Campaign Asia

2016: Slay the content dragon

Adland needs to stop chasing the ‘content’ drug by replacing ideas with the delivery mechanism and get back to telling great stories, writes Iris's Grant Hunter

But is it innovation?

Iris Worldwide's Grant Hunter shares the thinking of the Innovation jury at Spikes Asia, and thoughts for the future of the award.

China's digital drivers: Changan Ford's Jason Liu

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: Changan Ford deputy general manager Jason Liu says cost of innovative mobile and digital content is a challenge but the only way to span China’s vast market

China's digital drivers: Mobile market key to rejuvenation for Lenovo China's Arthur Wei

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: Lenovo China CMO Arthur Wei looks to smartphone market and social media to redefine the brand’s ‘reliable’ image, but says data mining remains a challenge.

Mobile video consumption habits of the modern Indonesian

Research from On Device provides a peak at how young people in Indonesia consume video via mobile.

China's digital drivers: Digital platforms a slam dunk for Li-Ning

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: Catherine Teng explains why digital platforms can be more valuable than traditional channels in giving sports enthusiasts a real experience of the brand.

China's digital drivers: Clarins goes all out for online presence

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE: The luxury cosmetics brand’s head of digital and e-commerce Julien Chiavassa sees online platforms as a place to experiment and get closer to the consumer.

Programmatic boosts conversion rates 200 times: Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s global media and digital marketing director, Jonathan Yang, tells Campaign Asia-Pacific about the “exciting” programmatic journey, and the importance of finding a good media agency partner.

FSM highlights: Top financial marketers gather in Hong Kong

Watch some of the highlights from Campaign Asia-Pacific's Financial Services Marketing forum, held in Hong Kong in November 2015.

MasterCard: Programmatic has been transformational

MasterCard's SVP head of marketing, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Sam Ahmed says programmatic sits at the centre of the brand's marketing strategy. He says this is due to the "incredible" targeting programmatic enables, the richness of data it delivers and that it is a strong driver of efficiency.

TripAdvisor: Partnerships key to programmatic success

TripAdvisor's vice-president of display, APAC, Cindy Tan says brands need to be "extremely organised" to get the most from their programmatic campaigns. The region may be "data poor" but her firm sits on "a pot of really valuable data" which allows it to take a comprehensive view of travellers' entire customer journey from start to finish.

AXA's Mabel Leung: Multi-market campaigns require cultural sensitivity

Mabel Leung, AXA Asia's regional head of brands and insights, says it can be a challenge to balance global strategic priorities with making sure local markets feel their opinions are being respected. Hunt for the elusive "middle way".

Lars Hamberg: Digital entrants a tremendous threat to financial old guard

"Modern companies today want to know everything about their connected clients: who they are, who they work with, work out with, sleep with." The trouble is, traditional financial services firms are simply not doing this well—and they are under "tremendous threat" from new digital entrants who excel at it. Lars Hamberg, founder of Aktiva Fonder and fund selector at AFAM Funds, pulls no punches as he lays into the banking world's old guard and asks, "When will Google start offering financial products?"

BNP Paribas' Michelle Toy talks diversity and localisation

Michelle Toy, Asia-Pacific head of marketing and communications at BNP Paribas Securities Services, explains the importance of staff diversity and localising marketing content for individual markets.

Programmatic critical to reaching customers early: Dell

Dell's digital marketing and social media lead, SE Asia, Priyanka Nath says programmatic delivers cost-efficiency and effectiveness. With customers typically "60 percent through their decision making journey" before they even contact a vendor, programmatic is a crucial tool to reach them earlier and educate, she says.

Before she's superwoman, she's human, says Tanishq

The film, conceptualised by Talented, highlights how there's an internal and external burden of potential that women face today.

Top 1000 2015: The shifting sands of specific sectors

High-profile sectors see brands constantly battling for supremacy. We asked some keen observers to highlight key struggles and lessons.

Aldi Australia tells us we're special, just like its 'buys'

Work by BMF stares into the vastness of space and the meaning of life, then pulls us back for a good deal.

App developer The Mobile Life sets up shop in Singapore

SINGAPORE – App-developer The Mobile Life has opened an office in Singapore to meet the region’s rapidly increasing demand for mobile apps.

OgilvyAction taps Iris board director as Singapore MD

SINGAPORE - Chris Martell, iris Nation Worldwide board director for Singapore and China, has been appointed managing director for OgilvyAction Singapore.

Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore appoints planning director

SINGAPORE – Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore has announced the appointment of Melanie Cook to the position of planning director.

Naked Communications opens Singapore office

SINGAPORE – Media strategists Naked Communications has opened an office in Singapore, serving as its regional headquarters for Southeast Asia.

Indonesian telco Telkomsel calls media pitch

JAKARTA – Major Indonesian telco Telkomsel has called a review of its media planning and buying business, excluding outdoor media.

PHD Malaysia picks up Papa John's Pizza media business

KUALA LUMPUR - PHD Malaysia has won Papa John’s Pizza media account. The scope of work includes strategy, planning and execution country-wide.

BBDO Guerrero Proximity Philippines appoints new CEO

MANILA – BBDO Guerrero Proximity Philippines has hired Tony Harris, the deputy chairman of RKCR Y&R in London as its new chief executive officer.

Tequila Digital Singapore makes key specialist hire

SINGAPORE - Christopher Wong has been appointed Tequila Digital Singapore’s key projects producer, further strengthening the digital team to deliver breakthrough medium-to large-scale campaigns.

#MeToo: Time's up for Asia's adland

India's #MeToo outpouring could be the prelude to a larger movement across Asia.

Republic of Singapore Air Force debuts new campaign from DDB

SINGAPORE - The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has launched its corporate and recruitment campaign aimed at maintaining its brand appeal and allure of vocations. DDB Group developed a TTL campaign spanning TV, online, outdoor and print

Marina Bay Sands calls media pitch

SINGAPORE – Integrated resort Marina Bay Sands is believed to have called a pitch for its media planning and buying.

UPDATE: CCO James Procter departs Y&R Singapore in restructure

SINGAPORE - Chief creative officer at Y&R Singapore, James Procter has left the agency; Toh Han Ming has been promoted to creative director.

Y&R Thailand wins Sansiri business

BANGKOK - Y&R Thailand has been selected as communications partner for real estate conglomerate Sansiri’s single detached house business, following a two-way credentials presentation.

Google Singapore supports Pink Dot 2011

SINGAPORE - Google Singapore has announced its sponsorship of the 'Pink Dot 2011' event on 18 June.

Pepsi Pinas mini-movie goes viral beyond the Philippines

MANILA - An extended TVC produced by BBDO Guerrero has gone viral for Pepsi Pinas in just three days.

Ogilvy Singapore celebrates quitters in anti-smoking drive

SINGAPORE - Ogilvy Singapore, in partnership with the Health Promotion Board (HPB), has conceptualised a radically different campaign for smoking control.

The Integer Group adds 313@somerset to retail roster

SINGAPORE – The latest addition to the Singapore office of The Integer Group’s growing client roster is prime Orchard Road shopping mall 313@somerset, managed by Lend Lease.

The Account Planning Group convenes in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Over 50 people attended the inaugural meeting of the Account Planning Group (APG) Asia held last week.

OCBC appoints McCann Erickson Singapore

SINGAPORE – Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC) has appointed McCann Erickson following a pitch.

Staff churn set to increase across Asia

ASIA-PACIFIC - The high-level churn of skilled creative talent in Asia is set to get worse before it gets better, according to specialist recruiters in the market.

Staff churn set to increase in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE - The high-level churn of skilled creative talent in Singapore is set to get worse before it gets better, according to specialist recruiters in the market.

DDB Indonesia Group hires new ECD

JAKARTA - Keat Soh has been appointed executive creative director at the DDB Indonesia Group, effective immediately.

Y&R adds planning director in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - Y&R Malaysia has appointed Pi Wo Chia as strategic planning director.

Profero founder heads up new agency Newton Circus

SINGAPORE – Founder and former CEO of Profero Daryl Arnold has set up a new agency in Singapore, Newton Circus, specialising in sustainable business innovation.

Blak Labs goes green for Fuji Xerox Paper

SINGAPORE - Fuji Xerox has launched a new campaign for its range of eco-friendly paper products through new Singapore agency Blak Labs.

Ogilvy Singapore chief of staff heads to Lowe

SINGAPORE - Sarah Maclean is to join Lowe and Partners from Ogilvy Singapore.

P&G calls media pitch in Southeast Asia

SINGAPORE – P&G has launched a review of its media in Southeast Asia to which three agencies, including Starcom and Carat, have been linked.

Starcom Singapore appoints Ray Pak as executive director

SINGAPORE - Starcom Singapore has hired Ray Pak as executive director to oversee a variety of key multinational and local accounts in the agency.

Amobee appoints regional managing director

SINGAPORE - Mobile advertising solutions company Amobee has today announced the appointment of Grant Watts to managing director for the Asia-Pacific region.

Anchor Butter sponsors The Kitchen Musical

SINGAPORE – Following its successful backing of Masterchef Australia, Fonterra’s Anchor Butter brand is official programme partner of The Kitchen Musical.

OMD Thailand lands US$4m OPPO business

BANGKOK - OMD Thailand has sealed the media business for OPPO, Thailand’s best-selling brand of mobile phone.

Muted debut for Blackberry Playbook in Singapore

SINGAPORE – Research in Motion’s (RIM) new tablet, the Blackberry Playbook, had a relatively low-key launch in Singapore last week, compared to its debut in India.

Frontage Inc expands to Singapore

SINGAPORE – Tokyo-based creative hotshop Frontage Inc has opened a new subsidiary in Singapore, Frontage Asia, with Sony Southeast Asia as a key client.

Publicis Singapore appoints new creative director

SINGAPORE - Publicis Singapore has hired Tom Eriksen as creative director. Eriksen was formerly with Swedish digital ad agency Farfar.

Caltex celebrates 75th anniversary with new campaign from Y&R

SINGAPORE - Y&R Singapore has created a major new campaign for Caltex, to coincide with the brand’s 75th anniversary this month.

Lowe and Partners on populist creativity

SPIKES ASIA - Day three of Spikes Asia 2011 saw Lowe and Partners global CEO Michael Wall, and Lowe Philippines ECD Leigh Reyes co-present ‘For the many not the few: populist creativity in Asia’.

Loren Shuster exits SingTel for Google

SINGAPORE – Sources have confirmed that Loren Shuster is leaving SingTel for a Singapore-based role with Google Asia Pacific.

INSIGHT: The value of in-house media expertise

It may not be right for all brands, but in-house media buying and planning is a popular option, despite the risks.

Unilever reviews digital agency roster

SINGAPORE – Unilever is currently reviewing its existing agencies, with a view to formalising its digital agency roster across all brands.

Company founder stars in Y&R Thailand’s latest campaign for Ichitan Green Tea

BANGKOK - Y&R Thailand has launched its latest campaign for drinks company Mai Tan Co to promote a new flavour, Ichitan Organic Green Tea.

VIDEO: Lowe's Vikas Mehta on Southeast Asia's award-winning form

SINGAPORE – Following Southeast Asia’s strong showing at Cannes Lions, Campaign speaks with Lowe Asia-Pacific’s regional growth officer Vikas Mehta.

Kit Ong departs EURO for Y&R

MALAYSIA – EURO RSCG Malaysia executive creative director Kit Ong is leaving the agency and tipped to be heading for Y&R.

Cosmopolitan returns to Singapore after 29-year ban

SINGAPORE - Media agencies and advertisers seem confident that Cosmopolitan Singapore will thrive when it relaunches tonight after a 29-year absence.

Telkomsel concludes digital pitch

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s leading telco Telkomsel has appointed two local digital agencies, Bubu and Narrada, following a pitch handled by R3.

7 marketing buzzwords we want to ban in 2019

SAY CAGENCY AGAIN I dare you! I double dare you!

Blak Labs unveils new TVC for Maybank Singapore

SINGAPORE – Maybank Singapore has launched a new integrated campaign for the Family & Friends credit card, through new agency Blak Labs.

Caltex celebrates 75th anniversary with new campaign from Y&R

SINGAPORE - Y&R Singapore has created a major new campaign for Caltex, to coincide with the brand’s 75th anniversary this month.

UPDATE: Anchor Butter sponsors The Kitchen Musical

SINGAPORE – A sneak preview promo of The Kitchen Musical has been released on You Tube.

SingTel mio kicks off football season with TVC from Arcade

SINGAPORE - SingTel mio TV has kicked off its second season of Barclay's Premier League (BPL) football with a new TVC from boutique agency Arcade.

Ng Heok Seong joins Euro RSCG Malaysia as ECD

KUALA LUMPUR - Euro RSCG Malaysia has appointed Ng Heok Seong as its new executive creative director, following a number of new business wins in Southeast Asia.

Fiona Gordon to helm Ogilvy Singapore, Stephen Mangham to head Indonesia

SINGAPORE - Ogilvy & Mather has announced key management moves with Fiona Gordon and Stephen Mangham to head up Singapore and PT Indo Ad in Indonesia respectively.

Tequila Digital Singapore hires Oz Dean as creative director

SINGAPORE – One of Australia’s top digital creative directors, Oz Dean, has joined Tequila Digital Singapore to boost the agency’s Asia-Pacific focus.

Euro RSCG Indonesia adds Kalbe’s Hydro business

JAKARTA – Kalbe Farma has named Euro RSCG Indonesia as agency-of-record on its Fatigon Hydro-RTD Coconut Water beverage after a competitive pitch.

Leo Burnett Group appoints CEO for Thailand

BANGKOK - On-Usa Lamliengpol, chairman of the Leo Burnett Group Thailand has announced the appointment of Songkran Sethesompobe as CEO, following an extensive search.

Opinion: You can run but you can't hide from social, CSR

John Sinke (pictured), regional marketing manager for Asia at derivatives dealer CMC Markets in Singapore, looks at how social media and online activism will force companies to embrace CSR and become truly transparent.

"An opportunity to get some good people": Tim Isaac on Bates India resignations

NEW DELHI - In an interview with Campaign India, Tim Isaac, chairman of Bates Asia, discusses the challenges, and opportunities, that the exit of two big names brings to the agency.

VIDEO: Media agencies may split: PHD's Mark Holden

ASIA-PACIFIC - In a wide-ranging interview, global strategy director for PHD Mark Holden offers his thoughts on the media industry in 2012 and beyond. Among the predictions is the possibility that media agencies may hive off their real-time bidding arms.