HO CHI MINH CITY - Campaign Asia-Pacific’s MediaWorks, with a real-time brief from client Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, concluded in Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend, with a record number of delegates taking part.
SYDNEY - Havas Worldwide has agreed to take a 51 per cent stake in one of Australia's largest independent agencies, Host.
SYDNEY - Tourism Australia has appointed OMD for its global media services account, covering media planning and buying, search marketing and optimisation, and social media marketing. It will take over from Carat from 1 July.
INDIA - Creativeland has helped to make Audi's win in the 24-hour Le Mans race doubly sweet, creating an online version of the event that attracted over 400,000 participants.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Tom Carroll, president and CEO of TBWA Worldwide, speaks exclusively with Campaign about the emerging markets of Asia, and China in particular, saying "ten years from now, you'll be writing the rules".
GLOBAL - Hyundai is undertaking what will be the largest consumer co-creation project of its kind in the automotive sector for the launch of its Veloster coupé.
FRANCE - France has banned local journalists from referring to specific social networking sites at the end of programming. The government says closing programmes with phrases such as 'follow us on Twitter', represent unfair endorsement of private profit-making entities.
GLOBAL — National Geographic channel has announced a new sponsorship deal with Panasonic. It will see a special programming block focused on United Nations Education, Cultural and Scientific Organisation world heritage sites across Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Australia.
GLOBAL - LG has clarified its digital arrangements after one agency asserted that it had been chosen as the group's agency-of-record.
Aegis Media has promoted Luke Littlefield to be CEO of Aegis Media Pacific. He'll lead the 950 staff working across the group's Australia and New Zealand offices.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Just one week into the job, newly appointed regional CEO for Saatchi & Saatchi Chris Foster talks to Campaign about his priorities for the agency and his focus on building leadership, creativity and, ultimately, growth.
SINGAPORE - Chris Foster, former Saatchi & Saatchi CEO for Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, is returning to the region after a stint in the US.
TOKYO - Public relations network Weber Shandwick is expanding its coverage of the Japanese healthcare sector, and has appointed Kazuhiro Hoshi as senior vice-president of the division.
SHANGHAI: BBH China has officially parted ways with LG Electronics, having handled global campaigns for the Korean multinational since winning a pitch in 2007.
GLOBAL - Australia, Japan and Singapore were the big Asia-based winners at last night’s D&AD Awards in New York.
GLOBAL - 73 per cent of CEOs think marketers "lack business credibility" and are not the business growth generators they should be, according to damning research by the Fournaise Marketing Group.
KUALA LUMPUR - Johnathan Wong, former director of channel distribution for Celestial Pictures, has signed on with Al Jazeera, as its new head of distribution for Asia.
SHANGHAI - UK agency Cedar Communications has set up a partnership with a local Chinese firm, and will this week launch a lifestyle magazine for retailer Tesco.
CANNES - BBDO Worldwide has been named the world's most effective network, after the inaugural Effie Effectiveness Index was unveiled today. BBDO's parent Omnicom was found to be the most effective advertising holding company.
HONG KONG - Business Insider magazine has contracted international digital ad sales provider Ad2One to lead sales efforts in Asia for its website, www.businessinsider.com.
LONDON - The Engine Group has announced the appointment of Jonathan Peachey to the newly-created role of chief operating officer. He will work closely with the global communications group's other top brass to build its presence in Asia in particular.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Sethipong Anutarasoti has been appointed as corporate affairs director for BMW Group Asia, effective from 1 July. He will be based at the group's regional headquarters in Singapore.
PARIS - Qatar Airways has launched a new television advertising campaign, highlighting its growing range of destinations and award-winning cabin crew. Developed by Batey, the spots are directed by cinematographer Michael Buckley.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Data security, systems and storage provider Symantec has extended its relationship with Havas agencies MPG and Media Contacts, signing them on to the regional media account for its Norton consumer brand.
TOKYO - Aegis Media Group has agreed to acquire full-service Japanese digital agency Filefix.
MELBOURNE - Australian startup agency CumminsRoss has won the strategic and creative duties for Fonterra's beverages, dairy desserts and yoghurts business after a competitive pitch.
HONG KONG - Long-serving television producer and creative director Bill McQueen has taken on a key creative role with Uniplan in Hong Kong.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Daniel Simon, the newly-placed chief operating officer for Mediabrands in Asia, says he’s working to stop the turnover in leadership staff and return the group’s reputation to where it deserves to be.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Bloomberg BusinessWeek will launch an Asia-focused edition of the news and current affairs magazine, with the first copies available in early 2012.
A growing tendency to focus on short-term trends and tactical goals risks weakening brand equity. Paul Howell examines the pitfalls for marketers.
HSBC’s Giles Morgan explains the growing value of sporting sponsorships, and why the bank is targeting golf and rugby events in particular.
DETROIT - General Motors' global US$3 billion media pitch won't include the business for China and India, but there's still plenty of prizes in Asia.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Strategic communications provider Financial Dynamics Asia-Pacific has rebranded in line with its parent company FTI Consulting.
NEW YORK CITY - JWT New York is to lead a global marketing campaign for the US after winning a pitch against two undisclosed agencies.
ASIA-PACIFIC – Marketing financial services can be a tough task, but no more so than in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis. That's when Julie Lyle signed on as chief marketing officer for Prudential Corporation Asia.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Market research provider GfK has promoted Frans Janssen to the role fo executive managing director for the Asia-Pacific region. His appointment is one of three key promotions for the start of the year, each in line with the company's new "Own the future" global corporate strategy.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Global research provider Forrester has released a new study on social media adaptation around the world. The results show some of the world's keenest users are in China and India.
SINGAPORE - The Singapore Media Development Authority, together with Nanyang Polytechnic, has launched an assistance service for the city-state's game developers.
PARIS - Havas has reported 5.1 per cent revenue growth (year-on-year) for the third quarter, led largely by its Asia-Pacific division.
GLOBAL - Marketing research network Warc is seeking out the world's best example of innovation in communications work.
SINGAPORE - Carol Campbell has joined Lowe and Partners' Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore, as global planner for the agencies' Clear and Close-Up accounts with Unilever.
SYDNEY - A team of STW Group executives have launched a new marketing communications agency, named Bohemia.
ASIA-PACIFIC - The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has retained two of its three key marketing partners in this region, as air-traffic from Asia to the US' "Aloha state" looks set to increase significantly. But change is afoot in the vital Japan market.
SYDNEY - Rob Atkinson, the chief operating officer of Clear Channel UK, has been appointed interim chief executive of Clear Channel's Adshel joint venture in Australia and New Zealand.
SYDNEY - Innocean Australia's latest TVC effort for Kia
AUSTRALIA - Hyundai Motors Australia has launched its i40 Touring model, with a dramatic and visual campaign that looks to highlight the group's design credentials.
ASIA-PACIFIC - The region now hosts more than 420 million multichannel TV connections, according to the latest market research from CASBAA.
SINGAPORE - Independent agency Iris has signed on six new staff for its creative ranks, all joining this month and reporting to creative director Subha Naidu.
JAKARTA - Stephen Mangham has resigned his position with Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) Indonesia, just over one month in to his new role there. Executive creative adviser Gary Caulfield will also depart, with newly-appointed President of O&M ASEAN (Southeast Asia) David Mayo relocating to Jakarta to help fill the void.
COLOMBO - BBDO Worldwide has officially opened its first stand-alone agency in Sri Lanka, aiming to take advantage of its booming economy and increased international investment.
SEOUL - Kenneth Hong, director of LG's global communications group, reflects on the company and working in the unique Korean market.
SHANGHAI – WPP has teamed up with the Shanghai Art & Design Academy (SADA) to establish the WPP School of Marketing and Communications within the campus.
MELBOURNE - Creative agency Spinach has added a digital gaming element to its new campaign for First National real estate, creating the 'Real estate rumble' game for iPhone users.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Fresh from officially opening its first office in India last week, Ruder Finn Asia Pacific chairman Jean says further expansion – both there and across the Asian region — is on the cards for the independent PR network.
ASIA-PACIFIC - 134 entries have been shortlisted for this year's Digital Media Awards Asia. The winners will be announced on 9 November.
GLOBAL - Brands are still failing to build distinctive social identities, a new study by Weber Shandwick and Forbes Insights has found.
GREATER CHINA - Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese shoppers are among the world's biggest users of coupons and discount deals, a new global research report has found.
ASIA-PACIFIC - GolinHarris has signed former Unilever marketer Simon Ruparelia to lead its digital offering across the Asia-Pacific region.
UNITED STATES - Microsoft, Yahoo, and America Online (AOL) have formed a strategic alliance in the premium display ad market in the US, facing off against the growing power of both Google and Facebook. Analysts say the model could also take hold in Asia.
BANGKOK - Mediahub Access, an online marketplace that aims to bring media owners from emerging markets together with content producers from around the world, will hold its first live marketplace in Thailand next year.
TOKYO - Ruder Finn has formed a partnership with Japan's largest independent PR consultancy, Kyodo PR.
GLOBAL - Philips has split its estimated US$100 million worth of media duties between incumbent agency Carat and newcomer MPG.
GLOBAL - In line with its new brand positioning of 'new thinking, new possibilities', Hyundai has embarked on a unique digital content campaign featuring the inner-most thoughts of a range of international celebrities.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Discovery Channel is set to relaunch its associated magazine across Asia-Pacific this week.
PERTH - Western Australian agency Block has teamed up with paper manufacturer Spicers to create a whole new way of creating paper designs and art supplies.
SINGAPORE - International PR firm Mulberry Marketing Communications has made a full acquisition of Singapore agency Red Dawn Communications.
DELHI - Ogilvy Delhi has been awarded the India Ministry of Tourism creative account, following a multi-agency pitch.
SYDNEY - Advertisers in the Australian market are expecting to increase their main media spending by 3.8 per cent in 2012, according to the latest Starcom Mediavest Group Media Futures survey. But media agency executives put the likely growth rate at just 1.7 per cent.
ADELAIDE - Former co-creative directors for BBDO Clemenger Adelaide Geoff Robertson and Greg Knagge have opened a new boutique agency in the South Australian capital.
TOKYO - The event still has a few days to run but the biggest winner from this year's Australian Open tennis championship may well be Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo, whose sponsorship of Kei Nishikori is already seeing strong results.
ASIA-PACIFIC - OgilvyOne and its regional executive creative director John Jakubowski have parted ways, with the high-profile recruit having served less than a year with the digital network.
MUMBAI - Promotional and shopper marketing agency the Integer Group has opened an office in Mumbai, in partnership with TBWA.
SYDNEY - Whybin\TBWA\Tequila, alongside Mediacom, has launched a new campaign for NRMA Insurance under its "Experience the difference" brand positioning. This one highlights the many vehicular "extras" that other insurers don't cover.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Craig Smith, chief operating officer across Asia-Pacific for Marriott International, says the hotel group puts a lot of resources into ensuring its campaigns are targeted and effective.
ASIA-PACIFIC - In the first of a four-part series exploring Asia's media industry at the close of 2011, Barney Loehnis, head of digital for Ogilvy & Mather in Asia-Pacific, says the year has been one of important, but largely invisible technological change.
KUALA LUMPUR - Maxus has confirmed its win of the L’Oréal account in Malaysia.
ASIA-PACIFIC – Ogilvy and Mather has unveiled several big changes at the top of its organisational chart in Asia-Pacific, including two new positions on its executive council for the region.
LONDON - Former Saatchi & Saatchi CEO in Asia-Pacific Ian Rowden has resurfaced in the top global marketing role for the Virgin Group.
SINGAPORE - Tim Love, CEO of Omnicom Group Asia-Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa, says there are concerns that overregulation of media industries around the world could prove counter-productive.
SPIKES ASIA – In a wide-ranging live interview with Campaign Asia-Pacific’s Atifa Silk, global CEO of the Omnicom Group John Wren offers his thoughts on the network’s outlook, its position in the ongoing battle for creative talent, and the importance of Asia in a faltering world economy.
SINGAPORE - Alex Kwon, creative director of Cheil Worldwide Korea, says agencies working in Korea have to understand the key facets of local lifestyles and adapt their campaigns accordingly.
SINGAPORE - Organisers have confirmed a record number of entries for this year's Spikes Asia festival, which kicks off on Sunday 19 September.
SHANGHAI - Measured media advertising spend in China is expected to grow to US$54.2 billion this year, according to a new forecast by GroupM China.
SINGAPORE - It doesn’t matter where you are early next week. All the news, views, and pictures from Spikes Asia 2011 will be available via the festival’s new application for the iPad and iPhone.
SINGAPORE - This year's Spikes Asia festival of creativity will feature a number of strong networking opportunities, including the opening night reception sponsored by TBWA.
SYDNEY - FremantleMedia has appointed Ian Hogg as its new Asia Pacific CEO. The former CEO of FremantleMedia Australia alone will continue to work from the group's Sydney office.
ULAANBAATAR - Ogilvy PR has signed an exclusive strategic alliance with Mongolian firm Breakthrough PR, giving it unique access to a market it says is poised for dramatic growth in the near term.
AUCKLAND - Air New Zealand's corporate reputation has improved among local consumers over the past year, with many noticing the airlines efforts in response to the two Christchurch earthquakes and the Pike River mine disaster.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Microsoft Advertising has looked to the wider group to fill its regional sales director role for the Southeast Asia region with the appointment of Ken Chang.
GLOBAL – Iris has launched a new social media content division to produce fast and effective online content to topical issues and trends.
ASIA-PACIFIC – Spikes Asia has announced Crispin Porter + Bogusky's Jeff Benjamin and GroupM's Mark Patterson as jury heads in the digital and media categories respectively.
MELBOURNE - Grey Group has announced a new executive creative director at its Melbourne office, with Michael Knox set to switch from fellow WPP agency Ogilvy Melbourne.
GLOBAL – Aegis Media has created a new senior global management role, appointing John Murray as president of its digital action group – a new initiative that aims to influence the media practice of all companies in the Aegis Group.
JAPAN – New I&S BBDO Japan research, compiled in the wake of Japan’s earthquake disaster, has found how consumer preferences change during large-scale emergencies.
SEOUL – DDB has appointed Adrian An to head its creative teams in Korea as executive creative director.
SINGAPORE - Grey Group Singapore has boosted its regional creative stocks, bringing industry veteran Steve Clay in to the fold as its new regional creative director.
ASIA-PACIFIC - Havas' Rémi Babinet and Wunderman's Daniel Morel have been announced as the first two jury presidents for this year’s Spikes Asia Advertising Festival.
GLOBAL - German cosmetics giant Beiersdorf is realigning its well-known Nivea brand of products as part of its 100th anniversary. The skincare brand is set to spend over US$1.4 billion in getting the message out.
HONG KONG - Cathay Pacific's decision to delay the second phase of its global campaign, in light of a series of lewd photographs of airline employees, was an effective and prudent one, PR leaders in Asia say.
AUCKLAND - New Zealander Andy Fackrell will be returning to his homeland in 2012, to take up a year-long contract as executive creative director for DDB New Zealand.