The devastating comms impact of a Trumpian social-media age
With uncertainly looming over social media, PR heads lament the rise of misinformation and emphasise the endurance of earned and owned media.
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‘Endless brand growth on a finite planet is a suicide pact’: Maren Costa
Marketers have the power and influence to tell consumers to consume less for the sake of the planet. Yet, the measures of present-day brand success don’t incentivise marketers to do so, argues climate activist Costa in a fiery opening keynote at Campaign 360.
Why Snap’s creative chief is doubling down on ephemeral content
EXCLUSIVE: Veteran creative and former W+K leader Colleen DeCourcy on Snapchat’s new brand positioning, why the company is ‘anti-social media’, the benefits of in-housing, and more.
How plant-based brands are localising in Asia
Amid the boom of plant-based meat substitutes and drinks in the region, local brands are finding distinctive ways to adapt to the diverse palates and needs of regional consumers.
Chinese beverage company under fire for implying its product can enlarge breasts
The brand has been fined twice before for ‘obstructing social public order or violating good social customs’.
Ogilvy Asia co-CEOs on the shift of ‘great’ creativity, tech layoffs, and more
EXCLUSIVE: Chris Reitermann and Kent Wertime sit down with Campaign Asia-Pacific to ponder the future of creativity in a sales-driven environment; the effects of tech layoffs for the agency world; and the unavoidable embrace of sustainability consulting.
Kyoko Matsushita named CEO of WPP Japan
The global CEO of Essence will take on a new leadership position in her home base of Tokyo following the merger of Essence and MediaCom.
Are consumers tired of ‘awareness’ messaging on Earth Day?
Consumers are plenty aware of the severe repercussions of climate change; yet brands continue to go down the ‘awareness’ route to compensate for tangible action.
FCB Malaysia rebrands as owners create new holding company
Shaun Tay and Ong Shi-Ping have revamped the Malaysia network as a challenger agency to suit their “no plan B attitude and feisty personalities.”
Behind Sprite’s first-ever global rebrand
Following WPP’s ‘unprecedented’ US$4 billion deal with Coca-Cola, Sprite launches a monumental global campaign. Brand and agency teams discuss this tireless months-long process.
Why marketers are aggressively building in-house teams
CAMPAIGN360: Marketers at HP and FairPrice argue the pros of in-housing, particularly in digital capabilities such as performance and media-buying.
TSLA’s design practice launches creator index
The index spotlights multidisciplinary Asian creators across the region and is made publicly available and free-of-charge for all.
Mother launches internal initiative to limit ‘relentless’ pitching
Pitch It Forward will enforce the network to donate all of its profits from the first year of retained fees with a new client.
How the year’s best Raya ad was made
The founders of Layar Lucida on challenging Raya ad tropes, their favourite Raya campaigns of yesteryear, and what late legend Yasmin Ahmad means to them as young Malay women.
Is your company doing enough to be diverse and inclusive? Tell us
Campaign Asia-Pacific and Kantar invite you to take our anonymous survey to assess the industry’s pursuit of diversity, whether intersecting with gender, age, race, physical ability, or any other factor.
Running a charity is expensive. This winning Young Spikes team came up with a vivid reminder
Would you go halves on running a charity the way you would a restaurant bill? That simple, clever idea from a promising duo at BBDO Shanghai won gold at the Young Spikes PR competition.
‘Too many meetings’ and ‘non-urgent work’ causes of overtime: PRHK
The PR industry in Hong Kong is clear about the causes and consequences of overtime, yet a majority of them are not communicating their frustrations to their managers, according to a survey.
PROI opens free 24/7 client crisis hotline
A free consultation service for those who are targeted in misinformation and fake news.
Campaign asks: How comfortable are you working on fossil-fuel accounts?
SPOT SURVEY: Agency talent are increasingly vocal about working on ‘problematic’ accounts. But do they feel safe speaking up? Do agencies give employees a choice? We’d like to hear from you.
Why do so many agencies continue to work with fossil-fuel companies?
The devastating impact of fossil fuels to our planet is undeniable—yet a majority of agencies continue to promote and sustain the ‘dirty energy’ sector with no immediate sign of backing away.
Agency talent willing to leave agencies that work with fossil-fuel clients
If research shows that people are hesitant to work with clients that don’t align with their values, how are agencies managing differing moral choices among employees?
‘We can’t just copy-paste elements from the West’: Chair of PRCA’s DEI committee
Chair of the newly launched DEI committee Charu Srivastava discusses localising the DEI agenda, the importance of holistic change beyond policy, and why inclusive agencies can be a magnet for talent.
Former Visa marketer on skills to survive the talent crunch
Anita Kanal, former VP of customer marketing for Visa, on evergreen skills that survive the talent shortage; and whether talent should be encouraged to move horizontally.
Cringe-worthy or actually funny? April Fool’s gags from brands
A plastic Batmobile? A koala on duty? An alcohol-filled mattress? The gags are out in this year’s April Fool’s roundup.
Ebiquity acquires competitors Media Path and Media Management
The consultancy aims to become a “fully integrated world leader” with this move.
Creative veteran at Dentsu Japan departs for school principal role
Takashi Fukuda says that leading a group of students in a public school requires similar creative heft to that of his role as creative director.
What would a Twitter edit button mean for brand safety?
SOUNDING BOARD: Agency folk spill on Twitter’s proposed edit button and how it could affect brand accountability.
Where are the women in creative PR roles?
A dearth of women in creative roles can greatly affect communications and narratives being pushed out, according to PR leaders.
TBWA HK calls agency leaders to step up for ethnic minorities
The agency launches a toolkit that can be scaled across any agency or industry and calls on leaders to do their part for minority youths in Hong Kong.
Behind Semafor’s ‘radical’ digital news offering
Justin Smith, CEO of the soon-to-launch global news publisher, and executive editor Gina Chua on how the company is ‘reimagining’ publishing for global and regional audiences.
Women to Watch 2022: Celebrating outstanding talent in marcomms
Presenting the 40 inspiring and innovative women representing a diverse range of markets and industries, who are the Women to Watch class of 2022.
Patagonia gives away company: Is this real brand purpose?
The apparel-maker made news this week for giving away its US$3 billion company towards climate-change efforts. We ask comms pros if this should set an example for other corporations.
AAMS announces new leadership and members
The association names a new president, and will debut a Pitch Best Practice guide to shift mindsets on pitching.
How a pharma company created an in-house creative team from scratch
Unlike many brands that take a hybrid approach, this company is committed to a 100% in-housing model. The GM of marketing tells us how it’s done.
Why DBS wants to be seen as a tech startup rather than a bank
DBS marketer Karen Ngui on the brand’s new regional campaign, pushing ‘startup values’, and prioritising presence marketing.
The biggest brand fails of 2021
YEAR IN REVIEW: Our annual look at the brand disasters and slip-ups that dominated headlines this year.
6 PR agencies to watch out for in 2022
These agencies mirror the growing need for personalised and thoughtful communications that centre around purpose, inclusivity, and sustainability.
What will define corporate PR in 2022?
Experts in the region express what communicators and corporate leaders should prioritise this year amid an increasingly fractured business and social environment.
‘A complete mess’: Novak Djokovic saga causes reputational damage
PR pros weigh in on the poor communications practice that led to confusion and anger ahead of one of the sporting world’s most-watched tournaments.
‘Meritocracy and equity are not interchangeable’: Mediabrands DEI head
Dharesheni Nedumaran on the lack of understanding around equity, creating actual safe spaces for employees, and why local historical context is extremely necessary.
The best purpose campaigns of 2021
YEAR IN REVIEW: PRWeek asked five APAC industry pros to pick the best purpose-driven work they saw during the year.
Audi and M&C Saatchi accused of plagiarism in new ad
The Audi film—featuring HK star Andy Lau—is under fire for word-for-word similarities to a poem constructed by a Chinese influencer on Douyin.
How Ogilvy Taiwan paired dementia and fashion
PR AWARDS ASIA: Who knew there could be a link between dementia and left-behind clothes at the dry cleaners? Read about how the agency team conceptualised this Grand Prix-winning campaign.
Diversity is a priority in workplaces; but employees want pay parity
EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH: Based on Campaign Asia-Pacific’s annual study in collaboration with Kantar, policymaking and awareness are high on the agenda for the marcomms industry. Yet, inequitable salaries, workplace stress, and gender-related harassment remain largely unchanged.
Does adland overemphasise awards when hiring creatives?
Creative leaders in the region question whether the industry should prioritise awards tallies when looking for creative candidates.
How design thinking can solve systemic business problems
SPIKES ASIA ACADEMY: Michael Tam, the global design director at IBM, shares the value of design thinking in large enterprises and how it could unlock solutions to issues such as inclusivity and sustainability.
Behind Marriott Bonvoy’s first APAC campaign
Marriott Bonvoy’s marketer Julie Purser on the brand’s new ‘Here’ campaign—conceptualised by TSLA— and why it’s a reminder of the unscripted moments travellers miss when on holiday.
‘Australian agencies are reinforcing an Anglo-Celtic image’: Jen Sharpe
The founder of comms agency Think HQ speaks on the dangers of having one dominant group in agencies, and the importance of weighing socio-economic backgrounds and language in hiring practices.
Australian comms agencies perceive diversity as not urgent
TOP OF THE CHARTS: A study showed that agency makeup and ways of working have a long way to go to reflect Australia’s actual cultural diversity.
Special Group and Optus are high-achieving partners in ANZ AOY awards
This year’s ANZ results credit the independents while larger networks DDB and Ogilvy also scoop wins along the way.
Apple holiday ad tugs on heartstrings—but not too tightly
A sweet girl-befriends-snowman tale directed by a famous father-son film director duo.
Risk of talent bleed in APAC for lack of diversity: WFA census
The APAC results from WFA’s first-ever DEI census reveal worrying factors of discrimination and a higher-than-global average of willingness for people to leave their companies—or the industry—if things don't improve.
How brands are failing to connect with millennial mothers
Millennial mothers in Asia are voicing their needs, accomplishments and worries unlike any previous generation. Yet brands are not sensibly tapping into this group.
SO Sofitel opens doors in Auckland
The property is touted as 'the' place to be seen among city slickers.
Lazada Singapore CMO on merging live experiences with online events
Jason Huan, chief marketing officer for Lazada Singapore, opens up about the aggressive online events space and effectively engaging with consumers and brands.
Creating meaningful content is hard work, but it's the 'secret'
Event360 recap: Making sure your content resonates with delegates is so much more than the actual content – it's everything in the room that can help your content shine.
Defining 'internationalisation' through events
Pico+ and George P. Johnson are among the agencies responsible for overseas brand activation activities and business forums for Chinese brands.
Penang steps up its game in business events
The combination of a hybrid solar-powered convention centre, heritage shophouses, and a vast array of street food is positioning the popular northern Malaysian city as a unique destination.
Suntec Singapore opens 24/7
The meetings and conference centre makes the bold move of permanently unlocking its front doors.
Case study: i Light Marina Bay festival
A sustainable light festival in Singapore dazzled visitors with impressive installations and curated, brand-centred hubs.
Kaohsiung gears up for business event visitors
Nature trails, fishing expeditions and waterfront cafés await in this charming port city.
Malaysia Business Events Week to tackle "change" in industry
The theme “Our Future by Design: Embracing Change” will be carried throughout the event.
Wellness and meetings merge
Small introductions like an eye mask or a neck massage between meetings can make a difference.
Kuala Lumpur to welcome CitizenM hotel
In November, Kuala Lumpur will be only the second city in Asia—after Taipei—to welcome a citizenM property.
Malaysia sets sights on legacy and impact
“When we talk about legacy and impact, it’s beyond CSR."
“Too early to tell”: Tourism NZ on the impact of Christchurch terror attack on events
"Overseas clients can support New Zealand by continuing to share their kind words of support and thoughts with those affected."
Photos: Lynk & Co creates ‘immersive’ race experience in Japan
A fleet of cars were tested on the speedway, with media members following close on a safari-style bus so that they could feel the driving force of the new car.
Are event budgets taking a hit in China's economic climate?
Freeman's Kestrel Lee talks about the sectors in which event budgets are falling—and rising.
Photos: Vintage cars get royal treatment at Cartier auto show
The biennial event in India was held in Jaipur this time.
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge to bring in more events
The historic bridge will pave the way for increased commerce between the cities.
PCMA highlights key trends for the year
“What is scary – and maybe fun at the same time – is by 2022, our smart devices will know more about our emotional state than your actual family.”
Tourism NZ’s new campaign highlights ‘hidden gems’
It’s time for events to move outside of Auckland.
FIRST announces new regional director for APAC
The new hire was previously serving as executive creative director for Freeman where she launched FreemanXP.
Penang wins ICCA’s first-ever APAC summit
The state beat out the likes of Bangkok and Singapore in the bidding process.
Karen Bolinger departs Melbourne Convention Bureau
The bureau delivered its most successful years on record under Bolinger’s leadership.
Business as usual for Grand Hyatt Singapore after fire
Meeting clients were given the option to postpone or cancel appointments at Mezza9, but other schedules weren’t heavily affected.
Photos: Formula 1 launch event in Melbourne
Questions for the teams were crowd-sourced via fan channels, and the event culminated in an ‘ultimate selfie’.
3 out-of-the-box brand activations at SXSW
From an immersive Game of Thrones world to a 'tree' that serves beer from its branches.
Manchester United scores in China with experience centre and app
The club continues to flex its muscles in China where its fanbase tips over 100 million.
Eventbrite integrates with Facebook in Singapore
The new end-to-end checkout process built into Facebook will mean more buy or sell value for event creators and users.
Live-streams becoming more interactive: Auditoire
The new GM for Auditoire Hong Kong on the evolving importance of live-streaming.
Bali welcomes Kempinski property
For meetings facing the beach, the pillar-less grand ballroom can host up to 900 delegates.
Brisbane debuts new flagship event
Curiocity—a new major event in Brisbane—saw city-wide science and tech activities across 20 days.
How it really works... visual recognition technology
AIQ CEO: "We feel that vision tech is going to come to a point that it will replace our day-to-day behaviours."
Association meetings can greatly benefit local communities: GainingEdge
All it takes is a sense of goodwill and a bit of pre-planning.
This hotel in Bangkok reduced their F&B costs by going organic
A lesson that making sustainable choices could help your bottom line.
Data-driving event design is huge in China this year: Freeman
China ECD Kestrel Lee on how data collection is a driving force for the physical elements of event design.
It's the agency's job to understand brand vision: Mattel Brands
The VP of creative for Mattel Brands on client-agency relationships and what they look for during pitches.
Sharia law controversy: “Tourism boycott in Brunei will not help anyone”
"The solution that celebrities and the international community are proposing will more than likely be ineffective."
"We are lucky in Brisbane – tropical, beautiful blue skies"
Brisbane is gaining clout over the years with a string of regional and global events – not least because of its rapid infrastructure developments.
Yes, VR can be used in pre-production too
VR in the consumer space is not a new thing – but planners too are jumping on the bandwagon.
Gold Coast attracts nearly half of Queensland’s events market
Sun-kissed beaches really do help, we suppose.
Taiwan brands regain trust as food scandal paranoia wears off
Local food corporations are quickly and surely upping their marketing to regain consumer confidence after the 2011 food safety scandals.
More marketers see value in brand experience centres
Brand experience centres are tapping into consumers' basic need for physical, and oftentimes visceral, retail experiences.
BMW flaunts tailored menswear and live body art at launch party
An exclusive event (and curious live performance) in Hong Kong resulted in over 70 pre-orders for the brand’s Luxury Class models.
Gap in knowledge about inclusivity at events: MPI
Some still believe that inclusion initiatives are “just about being politically correct”.
Half of attendees not booking through room block: report
Why are conference attendees shying away from booking through conference organisers?
Will Japan's numbers dip after 2020 Olympics?
Latest ICCA rankings were dominated by Japan, but is it just a temporary high?
Hotels shouldn’t be how we define them today: Sonia Cheng
A shift in travel trends is indicated by the rise of social clubs and co-working spaces.
Sustainable events: Let's talk about food waste
Event venues are responsible for churning out thousands of meal covers in a short span of time - it's time we think about all that wastage.