Campaign Asia

Kiko and Baby Kiko launch 'grown-up' TVC in Malaysia

MALAYSIA – Kiko and Baby Kiko have launched a new TVC, created by Lowe Malaysia, to strengthen awareness that Kiko’s clothing for older children is a natural evolution from the Baby Kiko range.

Ruder Finn Asia appoints regional chief development officer

SINGAPORE - Ruder Finn Asia has boosted its management team with the appointment of PR veteran John Mullins as chief development officer to drive growth in Asia.

Macquarie Dictionary's film chronicles birth of a word: 'phubbing'

MELBOURNE - After alerting the world to rail-related dangers, creative superstar John Mescall, is documenting the birth of ‘phubbing’ to help Macquarie Dictionary ignite passion about words.

Nimble shows a new way of borrowing money for unexpected events

AUSTRALIA – Nimble, an online lending company in Australia, has launched a brand campaign to show Aussies how to ‘Nimble it’ with smart little loans when unexpected things happen.

Asia-Pacific affluent travel more, buy more, but remain cautious about financial investments: Ipsos

SINGAPORE – Robust domestic demand, accommodative monetary policies, rapid credit growth and the rebound of capital inflows have driven Asian affluent’s lifestyle, spending and media consumption worth a total investment of US$767 billion, according to the Ipsos Affluent Survey Asia Pacific (formerly Ipsos PAX) launched today.

Involvement with yakuza groups threatens Mizuho brand

TOKYO - Mizuho Bank faces major damage to its reputation at home and globally after accusations of lending money to organised crime.

H&M and Coca Cola among those winning over Singapore’s Generation Y: Influential Brands

SINGAPORE – H&M, Coca Cola and Din Tai Fung are among some of the most recognisable brands to members of the so-called Generation Y (those aged between 18 and 28) in Singapore, according to a study from Influential Brands.

Updated: NTUC FairPrice’s 'pretentious' expat dinner event draws fire

SINGAPORE – When a friendly dinner invite from expats turned out to be a set-up by NTUC FairPrice to promote a new food section, Singaporeans felt cheated and took their criticism online.

Prudential launches regional brand campaign and social-media platform

HONG KONG - Prudential Corporation Asia today launches its latest regional brand campaign, 'I am Prudential', along with a social-media platform, 'Life’s Little Secrets', as it aims to communicate its business philosophy of listening and understanding.

CEO support key to digital initiatives' success: McKinsey

GLOBAL - C-level executives are stepping up their game to drive digital strategies within their companies, and support from senior-management is still key to an initiative’s success, according to a recent McKinsey study.

Effective use of YouTube

ASIA PACIFIC - While some brands are still using YouTube as little more than a place to post their TV ads, others are finding better ways to use the medium to connect with their customers. Here, Campaign Asia-Pacific highlights three brands using YouTube effectively and talks to them about how they make the world's favourite video site work for them.

Vodafone invites consumers to 'Discover the new' global visual brand identity

SYDNEY - Vodafone Australia has launched a multi-million-dollar campaign “Discover the new” to establish a new visual brand identity.

Arcade launches consultancy business with Hiroshi Harada

SINGAPORE - Independent agency Arcade has launched a new Japan-focused consultancy led by Hiroshi Harada, the former regional head of Dentsu Asia.

Bread gets Aussies through daily challenges in campaign for George Weston Foods

SYDNEY - George Weston Foods (GWF) has launched a new campaign for Bürgen bread, “Formulated for Your World”, to show how the product's unique formulation can help everyday people persevere in real-life situations.

GolinHarris and LinOpinion form JV in India

MUMBAI – GolinHarris and LinOpinion, an Indian public relations agency and a division of Lowe Lintas and Partners, have formed a joint venture to deliver enhanced capabilities to clients in the region and internationally.

Crocs selects R/GA Singapore as digital agency for Asia-Pacific

SINGAPORE – Footwear manufacturer Crocs has chosen R/GA Singapore as its regional integrated marketing communications (IMC) and digital agency, without a pitch.

Spikes Asia 2013 kicks off

SPIKES ASIA 2013 - Jurors have a stack of 4,832 entries from 20 countries to get through, and more than 1,800 delegates from 28 countries are expected for the 2013 Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity, which gets underway today.

Kulara Water launches campaign for new mineral water brand in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH – Kulara Water has launched a new campaign for its mineral water brand Eau Kulen.

TAB rebrands betting service with everyman hero

SYDNEY - Western Australia’s TAB has launched a rebranding campaign to show its commitment to a more personalised and rewarding betting experience for its punters.

Jim Beam fleshes out ‘Make history’ campaign plans

SYDNEY - Beam Inc. has launched a global brand campaign, entitled “Make history”, for its flagship Jim Beam Bourbon.

Scoot's virtual flight a crashing failure

SINGAPORE – Scoot's failure to get contest participants boarded on its 'virtual flight' to Sydney due to technical problems has turned its latest marketing campaign into a source of frustration and ridicule.

China’s wired women connect and shop online the most

CHINA – Marketers take note: Technology and social media play a larger role in the lives of China’s women than in other global markets.

Unilever selects Cream as creative agency for Close Up brand in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH - Unilever has chosen Cream Communications Group as creative agency for its oral hygiene brand, Close Up, after a competitive pitch last month.

Southeast Asia leads consumer confidence globally: Nielsen

SINGAPORE – Indonesia is the world's most confident market, while Southeast Asian markets dominate the top 10 ranking of the world’s biggest savers, according to Nielsen’s Consumer Confidence Index for the second quarter.

Mindshare appoints L'Oréal's Winnie Lyn as Taiwan MD

TAIPEI — Winnie Lyn, a GroupM veteran, has rejoined as managing director of Mindshare Taiwan, effective on 1 August.

CASE STUDY: How Piaggio cultivated image of 'originality' among Vietnamese youth

Piaggio, an Italian manufacturer of scooter, ran a digital campaign for its flagship motorbike, the Liberty Italia, aligning the product with Vietnamese young people's desire to stay true to themselves.

Thailand's Pruksa launches first thematic campaign in two decades

BANGKOK – Pruksa, a property developer in Thailand, has gone the extra mile for brand building with its new cross-platform campaign ‘Mind beyond invention’.

Adelaide tells unexpected story with winemaker Justin Lane in new short film

ADELAIDE - In a film atypical of tourism advertising, the South Australian Tourism Commission has invited winemaker Justin Lane to reveal the quirky and unassuming side of Adelaide.

CASE STUDY: How VivoCity brought QR codes to life

VivoCity, Singapore’s largest retail and lifestyle destination, used QR codes in a fun way to engage shoppers and increase sales during the 20th annual Great Singapore Sale (GSS).

Effective Measure appoints global CMO, expands into new markets

MELBOURNE - Effective Measure, a provider of media planning, audience profiling and digital metric solutions, has appointed Lizzie Babarczy as global chief marketing officer as the company hatches plans to enter six new markets, including two in Asia-Pacific, by the end of the year.

WeChat partners with Chatime to offer rewards worth over US$1.8 million

KUALA LUMPUR – WeChat has partnered with Chatime, a lifestyle tea provider in Malaysia, where customers can redeem digital coupons through WeChat and purchase one million cups of Chatime worth more than US$1.8 million.

Consumers in China, India want more sharing by brands: Edelman

HONG KONG – A majority of people in China (91 per cent) and India (82 per cent) want brands to be more open and sharing, but about 75 per cent think brands are doing it wrong, according to a new Edelman consumer study.

Newspapers, music and grocery shopping top Malaysians’ weekly to-do list: GfK

MALAYSIA - An online survey by GfK shows that reading the newspapers (82 per cent) is the most common weekly activity in Malaysia, followed by listening to music (63 per cent) and grocery shopping (56 per cent).

Robert Harvey becomes CEO of Aegis Media New Zealand

NEW ZEALAND - Robert Harvey’s newly created CEO role at Aegis Media New Zealand brings new challenges to provide leadership for the company’s eight agencies and more than 80 staff in the country.

Electrolux sparks imagination with vacuum-cleaner art

BANGKOK – Electrolux, collaborating with renowned Thai artist Chalit Nakpawan, has seemingly created a piece of art using its new vacuum cleaner, the Electrolux UltraCaptic.

Virgin Money uses funny home videos to sell insurance

SYDNEY - Virgin Money has come up with a new approach in selling its insurance policies by adopting a series of funny home videos in a new campaign for its Income Protection and Life insurances.

CASE STUDY: How Ebara coaxed children to eat vegetables with games

Ebara and Beacon/Leo Burnett Tokyo created integrative games to add fun for children to eat vegetables.

Adidas immortalises fans' defeat at hands of NBA star Dwight Howard

MANILA - When NBA player Dwight Howard visited the Philippines, Adidas created a one-of-a-kind 'autograph' session for fans.

Brands risk a crisis when they sideline communications teams

ASIA PACIFIC - Organisations in the region risk failure in a social media crisis unless they stop sidelining their corporate communications teams and give them a seat in the boardroom.

Digital and localisation are key to success in hospitality: Outrigger

SINGAPORE - With a recently opened beach resort in Phuket, Outrigger Enterprises Group is planning big in Asia Pacific. Sean Dee, the brand's global CMO, talks about how the lodging and hospitality company focuses on being a local expert and using digital tools to drive its expansion.

Time Out Tokyo aims to strengthen brand with print edition

TOKYO – Time Out Tokyo has launched a print edition after four years of operation as a purely online publication in an effort to build the brand and extend content to new audiences in the Japanese market.

Instagram moves to monetise: Ad format of the future?

GLOBAL - Instagram's new ad format, which gives users the ability to comment on, like or hide 'sponsored' posts, is receiving a mostly positive reaction, although Asia’s marketing industry may have to wait to experience the format firsthand.

Video content strongest influence in online travel planning: Google

SINGAPORE – Half of travelers in Asia Pacific use videos in the research process, and videos have an even greater impact on decision-making in emerging markets (80 per cent) than mature markets (70 per cent), according to Google’s Travel Study Insights.

Nissan Pathfinder keeps a seat for the underdog

MELBOURNE – Nissan Australia has launched a campaign, created by Whybin\TBWA Melbourne, for the relaunch of its flagship family SUV, Nissan Pathfinder, in Australia.

Newly merged Smart Axiata launches brand campaign in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH – Smart Axiata, a mobile service provider in Cambodia, has launched a new thematic brand campaign.

Lexus calls on Dentsu for Vietnam entrance

HO CHI MINH CITY – Lexus has officially entered Vietnam and appointed Dentsu Vietnam, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dentsu Network/Asia, as creative agency to spearhead the launch.

Skyscanner shows how sexy travel search could be

SINGAPORE - A new campaign from flight search engine Skyscanner targets the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand with three videos featuring the imaginary exploits of a would-be ladies' man in various international cities.

Red Rooster launches RoosterRaps with fun campaign in Australia

SYDNEY - Red Rooster, an Australian fast food chain, has launched its new range of wraps—‘RoosterRaps’, with a humorous TV campaign.

The Austin defines lifestyle through art in micro-films

HONG KONG – The Austin, a luxury property development in Hong Kong, has released a series of micro-films showcasing the development's 'intrinsic' artistic lifestyle.

Audi quattro takes on 'challenges' of driving in Singapore

SINGAPORE – While you might not consider Singapore a challenging place to drive, Audi is showcasing how its four-wheel-drive technology surmounts urban obstacles in a new campaign.

Bovine inspiration: Moove Media chooses 'Happy Cows Happy Hearts' winners

Moove Media launched its 'Happy Cows, Happy Hearts' campaign in May with a Facebook photo contest aimed at celebrating Singapore as a 'City in a Garden' and promoting graciousness and kindness. The campaign featured 600 'Happy Cows' and 1,200 'Happy Hearts' placed around the city. People stood a chance to win prizes if they shared photos of themselves with the cows and hearts. Last Friday, Moove Media announced the winners at a 'Snap Happy Cows & Hearts Live Judging' event.

Vodafone and Samsung encourage Aussies to recycle 'obsolete' tech

SYDNEY - Vodafone and Samsung have launched a new campaign, supported by activation events, that encourages Australians to recycle gadgets that apparently are no longer needed thanks to the Samsung Galaxy S4 and Vodafone’s new 4G network.

Unilever and JWT tie hair into bows to promote Cream Silk

MANILA - Unilever’s Cream Silk put on a concert where violinists used bows strung with human hair to demonstrate the power of the brand's Hair Fall Defense conditioner.

Australian Federal Government launches jobs-plan campaign

SYDNEY – The Australian government has launched a new campaign focusing on innovation, growth and business expansion to support its ‘Plan for Australian Jobs’ initiative.

PR agencies adjust identities for digital times

ASIA PACIFIC - As brands increasingly seek integrated approaches to campaigns and marketing strategies, PR agencies have been revamping their organisations in order to meet clients’ changing needs, as well as attract more varied talent.

RCL cruise invites customers to Instagram 'film festival'

SYDNEY - Global cruise brand Royal Caribbean International (RCL) has lauched an Instagram-hosted social media 'film festival' as part of its ‘Designed for WOW‘ national brand-awareness campaign.

BPAY View launches campaign featuring ‘human letterbox’

SYDNEY - BPAY, an Australian payment service, has launched a new advertising campaign featuring a neglected mailbox in order to raise awareness about its electronic bill presentment service, BPAY View.

Access creativity in China with a business mindset: Anomaly

SPIKES ASIA 2013 - Taking on the negative perception some have about creativity in China, Richard Summers, head of strategic planning at Anomaly Shanghai, discussed a different breed of creativity in China, which comes from commerce and entrepreneurship.

Ad agencies must explore new lines of business: Hakuhodo

SPIKES ASIA 2013 - In an example-laden presentation, Hakuhodo executives Morihiko Hasebe and Kentaro Kimura challenged agency leaders to follow their lead in looking for potential lines of business beyond traditional advertising.

Notch and Riverorchid form joint venture to expand across Indochina

HO CHI MINH CITY - Notch, a Vietnam-based digital agency, has formed a joint venture in Vietnam with Riverorchid, Indochina's specialist communications network, effective immediately.

Stay independent, stay collaborative: Independent Agency Showcase

SPIKES ASIA 2013 - Three independent agencies—thenetworkone, Goodstein and ComZone—used the Independent Agency Showcase to present their work and talked about how they transform great creative ideas into business for brands.

Cheil Worldwide launches Good Company Solution Centre focusing on CSR

SEOUL – Cheil Worldwide has launched a consultation service aimed at advising clients on CSR.

Social-network Mig33 refreshes features and look, builds brand partnerships

SINGAPORE - Mig33, a Singapore-based social-networking platform, has refreshed its brand identity and is launching a 300-character miniblog function while it works to connect brands with its 70 million users.

Web series inspired by South Korean dramas promotes Samsung in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR – Samsung has launched 'Wind chimes in a bakery', a web series inspired by South Korean dramas, to promote its Galaxy S4 smartphone in Malaysia.

Prudential invites children across Asia to sing in a virtual choir

ASIA PACIFIC – Prudential has launched a new initiative for its children’s financial literacy programme in Asia, inviting children to sing along with Cha-Ching, a popular cartoon band.

Brands in Asia should boldly go where digital and physical worlds collide

ASIA-PACIFIC - Brands in Asia should not be afraid to use new technology to grab the attention of the region's digital-savvy consumers, say industry experts.

CASE STUDY: How Dong Wha Pharm lured young customers through a CSR campaign

SEOUL - Dong Wha Pharm, a South Korean pharmaceutical company, promoted its flagship product ‘Gas Whal Myung Su’, a gastrointestinal remedy, to young customers through a corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign and eco-friendly junk art exhibition.

Asia loves mobile video, but vouchers and coupons still get more clicks: Initiative

SINGAPORE - While Asia's mobile consumers watch and share video at higher rates than their counterparts around the world, vouchers and QR codes still represent the most effective brand touchpoints, according to a study by Initiative.

Roads less travelled reach rural consumers

AUDIENCE TARGETING: Brands looking to sustain growth by tapping into rural areas cannot rely on clever digital marketing to reach their target audience.

Edaran Tan Chong Motor selects Draftfcb Malaysia for Nissan Grand Livina relaunch

KUALA LUMPUR – Edaran Tan Chong Motor, a sales and marketing company that distributes Nissan vehicles in Malaysia, has chosen Draftfcb Malaysia to relaunch the Nissan Grand Livina model.

Carlsberg kicks off BPL partnership with digital campaign

SINGAPORE - Carlsberg Singapore has launched a digital campaign for its newly signed three-year deal to be the official beer of the Barclays Premier League (BPL) through the 2015/16 season.

Economy concerns high among Asia-Pacific consumers: GfK

SINGAPORE – Consumers are showing increasing concern over economy-related matters due to the slowdown in a number of Asia-Pacific markets, according to a global survey by GfK.

P&G blue boxes bring positive change to ordinary Japanese

TOKYO – Procter & Gamble has launched The Pantene Effect: A Japan Story, a brand-focused video, to showcase how Pantene products make changes to the daily lives of ordinary Japanese.

StarHub sings it loud, and in Singlish, for Singapore National Day

SINGAPORE - In celebration of National Day 2013, StarHub, Singapore’s info-communications provider, has partnered with DDB Singapore and the celebrity blogger Mr Brown to invite Singaporeans to share what makes them proud to be Singaporean—up to and including speaking 'Singlish'.

Manulife launches 3D campaign in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH - As Manulife Cambodia celebrates its first anniversary in the country, the insurance company has launched a new 3D branding campaign, created by Cream Communications Group.

NZI uses 'Devil's Chair' to highlight small business risks

NEW ZEALAND - New Zealand Insurance (NZI) has launched a brand campaign to enlighten business owners about unforeseen risks.

MST launches campaign to raise awareness of organ donation in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Society of Transplantation (MST) has launched a new campaign “Live On” to raise the public's awareness and understanding of organ donation as the number of donors is on the fall.

AAMI’s new ad lends a twist to Rhonda and Ketut’s love affair

SYDNEY - Rhonda and Ketut’s love affair continues, as AAMI has launched a new campaign for its safe driver rewards product.

R U OK? starts quirky conversations to help prevent suicide

SYDNEY - R U OK? Foundation, a suicide-prevention organisation, has launched an outdoor and digital advertising campaign to encourage Aussies to get creative with talking to their friends and family members who may be struggling with life.

Times are changing for luxury watch brands

SECTOR STUDY: Evolving tastes and a government crackdown on extravagance have ended the Swiss watch joyride in China. What can local and foreign brands do to build loyalty.

Brands must put mobile at heart of marketing strategy: MMA Forum

SINGAPORE - Although privacy and security remain concerns, 90 per cent of brands and agencies predict a substantial rise in budgets for mobile marketing in the next 12 months, according to a survey conducted by Warc for the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) Asia Pacific, in partnership with the Festival of Media Asia 2014.

Southeast Asian mobile users turn to mobile ads for content: MMA & Vserv

Sophie Chen