
The social network site needs to rethink its strategy amid a fast-changing market.
Ogilvy fills Philippines ECD role
MANILA - Ogilvy & Mather Philippines has appointed Kenny Choo (pictured) to the post of executive creative director, the position vacated by Gavin Simpson in May 2007 when he was named executive creative director of Ogilvy Hong Kong.
Baidu seeks growth through online TV deal
BEIJING - Baidu is investing US$15 million in an online TV channel in a bid to break out of its search engine niche.
Fawbert departs Aktiv Digital
SINGAPORE - Nick Fawbert, COO of Aktiv Digital Asia-Pacific, has left the online sales house to launch a regional interactive development company titled Third Space Consulting.
Baidu extends into online TV
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu has invested US$15 million to launch its own online television channel.
Canon rolls out digital drive
HONG KONG - Canon has launched a digital campaign for its Pixma printer that allows users to mail image postcards to themselves and their friends.
Nike uses Google Earth in virtual running drive
HONG KONG - Nike has built a campaign around Google Earth that allows users to 'run' through virtual replicas of cities across the world.
MTV's Stewart departs
SINGAPORE - Senior vice-president of MTV Networks International and Viacom Brand Solutions Ian Stewart (pictured) will depart his post at the end of the year.
Cernet selects SinoTech for ad sales
BEIJING - Chinese online publisher Cernet Corporation has appointed digital marketing company SinoTech Media as the exclusive seller of advertising space on two of its government-sponsored education websites.
HSBC inks affiliate deal with dgm
SINGAPORE - HSBC has signed a deal to be incorporated into digital marketing group dgm's affiliate marketing network throughout Southeast Asia.
FAW-VW reappoints Nurun
SHANGHAI - FAW-Volkswagen China has reappointed Nurun China as its digital advertising agency following a competitive pitch.
Iris names digital lead
SINGAPORE - Iris Singapore has named James Robbins (pictured) to the newly created post of digital director.
New banner ads for Windows Live Messenger
SINGAPORE - Windows Live Messenger in Singapore has launched a new banner-ad platform that allows marketers to target audiences by either gender or age.
OgilvyOne names regional creative leadership
HONG KONG - OgilvyOne Asia has hired Natalie Lam (pictured) of R/GA New York and Mark Taylor of OgilvyOne Singapore as the agency's regional creative directors.
HK online spend dips in Q2
HONG KONG - Online adspend in Hong Kong reached HK$164 million (US$21 million) in the second quarter of 2008, according to Nielsen Online, down from this year's first quarter, which posted HK$172 million (US$22 million).
comGateway debuts Asian shopping site
SINGAPORE – comGateway and DDB in Singapore have launched a new website that allows Asian shoppers to buy products online without an American credit card.
Alibaba merges two unites to fend off rivals
BEIJING - Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group has responded to growing competition by merging its digital ad exchange service Alimama with its consumer-based auction platform Taobao.com.
OCBC retains Y&R
SINGAPORE - Young & Rubicam has retained the OCBC Bank creative account following a competitive pitch.
Taobao VP to depart after Alimama merger
BEIJING - One week after Alibaba Group announced the merger of subsidiaries Taobao.com and Alimama.com, the company has confirmed that Taobao's vice-president will resign at the end of the month.
Huaso teams with Sony for CCTV drama
HONG KONG - Huaso Film/Television Digital Production Company Limited and Sony Pictures Television International have teamed to launch a television drama on CCTV, a first for Huaso.
LVMH picks Ruder Finn for China brands
SHANGHAI - Luxury group LVMH has contracted public relations firm Ruder Finn to handle PR for several of its liquor brands in China.
MediaCorp drops print magazine brands
SINGAPORE - As part of its plan to consolidate operations, MediaCorp will suspend publication of four magazine titles effective following their September issues.
Caltex inks Suzuki Cup deal
SINGAPORE - Caltex, a local subsidy of Chevron, has penned a multi-year deal to sponsor the AFF Suzuki Cup football tournament.
Chinese sites in Baidu backlash
BEIJING - Chinese portal Sohu.com and social networking sites including 51.com and Xiaonei have blocked Baidu from conducting searches of their sites.
Tudou finally nets Sarft licence
SHANGHAI - Leading Chinese online video-sharing website Tudou.com has received a broadcasting licence from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (Sarft) just months after the same organisation shut the site down for broadcasting prohibited content.
DDB wins 'Made in China' brief
BEIJING - China's Ministry of Commerce has chosen DDB Guoan to handle its 'Made in China' campaign, which aims to educate Westerners about the quality and safety of products made in China.
AOL relaunches in China
BEIJING - After months of planning, America Online has re-entered the Chinese market by officially launching a localised portal.
Alibaba launches new open platform
BEIJING - Just days after announcing consumer-based auction platform Taobao.com's merger with digital advertising exchange service Alimama, Alibaba Group announced the launch of the Taobao Open Platform, which enables third-party programmers to develop e-commerce tools and products for the site.
MySpace China CEO steps down
BEIJING - CEO of MySpace China Luo Chuan (pictured) has stepped down from his post just over a year after the localised site launched.
NBA inks Tom.com online deal
BEIJING - The National Basketball Association (NBA) has inked a multiyear partnership with Tom.com to launch interactive features and video programmes on its localised websites in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Web takes lead for Asian mothers
SINGAPORE - The internet is becoming the key medium for Asian mothers, according to a study released by OMD and AOL.
Nokia searches for regional talent
When Nokia wanted to promote the versatility of its Nseries N82 handset among young Southeast Asian mobile users, it did so by organising and hosting an online talent show.
How Levi's won over Chinese youth
The clothing brand successfully attracted young consumers in Hong Kong and China with a stylish competition conducted via its innovative social networking site Levi's World.
Milk brands begin crisis response in Southeast Asia
SOUTHEAST ASIA - Brands in Southeast Asia connected to the Chinese tainted milk scandal, including Nestlé, Oreo and Fonterra, are moving to reassure the public of their products' safety by taking out advertisements in daily newspapers and sending consumers text messages and emails.
Nestlé taps JWT and RMG for Kit Kat digital campaign
SYDNEY - Nestlé in Australia has contracted JWT Sydney and digital agency RMG Connect to promote its new Cookies and Cream Kit Kat product entirely online.
Absolut China appoints Nurun as digital AOR
SHANGHAI - Pernod Ricard has appointed Nurun China as Absolut Vodka's digital agency in the mainland, shifting its account from Digitas.
O&M names Guangzhou GM
GUANGZHOU - Ogilvy & Mather Advertising has appointed Kawa Zhu as general manager of its Guangzhou office, charged with driving new business and bolstering the ongoing development of the agency.
Tribal DDB Hong Kong appoints MD
HONG KONG - DDB Group has appointed Euro RSCG Sydney's former head of digital strategy Eric Phu as managing director of Tribal DDB Hong Kong.
Sinotech partners with Illuminant
BEIJING - Digital marketing firm SinoTech Group and public relations agency Illuminant Partners have entered into a strategic partnership that will give Illuminant's clients access to digital marketing services and tools provided by SinoTech.
Coke launches 'green' contest ahead of Expo
SHANGHAI - Coca-Cola has joined forces with the Shanghai Expo Organising Committee and portal QQ to launch a contest across China aimed at promoting environmental sustainability.
Sony Ericsson hires regional account manager
SINGAPORE - iris Singapore has named Michelle Wong (pictured) as regional group account director for the agency's regional Sony Ericsson account.
Chinese web giants post surging revenues
BEIJING - Tencent, NetEase and Sina, three of China's most prominent internet brands, have posted significant revenue gains in their latest financial reports.
SPE broadens Korea offer
HONG KONG - SPE Networks has broadened its footprint in Korea by partnering with KT's Mega TV to launch its AXN and Animax channels on KT's IPTV service.
Media spend to slump in Singapore
SINGAPORE - In light of the global economic slowdown, Mindshare and Maxus have predicted a 15-per-cent year-on-year decline in Singapore's media spend in the upcoming year.
Alibaba profits up after sluggish 3Q
BEIJING - Alibaba Group has posted a 49 per cent increase on year-on-year net income to Rmb 308.6 million (US$45.20 million) in its third-quarter of 2008, although the economic slowdown means that the figure represents a 22 per cent drop from its second quarter earnings.
Ruder Finn Asia appoints new chairman
HONG KONG - Public relations firm Ruder Finn has appointed Jean-Michel Dumont (pictured) as chairman of Ruder Finn Asia, replacing Louise Harris after her relocation to Ruder Finn's headquarters in New York.
Chinese digital media revenues surge
HONG KONG - According to a report released by research firm KPMG, revenues from digital media in China will reach US$37.8 million in 2009, up from US$25 million in 2007.
Ctrip sues search engine Qunar
BEIJING - China's leading online travel agency Ctrip.com is suing travel search engine Qunar.
Microsoft names new interactive head
HONG KONG - Microsoft has named Mark Warburton as regional director for its entertainment and devices division's interactive entertainment business.
Nivea's Sparkling White pushes into China
SHANGHAI - Nivea has continued its repositioning push in China with the launch of an integrated campaign for its Nivea Visage Sparkling White product range.
Lewis PR appoints Sandberg
SINGAPORE - Lewis Public Relations has named Meilin Wong Sandberg (pictured) as the agency's associate director.
Alibaba pulls ads from 'low-quality' Baidu
BEIJING - Alibaba Group has ended its advertising contract with Baidu and will remove its ads from the search engine and its subsidiary websites.
EA refuses to rule out Asian lay-offs
SINGAPORE - After Electronic Arts announced that it will cut six per cent of its worldwide staff to save US$50 million, a spokeswoman for its Asian unit has refused to rule out cutbacks in the region.
DMS quits digital ad agency in favour of networks
SINGAPORE - Online marketing business Digital Marketing Solutions (DMS) is to drop its internet advertising agency operations to focus on expanding its ad network and syndication services.
Profile... The 'quiet girl' behind China's online giant
After months of planning, Belinda Wang is watching Sohu's partnership with the Olympics come to fruition.
AOL chief plots return to China's internet scene
Norman Koo is convinced the portal giant can crack the world's biggest web market by targeting new users.
Doritos China extends rebranding
BEIJING - Doritos has extended its rebranding campaign to include a fan site that links audiences through popular social networks Xiaonei.com, QQ.com and Mop.com.
Online adspend to grow by 60 per cent
SINGAPORE - Yahoo anticipates online adspend in Southeast Asia will grow by more than 60 per cent to US$200 million within the next two years with much of this growth attributed to a rise in display and search expenditure.
SH Magazine to close
SHANGHAI - Lifestyle and entertainment publication SH Magazine in Shanghai will publish its final edition 19 December after four years in business.
Skoda and MyClick in US campaign
HONG KONG - Czech automaker Skoda has extended its partnership with Hong Kong mobile marketing firm MyClick to launch a campaign promoting its new Fabia model in the United States.
Baidu faces mass lawsuit
BEIJING - More than 50 companies are reportedly gearing up to launch a mass-litigation suit against Chinese search engine Baidu for violating anti-trust, fraud and infringement laws.
Publicis China appoints Tseng MD
BEIJING - Publicis China has overhauled its operations by naming Wendy Tseng (pictured) managing director of its Beijing office and launching its digital unit, Publicis Modem, in the country.
MediaRing Talk appoint PurpleClick
SINGAPORE - MediaRing Talk, a telephony communications application, has appointed search marketing firm PurpleClick Media its ad sales representative.
Chivas Regal extends Live with Chivalry campaign
SINGAPORE - Chivas Regal has extended its Live with Chivalry promotion by launching a mobile campaign that allows users in Changi Airport to receive gifts and coupons via SMS.
Lufthansa campaigns on Xiaonei
BEIJING - German airline Lufthansa has launched a campaign on social networking site Xiaonei targeting Chinese college students looking to travel to Europe.
Yahoo braces for Asian job cuts
SINGAPORE - Following Yahoo's announcement that it will cut 10 per cent of its staff worldwide, the portal's headquarters in Southeast Asia is bracing for news on regional losses.
OgilvyOne, OMG seal JVs with internet specialists
ASIA-PACIFIC - Two of the region's biggest networks have unveiled digital joint ventures as they seek to bolster their online marketing offering.
Live Issue... Executive upheaval undermines MTV
The departure of Ian Stewart highlights the issues facing the media brand in Asia.
Miramar Group appoints wwwins for digital
HONG KONG - Isobar's interactive marketing agency wwwins Consulting has been named the digital agency for the Miramar Group, charged with upgrading the hotel group's corporate website and the site of The Mira Hong Kong ahead of the hotel's grand opening in August.
Havas Media appoints China CEO
SHANGHAI - Havas Media has named former Carat China CEO Thomas Wong (pictured) as its CEO in Greater China, replacing Paul McNeill who will leave the agency at the end of the month to "pursue his interests in studying international policy", according to a statement.
Google told to heed China warning
BEIJING - In the wake of Chinese authorities' call for Google to end searches to foreign websites, analysts have warned that the company should not treat the reprimand as an empty threat, pointing out that the decision to target Google is only part of wider plans for China's online environment.
Yahoo poaches Alibaba's ad sales VP for regional role
ASIA-PACIFIC - Yvonne Chang (pictured), who recently held an executive advertising sales position for Alibaba Group, has been appointed Yahoo's vice-president of advertising sales in Asia.
China blocks social media ahead of Tiananmen anniversary
BEIJING - Two days before the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, mainland netizens have been blocked from using social networking sites including Twitter, Flickr, Hotmail and Microsoft's new search engine Bing.
7-Eleven launches digital campaign
TAIPEI - wwwins Consulting Taipei has launched a digital campaign for 7-Eleven in Taiwan playing on the theme of the chain's launch in Shanghai.
Informatics hires Qais for website revamp
SINGAPORE - Informatics Education has hired Qais Consulting to refurbish its website following a multi-agency pitch.
CAAS hires Qais for digital campaign
SINGAPORE - The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has charged Qais Consulting with developing a digital campaign targeting Australia, China, India and Indonesia.
Razorfish appoints Sherman regional president
ASIA-PACIFIC - Digital marketing company Razorfish has appointed Lee Sherman (pictured) to the newly created post of regional president, relocating to Sydney from the United States where he was the company's senior vice president of global solutions.
Agencies gear up for Diageo digital
ASIA-PACIFIC - At least three agencies within the region are gearing up to participate in Diageo's digital pitch and have begun first-round presentations for the alcohol brand this week.
Mazda Australia appoints digital agency
MELBOURNE - Mazda Australia has appointed igloo as its digital agency-of-record following a five-way pitch that began in April.
Saatchi Singapore GM departs
SINGAPORE - Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore's general manager Robbie Bempasciuto (pictured) will leave the agency after eight years to launch his own consulting business.
Initiative wins China Telecom brief
ASIA-PACIFIC - The Fujian branch of China Telecom has awarded IPG media agency Initiative its activation business for new 3G brand Tianyi.
Diageo turns to digital in Thailand
BANGKOK - Diageo is planning to boost its digital activity in Thailand, with online marketing due to focus on its Benmore Scotch whisky label.
SCMP to expand classified offerings
HONG KONG - In an effort to bloster its classified revenues, The South China Morning Post will launch a directory for serviced apartments in Hong Kong on both its SCMP.com domain and in select print editions.
Youku, Taobao team for retail video gallery
BEIJING - Chinese video website Youku.com has partnered with e-commerce site Taobao.com to provide a video gallery for digital retailers.
WSJ Asia appoints editor-in-chief
ASIA-PACIFIC - The Wall Street Journal Asia has promoted Almar Latour (pictured) to the newly created post of editor-in-chief, Asia, charged with growing both the Wall Street Journal's print and online editions.
HKU appoints OMD for academic campaigns
HONG KONG - Hong Kong University has awarded OMD Hong Kong the media planning and buying duties for HKU Space and HKU Space Community College, charging the agency with the launch of two branding campaigns to run in the 2009/2010 academic year.
Live Issue... Will sites suffer from the 'death' of the online campaign?
The online campaign is dead. At least, that's what Tribal DDB's Asia-Pacific president Amanda King and ECD Dirk Eschenbacher believe.
River Orchid Cambodia appoints GM
PHNOM PENH - River Orchid Cambodia has appointed former GM of TBWA Beijing Anthony Polovineo (pictured) as general manager, effective 1 June.
Riverorchid bolsters creative team
HO CHI MINH CITY - Boutique advertising network River Orchid Group has bolstered its Southeast Asia creative team through hires that include Ogilvy & Mather Sydney art director Adrian McNamara (pictured) as ECD of River Orchid's Vietnam operations.
River Orchid Vietnam hires business development manager
HO CHI MINH CITY - Boutique advertising network River Orchid has appointed Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa (pictured) as its business development manager at River Orchid Vietnam.
Yahoo's global brand manager to exit
GLOBAL - Yahoo's senior vice-president of global brand marketing Allen Olivo (pictured) will depart the portal after three years, Yahoo has confirmed.
Martell launches major digital campaign in China
SHANGHAI - Pernod Ricard has launched a large-scale digital campaign for its cognac brand Martell Noblige in China as part of its strategy to shift its marketing efforts online.
Kuo leaves Ogilvy
BEIJING - Ogilvy & Mather Advertising's group director of digital strategy Kaiser Kuo (pictured) will depart the agency next week to continue his work as a consultant for online video site Youku.
Tencent selects TBWA
BEIJING - Chinese portal host Tencent has concluded its pitch by selecting TBWA China as its agency of record.
PSI Asian hub in Singapore
SINGAPORE - Aegis Media has extended its PSI division, which specialises in outdoor advertising in airports, to Asia-Pacific by setting up a regional office in Singapore.
Purpleclick bolsters search team
SINGAPORE - Search marketing agency PurpleClick Media has appointed Bryan Loh (pictured) to oversee the operations and development of its web optimisation and analytics team.
Sohu and SK join forces for new channel
BEIJING - Chinese portal Sohu and Korean mobile operator SK Telecom have partnered to launch a Korean news and entertainment video channel on Sohu's Korean site.
Iris names new account director
SINGAPORE - iris Singapore has named Yulis Teo (pictured) its new account director for the marketing agency's adidas and Yahoo! Singapore accounts.
Sony picks McCann for Walkman digital drive
BANGKOK - McCann Worldgroup Thailand has been selected to launch a digital campaign for Sony Walkman in the Kingdom.
Tencent hunts agency for global expansion
BEIJING - Tencent, host of one of China's largest online portals, has called a creative pitch for an agency that insiders say will help position the brand for international expansion.
Agency.com names Sun as account director
SHANGHAI - Agency.com China has named Elizabeth Sun (pictured) account director for the company's business team.
Baidu aims at Alibaba with e-commerce site
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu has begun closed beta tests of an e-commerce site that the company hopes will directly rival market powerhouse Alibaba.
Tencent calls creative pitch as competition intensifies
BEIJING - Tencent, host of one of China's largest online portals, has called a creative pitch in order to maintain its dominance following a strong showing by several competitors during the Olympic games.
Air NZ launches virtual airport
AUCKLAND - Air New Zealand has created a virtual airport to promote its newest features.
Google and WPP launch digital research programme
NEW YORK - Google and WPP have partnered to launch a US$4.6 million programme to research the effect of web marketing on brands and consumer decision-making.
FT debuts exclusive online community
LONDON - The Financial Times has launched an exclusive online community forum called the Long Room, where professionals must be approved for membership in order to enter.
Microsoft tackles competition with new products
LOS ANGELES - Following the release of third quarter earnings which revealed a four per cent operating income drop, Microsoft has moved to bolster its brand name by unveiling a number of new products, including Windows 7.
Lynx launches online game
SYDNEY - Unilever has localised the latest installment of its 'Lynx effect' campaign in Australia through a virtual game where players must help Chocolate Man navigate through a city filled with women looking to eat his body parts.
All About... E-commerce
Asia is warming to online shopping at last.
MindShare unveils rebrand
GLOBAL - Media network Mindshare has updated its identity by introducing a new company logo and altering its name.
All About... The browser wars
How will the arrival of Chrome impact online media?
Mobile players launch social networking offering
SEOUL - Korea's SK Telecom and three Japanese mobile providers have launched a mobile networking service that allows subscribers to share information and user-generated content facilitated by a real-time language-translation feature.
McAfee hands global business to Tribal DDB
GLOBAL – Technology security firm McAfee has awarded its global account to Tribal DDB Worldwide following a review.
Wall Street Journal site looks to social networking
ASIA-PACIFIC - The Wall Street Journal has launched a newly redesigned website that includes a social-networking component both on its flagship site in New York and its Wall Street Journal Asia edition.
BPA adds online offering through Nielsen link
GLOBAL - BPA Worldwide has teamed with Nielsen Online to offer print- and event-focused media owners a package that will allow them to gauge website traffic alongside circulation and event attendance in order to better ascertain a title's health.
CNN appoints digital chief
GLOBAL - CNN has promoted managing editor for Europe, the Middle East and Africa Nick Wrenn to the newly created position of vice-president of CNN International Digital Services.
MSN launches vending machine game
SYDNEY - Amnesia has created a digital vending machine game for Windows Live Messenger in Australia that allows players and friends of their choosing to win real-life prizes.
Citibank and ninemsn ink advertising deal
SYDNEY - Citibank and ninemsn have agreed to a six-month deal where the bank will have complete advertising share of voice on Australian online media site The Fix.
ESPN expands digital
ASIA-PACIFIC - ESPN is expanding its digital offering for the new year by introducing multimedia products to its ESPN Star home page with a focus on the upcoming Australian Open and Formula One season.
Cyworld quits Taiwan
SEOUL - Korean social networking site Cyworld has announced it will depart Taiwan, leaving analysts questioning its operational strength.
Enfatico appoints three senior managers
NEW YORK - Enfatico has hired three senior managers to run its digital team worldwide, including Josh Sklar (pictured) who departs Blue Interactive in Singapore to become global creative director.
Yang to leave Yahoo
SUNNYVALE - Yahoo's co-founder and CEO Jerry Yang (pictured) has announced he will resign his post as soon as the troubled internet portal appoints a replacement.
FT revamps website
LONDON - The Financial Times will debut five redesigned FT.com homepages on Tuesday to include a series of updated features such as a new masthead, an editors' blog and a Middle East homepage.
iPhone sets a benchmark
ASIA-PACIFIC - While Apple's new iPhone has been heralded as the device to popularise mobile internet and reinvent mobile marketing with its 3G technology, Apple's true power may lie in its ability to influence future handset models, both in design and the applications it provides through its App Store.
Profile... Demopoulos follows the road less travelled
The founder of Qunar, China's fast-growing travel search engine, is driven by a passion for entrepreneurship.
Focus Media unswayed by first-quarter loss
SHANGHAI - Chinese digital media group Focus Media is rethinking its approach to mobile marketing after announcing a first-quarter loss of US$54 million.
EA Mobile readies iPhone game launch
SINGAPORE - Electronic Arts Mobile will launch a new game later this month to be exclusively played on the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Nivea rolls out new campaign with China's Rayli
SHANGHAI - Agency.com has partnered with Chinese magazine Rayli to launch a digital campaign for Nivea's new Oxygen Power skincare line in China.
Global digital Nokia review nears conclusion
ASIA-PACIFIC - At least three agencies - RMG Connect, Wunderman and Euro RSCG 4D - are believed to be in contention for Nokia's digital business, as the review reaches its final stages.
Grayling appoints global heads of business sectors
GLOBAL - Grayling has appointed six worldwide industry-sector heads to streamline its global operations and concentrate its expertise across sectors.
Edelman poaches Weber Shandwick's Matthew Gain
SYDNEY - Weber Shandwick's regional head of digital, Matthew Gain (pictured), will depart the agency to lead Edelman's digital operations in Australia.
Google's mobile services partially blocked in China
BEIJING - Google has confirmed that its mobile services are being partially blocked in China in what is believed to be a further repercussion following its decision to shut down its search engine in the market.
ad:tech Singapore charges Blugrapes with Facebook initiatives
SINGAPORE - The digital marketing event ad:tech Singapore has appointed performance-marketing firm Blugrapes as its Facebook solutions partner, charged with engaging and educating regional marketing professionals about ad:tech Singapore via Facebook.
HK International Film Festival launches mobile portal
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) hired mobile-technology provider TheTMSway to create a mobile portal for the event across the region to promote its featured films.
Former TBWA China head Donald Chan appointed as CEO of JWT China
SHANGHAI - Recently departed CEO of TBWA China, Donald Chan (pictured), has been appointed CEO of JWT China.
Google China update: Sohu announces plan to gain market share for its Sogou engine
BEIJING - In the days leading up to Google's move to end its censorship activities in China, Tencent received major press predicting that, outside Baidu, it had the best position to snatch Google.cn's market share, but Sohu has come out of the shadows and voiced its strategy to do the same.
Could there be life left in print classifieds? SCMP invests in its Classified Post.
The notion that newspapers' classified sections are all but dead - thanks to the emergence of alternative recruitment sources on digital platforms - hasn't deterred publications from continuing to invest in them.
MS&L promotes Jaideep Shergill to CEO in India
MUMBAI - MS&L Group has promoted partner and head of the agency's PR, digital and events division, Jaideep Shergill (pictured), to CEO of Hanmer MS&L India, effective immediately.
Rapp appoints Sean Keaney as GM in Wellington
WELLINGTON - Rapp Wellington has appointed Sean Keaney (pictured) to the newly created role of general manager.
Weber Shandwick to handle PR for Forbes global conference
SYDNEY - Forbes has appointed Weber Shandwick as the public relations partner for its Forbes Global CEO Conference, held in Sydney in September.
Burson-Marsteller, Essence Communications create strategic alliance
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian PR firm Essence Communications and Burson-Marsteller (BM) have engaged in a strategic alliance that enables Essence to become BM's affiliate partner and point-of-contact for clients in Malaysia.
Phillips Morris' Baidu hire sparks controversy; setback for China smoking ban
BEIJING - China has encountered a publicity setback in its fight to promote anti-smoking initiatives after Philip Morris tapped one of its top entrepreneurs, Baidu's Jennifer Li Xinzhe, to become an independent director.
.Fox Networks, AdChina form strategic partnership
BEIJING - Online advertising sales house .Fox Networks has inked a strategic collaboration with AdChina to expand its reach in the mainland market.
Fleishman-Hillard, Brisbane's Rowland form strategic partnership
SYDNEY - Fleishman-Hillard and corporate communications firm Rowland have entered into a strategic partnership to share resources and bolster their capabilities to enhance their client base.
Jonathan Ellis to exit Star Group, assumes CEO role at TheTMSway
HONG KONG - Senior vice-president of Fox One Stop Media at Star TV, Jonathan Ellis (pictured), is departing the network to assume the role of CEO of TheTMSway, a Hong Kong-based mobile-technology company.
Taobao, Yahoo Japan team up for e-commerce deal
BEIJING - Alibaba Group has taken a further step to extend its Taobao brand internationally by inking an e-retail partnership deal with Yahoo Japan that allows Taobao to provide 50 million Chinese product listings on Yahoo Shopping.
Can Kin give Microsoft mobile a boost?
First came Research in Motion and Apple, and then Google through HTC. Acer and Lenovo have dabbled in it, and last year Dell finally took the plunge. Microsoft has failed to make inroads in a tough mobile market but will the Kin change that?
R/GA opens office in Singapore, its first in Asia
SINGAPORE - Interpublic Group digital agency R/GA has officially opened in Singapore, initially launched to service global client MasterCard.
Text 100 promotes Sunayna Malik to India MD
NEW DELHI - PR consultancy Text 100 has promoted managing consultant of Text 100 Delhi Sunayna Malik (pictured) to the role of managing director for India.
Bates China & Taiwan CEO Arthur Yu to lead Soho Square in China
SHANGHAI - A Bates 141 spokeswoman has confirmed that the agency has restructured its management in China following the departure of CEO of Bates China and Taiwan, Arthur Yu, who exits the agency to become president of fellow WPP marketing agency Soho Square across China.
Fleishman-Hillard wins Tony Ferguson weight loss brand in Australia
SYDNEY - Nutrition brand Tony Ferguson has appointed Fleishman-Hillard as its public relations agency-of-record in Australia
Cheil to handle PR for 2010 G-20 Summit
SEOUL - Korean advertising and marketing network Cheil Worldwide has been selected to manage communications for the Seoul G-20 Summit meeting following a competitive PR pitch that began earlier this year.
The Upper Storey to handle eBay's online direct marketing in SEA
SINGAPORE - eBay has awarded digital marketing agency The Upper Storey its online direct marketing business in Southeast Asia without a pitch.
Weber Shandwick hires Jye Smith to lead digital in Australia
SYDNEY - Weber Shandwick has appointed Jye Smith (pictured) as digital strategist in Australia, assuming duties previously held by Matthew Gain, who departed the agency to join Edelman.
Rob Campbell to depart M&C Saatchi's Sunshine for Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai
SHANGHAI - Rob Campbell (pictured), the managing partner and brand strategist for M&C Saatchi's brand consultancy Sunshine, has been named Wieden + Kennedy's regional head of planning.
Fleishman-Hillard scoops Match.com in Australia
SYDNEY - Match.com has appointed Fleishman-Hillard as its public relations agency-of-record in Australia following a competitive pitch.
MS&L names Benjamin Tan China MD
BEIJING - MS&L Group has appointed Hill & Knowlton China's SVP Benjamin Tan (pictured) as managing director of its China operations, effective immediately.
Reebok's top APAC marketing and brand execs take on global roles
ASIA-PACIFIC - Regional head of marketing at Reebok, Celine Del Genes (pictured), and regional senior VP of Reebok Asia-Pacific, Dave Mischler, are to take on global roles for the brand.
DDB NZ appoints DraftFCB's Justin Mowday as MD
AUCKLAND - DDB New Zealand has appointed DraftFCB's Justin Mowday (pictured) to the newly created role of managing director, a post created to meet the agency's growth in the market.
Tony Ip departs G2 for Blue
SHANGHAI - Managing director of G2 Greater China, Tony Ip (pictured), has departed the agency to head up Blue Greater China, replacing MD, Stephan Chabanel, who passed away in March last year.
Starcom IP's Tim Haynes departs agency
SHANGHAI - General manager of Starcom IP Shanghai, Tim Haynes (pictured), has departed the agency one year after he was appointed to the position.
Linus Heilpern resurfaces at Euro RSCG Tokyo
TOKYO - In line with the agency's ongoing efforts to strengthen its digital practice in the region, Euro RSCG has named Linus Heilpern (pictured) its business director in Tokyo, charged with driving Euro's digital practice across the market.
AIA shortlists Blue, Iris for digital business in Singapore
SINGAPORE - AIA has shortlisted Blue and Iris for its digital business in Singapore in a review that began last month and initially included at least five agencies.
Global PR firm Pelham Bell Pottinger launches in Asia
SINGAPORE - Chime Group's financial public relations arm Pelham Bell Pottinger (PBP) has opened an office in Singapore, its first in Asia-Pacific.
Brian Stoller leaves APAC for Mindshare New York
ASIA-PACIFIC - Brian Stoller (pictured), partner for invention at Mindshare Asia-Pacific, has departed the region to take on the role of leader of digital strategy for Mindshare North America.
Microsoft shortlists GroupM, Mediabrands for Windows 7 in China
SHANGHAI - Microsoft has shortlisted agency teams from WPP and Interpublic in its pitch for Windows 7's media, creative and digital business in China.
iProspect names Kevin Walsh Australia head
SYDNEY - Executive media director of Neo@Ogilvy Kevin Walsh (pictured) has been appointed managing director of iProspect Australia.
Number of young Chinese netizens reach 195 million
BEIJING - The number of young Chinese internet users rose nearly 17 per cent to 195 million from the end of 2008 to 2009, the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) reported in its annual behavioural report.
Hill & Knowlton executive Sara Gourlay relocates to Singapore
SINGAPORE - Hill & Knowlton's general manager of its Qatar and Kuwait operations, Sara Gourlay (pictured), will relocate to Singapore to assume the role of director of transnational business and the Asia-Pacific director of the agency's technology practice.
Microsoft consolidates regional PR with Weber Shandwick
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft has consolidated its communications account under Weber Shandwick across Asia-Pacific, minimalising the roles of roster agencies Edelman and Waggener Edstrom in an attempt to streamline regional operations.
TBWA strengthens leadership in new Greater China region
SHANGHAI - A month and a half after TBWA created its Greater China region, the agency has bolstered its management team across disciplines to oversee operations in the zone.
Chris Chiu and John Kyriakou take top positions at Arc, Leo Burnett Singapore
SINGAPORE - Leo Burnett and Arc have bolstered their executive talent in Singapore, promoting Chris Chiu (pictured left) to group ECD and hiring Saatchi & Saatchi's John Kyriakou (right) as deputy CEO of Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide Singapore.
Wrigley awards China retail marketing account to Integer, Fish
SHANGHAI - Wrigley has appointed TBWA's Integer and Hong Kong-based Fish Group with its retail marketing account across China.
Euro RSCG bolsters Shanghai management
SHANGHAI - Euro RSCG has reorganised its Shanghai management, rehiring Jowell See (pictured) as the agency's executive partner and promoting Kitty Gu to the role of business director.
Dentsu's &C. wins Shanghai Volkswagen's CRM
SHANGHAI - Shanghai Volkswagen has awarded its CRM account in China to Dentsu's online ad agency &C. following a competitive pitch.
Tribal DDB ECD Dirk Eschenbacher to "step back" from his role
BEIJING - Dirk Eschenbacher (pictured), executive creative director and managing director of Tribal DDB Asia-Pacific, is set to take a "step back" from his role at the agency in order to pursue a doctorate at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing later this year.
Universal McCann wins Burberry's global media
GLOBAL - UK-based fashion label Burberry has appointed Universal McCann as its media planning and buying partner in several markets across Asia-Pacific, North America and Europe.
Weber Shandwick appoints Ian Messer as SVP in Tokyo
TOKYO - Weber Shandwick has hired PRAP Japan's Ian Messer (pictured) as its senior vice-president in Tokyo.
Wwwins wins Timberland's digital in China
SHANGHAI - Timberland has reportedly appointed Wwwins Consulting as its digital agency in China following a multi-round pitch.
Text 100 restructures China operations
SHANGHAI - Text 100 has promoted managing consultant of Text 100 Shanghai TT Yang (pictured) to the role of managing director for China, charged with overseeing Text 100's Beijing and Shanghai offices as part of a wider management restructure that sees the agency create a central leadership role for the market.
Expo postpones ad:tech Shanghai until 2011
SHANGHAI - ad:tech organisers have postponed the 2010 event in Shanghai until the second or third quarter of next year due to conflicts associated with the World Expo.
Facebook closes its 'Lite' site
GLOBAL - Seven months after Facebook launched its 'Lite' site - a simplified version of the site that was more accessible on mobile phones and in markets where bandwidth is slow - the social networking giant has reportedly closed its service.
Weber Shandwick poaches Edelman talent to head up lifestyle, corporate in Australia
SYDNEY - Weber Shandwick has hired Edelman Australia's head of lifestyle, Elke Pascoe (pictured), to lead its lifestyle practice in the country and parts of Asia-Pacific, heightening the recruiting rivalry between agencies in Australia.
TBWA Tequila wins Accessorize for its Hong Kong launch
HONG KONG - British fashion accessories retailer Accessorize has appointed TBWA Tequila as its digital agency-of-record in Hong Kong for its launch in the market.
Alibaba Group to invest US$732 million into Alipay
GHANGZHOU - Alibaba Group will invest $732 million into its online payment service, Alipay, over the next five years to upgrade capabilities across its global e-commerce network.
UK design firm Bell to launch in Beijing
BEIJING - UK design and branding consultancy Bell will launch an office in Beijing under the leadership of Christiane Travers (pictured), corporate marketing and international PR manager at DHgate.com, as managing partner.
Tequila Digital extends relationship with Nivea in China
SHANGHAI - Nivea has extended its digital relationship with TBWA in China with Tequila Digital, the agency's branded digital arm, winning the account for Nivea's Body brand following a competitive pitch.
Catcha Digital led by new CEO Alex Khan to handle TripAdvisor across APAC
KUALA LUMPUR - Media sales shop Catcha Digital has been appointed as the exclusive sales representative for TripAdvisor across Asia-Pacific, following a management overhaul including the appointment of former Aktiv Digital CEO Alex Khan.
Unilever hires Dream Worker for Rexona's PR in China
SHANGHAI - Unilever has contracted communications firm Dream Worker to launch a creative and media initiative for its Rexona brand across China following a competitive pitch that included both international and local agencies.
China claims 240 million online video users
BEIJING - The number of Chinese netizens watching online videos reached 240 million by the end of 2009 according to the China Internet Network Information Center's (CNNIC) latest report.
GroupM's Robbie Hills resurfaces at RockYou
SINGAPORE - GroupM's former regional head of search, Robbie Hills (pictured), has resurfaced at social media content distributor RockYou, where he has been appointed general manager of Asia-Pacific.
Site owners prosper as micropayments become widely adopted
Western media platforms have shown a sharp change of heart toward micropayments this year.
Monster.com calls creative pitch for ChinaHR domain
BEIJING - Monster.com has invited advertising agencies to pitch for the creative business of its ChinaHR.com domain, its arm in the mainland market.
TBWA creates Greater China region led by Ian Thubron
HONG KONG - TBWA Worldwide is to restructure its operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, combining its resources in the markets to create a Greater China region that will be headed up by executive vice-president of TBWA Asia-Pacific, Ian Thubron (pictured).
Former GroupM exec Matt Eaton joins Naked Japan
TOKYO - Former head of Mindshare and MEC in Japan, Matt Eaton (pictured), has resurfaced at Naked Communications as the agency's business director.
SapientNitro added to Unilever's digital roster in China
SHANGHAI - SapientNitro has been added to Unilever's digital agency roster in China, charged with managing the digital aspects of Knorr's KCP chicken powder across China.
Weber Shandwick wins US Meat Export Federation in Korea
SEOUL - The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has appointed Weber Shandwick as its PR agency-of-record, charged with promoting the organisation's marketing activities in Korea and improving its image in the country.
Starcom US's Jonathan Hsia tapped to be China GM
SHANGHAI - Vice-president and digital director of Starcom MediaVest Group in the US, Jonathan Hsia, has been tapped to take on the role of GM of Starcom IP China following the departure of Tim Haynes (pictured) earlier this month.
VIDEO: Yahoo's EVP & CMO Elisa Steele discuss the brand's creative direction
GLOBAL - As Yahoo prepares to move into the next phase of the 'It's Y!ou' campaign, the company's global executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Elisa Steele (pictured), discuss the campaign's creative direction and addresses the challenges it has faced in the past months.
TV, film and radio revenue rises more than 17 per cent in China
BEIJING - Revenue for China's radio, film and TV industries in 2009 rose by more than 17.5 per cent from the previous year, reaching Rmb 195.95 billion (US$28.7 billion), according to a report by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.
Qatar Airways appoints SinoTech Group for digital branding in China
BEIJING - Qatar Airways has tasked digital marketing firm SinoTech Group with building its brand and managing its online marketing promotions across China.
Hill & Knowlton wins Mincom in Australia
SYDNEY - Software company Mincom has appointed Hill & Knowlton as its corporate PR agency in Australia.
Saatchis nab Ogilvy's Bruce Matchett as Singapore, Malaysia ECD
SINGAPORE - Saatchi & Saatchi has appointed ECD of Ogilvy & Mather Australasia Bruce Matchett (pictured) as executive creative director in Singapore and Malaysia.
Razorfish revealed as digital AOR for Microsoft's Kin smartphone
GLOBAL - Days after Microsoft announced it would enter the mobile smartphone market through the launch of its Kin handset, the company revealed that Razorfish - its former digital subsidiary - is the lead digital agency for the Kin account worldwide.
CR-Nielsen to audit Youku ads
BEIJING - Online video site Youku has charged CR-Nielsen, Nielsen's joint venture in China, with the third-party auditing for all in-video advertisements on its site with the aim of creating a transparent model for its advertising partners.
All about India's new voice social networking service Bubbly
India's new voice social networking service Bubbly offers advertisers potential. Here is everything you need to know.
Cisco appoints Text 100 for PR in Australia, New Zealand
SYDNEY - Electronics and technology-services company Cisco Systems has appointed Text 100 Sydney as its public relations agency-of-record for its Consumer Products account in Australia.
Valerie Tan rejoins Weber Shandwick as VP of health care
SINGAPORE - Weber Shandwick has appointed the manager of group media relations at Emirates Airline, Valerie Tan (pictured), as vice-president of the public relations agency's health care practice in Singapore.
How can brands best exploit the Shanghai Expo 2010?
With the Shanghai World Expo set to launch in May, brands have been ramping up their marketing activity and revelling in the sponsorship and advertising freedom they were not afforded during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
McCann Worldgroup wins Korean Ministry of Health communications business
SEOUL - The Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has aligned its communications business under McCann Worldgroup Korea following a competitive pitch, contracting McCann Erickson, Universal McCann and MRM Worldwide with its creative, media and digital account in the market.
Beijing art centre appoints Ogilvy PR to promote Chinese art
BEIJING - The Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing has appointed Ogilvy PR to develop communications initiatives that popularise and raise awareness of Chinese art domestically and abroad.
IHG appoints Ogilvy as its global customer-marketing agency
GLOBAL - InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has consolidated its customer-marketing agency services with Ogilvy & Mather worldwide, including key Asia-Pacific regions, Asia Australasia and Greater China.
HK Jockey Club shortlists digital agencies for project
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has reportedly shortlisted digital agencies to create a campaign aimed at drawing new clients to its races.
Weber Shandwick names Ben Reed tech-practice leader in Singapore
SINGAPORE - Weber Shandwick has promoted Ben Reed as its technology-practice leader and senior vice-president in its Singapore office.
MetaDesign appoints Beijing MD
BEIJING - German corporate design house MetaDesign has appointed Rupali Steinmeyer (pictured) as managing director of its Beijing office.
BBDO/Proximity, OgilvyOne win big at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Awards
SHANGHAI - BBDO Guerrero/Proximity Philippines and OgilvyOne Worldwide, Mumbai, won big at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness (AME) Awards show in Shanghai last night, each taking home a Gold Award in the category Most effective use of interactive marketing.
City of Dreams appoints M&C Saatchi for creative
HONG KONG - Macanese resort and casino City of Dreams has appointed M&C Saatchi as its lead creative agency for Hong Kong and mainland China, effective immediately.
AIA calls digital pitch in Singapore
SINGAPORE - Five digital agencies are reportedly vying for AIA's digital business in Singapore.
River Orchid hires Y&R creative director
PHNOM PENH - Boutique advertising network River Orchid has appointed Young & Rubicam veteran Peter Sutherland (pictured) as executive creative director of River Orchid Cambodia.
OCBC calls digital pitch
SINGAPORE - OCBC Bank has called a digital pitch in Singapore to find an agency-of-record in the market.
IAB Singapore launches to boost digital in SE Asia
SINGAPORE - A group of high-profile digital agencies, media owners and businesses are to launch a Singapore-based Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) with the goal of increasing investment into Southeast Asia's interactive marketing sector.
CAAS shortlists digital agencies
SINGAPORE - At least three digital agencies are vying to be the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore's (CAAS) digital agency-of-record following a tender that initially included 13 agencies.
OMD's Tu departs agency
SINGAPORE - The regional digital director of OMD Asia-Pacific Andrew Tu (pictured) will depart the agency after two years.
Friendster boosts Asia teams as focus shifts from US
SINGAPORE - Friendster has ramped up its teams in Singapore and the Philippines as part of a plan to become an "Asian site for Asian people", according to the social network's head of Asia, Ian Stewart.
Citrus PR wins Bosch Siemens
SINGAPORE - Bosch Siemens Hausgerate has contracted Singapore-based Citrus PR to oversee its public relations strategy and media business for the launch of its new range of home appliance products.
Microsoft launches online fashion mag
SINGAPORE - Microsoft Advertising has launched a digital fashion magazine ahead of the Audi Fashion Festival, for which Microsoft is the official online partner.
Friendster hires Ian Stewart to head Asia
SINGAPORE - Ian Stewart (pictured), the former SVP of MTV Networks International and Viacom Brand Solutions, has resurfaced at Friendster as the social network's newly created position head of Asia.
Success Resources International appoints Citrus PR
SINGAPORE - Seminar-planning firm Success Resources International has appointed Citrus PR as its communications agency-of-record.
Google's Lee to head up start-up fund
BEIJING - Kai-Fu Lee (pictured), the departing president and VP of engineering at Google China, has confirmed that he will head up Innovation Works, a US$115 million incubation firm that will finance technology start-up companies.
Solutions Digitas appoints Singapore head
SINGAPORE - Solutions Digitas, a marketing services agency under Publicis Groupe, has named Janice Tan (pictured) as vice-president and general manager of its Singapore operations.
Bank of New Zealand appoints PHD
AUCKLAND - Bank of New Zealand has appointed SparkPHD and independent creative agency Sugar as its agencies-of-record in New Zealand.
P&G's Whisper appoints wwwins Hong Kong for digital
HONG KONG - Procter and Gamble has contracted wwwins Consulting with its digital marketing duties for Whisper in Hong Kong following a four-way pitch that included Digitas, Razorfish and Tribal DDB.
Wyeth calls creative pitch for Centrum in China
BEIJING - Wyeth Consumer Healthcare has reportedly called a creative pitch for its Centrum vitamin line in China.
All About... Streaming music
Can the Spotify model work in Asian markets?
Singapore's EDB issues digital tender
SINGAPORE - The Singaporean Economic Development Board (EDB) is hunting for a digital agency.
Google China's president to depart this month
BEIJING - Google has confirmed that its China president and VP of engineering Lee Kai-Fu (pictured) will depart the company in a few weeks' time.
Live Issue... Singapore's online radio may become a thing of the past
Singapore's online radio stations have been turning off the music following intensive negotiations with the Recording Industry Performance Singapore (Rips), a body of 13 recording companies that distribute music-broadcasting licences.
Aegis extends presence in region
MUMBAI - Aegis Media has inked partnerships with three local agencies in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam in a move that amplifies its exposure in the region's emerging markets.
Youth Olympics appoints Brand Union
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee has appointed The Brand Union Singapore as its branding agency-of-record following a three-month pitch process.
ESPN Star Sports appoints iHub
SINGAPORE - ESPN Star Sports has appointed Interactive Hub as its exclusive sales representative for its ESPNStar.com domain in Singapore.
China still struggles to go global
HONG KONG - Chinese companies are still failing to build truly global brands, according to McCann Worldgroup chairman/CEO John Dooner.
SmarTone-Vodafone promotes home broadband
HONG KONG - SmarTone-Vodafone has launched a digital campaign, coupled with a TVC and outdoor ads, to publicise its entrance into the home broadband market.
Ford backs Fiesta launch in China
SHANGHAI - Ford has rolled out a major campaign to support the launch of its new Fiesta model in China. Sources close to the brand say the drive positions the car as Ford's major auto product in the market.
Ford shifts Asian HQ to China
SHANGHAI - Ford Motor Company will move its regional marketing headquarters from Bangkok to China in an effort to streamline operations during its time of financial hardship.
Danone appoints Edelman ahead of Korean launch
SEOUL - French food producer Danone has appointed Edelman Seoul as its public relations agency-of-record in Korea in an effort to position the brand for its entrance into the Korean market.
Nokia backs Music Matters India event
MUMBAI - Nokia has been named the lead sponsor of the first annual Indian music industry event Music Connects, poised to be India's version of Music Matters.
'Olympic effect' drives sports brands
BEIJING - Twelve months after the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Chinese sportswear brand Li Ning has opened its first overseas flagship store in Singapore.
Chinese media agencies unite to back online video
BEIJING - Media agencies including Mindshare, Starcom, ZenithOptimedia, OMD, Carat and local shops have formed a committee aimed at driving advertising dollars from TVCs to online video sites in China, centred around the creation of new ad content.
Microsoft launches third-party mobile app competition
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft has launched a global mobile application development competition for third-party developers ahead of Windows Mobile 7's launch in October.
Discovery partners with Baidu
BEIJING - Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific and Chinese search engine Baidu have teamed to launch Discovery Channel's Chinese website, allowing TV audiences in China to interact on a digital platform for the first time.
DGM expands affiliate network
SINGAPORE - Digital marketing group DGM has expanded its affiliate network to include Newsweek Asia, the Royal Bank of Scotland and Reader's Digest.
Kreab Gavin Anderson appoints managing partner in China
BEIJING - Corporate public relations firm Kreab Gavin Anderson has named former Credit Suisse executive Tom Grimmer (pictured) as managing partner in China.
Microsoft begins major online drive to back Windows 7
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft Corporation has launched a large-scale marketing campaign to promote its biggest product launch of the year - Windows 7 software - throughout the region, utilising blogs, social media sites and traditional avenues to reach consumers.
Recommendations and websites lead advertising trust survey
ASIA-PACIFIC - Recommendations by personal acquaintances and opinions posted by consumers online are the most trusted forms of advertising globally, according to the latest twice-yearly Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey.
wwwins Consulting wins Swire Hotels brief
HONG KONG - Swire Hotels has selected wwwins Consulting to handle the digital management of its luxury hotel property The Upper House in Hong Kong.
Google takes on Apple in race for China's smartphone market
BEIJING - Google is poised to expand its presence in China's smartphone market in a pre-emptive strike against Apple's iPhone.
Alibaba overhauls global business operations
BEIJING - Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba Group is tipped to split the management of Alibaba.com's domestic and international marketplaces into two separate operations.
Yahoo Japan role in Microsoft search deal 'still unclear'
ASIA-PACFIC - Following the announced search deal between Microsoft and Yahoo, the future of Yahoo Japan, for which Yahoo is a minority stakeholder, is up in the air as executives have not revealed whether its search will also be run by Microsoft.
Microsoft and Yahoo 'to sign deal today'
GLOBAL - Microsoft and Yahoo are expected to confirm a multi-billion dollar search collaboration as early as Wednesday in the West, with company sources saying Microsoft will take over Yahoo's search operations while Yahoo will take the lead in search-advertising sales.
Twitter launches guide for businesses
GLOBAL - Twitter has launched a how-to guide for business users looking to engage with customers on the social media site, in what looks like the first step in a drive to monetise the site.
Cannes Grand Prix winner to chair Digital Media Awards judges
ASIA-PACIFIC - Chris Baylis (pictured), executive creative director of Tribal DDB Amsterdam, acclaimed for his work on the 2009 Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning 'Carousel' campaign for Philips Electronics, has been appointed chairman of the judging panel at the 2009 Digital Media Awards, to be held in Beijing.
Holding groups feel the pinch
ASIA-PACIFIC - Several agency holding companies have reported a sharp deterioration in their Asian performance after a difficult start to 2009.
MediaCom quits global Nokia pitch
GLOBAL - MediaCom has decided not to defend its hold on Nokia's estimated US$415 million global media account after it concluded that the fees were insufficient.
Intel adopts 'open source' model
ASIA-PACIFIC - Intel will introduce an 'open source' agency model in Asia-Pacific as part of a global change in the way it commissions its marketing communications.
Sina gains edge with Focus buy
ASIA-PACIFIC - Sina's entrance into the outdoor media sector through its acquisition of Focus Media's key assets is set to give the firm a significant advantage over rivals Sohu, Baidu and Tencent.
APCO Worldwide scales back Indonesian office in restructure
JAKARTA - Public relations and communications consultancy APCO Worldwide has scaled back its Indonesian office as part of a regional restructure.
Pepsi hits back at concert 'death' rumour
GUANGZHOU - Six days after a giant LED screen collapsed at a Pepsi-sponsored concert in Guangzhou, the beverage brand is refuting online rumours that several people, including the artist, died.
Cartier appoints Ruder Finn
SHANGHAI - Luxury jewellery brand Cartier has appointed Ruder Finn as its PR agency-of-record in China, extending its five-year relationship with the agency.
Google set to boost ad revenue by 25 per cent in China
BEIJING - Despite the recent controversy surrounding Google in China, the search engine is poised to announce a second-quarter ad revenue boost of 25 per cent quarter-on-quarter.
Standard Chartered launches global HIV web campaign
HONG KONG - Standard Chartered Bank has launched a major global social media campaign to raise awareness of the threat of HIV and AIDS, moving toward its goal to educate one million people on HIV and AIDS by 2010 as part of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Sina/Focus Media deal 'in trouble'
SHANGHAI - The tie-up between portal giant Sina and Focus Media is on the verge of collapse, according to reports in China, with sources pointing to Focus' disappointing first-quarter performance as a contributing factor.
MySpace China names former Sina exec as CEO
BEIJING - Former Sina vice-editor-in-chief Wei Lai has been hired to the post of MySpace China CEO, responsible for the management of MySpace China's daily operations.
Number of ads increases on social networks: Nielsen
HONG KONG - Approximately 2,200 Hong Kong advertisers spent HK$351 million (US$45.2 million) on digital advertising in the first half of 2009, a Nielsen report states, marking a year-on-year boost of 4.4 per cent.
China Mobile to launch China's first app store
BEIJING - Six months after China Mobile announced its intention to open its own mobile application store, China's largest telco said it will officially launch its Mobile Market this month - the first app store available in the market.
Neo@Ogilvy scoops China Telecom's digital media
BEIJING - China Telecom has awarded Neo@Ogilvy its online media business, dislodging incumbent Starcom IP.
Hyundai splits global media pitch
GLOBAL - Hyundai Kia Automotive Group is splitting the business of its Hyundai and Kia brands as part of the company's estimated US$1 billion global media planning and buying review.
Weber Shandwick hires Thailand MD
BANGKOK - Public relations firm Weber Shandwick has promoted Lalana Santos (pictured), currently an executive consultant, to the post of managing director of Weber Shandwick Thailand.
Live Issue... Friendster feels heat as Facebook builds Asian base
When it comes to social networking, Southeast Asia has for years been Friendster territory.
Wrigley calls full-portfolio digital pitch in China
BEIJING - Wrigley is believed to have called a digital pitch for its full portfolio of brands in China and is said to have invited four or five agencies to participate in the review.
TBWA awarded Haagen-Dazs' regional creative
ASIA-PACIFIC - Haagen-Dazs Asia-Pacific has awarded TBWA\Tequila Malaysia with its regional creative account and its website-management duties.
PHD appointed media AOR for Ferrero in Australia
SYDNEY - Ferrero, the confectionary producer of brands including Tic Tac, Kinder chocolates, Nutella and Ferrero Pralines, has appointed PHD as its media agency-of-record in Australia.
Fleishman-Hillard nabs Biggs for digital
ASIA-PACFIC - Napoleon Biggs (pictured), founder of Palava Digital and regional networking event Web Wednesday, has been appointed the regional vice-president of digital integration for Fleishman-Hillard.
China iPhone distribution deal not exclusive: Apple
BEIJING - Apple has confirmed that its deal with China's second-largest telco provider, China Unicom, to distribute its iPhone in China is not exclusive.
Tribal DDB Korea appoints digital head
SEOUL - Lee DDB Group, the Korean arm of DDB, has appointed Brian Jung (pictured) to lead Tribal DDB in the market.
Ruder Finn appoints Mai Tran as EVP of Asian health care practice
BEIJING - Managing director of Ruder Finn France Mai Tran (pictured) will relocate to Beijing to assume the role of executive vice-president of the public relations agency's health and wellness practice, overseeing operations across Asia-Pacific.
Entries for Digital Media Awards up 33 per cent
ASIA-PACIFIC - The number of entries for Media magazine's Digital Media Awards has rocketed by nearly 33 per cent from last year, from 331 in 2008 to 438 in 2009.
OMD scoops Vodafone's US$1 billion global media account
ASIA-PACIFIC - OMD is gearing up to assume its role as Vodafone's global agency-of-record following its announced win of the telco's consolidated US$1 billion global media account, with the account's transition period in Asia-Pacific still under review.
VIDEO: VivaKi chief vows to grow digital offering in China
ASIA-PACIFIC - China now has as much clout as the US in the hierarchy of Publicis Groupe's digital syndicate VivaKi, according to the group's managing partner David Kenny.
Global CEO of Synovate Chedore to depart
GLOBAL - Synovate's global CEO Adrian Chedore has retired after more than nine years with the company.
China Mobile and CCTV launch mobile video site
BEIJING - China Mobile and CCTV have partnered to launch National Mobile Television News Weekly, a mobile video site that will be accessible on both GSM and China Mobile's unique TD-SCDMA platform.
Rach to depart Ogilvy for regional role at Prudential
HONG KONG - Managing director of OgilvyOne and Neo@Ogilvy Hong Kong Sean Rach will be departing the agency at the end of the month to assume a regional marketing role at Prudential.
Publicis Modem added to Philips China roster
BEIJING - Philips China has added Publicis Modem to its list of roster agencies in the market, tasking the agency with developing digital strategies for its 2009 branding campaign.
DDB appointed as Budweiser's global ad agency
GLOBAL - Anheuser-Busch InBev has reportedly appointed DDB as Budweiser's worldwide advertising agency, tasked with broadening Bud's global position to become an iconic brand akin to Coca-Cola.
Digital ad revenue up 37 per cent in China: Nielsen
BEIJING - Revenue for digital advertising campaigns in China reached US$223.9 million in July of this year, denoting a year-on-year boost of nearly 37 per cent, CR-Nielsen has found in a new report.
Yahoo China faces 'staff walkout'
BEIJING - Nearly 100 Beijing-based employees of China Yahoo have reportedly resigned after Alibaba Group, the company's primary shareholder, demanded that they transfer to the group's Hangzhou headquarters or face redundancy.
Jack Madrid appointed as GM of Yahoo Philippines
MANILA - Jack Madrid (pictured) has been appointed general manager of Yahoo Philippines, replacing Jojo Anonuevo following his promotion to a regional role within the company's emerging markets business group.
Iprex network partners with Rantau PR
KUALA LUMPUR - Global public relations network Iprex has bolstered its presence in the region by partnering with Malaysian PR agency Rantau, marking its first collaboration with an agency in the market.
Alibaba shifts classifieds from Yahoo China to Taobao.com
BEIJING - Alibaba Group will shift classified listings site Koubei.com from Yahoo China to auction site Tabobao.com in a move that analysts say reflects Yahoo China's weak position in the digital market.
US media firm buys into The Hyperfactory
GLOBAL - US media and marketing company Meredith Corporation has taken a 20 per cent strategic stake in New Zealand-based mobile marketing firm The Hyperfactory in what executives say may lead to a full acquisition in the future.
China shuts down domestic social media
BEIJING - Chinese authorities are extending their crackdown on social media sites to Chinese-language services.
New social media company launches in China
SHANGHAI - Shanghainese marketing, advertising and communications agency BA360 and media agency Mailman China have jointly launched the social media company ZeroDegrees, aimed at designing and producing social marketing campaigns for Chinese audiences.
Alibaba teams up with Bank of China
BEIJING - Alibaba and Bank of China have entered into a long-term strategic partnership to facilitate e-commerce activities such as online payment, international business development, small-business financing and joint marketing initiatives.
All About... E-readers
Can the Kindle and its ilk become an ad platform?
The Upper Storey revamps corporate identity
SINGAPORE - Digital agency The Upper Storey has refurbished its website and its logo as part of a process to revamp its full corporate identity.
Number of netizens reaches 338 million in China
BEIJING - China's number of internet users hit 338 million at the end of June, a surge of 40 million users, or 13.8 per cent, from the end of last year, according to research by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).
Clearasil Australia reappoints Euro RSCG for digital
SYDNEY - Reckitt Benckiser has reappointed Euro RSCG as Clearasil Australia's digital agency following a pitch that involved three other agencies.
Texas Instruments hands regional media to UM
ASIA-PACIFIC - Texas Instruments (TI), an American semiconductor and electronics company, has reportedly awarded its regional media planning and buying account to Universal McCann.
CSL hands Tequila digital brief
HONG KONG - Hong Kong mobile operator CSL has reportedly charged TBWA\Tequila with the construction of its first online store following a head-to-head shortlist that involved Ogilvy & Mather.
Publicis Modem wins GovHK digital tender
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Government has charged Publicis Modem with the redesign of its gov.hk website following an invitation-only tender that began in March.
wwwins launches CRM platform
HONG KONG - wwwins Consulting, a subsidiary of the digital network Isobar, has launched a CRM platform called Astro that enables clients to track their visibility on social media.
Turner boosts presence in Japan
TOKYO - Turner Broadcasting System has bolstered its presence in Japan through the acquisition of Secom's subsidiary Japan Image Communications (JIC), expanding its network by five channels.
Coates leaves Yahoo in Southeast Asia
SINGAPORE - Jason Coates, director of corporate communications for Yahoo in Southeast Asia, is departing the company after three-and-a-half years.
Edge Marketing rebrands after acquision
BANGKOK - Vietnamese CRM firm Edge Marketing has rebranded as New Media Edge following its acquisition of digital agency New Media.
Ogilvy China boss blasts 'collective failure'
BEIJING - Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Greater China TB Song (pictured) has blasted his company as "lazy", "arrogant" and "out of touch" in a damning document circulated throughout the agency and obtained by Media.
Profile... 'Upstart' Wang leads Tudou back from the brink
Gary Wang may be one of the Chinese digital sector's most high-profile figures, but he's the first to admit that he isn't really that Chinese.
UM Singapore boss departs
SINGAPORE - Gaurav Bhasin (pictured) has announced he will depart his role as CEO of Universal McCann Singapore and will be replaced by managing director of Initiative Singapore Kenneth Tsang.
Youth Olympics to build virtual world
SINGAPORE - The Singaporean Government has issued a tender for the construction of a virtual world website for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
CAAS calls website pitch
SINGAPORE - The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has called a tender for the redesign of its corporate website in the months leading up to the government branch's structural reformation.
BMW calls digital pitch
SINGAPORE - BMW Asia has called a digital pitch for the re-design of its corporate website.
Dube named Blue Interactive's ECD
SINGAPORE - Former creative for Ogilvy Action Japan Gael Dube (pictured) has resurfaced in Singapore as executive creative director for Blue Interactive's global operations.
Sanrio and Level Up team for Hello Kitty game
MANILA - Sanrio Digital has teamed with Level Up! Games to launch multiplayer online role-playing game Hello Kitty Online in the Philippines.
Iris hires XM's Soon for new digital arm
SINGAPORE - Managing director of XM Asia-Pacific and RMG Connect Singapore and Malaysia Paul Soon (pictured) will depart the company to assume the role of managing director of digital for independent agency Iris.
Channel V to launch local content for the Philippines
MANILA - Music television station Channel V has launched in the Philippines and will extensively feature Philippine-specific and Tagalog-language content.
China Telecom appoints Euro RSCG as AOR
BEIJING - China Telecom has appointed Euro RSCG China as its agency-of-record following a competitive pitch for the coveted account that comes less than one month after the Chinese government awarded telecommunication companies 3G mobile phone licenses.
China clamps down on mobile porn
BEIJING - One year after the Chinese authorities imposed stricter rules regarding material that cannot be broadcast on online video sites, several government agencies have issued similar restrictions for mobile content.
Ctrip revenues down
BEIJING - Following a period of momentum for China's largest online travel agency Ctrip and for the country's travel sector as a whole, Ctrip has announced disappointing fourth-quarter financial results for 2008, indicating the effects of the economic slowdown has hit the travel industry.
Chinese e-commerce giants unveil recession initiatives
CHINA - The economic climate has forced China's e-commerce sites to unveil new initiatives amid fears that netizens will buy less.
O&M Beijing appoints president of advertising
BEIJING - Ogilvy & Mather China has appointed vice president of Ogilvy & Mather Beijing Raymond Tao (pictured) as its president of advertising as part of a management restructure in China and Hong Kong.
Emirates retains Ruder Finn
SHANGHAI - Airline Emirates has reappointed Ruder Finn as its public relations agency of record in China in a move to consolidate its PR operations in the market.
Google eyeing China's e-commerce market
BEIJING - Google is said to be entering China's e-commerce market following the purchase of a domain that may be used as a consumer-to-consumer platform, according to Chinese reports.
Stepworks begins iPhone services
HONG KONG - Branding and marketing firm Stepworks will begin designing and programming iPhone applications for clients and explore their marketing potential in an effort to capitalise on the handset's growing popularity throughout the region.
Hewlett-Packard extends music service to Southeast Asia
SINGAPORE - Hewlett-Packard (HP) is entering Southeast Asia's music download market through an expanded collaboration with Universal Music.
Twitter Japan denies subscription plan
TOKYO - Days after reports surfaced of Twitter Japan's detailed plans to establish a paid-for model for select accounts, the company is now denying it intends to launch such a service, saying the idea was announced to air "potential business opportunities".
UPDATE: Youku fined for copyright infringement
BEIJING - Chinese video site Youku.com has been found guilty of copyright infringement by the Beijing Haidian District People's Court and ordered to pay Rmb 450,000 (US$65,914) in damages to video site Voole on behalf of the China Internet Video Anti-Piracy Alliance, which is led by portal Sohu.com.
Aegis Media Hong Kong appoints wwwins boss Chris Ryan CEO
HONG KONG - Head of wwwins Consulting Hong Kong Chris Ryan (pictured) has been promoted to the post of CEO of Aegis Media Hong Kong.
Acer hires DDB to lift China PC performance
SHANGHAI - Taiwanese PC manufacturer Acer has appointed DDB China Group as its agency-of-record, charged with managing Acer China's through-the-line work.
Twitter Japan to introduce payment model
TOKYO - Twitter Japan has further moved to differentiate itself from its global counterpart through the introduction of a tiered payment model that will charge audiences to view tweets from premium Twitter accounts.
UNAIDS launches Chinese AIDS awareness initiatives
BEIJING - The Joint United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Ogilvy PR Worldwide have launched an educational initiative to raise awareness of the growing threat of HIV/AIDS in mainland China, releasing two reports that offer relevant statistics and address the human aspects of the disease.
Iprex names new Asia-Pacific president
ASIA-PACIFIC - Peter Wilkinson, CEO of Australian-based corporate affairs agency Wilkinson PR, has been named Asia-Pacific president of global public relations network Iprex, dislodging long-time president David Ketchum (pictured).
Hong Kong Jockey Club seeks digital rebrand
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has invited digital agencies to make presentations for a campaign that will reposition the club as a cultural attraction for younger audiences, providing the basis for a long-term, more extensive rebranding solution.
Lawsuits against Sohu threaten China's Anti-Piracy Alliance
BEIJING - As competition intensifies in China's online video sector, Sohu, which has been leading an alliance against pirated material online, is being sued by five different parties, including another member of the alliance.
Live Issue... Getting to grips with real-time search
Recent deals between search engines and Twitter show that search is changing.
China public affairs execs turn to social media: Edelman
BEIJING - Edelman has released results of a survey that shows two-thirds of public affairs professionals with responsibility for China think opinions voiced on social media platforms have more influence over contemporary public policy than other media.
Upper Storey hires former Tribal DDB GM Christer Eriksson
SINGAPORE - Digital marketing agency The Upper Storey has appointed former GM of Tribal DDB Singapore Christer Eriksson (pictured) to the role of regional strategy director.
Wall Street Journal Asia redesigns print title
ASIA-PACIFIC - The Wall Street Journal Asia has undergone its first major print redesign since the publication's change to compact format in October 2005, today launching a paper with a simplified front page and a more focused business and finance section.
VIDEO: Google China to gain traction through SMEs, mobile
HONG KONG - Google will focus on small businesses and mobile as it seeks to gain share in Greater China, according to John Liu (pictured), vice-president of sales of Google Greater China.
Yahoo rolls out 'It's Y!ou' campaign in Hong Kong
HONG KONG - Yahoo has rolled out the localised version of its US$100 million global 'It's Y!ou' campaign in Hong Kong with the aim of maintaining its dominant position in the market and promoting its revamped portal and communications functions.
SingTel shortlists Arc, OgilvyOne for digital business
SINGAPORE - SingTel is believed to have shortlisted Arc and OgilvyOne for its digital account.
Friendster to be acquired by Malaysia's MOL Global
GLOBAL - Malaysian digital payment-development company MOL Global is to wholly acquire US social networking site Friendster.
Omega awards media account to Universal McCann in China
SHANGHAI - Luxury watchmaker Omega has awarded its Chinese media account to Universal McCann Shanghai following a competitive pitch against incumbent WE Marketing.
CSL names Waggener Edstrom PR AOR
HONG KONG - Hong Kong mobile network operator CSL Limited has appointed Waggener Edstrom Hong Kong its public relations agency of record.
Riverorchid appoints Sunny Hermano group COO
ASIA-PACIFIC - General Manager of Riverorchid Vietnam Sunny Hermano (pictured) has been promoted to the post of the network's COO, effective in the new year.
A scramble for China's video riches
Sohu's ongoing legal squabbles are indicative of the growing value of the Chinese online video market, as well as its steady progress towards a more legal business model.
Chinese telcos crack down on mobile porn
BEIJING - One month after the Chinese Government launched a large-scale campaign against the spread of mobile pornography in the country, China Unicom and China Telecom have followed China Mobile's lead to issue stringent guidelines for WAP content providers looking to host sites on their networks.
Live Issue... Agencies, clients budget for an upturn
The marketing industry is finalising its business plans for next year.
Friendster reveals acquisition plans amid site relaunch
GLOBAL - The same day that Friendster officially unveiled its site and logo relaunch, global sources report that the social network may have a new owner by the year's end, and pinpoints Tencent as one of the shortlisted companies for the acquisition.
SinoTech Group names strategy officer in Shanghai
SHANGHAI - Digital marketing company SinoTech Group has appointed Grace Pan (pictured) to the post of chief strategy officer, charged with overseeing group operations in its Shanghai bureau.
Digitas and Razorfish to consolidate international operations
GLOBAL - Publicis Groupe will consolidate Razorfish and Digitas' support operations for all 20 out-of-US markets as part of Razorfish's formal induction into the holding company's Vivaki network.
Acer calls through-the-line pitch in China
SHANGHAI - Taiwanese PC manufacturer Acer has reportedly called a pitch for its full marketing services portfolio in China.
Euro RSCG Hong Kong wins Sony Vaio creative business
HONG KONG - Sony has awarded Euro RSCG its Vaio computer account in Hong Kong following a competitive pitch.
Y&R Singapore names Jonathan Lang as head of integrated marketing
SINGAPORE - Y&R Singapore has appointed Jonathan Lang (pictured) as head of integrated marketing and strategy planning, replacing departed head of digital Taru Jain in an elevated role.
Y&R Singapore digital head Taru Jain departs
SINGAPORE - Y&R Singapore's head of digital Taru Jain has departed the company after less than two years in the position.
Asian agencies 'in the dark' as Vodafone pitch begins
ASIA-PACIFIC - Pitching for mobile giant Vodafone's global media duties began this week in London, but agency heads in Asia-Pacific admit they still have no clarity on what is actually up for review.
Taobao launches Chinese search engine
BEIJING - Taobao has rolled out its long-awaited product-search engine, and is set to enter the mobile search market through an agreement with Lenovo.
Riverorchid scoops Unilever's Cambodian media
PHNOM PENH - Boutique Southeast Asia-focused advertising and media network Riverorchid has won Unilever's media business in Cambodia following a competitive pitch.
Baidu to provide wireless search for China Unicom users
BEIJING - China Unicom has signed a deal with Baidu to allow the search engine to provide wireless search for all of China Unicom's 3G mobile subscribers.
Alexa launches Chinese-language site
SAN FRANCISCO - Internet metrics firm Alexa has beta-launched a Chinese-language version of its website.
Amazon's Kindle still not available in key Asian markets
ASIA-PACIFIC - While readers in Cambodia, Laos and Sri Lanka can now purchase Amazon's Kindle, the device is still not available in China, Singapore, New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia, with little word on when it will make its way into these key markets.
Havas brings global warming awareness campaign to Asia
ASIA-PACIFIC - To adapt its digitally led global warming awareness campaign 'Tck tck tck: time for climate justice' for Asian audiences, creative agency Havas Worldwide has struck deals with companies including Youku, Sina and Sohu to ensure that the message is circulated in every market.
Deploy Digital hires Philippines country head
MANILA - Deploy Digital, a digital-strategy shop under Asia Digital Holdings, has strengthened its Filipino operations through the hire of Emmanuel Tonogbanua as county head.
CNN to overhaul its digital offerings
GLOBAL - CNN will overhaul its worldwide digital offerings in October in an effort to stay relevant through the proliferation of wireless gadgets, beginning with the launch of its first iPhone application and including a relaunch of its CNN.com homepage.
Baidu helps to launch SEM regulatory guide
BEIJING - Leading Chinese search engine Baidu, the Internet Society of China and the China Communications Standards Association have published a set of search engine marketing (SEM) regulations aimed at developing the sector as a reliable source of news and business.
Apple's iPhone to debut in Korea
SEOUL - The Korea Communications Commission has given Apple the green light to introduce its iPhone handset to South Korean audiences, giving the company an opportunity to realign the mobile marketplace by introducing less expensive smartphones.
EDB shortlists Arc, Blue and XM Asia-Pacific for digital tender
SINGAPORE -The Singaporean Economic Development Board (EDB) has narrowed its search for a digital partner down to at least three agencies following the issuance of an open tender for its business.
Iris wins Barclays Singapore Open account
SINGAPORE - The World Sports Group has charged Iris with developing an integrated campaign to promote the 2009 Barclays Singapore Open golf tournament, beating out two other agencies in a competitive pitch.
GolinHarris to manage PR for Habitat for Humanity project
BEIJING - Habitat for Humanity China has tasked GolinHarris with the public relations duties of the 2009 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, an event that will include construction in China and the territory surrounding the Mekong River.
Youku files dual suits against Sohu
BEIJING - The battle for share in China's huge online video market has taken a new turn after Youku.com filed two lawsuits against Chinese portal Sohu.com.
Tiger Beer and ESPN launch new football programme
SINGAPORE - ESPN STAR Sports and Tiger Beer have teamed to launch the branded football programme Tiger World of Football, an extension of Barclays Premier League broadcast in Southeast Asia, which Tiger also sponsors.
Live Issue... Brands wrestle with digital disclosure
Advertisers who are dishonest about their use of social media risk losing credibility.
Microsoft rolls out digital, events drive to back Windows 7
ASIA-PACIFIC - Three years after Microsoft launched its widely criticised operating system Windows Vista, it has rolled out Windows 7 in Asia via a digital- and events-based marketing push.
Weber Shandwick named Vodafone Hutchison's AOR
SYDNEY - Vodafone Hutchison Australia has appointed Weber Shandwick as its public relations agency-of-record in the market following competitive pitch.
Agencies look to relax conflict 'rules'
Are attitudes toward client conflict changing?
Friendster, Billabong launch relief page to benefit Red Cross
MANILA - Social networking site Friendster has partnered with Australian boardsports brand Billabong to launch an aid page benefiting the Filipino victims of Typhoon Ondoy, providing easy-pay links to transfer funds to the Red Cross.
Ruder Finn awarded PR for BusinessWeek event
BEIJING - BusinessWeek has appointed Ruder Finn as its communications partner for the publication's CEO Forum in Beijing.
Singaporean EDB set to appoint XM Asia for digital
SINGAPORE - The Economic Development Board (EDB) is poised to name XM Asia as its digital agency-of-record, beating shortlisted agencies Arc and Blue for the account.
Unilever draws up shortlist for global media pitch
GLOBAL - Unilever has shortlisted Aegis, Initiative, Mindshare and PHD for its lucrative global media planning and buying account.
McCann Erickson's Thierry Halbroth promoted to ECD on Cathay Pacific
HONG KONG - McCann Erickson has named Thierry Halbroth (pictured right) as joint executive creative director of its Cathay Pacific central team, charged with managing the creative direction of the brand with ECD Sylvester Song (left).
Sina, Focus Media deal collapses
SHANGHAI - Chinese portal Sina and digital out-of-home media company Focus Media will officially call off their proposed acquisition deal tomorrow if the Government does not consent to the merger before then, ending a turbulent 10-month approval process.
Green Dam surveys China's youths
BEIJING - In an effort to salvage the reputation of embattled Chinese censorship programme Green Dam, the Government-backed China Youth Internet Association has released the findings of a survey that shows that only five per cent of children oppose the software.
Harris Interactive hires Jamie Lord as regional VP
ASIA PACIFIC - Market research firm Harris Interactive has appointed Jamie Lord (pictured), former Mindshare Asia-Pacific marketing and business development director, to the post of regional vice-president as part of the firm's global restructure.
Universal McCann appoints David Fernandez head of search
SYDNEY - Universal McCann Australia has appointed former search operations director of Outrider David Fernandez as the agency's head of search.
Myer selects Universal McCann, Mitchell & Partners, Mindshare and OMD for media review
MELBOURNE - Myer, Australia's largest chain of department stores, has reportedly shortlisted Universal McCann, Mitchell & Partners, Mindshare and OMD for its US$45 million media buying review in the market.
Aktiv Digital CEO Alex Khan departs
SINGAPORE - CEO of Aktiv Digital Alex Khan (pictured) is to depart the media sales house for undisclosed reasons more than two years after launching the company in May 2007.
Baidu to focus on mobile web
BEIJING - Baidu says it will make the mobile web its strategic focus in the future, banking on its relationships with China Telecom and China Unicom.
Dell and China Mobile to launch smartphone
BEIJING - Computer maker Dell will launch its first smartphone under a deal with China Mobile.
P&G appoints wwwins, iProspect for Anna Sui SEO
HONG KONG - Procter & Gamble has contracted wwwins Consulting and search marketing firm iProspect Greater China to manage the search engine optimisation duties for its fashion brand Anna Sui.
Fionn Hyndman departs dgmAsia
SINGAPORE - dgmAsia CEO Fionn Hyndman (pictured) will depart the search and affiliate marketing company at the end of the year for undisclosed reasons.
China climbs down on Green Dam software
BEIJING - Just three months after authorities mandated it be installed on every computer sold in the country, China's use of the censorship software Green Dam Youth Escort has been scaled down.
Madhouse Inc and iResearch Partnership launch mobile ad tracking service
SHANGHAI - Chinese mobile advertising network Madhouse Inc. and consulting group iResearch will launch a mobile advertising monitoring service called mWebTracker to allow clients to track ads in real time on the mobile internet.
Wyeth Consumer Healthcare hands TBWA Centrum creative account in China
BEIJING - Wyeth Consumer Healthcare has appointed TBWA China as the advertising agency-of-record for its Centrum vitamin line in China.
Hill & Knowlton named AOR of UN Climate Change Conference
GLOBAL - Hill & Knowlton has been named the communications partner for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in December in Copenhagen.
Profile... Yahoo's perfectionist can't resist a challenge
Despite setbacks in China, senior VP for Asia Rose Tsou insists the portal has a future in the market.
Tiffany & Co joins digital fray in China
SHANGHAI - Tiffany & Co has become the latest luxury brand to embrace online initiatives in China with the large-scale launch of a through-the-line campaign for its Tiffany Keys collection.
Isobar head Barney Loehnis to depart
ASIA-PACIFIC - Network director of Isobar Asia-Pacific Barney Loehnis (pictured) will depart his role next month after nearly four years with the agency.
Wall Street Journal launches China-focused news site
BEIJING - The Wall Street Journal has replaced its China Journal blog with a new digital domain, the China Real Time Report, to serve as a China-focused news and discussion site for the News Corp publication.
Johnson & Johnson calls regional digital pitch
ASIA-PACIFIC - Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has begun a pitch to create a digital roster across Asia-Pacific to streamline its online marketing operations.
Euro RSCG Bangkok appoints ECD
BANGKOK - Euro RSCG Bangkok has appointed Asawin 'Bear' Phanichwatana (pictured left) as executive creative director, continuing the agency's restructure in the Thai market.
Live Issue... Can publishers charge for mobile?
Rupert Murdoch has been outspoken in his goal to monetise his newspapers' digital content.
VisionChina to acquire Digital Media Group
BEIJING - Out-of-home digital ad network VisionChina Media is to acquire mobile TV advertising firm Digital Media Group (DMG) for US$160 million, creating the largest bus and subway mobile television advertising network in the country.
Youku, Tudou focus on mobile video
BEIJING - Chinese video-sharing site Youku has linked with Nokia and Sony Ericsson to provide pre-installed videos on handsets, a move that allows Youku to gain ground in China's mobile sector as audiences become accustomed to accessing multimedia on their phones.
FD names Beijing VP to oversee public affairs practice
BEIJING - FD, the strategic communications business of FTI Consulting, is to launch a public affairs practice in China and has enlisted Manning Selvage & Lee's Jack Zhang (pictured) to head up the unit.
Citibank to review regional digital business
ASIA-PACIFIC - Citibank has approached several digital agencies with a request-for-presentations document as it begins a digital review.
UPDATE: Bleasdale to step down as Iris' regional head
ASIA-PACIFIC - Richard Bleasdale (pictured), Iris Worldwide's CEO for Asia-Pacific, will depart his position at the end of the year.
Adobe to acquire Omniture
GLOBAL - Adobe Systems Incorporated is set to acquire digital marketing optimisation company Omniture for US$1.8 billion in an effort to bolster and diversify both companies' technological capabilities and client base.
Yahoo to sell its stake in Alibaba.com
BEIJING - Yahoo has put its stake in business-to-business e-commerce site Alibaba.com up for sale.
SinoTech Group adds Jia to boards of directors
BEIJING - Digital marketing firm SinoTech Group has appointed Dennis Jia to its board of directors, joining group CEO and executive chairman Dr Mathew McDougall (pictured) and CFO from KongZhong Corporation Jay Chang.
Liu aims to double Google China's sales force
BEIJING - Google China's newly promoted vice-president of sales and operations John Liu (pictured) has voiced his sales-related goals for the website for the remainder of 2009 and the upcoming year, including plans to double Google China's sales team to compete more effectively with market leader Baidu.
CNBC and HSBC engage in sponsorship deal
GLOBAL - HSBC Private Bank has linked with CNBC for an on-air and digital sponsorship deal that will be seen across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
PHD opens in Karachi
KARACHI - PHD has today opened an office in Pakistan, enabled through an affiliate partnership with local advertising and communications group Manhattan International.
Razorfish wins P&G digital duties in Hong Kong
HONG KONG - Procter & Gamble has awarded Razorfish the year-long digital management of its Clairol Herbal Essences brand and has charged the agency with launching a digital campaign for Pampers, both for the Hong Kong market.
Rabobank appoints Initiative global media AOR
GLOBAL - Mediabrands subsidiary Initiative has been appointed as Dutch bank Rabobank's global media planning and buying agency-of-record following a five-way pitch that included incumbent Kobal.
Aegis' iProspect to launch in New Zealand
AUCKLAND - Aegis Group's search marketing agency iProspect has launched in New Zealand, in line with its global expansion strategy.
Taobao expands into Taiwan
TAIPEI - Alibaba Group's e-commerce auction site Taobao.com has launched Tao1shop.tw in Taiwan, marking Taobao's official entrance into the market.
Deutsche Bank calls global media planning and buying pitch
GLOBAL - Deutsche Bank has reportedly called a global pitch for the "entire bank's media planning and buying business", sources close to the review say.
Malaysian Government calls pitch for $6 million PR account
KUALA LUMPUR - The Malaysian Government is seeking a public relations agency to boost its reputation and help it better connect with its citizens online, but negative public perceptions of the Government's quest have hindered its ability to appoint an agency.
Sohu launches White Society social network
BEIJING - China's second-largest portal Sohu.com has officially launched its white-collar social networking site (SNS) following beta tests that began in May.
GE China launches digital ad campaign
BEIJING - General Electric will launch its first large-scale, Chinese-language digital advertising campaign this week in an effort to educate Chinese consumers about the brand.
Facebook eyes emerging markets with 'Lite' launch
GLOBAL - Facebook is poised to expand its global presence through the launch of Facebook Lite, a simplified version of the site that will be more accessible on mobile phones and in markets where bandwidth is slow.
Live Issue... Digital drives rise of loyalty marketing
Online channels mean more brands are processing customer data.
Publicis Groupe's acquisition of Razorfish: the Asian angle
ASIA-PACIFIC - Following the news that Microsoft will sell digital agency Razorfish to Publicis Groupe for US$530 million, sources expect it to be "business as usual" for the agency under its new ownership, including in Japan, where Razorfish is engaged in a joint venture with Dentsu.
Razorfish price tag stands at $600 million after Publicis bid
GLOBAL - More than one month after news surfaced of Microsoft's intention to sell its global digital agency Razorfish, Publicis Groupe has reportedly offered a bid of US$500 million to $600 million for the company.
Li Ning opens first flagship store outside China
SINGAPORE - Chinese sportswear brand Li Ning will bank on badminton as its vehicle for expansion outside the mainland, announcing its plan to launch 70 to 100 retail stores in Southeast Asia, including a themed flagship shop in Singapore's ION Orchard mall.
BMW shortlists three for Mini business
SINGAPORE - BMW Asia Group has shortlisted three creative agencies in a pitch for its Mini model in Singapore one month after more than 30 agencies made submissions for the review.
Weber Shandwick to handle Israel's Expo business
SHANGHAI - Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State has appointed Weber Shandwick Shanghai as is public relations partner at the World Expo 2010.
Why are digital agencies not winning awards?
After 2009, a blockbuster year for digital and social media, networks are scrambling to fill in the gaps and ensure their digital departments haven't missed any tricks.
VIDEO: The FT's Angela Mackay weighs in on online payment models
GLOBAL - With the topic of newspapers' online payment models being thrust back into the headlines with The New York Times and the Financial Times announcing changes to their online access plans, executive director of the FT Asia-Pacific, Angela Mackay, says this is only the beginning of a long-term movement to migrate online content behind a paid wall.
UPDATE: Yahoo globally restructures zoning and consolidates regions
GLOBAL - Yahoo is to globally re-organise its regional structure, consolidating its zones into three areas - the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific - and integrating its emerging markets unit into these three divisions.
Tourism New Zealand appoints Hill & Knowlton in Australia
SYDNEY - Tourism New Zealand has appointed Hill & Knowlton (H&K) as its public relations agency-of-record in Australia following a competitive pitch that included five shortlisted agencies.
Baidu, Rakuten to launch Alibaba rival this year
BEIJING - Chinese search engine Baidu and Japanese e-commerce site Rakuten have pledged a combined US$50 million over three years to launch a business-to-business and business-to-consumer online shopping mall for Chinese netizens.
UPDATE: Baidu cleared of piracy charges
BEIJING - A Beijing court has cleared Baidu of piracy charges two years after Universal Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment Hong Kong and Warner Music Hong Kong filed infringement suits against the search engine.
Arc wins Merrill Lynch's branding duties in Korea
SEOUL - Merrill Lynch has awarded Arc Worldwide its branding account in Korea following a competitive pitch involving two other undisclosed agencies.
O&M Vietnam wins Sony's full electronics portfolio
HO CHI MINH CITY - Sony has handed Ogilvy & Mather the creative account for its full portfolio of electronic products in Vietnam following a pitch that reportedly involved Dentsu Alpha, Lowe and incumbent Leo Burnett.
Naga DDB wins TM Asia Life in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR - Insurance company TM Asia Life, part of the Tokio Marine Group, has handed Naga DDB its rebranding business following a two-way pitch with Dentsu Malaysia.
SPH's Raymond Teoh resurfaces at Pudding Media
SINGAPORE - Singapore Press Holding's (SPH) former assistant vice-president of its interactive business unit Raymond Teoh (pictured) has resurfaced at Pudding Media as vice-president of advertising sales.
Nikkei Online partners with Brightcove for online video
TOKYO - Japanese media corporation Nikkei Inc. has partnered with online video platform, Brightcove, to standardise its online video operations across its newspaper domain, The Nikkei Online Edition.
Fleishman-Hillard opens Jakarta office
JAKARTA - Fleishman-Hillard has launched an office in Jakarta, a move that supports the PR agency's goal of bolstering its presence in emerging markets and in Southeast Asia.
Government's reaction to Google makes advertisers wary
BEIJING - Chinese authorities have reacted to Google's decision to end censorship of its searches in China and reroute users to its Hong Kong arm by partially blocking access to Google.com.hk's search results in the mainland.
Burson-Marsteller names Christine Jones regional MD
ASIA-PACIFIC - Burson-Marsteller has appointed its former Singapore market leader, Christine Jones (pictured), to the newly created role of managing director for Asia-Pacific.
Hainan Airlines taps Ruder Finn for its Tangla Hotels account
BEIJING - Tangla Hotels and Resorts, a luxury hotel brand under the Hainan Airlines Group, has appointed Ruder Finn as its PR agency-of-record following a pitch.
Google stops censorship in China and moves to Hong Kong
BEIJING - Google has stopped censoring its search services in China following the identification of alleged cyber attacks at the start of the year, and has started to redirect users to servers based in Hong Kong.
EmporioAsia wins digital accounts ahead of World Expo
SHANGHAI - EmporioAsia Leo Burnett has won the digital accounts of two Shanghai icons ahead of the World Expo's launch in May, including the business for luxury hotelier Guoman Hotels.
Microsoft pitches Windows media business in China
BEIJING - Microsoft has reportedly called a media pitch for its Windows business in China.
Too much too soon? Baidu overcomes search scandal & lawsuit; launches video & ecommerce sites.
China's dominant search engine Baidu has hit the ground running in 2010, declaring that it will launch video and e-commerce sites, and reportedly toying with the idea of online gaming.
Wildlife Reserves appoints Icon for Bird Park, Zoo and Night Safari
SINGAPORE - Wildlife Reserves Singapore has appointed Icon International Communications as its public relations agency-of-record.
WSJ to launch Japanese site next month
TOKYO - After announcing its intention to create the domain earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal will launch a Japanese-language website next month.
Dentsu to consolidate digital operations
TOKYO - Dentsu will launch a digital business division that consolidates the holding group's independent digital assets into a single entity.
Live Issue... Microsoft upgrades its marketing for Windows 7
The software giant's latest campaign shows it has learned some of the lessons of the disastrous Vista roll-out.
Too old to get digital? Asia's agency bosses react
ASIA-PACIFIC - In response to Sir Martin Sorrell's (pictured) comments that brands aren't spending enough on digital because agency heads are too old to adopt it, some agency heads in Asia-Pacific's media industry have admitted he has a point.
Caijing future in doubt as editor Hu Shuli finally exits
BEIJING - The future of Caijing, which enjoys a reputation as China's most prominent locally published business magazine, is in turmoil after reports emerged that its editor-in-chief, Hu Shuli, has finally resigned, prompting other top editors to follow her. The reports follow weeks of speculation regarding Hu's future.
Euro RSCG dislodges Digitas to be IBM's digital AOR
GLOBAL - IBM has shifted its global digital account from Digitas to Euro RSCG 4D after more than 10 years with the Publicis Groupe agency.
Delta Air Lines appoints Dentsu to Japan account
TOKYO - Delta Air Lines has reportedly inked a deal with Dentsu to lobby Japanese politicians on its behalf in an effort to lure Japan Airlines (JAL) into its SkyTeam network - a development that comes after Fleishman-Hillard severed its ties with the airline due to conflicting accounts.
Wrigley splits digital duties between Agenda, Agency.com in China
SHANGHAI - Wrigley has split the digital marketing account for its full portfolio of products in China between TBWA/Agency.com and Agenda.
Martin Lindstrom signs as keynote speaker at the AME Festival
ASIA-PACIFIC - Martin Lindstrom (pictured), author of the marketing guidebook Buyology and a consultant for Fortune 500 companies, will be a keynote speaker at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness (AME) Festival held on 24 & 25 March at the Pudong Shangri-La in Shanghai this year.
Yahoo, Microsoft still await partnership rollout in Asia
ASIA-PACIFIC - Following the announcement that authorities in the US and UK have given Yahoo and Microsoft the go-ahead to create a search partnership, sources say the companies are still negotiating with governments across the region to ensure they have clearance to bring the partnership to Asia.
Wrigley hands Taiwan creative to DDB
TAIPEI - Confectioner Wrigley has reportedly shifted its full creative portfolio in Taiwan from BBDO to DDB.
All about online video ad-serving in Asia
With the rise of online video as a key media platform in Asia - and specifically in China, where intensified competition has seen the creation of rival video allegiances - online video ad-serving networks are expected to grow as they follow consumers to internet video.
Former Omnicom Group CEO Birkin launches The Red Peak Group, wins Intel business
GLOBAL - Former vice-chairman and CEO of Omnicom Group Asia-Pacific, Michael Birkin (pictured), has officially announced the launch of his marketing services agency The Red Peak Group, naming Intel as its inaugural client.
Publicis Groupe reports revenue decrease in APAC
ASIA-PACIFIC - Though Publicis Groupe reported a 7.7 per cent drop in annual organic revenue in Asia-Pacific from 2008 to 2009, the holding company showed improvement by its fourth quarter, reporting a 2.8 per cent loss in organic revenue from the same period in 2008.
Havas reports improved APAC earnings in Q4 despite sluggish 2009
ASIA-PACIFIC - Though Havas' quarter-on-quarter earnings in Asia-Pacific have shown marked improvement throughout the year, the holding company's annual organic revenue in the region dropped 14.2 per cent in 2009, demarcating Asia-Pacific as its worst-performing market in the world throughout the year.
Nissan launches large-scale Twitter, augmented reality campaign for Zero Emission
TOKYO - Japanese auto brand Nissan will today launch a global campaign to build support for its Zero Emission movement, combining augmented reality technology and Twitter to engage audiences.
RockYou partners with Aktiv in Hong Kong
HONG KONG - Content distributor RockYou has appointed Aktiv Digital as its exclusive media sales partner in Hong Kong.
Fleishman-Hillard opens New Delhi office
NEW DELHI - Fleishman-Hillard has opened a wholly owned office in New Delhi, its second bureau in India.
Arc & Leo Burnett wins BMW's digital, CRM in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR - BMW Group has named Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide as its digital and CRM agencies in Malaysia.
Gmail to incorporate SNS-type status service
GLOBAL - Google is slated to release new features on Gmail allowing users to update their status for friends to see as part of a move that sees the search giant embrace social media initiatives popularised by other social networking sites (SNS).
Leo Burnett wins Siemens work in China
SHANGHAI - Siemens China has awarded the creative account for its home appliance division in China to Leo Burnett Shanghai, and further appointed the agency with the creative duties for its Siemens Expo programme for the 2010 event in Shanghai.
FrieslandCampina hands SEA branding to Leo Burnett
ASIA-PACIFIC - Dairy brand FrieslandCampina has awarded Leo Burnett with its branding business across the Southeast Asia region.
BBH wins Alpenliebe in China
SHANGHAI - Confectionery brand Perfetti Van Melle has awarded BBH its Alpenliebe creative account across China.
BMW China calls media pitch
BEIJING - BMW has put its media account in China up for review, sources close to the company confirm.
Edelman wins Amadeus Asia-Pacific communications account
ASIA-PACIFIC - Amadeus, a technology-solutions company focused on the travel sector, has appointed Edelman as its communications agency-of-record across Asia-Pacific following a competitive tender process.
Dolby names Ogilvy PR as its public relations agency-of-record in China
SHANGHAI - Entertainment technology developer, Dolby Laboratories, has named Ogilvy PR as its public relations agency-of-record in Greater China following a competitive pitch involving two other agencies.
3D Television: The Avatar Effect
Early developers of 3D TV pushed for its adoption as long as 15 years ago, but the concept is finally moving on from a pipe dream to a reality. Yet after all the hype, what will 3D TV actually offer brands and media outlets?
UPDATE: Tudou, Youku to share video copyrights
BEIJING - Chinese online video sites Tudou and Youku have partnered to share the copyrights to jointly air films and television shows online.
MRM promotes Mark Cripps to regional director
ASIA-PACIFIC - Executive vice-president of MRM Worldwide Asia-Pacific Mark Cripps (pictured) has been promoted to the post of regional director, responsible for leading the agency's operations across Asia-Pacific.
Tag Heuer appoints Nurun China for digital
SHANGHAI - Luxury Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer has named Nurun China its digital agency for the mainland market.
Toshiba, NBA ink marketing partnership in the Philippines
MANILA - Toshiba and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have entered into a marketing partnership that sees the electronics company sponsor NBA events and promotions in the Philippines throughout the year.
UPDATE: Publicis Groupe to restructure global PR opperations under MS&L
GLOBAL - Publicis Groupe is set to announce plans to restructure its global public relations operations under one MS&L Group umbrella in an effort to transform the agency brand into a global heavyweight and act as the face of Publicis Groupe's PR entities.
Euro RSCG appoints Su as group MD Eastern China
SHANGHAI - Euro RSCG has appointed Edward Su (pictured) to the newly created position of group managing director of Shanghai and Eastern China.
1.5 billion view CNN.com
GLOBAL - CNN.com has announced that nearly 1.5 billion video streams were viewed in 2008, up 86 per cent from videos viewed in 2007.
Impact appoints Wright director and partner in Singapore
SINGAPORE - Public relations agency Impact has appointed Amy Wright (pictured) as director and partner of its new Singapore office.
Gaveau departs Tequila Hong Kong
HONG KONG - Tequila Hong Kong's interactive business director Nathalie Gaveau (pictured) will depart the region to take on a position at the agency's London office.
Intel confirms 'open source' model for Asian agencies
ASIA-PACIFIC - Intel has confirmed it is moving to an 'open source' agency model and will introduce the new format in Asia-Pacific as part of its ongoing international roll-out.
FH bolsters North Asia operations
ASIA-PACIFIC - Fleishman-Hillard International Communications has bolstered its North Asia operations through the appointment of three senior executives in its Beijing and Tokyo offices, including Akihiro Nojiri as senior VP in Tokyo.
Google threatens to exit China
BEIJING - Following the revelation that it has been the target of numerous cyber attacks, Google is considering exiting the mainland Chinese market.
UPDATE: adidas China reappoints OgilvyOne as digital creative AOR
SHANGHAI - adidas China has reappointed OgilvyOne as its digital creative agency-of-record in the mainland market following a competitive pitch that was believed to include two other agencies.
UK PR recruitment company to launch in Asia
HONG KONG - London-based public relations and communications recruitment consultancy Prospect has opened its first office in Hong Kong.
Head of Digitas Greater China Louise Au to depart
Shanghai - President of Digitas Greater China Louise Au (pictured) has confirmed that she will depart the digital agency at the end of the month after two years in her role.
Chris Riley relinquishes OgilvyOne MD role in Singapore
SINGAPORE - Chris Riley (pictured), director of OgilvyOne Worldwide South Asia and managing director of OgilvyOne Singapore, has relinquished his MD role in Singapore and passes his duties to deputy managing director Thomas Mouritzen, effective immediately.
McDonald's reshuffles agency roster in China
SHANGHAI - McDonald's has reorganised its list of roster agencies in China for 2010, hiring Weber Shandwick to handle its consumer communications account for the year and bolstering TBWA's role to lead its large-scale rebranding campaign 'Make room for happiness'.
Baidu formalises video-site launch
BEIJING - Chinese search giant Baidu has officially announced its plan to launch an independent online video company to air licenced videos in the mainland.
GroupM Search regional CEO Robbie Hills departs
ASIA-PACIFIC - GroupM's regional head of search Robbie Hills (pictured) has resigned his position.
Gearing to head up Rapp China
SHANGHAI - Former general manager of TBWATequila Beijing Ross Gearing (pictured) has been appointed managing director of DDB Group's CRM outfit Rapp China.
Diageo pitches CRM business in China
SHANGHAI - Diageo has reportedly called a pitch for its CRM business in China, with at least three agencies vying for the account.
Tencent makes ad debut with $9 million brand push by Grey Beijing
ASIA-PACIFIC - Chinese internet giant Tencent is launching the first corporate brand-building campaign in its 10-year history tomorrow.
Waggener Edstrom resigns Samsung Hong Kong account
HONG KONG - Waggener Edstrom has resigned Samsung Hong Kong's PR account after three years serving as the brand's agency-of-record.
Steve Dahllof named regional CEO of Ogilvy PR
ASIA-PACIFIC - Ogilvy PR has named Steve Dahllof (pictured), managing director of the network's global strategy and planning group, as Asia-Pacific CEO - the role vacated by Christopher Graves.
Live Issue... Small is beautiful for agencies in 2009
It's been a successful year for Asia's smaller agencies. Will the trend continue?
Social media sees breakthrough year
ASIA-PACIFIC - The past 12 months have seen astonishing growth for the region's social networks.
Youku, Coke win infringement case against Voole
BEIJING - The Haidian District Court has cleared Youku and Coca-Cola of all copyright infringement charges, rejecting lawsuits backed by Union Voole Technology on behalf of the Chinese Online Video Anti-Piracy Alliance.
Analysts welcome MOL deal as Friendster targets micropayments
GLOBAL - Following the announcement that MOL Global - a digital payment-development company based in Malaysia - will be Friendster's new owner, analysts are praising Friendster for its choice of partner.
Hill & Knowlton appoints Lisa Wilkinson as marcomms SVP
BEIJING - Hill & Knowlton has appointed Lisa Wilkinson as senior vice-president and marketing communications director.
Live Issue... Embargoing the press release, period
It's the quintessential PR tool. But has the time come to tear up the press release?
SCMP dissembles its multimedia department
HONG KONG - The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has dissembled its multimedia department.
OgilvyOne names Loehnis head of digital, Moss regional ECD
ASIA-PACIFIC - OgilvyOne has appointed former network director of Isobar Asia-Pacific Barney Loehnis (pictured) as its regional head of digital and has additionally promoted joint executive creative director of Ogilvy Singapore Pete Moss to the post of ECD for OgilvyOne Asia.
IHT, CPPL to distribute Pakistan-focused newspaper
HONG KONG - The International Herald Tribune (IHT) and its local parter are to publish and distribute a newspaper focused on Pakistani news and business that will be delivered inside the IHT throughout Pakistan.
Profile... Telly addict leads Turner into the digital future
Self-confessed 'couch potato' Ringo Chan is the man behind Turner's growing digital portfolio.
Friendster and Yahoo SEA ink multi-year parternship
ASIA-PACIFIC - Social networking site Friendster and Yahoo Southeast Asia have entered into a multi-year strategic partnership that allows users to both sites to more efficiently share information, further promoting cross-usage between the two popular Southeast Asian domains.
Wunderman Tokyo's Martin Conneen to lead agency's global Nokia account
TOKYO - Wunderman has restructured its global team for Nokia, relocating representative director of Wunderman International Tokyo, Martin Conneen (pictured), to London to assume the post of managing director and global client lead for the multi-million dollar account.
Aegis Media forms JV in China, expands Vizeum brand
SHANGHAI - Mainland television-advertising agency Charm Communications will operate as Vizeum China after reportedly agreeing to sell 17.7 per cent of its business to Aegis Media.
Fleishman-Hillard appoints Alex He as senior VP, GM in Shanghai
SHANGHAI - Fleishman-Hillard has appointed Alex He (pictured) as senior vice-president and general manager of its Shanghai office.
O&M Guangzhou wins appliance-maker Hisense in China
GUANGZHOU - Chinese white-goods manufacturer Hisense has awarded Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Guangzhou its creative account for its entire portfolio of home-appliance brands in the mainland.
Wwwins promotes Serjeant to Hong Kong MD
HONG KONG - Wwwins Consulting Hong Kong has promoted creative director Dwayne Serjeant (pictured) to the role of managing director effective next month.
Euro RSCG names Andrew Knott regional head of digital
ASIA-PACIFIC - Euro RSCG Asia-Pacific has appointed former regional VP of marketing for Salesforce.com, Andrew Knott (pictured), to the newly created position of chief digital officer responsible for overseeing the agency's digital operations across the region.
Folli Follie hands China PR to Ruder Finn
SHANGHAI - Luxury jewellery and accessories brand Folli Follie has appointed Ruder Finn as its public relations agency-of-record in China following a competitive pitch that included local and international agencies.
Youku launches copyright-monitoring system similar to YouTube
BEIJING - Chinese video website Youku.com has launched a copyright-monitoring platform - similar to systems used by sites like YouTube - in a self-described effort to police its video and set the tone for its competitors.
Brien to replace Dooner as McCann Worldgroup head
GLOBAL - Worldwide CEO of Mediabrands Nick Brien (pictured) has been appointed CEO of McCann Worldgroup, succeeding John Dooner, Jr., who will assume the role of executive chairman until the end of the year to facilitate the transition.
Isobar wins SK-II's digital across APAC
ASIA-PACIFIC - Procter & Gamble (P&G) has reportedly awarded Isobar the digital duties of its SK-II skincare brand across the region.
WSJ, FT launch mobile products
ASIA-PACIFIC - The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times have separately released mobile products for the Asian market this week, exhibiting the publishing world's wider trend of bolstering their offerings across digital platforms.
Euro RSCG names Matthew Fanshawe as regional MD
ASIA-PACIFIC - Euro RSCG has promoted CEO of Southeast Asia Matthew Fanshawe (pictured) to the newly created role of managing director of Asia-Pacific.
Bite Communications wins key HP account in APAC, EMEA
ASIA-PACIFIC - Hewlett-Packard has handed Bite Communications its corporate innovation and sustainability communications account in Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
XM Asia opens in Hong Kong, filling digital void left by RMG
HONG KONG - Months after digital agency RMG Connect merged into parent company JWT's operations worldwide, its sister agency, XM Asia-Pacific, has moved into Hong Kong to fill the digital niche within the network left by RMG.
Celevel Ranoco-Butler named Saatchi Singapore GM
SINGAPORE - Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore has promoted senior brand director, Celevel Ranoco-Butler, to the post of Singapore general manager, filling a role that has been vacant for nine months.
Baidu's video site Qiyi gets US$50 million investment
BEIJING - Two months after announcing its plan to launch an independent online video company in China, Baidu has received US$50 million in venture capital funding to finance the endeavour and create an ad-supported business structure.
Levi's launches media pitch in mainland China
SHANGHAI - Levi Strauss & Co (Levi's) has called a media pitch for its business in mainland China.
UPDATE: Publicis Modem wins LG Mobile's digital creative account in China
SHANGHAI - Publicis Modem has scooped the digital creative business for LG Mobile in China.
Yiu to head up iProspect Hong Kong, North Asia
HONG KONG - Aegis Media has promoted regional search director for wwwins Consulting and iProspect Greater China Antony Yiu (pictured) to managing director for search engine marketing shop iProspect Hong Kong and as regional director of iProspect in North Asia.
Former P&G media head Bernhard Glock takes position at TheTMSway
HONG KONG - Bernhard Glock (pictured), former vice-president of global media and communication at Procter & Gamble, has joined the Hong Kong-based mobile technology company TheTMSway as non-executive director.
Fortune 100 companies rely on blogs, Twitter in Asia
GLOBAL - The world's top companies are increasingly turning to social media to convey their messages to both the public and their stakeholders, with 79 per cent of Fortune Global 100 companies admitting to using at least one social media platform as part of their communications strategy, according to a study by Burson-Marsteller.
BBDO/Proximity Singapore names head of digital planning
SINGAPORE - BBDO/Proximity Singapore has named Douglas Lin (pictured) as head of digital planning.
Text 100 wins Yahoo7 public relations account in Australia
SYDNEY - Yahoo7, the joint venture between digital corporation Yahoo and Australia's Seven Network launched in January 2006, has appointed Text 100 with its PR duties following a four-way pitch.
Google ad partners call for clarity and compensation
BEIJING - Following news that Google is "99 per cent" certain it will close its .cn domain, the search engine's Chinese advertising partners are pressuring the company to shed light on their situation and demand compensation if the site shuts down.
Twitter plans Chinese-language version
BEIJING - Twitter's chairman and co-founder, Jack Dorsey, said that his company is working on a Chinese-language version in anticipation that Twitter will eventually be available in China.
PR agencies swap executive talent in North Asia
TOKYO - Edelman has named Kuniko Okuwaki as its deputy MD in Japan, inheriting many operational duties from former MD, Margaret Key (pictured), who has joined Burson-Marsteller as its market leader in South Korea.
Ruder Finn to handle the Hong Kong Design Centre's Expo programme
HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) has selected Ruder Finn to handle the communications of its six-month exhibition that will run during the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.
Agency holding companies shows signs of financial recovery; Sir Martin Sorrell comments
ASIA-PACIFIC - Holding companies took a predictable knock in Asia and around the world last year, but the signs are now generally positive.
Maxus wins Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts' global media account
GLOBAL - Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has handed its global media account to Maxus in a move that marks the end of its 10-year relationship with OMD.
Ruder Finn to handle Givenchy's PR in China
SHANGHAI - Luxury fashion brand, Givenchy has appointed Ruder Finn as its public relations agency-of-record in China.
Yahoo appoints Bartz CEO
GLOBAL - Yahoo has named former executive chairman of Autodesk, Carol Bartz (pictured) to the post of company CEO, filling the position vacated by Jerry Yang in November.
MTV Asia partners Diageo in Guardian Angel campaign
SINGAPORE - Liquor brand Diageo has partnered with MTV Asia in a continuation of its Guardian Angel responsible-drinking campaign in the region.
River Orchid strengthens Cambodia arm
PHNOM PENH - Boutique advertising network River Orchid has strengthened its presence in Cambodia by hiring four staff members, including a group account director and two art directors.