Campaign Brief Asia

Diageo parts ways with The Monkeys - hands business to lead roster shop Leo Burnett, Sydney

2012-05-31T06:51:42Z

Only 15 months after CB revealed that Diageo had awarded the prized Smirnoff account to The Monkeys after a shootout with 303 Sydney, the liquor giant has parted ways with the agency, handing The Monkeys' slice of the business to lead roster agency Leo Burnett, Sydney.

Diageo's other brands include Johnnie Walker, Bundaberg Rum, Baileys Irish Cream and Guinness.

The Monkeys CEO Mark Green said: "It is unfortunate but sometimes that is how things pan out. We would rather play a bigger role with our clients because that is where we are most effective and we welcome new opportunities in the category."

Diageo marketing director Matt Bruhn said: "We've been working with the Monkeys for about 15 months and have used a two above-the-line agency model - also using Leo Burnett. The Monkeys handled global brand advertising and there was not enough work to stretch them as an agency. The Monkeys is an amazing agency, always looking to create amazing work. Doing global adaptations simply was not inspirational for them. We wish them well."

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Saurabh Varma elevated to the role of Chief Strategy Officer at Leo Burnett Asia Pacific

2012-05-31T03:40:00Z

Saurabh Varma, currently chief strategy officer for Leo Burnett Singapore and Malaysia has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer for Leo Burnett Asia Pacific.

In his new role, Varma (left) reports directly to Jarek Ziebinski, President, Leo Burnett Asia Pacific, and oversee all heads of strategy and planning directors across all Leo Burnett Group offices in Asia Pacific. He will also continue as a member of the Leo Burnett Worldwide HumanKind Standards Board.

"Saurabh's new role is all about supporting us on our mission to build the agency of the future," said Ziebinski. "In order to continue our growth momentum to evolve into a modern integrated communications company, we need to continue to deliver even more value for our clients through brilliant strategic thinking, which inspires cutting edge creativity that impacts behavior of people and building HumanKind brands. These are the key reasons why we need someone like Saurabh, positioned at the regional level and entirely focused on this vision. He will be responsible for making sure that we have the most talented thinkers in all planning disciplines across markets of Asia Pacific and that they are properly trained and well-equipped with all HumanKind tools and processes. This will help us further develop integrated planning and effectiveness culture. It will also allow us to continue to grow our business in all possible dimensions."
A post graduate in Communications, Varma, who has been with Leo Burnett since 2007, has over 14 years of experience working across multiple categories including retial, FMCG, banking and finance and consumer durables. In the last two years Varma has won more than 40 awards including the Effie Gold, the Appies Gold, the Grand Prix for Direct Marketing, the most effective media campaign at Hall of Fame, 2 Gold Lions at Cannes, the Grand Prix at the ADFEST, the Viewers' Choice Award (MediaCorp) amongst others. In 2010 Varma was awarded the 'Strategic Planner of the Year' at the 'Hall of Fame'.

"It is a great privilege to partner Jarek and lead close to 100 incredible planners and strategists in Leo Burnett across Asia Pacific," said Varma. "My ambition is to make Leo Burnett the strategic partner of choice for our clients in Asia Pacific. An outstanding strategic product is key for us to continue our momentum and be the fastest growing and most creative network in the region."

In line with the appointment, Leo Burnett will also be launching a Regional Effectiveness Council, headed by Varma, which will comprise key Effectiveness leaders overseeing sub regions of Southeast Asia, North Asia, India and Subcontinent and Australia.

"As one of the region's creative powerhouse that top leading global creative rankings and award shows, we want to more effectively prove the value of our ideas and reinforce the culture of effectiveness throughout the network. This new Regional Effectiveness Council is our commitment to achieving this goal," said Varma.

Varma also represents Leo Burnett Asia Pacific on the Leo Burnett Worldwide's Global Planning Board.
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Creativeland Asia wins two Grand Prix and three Golds for the work on Hippo at the FAB Awards

2012-05-31T02:54:55Z

Creativeland Asia won two FABulous awards (equivalent of Grand Prix) for 'Plan-T', the campaign created by Creativeland to help Hippo track inventory through social media (Twitter), at the recently concluded FAB Awards in London. The Grand Prix were awarded in the Advertising/ Integrated/ Sales Promotion/ Direct/ Collateral and POS/Best Use Of Media category and also in the Mobile/ Digital/ Interactive/ Non Traditional category.

The FAB Awards is an international Creative Awards programme focused entirely on work done for Food and Beverage brands.
The campaign also won FAB awards (equivalent of Gold) in Best Use of Media, Best Use of Technology and Social Media. Apart from having won accolades and awards, the Hippo campaign has been presented as case study in institutions and seminars including TWTRCON for 'The most innovative use of social media'.

Sajan RaJ Kurup, Founder & Creative Chairman, Creativeland Asia, said he was extremely delighted with the news of their golds and grand prix.

"To win it at a prestigious global award alongside the best in the category makes the win even sweeter," he said.
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Dentsu Group establishes a new digital agency in Singapore to expand its digital business in Asia

2012-05-31T02:33:59Z

Japanese giant Dentsu Inc has established a new digital agency Dentsu Mobius Pte. Ltd., in order to respond to growing client needs for Internet and other digital advertising as well as to increase the Group's digital presence in the Southeast Asian region. The new company has been established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Dentsu subsidiary Dentsu Asia, which oversees business operations in the region. Dentsu Mobius will begin operations in Singapore on June 1, 2012.
Against the backdrop of an accelerated growth rate in the digital markets of Southeast Asia and increasingly intense competition among advertising agencies in the region, Dentsu established Dentsu Mobius as a specialist digital agency to bolster the Group's presence in the digital domain and achieve dynamic growth that outperforms the market. The increasing demand by the market for a full service digital agency and recent high profile digital business wins for Dentsu in the region prompted the set up of Dentsu Mobius.

Through its Digital Media department which focuses on performance-based search and other related direct response digital services, and its Digital Solutions department which provides digital production, social, mobile and CRM solutions, Dentsu Mobius will leverage the unique strengths of the Dentsu Group to develop integrated, cohesive, end-to-end solutions for its clients. Looking forward, the new company will play a core role in the Group's digital business in Asia, and, through cooperation with the other agencies under the Dentsu Network umbrella, contribute to the overall expansion of the Group's digital business.

The company will be managed by Angeli T. Beltran (currently Executive Regional Director at Dentsu Asia) and James Hawkins (currently Executive Director, Performance Marketing at Dentsu Asia).
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One Show releases shortlist for Entertainment Awards; BBH Asia Pacific net two finalists

2012-05-30T23:11:36Z

BBH Asia Pacific has two of Asia's total of nine finalists at this year's One Show Entertainment awards. BBH's finalists were both for Singapore Tourism Board. Other agencies to get single shortlists were Hakuhodo Kettle Tokyo, JWT India, Ogilvy Beijing, Party Tokyo, W+K Shanghai, Saatchi & Saatchi China and Leo Burnett Bangkok.

The prestigious Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencil awards will be revealed June 13, 2012, when the advertising and the Hollywood entertainment communities gather for the awards presentation hosted by "Supersize Me" and "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" filmmaker Morgan Spurlock at the new Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, CA.
Conceived and produced by The One Club, One Show Entertainment is the first and only awards competition dedicated to honoring the agencies, production companies, network/cable TV channels, film studios and clients creating and producing branded entertainment. Since its launch in 2008, the awards competition has grown in industry popularity, this year more than doubling submissions, with entries received from 35 countries across the globe.

Top One Show Entertainment finalists by country ranking are:

USA - 112
Australia - 15
Canada - 8
UK - 8
Germany - 6

"Today's consumers are actively seeking out compelling and engaging branded entertainment," said Kevin Swanepoel, president and interim CEO at The One Club. "It makes perfect business sense that advertising agencies have adopted this new strategy and expanded their offerings, joining forces with media and entertainment companies to create and distribute more branded entertainment across devices, from TV and motion picture screens to mobile phones."

A complete list of all One Show Entertainment finalists can be found at www.oneclub.org
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OCBC's Frank says "be yourself"

2012-05-30T22:53:57Z

Frank is a new way to bank brought to the populace of the shopping powerhouse that is Singapore by OCBC. Working with the creative team at McCann Singapore top New Zealand animation company Yukfoo has cranked up the motion graphics department in this tale of how everyone is different, from how you dress, smell, think and ultimately bank.

VIEW THE SPOT

The Yukfoo team, under the tutelage of Director Julian Stokoe, has taken graffiti stylings from the walls and streets (not, we would imagine, the streets of ultra clean Singapore) onto the screen in this spot promoting individualized banking with Frank. Yukfoo's Executive Director Glen Real said "Getting the youth excited about how they bank has never been that easy so OCBC has put together a visually innovative package with Frank that speaks their language and here at Yukfoo we did what we do best - made it move."

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Submissions from China and Malaysia make the shortlist for $10,000 Warc Prize for Innovation

2012-05-30T22:46:29Z

Case studies from Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser and GlaxoSmithKline are among the six entries shortlisted for the $10,000 Warc Prize for Innovation. The shortlist comprises campaigns from China, Colombia, Iceland, Malaysia, Romania and the United States. They feature Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser), Febreze (Procter & Gamble), Polident (GlaxoSmithKline), Rom, the Romanian confectionery brand, Promote Iceland and the Colombian Ministry of Defence.

The six have been selected from a total of 70 submissions for the cash Prize which is awarded by Warc, the global marketing information service, for the best case study to demonstrate effective innovation in communications.

Prize Chairman Jonathan Mildenhall said the highly international shortlist showed the globalised nature of innovation in the communications industries.
Mildenhall, The Coca-Cola Company's vice president, global advertising strategy and content excellence, said: "These six shortlisted cases demonstrate that innovation today is truly borderless, found from Iceland to China, Malaysia to the US. Conversation around great, innovative work and impressive results crosses geographies. It is truly a liquid world we live in."

The Prize was free to enter and open to case studies featuring any country, sector, type of communications discipline and budget range. It will be awarded next month by a panel of industry experts headed by Mildenhall.

He added: "The Prize judging discussions have underlined how important it is for brands to have a clear purpose for innovation, and to incorporate this at every stage of their communications from initial insight to post campaign learnings. There is a worthy winner of the Warc Prize here, and I look forward to announcing it very soon."

Here is the full shortlist including brand and agency details:

American Rom (Romania)
Brand: Rom
Brand Owner: (Kandia Dulce)
Agency: BV McCann Erickson

Dettol: Messaging Interrupts, Utility Delights (China)
Brand: Dettol
Brand Owner: Reckitt Benckiser
Agency: Advocacy WOM, China

FARC: Operation Christmas (Colombia)
Brand Owner: Colombian Ministry of Defence
Agencies: Lowe SSP3, Lowe and Partners

Febreze: Breathe Happy (USA)
Brand: Febreze
Brand Owner: Procter and Gamble
Agencies: Grey, MSL, SMG, PWW

Kilauan Emas: Breaking the shame barrier and improving the lives of sceptical
denture wearers (Malaysia)
Brand: Polident
Brand Owner: GlaxoSmithKline
Agencies: Grey Asia Pacific and Maxus

Promote Iceland: Inspired by Iceland (Iceland)
Brand: Promote Iceland
Brand Owner: Icelandic Government
Agency: The Brooklyn Brothers, Islenska
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'CommBank Can' is the slogan behind new Commonwealth Bank campaign via M&C Saatchi

2012-05-30T13:16:27Z

'Commbank Can.'

That's the new brand positioning that launched this week in Australia, with billboards, print and digital sites changing to finally reveal that Commonwealth Bank and their agency, M&C Saatchi Sydney were indeed behind 'CAN'T', as CB Bloggers have known since Monday.

The new positioning was designed to be simple, fresh and flexible enough to highlight the bank's numerous products, innovations, customer service and technological advancements.

VIEW THE 'ODE TO CAN' SPOT
Andy Lark, Commonwealth Bank Chief marketing and online officer, explains further: "Before embarking on this campaign, we conducted significant research. This research told us that Australia is at a turning point as a nation. As such, there has never been a better time to speak directly to the Australian public about what they can do and the role CommBank can play in making that possible.

"Australians are looking to banks to help them move forward and we will be letting all Australians know that with Commbank, they can. Can is simple, it's powerful, but most of all, it succinctly sums up what we stand for as Australia's most technologically advanced financial services institution, with a principal focus on excelling in customer service."

M&C Saatchi worked alongside the bank to provide a complete repositioning that stretched from typefaces and colour palettes to the decision to be simply known as 'Commbank' - a moniker already used by the Australian public.

The campaign's launch commercial features Australian actress Toni Collette explaining the new positioning in a spot designed to stand out with simplicity and humanity.

(Incidentally, the emotional 'Ode to Can' poem was written in only a few hours by M&C Saatchi creative director Andy Flemming.)

Says M&C Saatchi regional creative director Tom McFarlane: "This is more than just another line.It's an attitude that taps into the zeitgeist.I suspect a little inspiration, a bit of optimism and some leadership might be welcome out there right now.'

The commercial airs on all major networks and can be activated on smartphones from News Limited newspapers by holding them over the bank's iconic diamond.

Following the launch, directors such as Paul Middleditch and Steve Ayson and, indeed, some of the world's largest and most exciting companies quickly bring the new positioning to life with creative that highlights the bank's unique apps and innovations.

Says M&C Saatchi Sydney Executive Creative Director Ben Welsh: "It's not very often that the work that you present in a pitch gets to make it to air intact, but what you'll see over the next few weeks is pretty much what we presented in January."

'Ode to Can'

Regional Creative Director: Tom McFarlane
Executive Creative Director: Ben Welsh
Writers: Tom McFarlane, Ben Welsh, Paul Dunne
Verse: Andy Flemming
Art Director: Ant Larcombe.
Senior Account Director: Renee Hyde
Head of Television & Content: Rod James

Production Company: Exit Films
Director: Paul Goldman
Producer: Leah Churchill-Brown
Editor: Dave Whittaker (The Editors)
Flame compositor: Stu Cadzow (FSM)
Sound: Song Zu

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Getty Images launches new watermark

2012-05-30T13:04:40Z

Getty Images has made an innovative change to its traditional watermark.

The redesign sees the Getty Images watermark that is so familiar to content users now replaced with a more subtle, side-aligned icon that provides customers with vital information at a glance, and quick URL to license the image.

You can learn and explore more about the new watermark at Getty Images watermark
Gone is the old watermark which many saw as an obstructive barrier. By rethinking how the vital information that each image carries is communicated, Getty Images and R/GA London have transformed the watermark into a helpful tool. The new watermark, which is live from today, has been introduced across Getty Images' entire online stills collection, which encompasses more than 52 million images spanning creative and editorial content and highlights a more open, innovative and respectful way to highlight each image's information.

Says Jim Gurke, senior vice president, marketing at Getty Images: "We are very excited to introduce our new watermark, which was produced in collaboration with R/GA London and is the result of months of research and discussion with our customers and development team. During the beta phase, customer feedback was overwhelmingly positive and it was clear that the old watermark was seen as more of a hindrance than a benefit."

Gurke adds: "We seized this as an opportunity to turn the watermark into a positive and industry-innovating tool, which we believe will greatly benefit our customers. Our new watermark now reflects what Getty Images is all about - sharing inspiring content while adding context and value. Furthermore, it also streamlines image sourcing, making it easier for our customers to access our content quickly and effectively."

The new watermark will:

Display custom URLs which incorporates image number codes along with the URL, which offers customers a simple resource to find the image
Celebrate our photographers and contributors
Enable the image to be viewed as a whole, transforming a barrier into a benefit
Streamline image sourcing for customers

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Your signature is more powerful than you think - Amnesty International releases symbolic film 'Ink' directed by Cyrille de Vignemont for TBWA\ Paris

2012-05-30T11:51:24Z

Amnesty International has released a new film directed by Cyrille de Vignemont for TBWA\ Paris.

The video wanted to show that signatures were a powerful symbolic weapon to protect victims but also to neutralize government sponsored torture.

WATCH THE VIDEO

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Andrew Lok set to leave BBDO Shanghai

2012-05-30T06:40:41Z

BBDO Shanghai's creative director Andrew Lok is leaving the agency at the end of June.

Campaign Brief Asia hears Lok (pictured left) is taking a break from the industry to travel and then his intention is to return to China at the end of the year to do a start-up.

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JWT appoints Melissa Crucillo as Manila CEO

2012-05-30T06:10:02Z

Melissa Crucillo has been appointed CEO at JWT Manila.

Crucillo, who will start her role on August 15, joins JWT from OgilvyOne Philippines, where she serves as managing director for three years. Prior to her role with OgilvyOne, Crucillo was Country Marketing Manager for the Philippines, and later South East Asia Category Business Lead, for Nike.

She has also also worked for Levi's Philippines, BBDO and Saatchi and Saatchi.

"I am delighted to welcome Melissa on board as our new Manila CEO. She has what it takes, both personally and professionally, to guide our team in this key, leadership role," said Michael Maedel, President, JWT Asia Pacific. "We all look forward to working with her."
Crucillo's strong industry background, and her digital experience, complements JWT Manila's management team, which includes Miriam Pangan, Client Services Director, David Ferrer, Executive Creative Director, Jeff Sulit, Chief Finance Officer and Executive Planning Director, Pam Garcia.

"Meli is a close friend and a great talent and she has earned this step up to run one of our sister companies," said David Mayo President Ogilvy ASEAN. "Of course we will miss her greatly but this is a good opportunity for her and she will remain a part of our extended family. We wish her well and I know she will succeed."
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VML Qais helps fans 'timejump' on Facebook

2012-05-30T05:47:38Z

Digital agency VML Qais has achieved highest ever engagement for Sony Pictures Singapore by gamifying Facebook's new timeline feature, sending fans 'timejumping' like their favourite characters in Men In Black 3.

The aim was to gamify Facebook's timeline feature, exploiting it in a fun and entertaining way so that users could better engage and interact with the content. The campaign gave customers an incentive to delve into the Sony Pictures Singapore timeline and experience much more content.
The campaign started with call to action 'The Men In Black Want You' on the Sony Pictures Singapore Facebook page featuring the iconic still image of the movie's three main stars. Clicking Like gave fans access to a hunt for clues across time, mirroring the movie's storyline in which J 'timejumps' back to meet partner K in his younger years. By manipulating the page's Facebook timeline, fans embarked on Missions like #1 'Locate Jeffrey the worm'. The first instruction: "You must TIME JUMP to 1 July 1997 for the first clue. Go!" led fans on a hunt through the site's timeline, culminating in the location of the alien and a surprise for the most engaged fans. Five such missions were set during a two-week period.
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China Southern Airlines prepare for the A380

2012-05-30T05:32:23Z

Y&R Guangzhou has produced a new TV commercial for China Southern Airlines to highlight the benefits of flying on their new A380 aircraft.

The TVC, entitled 'Preparation', showcases the wonderfully different flight experience awaiting them on-board the A380.

VIEW THE SPOT

The advert demonstrates the differences of the A380 service, from the on-ground safety checks, beautiful cabin staff and state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system - to the spacious interior, excellent cuisine and pilots on the flight deck.

A catchy beat and lively rhythm provides the soundtrack to stunning shots of the aircraft, flight crew and happy passengers enjoying the new superior experience on-board the A380. The international music style also serves to distinguish China Southern Airlines' brand image from other, more domestic, airlines in China.

The largest airline in Asia, China Southern Airlines is launching the A380 as part of its global growth plans.

"We are very excited by the positive response this TVC has received so far. The A380 is a very important factor in China Southern Airlines' increasing international expansion, we feel the tone and feel of this advert really distinguishes CSN from its competitors and reinforces its status as the region's biggest airline," said Michael Xia, Chief Executive Officer, Y&R Guangzhou.

Credits - Creative Director: Dicky Mon. Senior Art Director: Li Jian. Copywriter: Eddie Wang. Designer: Xie Yi Cheng.

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Staying cool while bouncing on air

2012-05-29T03:46:56Z

The air experts don't just study air they play with it in this TVC from McCann Erickson New Delhi for Usha Fans.

VIEW THE SPOT

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Ted Lim joins Leo Burnett Singapore as CCO

2012-05-29T03:30:46Z

Ted Lim has been appointed Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett Singapore. Lim, one of the most reputable creative leaders in the Asia-Pacific region, was with Naga DDB for two decades before leaving to start his own marketing communications agency WANTED.

Commenting on the appointment John Kyriakou, CEO, Leo Burnett Group Singapore said, " In filling this role, we conducted a very thorough search for someone who is aligned with our focus on creativity and innovation. I spoke to a number of great candidates and was heartened to receive tremendous interest from around the world. With the help of Mark Tutssel, we finally decided on Ted Lim, from just across the border in Malaysia. Ted has all the qualities we looked for in a CCO. He has the respect of all the clients and agencies he has worked with, and is a naturally gifted creative talent who knows how to win when it comes to business and awards. He has nurtured many successful creative directors along the way, which are the best testaments to his strengths in building departments and individuals. Beyond all that, he's just a genuinely nice guy. I have now spent quite some time with Ted and I couldn't be more thrilled. He really is the right person at the right time for us."
"Ted is one of the most respected creative leaders in the Asia Pacific region. He is an outstanding talent, with real business acumen. I am delighted he is joining Leo Burnett", said Mark Tutssel, Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett Worldwide.

"Singapore is definitely one of the most important markets in the region. Our office here plays a very strategic role for our key clients. We need mature and well-rounded creative leader to oversee our talented team and deliver against high expectations. With Ted's impressive track record, I am confident that he will lead Leo Burnett Singapore to realize greater creative ambitions and business growth. He will also be a valuable addition to our Global Product Committee team which has led us to consistent success creatively across the globe." said Jarek Ziebinski, President, Leo Burnett Asia Pacific.

An English Literature graduate, Lim joins Leo Burnett from his own marketing communications agency WANTED which worked with clients, creative, digital, design, media and production agencies in Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Sydney. Prior to that, he spent 20 years with Naga DDB in Malaysia, helping the agency to win and grow over 50 accounts including DiGi, Perodua, Panasonic, Astro, Nippon Paint, Tourism Malaysia, Carlsberg, Mamee, BMW, Malaysia Airlines, Hong Leong Bank and Prudential Assurance.

The bread-and-award winner led Naga DDB to three Agency of the Year titles on the back of Malaysia's first D&AD Yellow Pencil, 5 Cannes Lions, 4 Clio Awards, 2 One Show Pencils, the country's only Asia-Pacific Effie, numerous AdFest and Spikes trophies. Naga DDB is Malaysia's most consistently awarded ad agency in the last decade.

One of the most respected executive creative directors in the Asia-Pacific region, Lim has chaired and judged prestigious advertising award shows in New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo and Istanbul.

He headed the Malaysian Chapter of AWARD School and lectured at DDB University. Copywriters and art directors who worked with him are now creative directors in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. The New York-based One Club appointed him recently as their ambassador for The One Show in Malaysia.
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Naked beauty captured through the lens

2012-05-29T03:13:23Z

When you stay real and true to yourself it's the most beautiful thing that you can do.

In this TVC from Communication W Hong Kong, naked beauty is captured with the Canon G1X.

VIEW THE SPOT

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Spikes Asia names first three jury presidents

2012-05-29T02:48:08Z

Spikes Asia, the regional event for creative excellence in advertising and communications for Asia, has announced the first three jury presidents set to take the helm at the 2012 Festival.

Amir Kassaei (left), Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide, will lead this year's Film, Print, Outdoor & Radio and Integrated Jury. Kassaei has gained experience with agencies such as TBWA Worldwide, Barci & Partner and Springer & Jacoby before joining DDB as Chief Creative Officer and Associate Partner of DDB Germany in 2003. In 2011, he was appointed DDB Worldwide Chief Creative Officer. He and his team are recipients of more than 2,000 national and international awards including 40 Cannes Lions in the past five years.

Kassaei has made it his personal and professional mission to ignite a new creative revolution at DDB and for the industry as a whole. Amir is advancing innovative practices in the profession including The Power of Branded Networks and The Impact of Social Creativity that drive incredible performance for DDB clients.

Commenting on his appointment Kassaei said, "It is a great honour to be leading the jury this year. I am looking forward to a lot of innovative and inspiring ideas of international endurance. Asia is going to play a very important role - not only in terms of the economy, but also in creative terms - for our industry and for business overall."
Heading up the Media Jury will be Dominic Proctor, President, GroupM Global.

Proctor oversees the management of the company's global media agencies worldwide, which in addition to Mindshare, include Maxus, MEC and MediaCom. Prior to his role at GroupM, Proctor served for fifteen years as CEO of Mindshare Worldwide. He started his career at Everett's in 1979 before moving to JWT where he quickly progressed through from Media Director to Managing Director until at 34 years of age he became the youngest Executive to be named CEO.

In 1997 Proctor launched Mindshare Worldwide which grew to become one of the world's leading media agency networks, with 97 offices in 67 markets and in 2010 global billings of more than $27billion (RECMA).

"Running the world's biggest Media Investment agency is a real privilege," said Proctor. "Our agencies are all World Class. There is no doubt that this sector has gained hugely in importance as the media landscape has become much more difficult to navigate. One thing that reflects that importance is the quality of entries into the industry awards. Spikes is no exception."

Tina Manikas, Global Retail & Promotions Officer, Draftfcb, will preside over the Direct and Promo & Activation Jury.

Specialising in brand-building and behaviour-driving activation in all its forms, Manikas' 25+ year distinguished career has seen her become a recognised leader in the industry and seasoned presenter on trends and insights at retail and integrated forums. At Draftfcb she oversees retail marketing and activation efforts worldwide with an international account portfolio including Beiersdorf, Kraft, Motorola, Brown-Forman as well as U.S. based blue-chip clients MilkPEP, Taco Bell and Del Monte.

For several years, Manikas has led Draftfcb to be ranked number one in Promo Magazine's Promo 100 and to the Hub's Top Twelve Shopper Marketing Agencies list. Under her leadership the agency's activation campaigns have earned over 80 honours.

"I am very honoured to be heading up the Direct and Promo & Activation jury at Spikes this year," said Manikas. "I look forward to seeing all of the fabulous entries and I'm excited to help the region continue to set the bar for great work."

Terry Savage, Chairman of Lions Festivals said "Year on year we're seeing Spikes Asia grow in all directions, from entries to delegates to the level of content, meaning that the Festival is firmly established as the must-attend regional event for the industry. To ensure that it remains so, and that it stays as a true reflection of the industry and region, it's crucial that we have the right people involved. All respected in their fields, Amir, Dominic and Tina have been chosen for their proven achievements and their clear ability to determine the best in creativity and set precedent within the region."

Entries and Delegate registration for Spikes Asia are now open, with anyone registering before 1 August 2012 benefiting from the early bird rate. For further information on the Festival and how to register, click here.

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JWT Vietnam lands digital win for Unilever

2012-05-29T02:38:36Z

JWT Vietnam has been tasked with the digital responsibilities for Unilever Vietnam's key brands in hair care, skin cleansing and laundry categories.

The agency won the assignments after an exhaustive review process initiated by Unilever to step up their digital presence in Vietnam. JWT is also Unilever's global creative agency on multiple brands.

"Digital is increasingly becoming a key engagement tool for our brands and we want to ensure that we have the best partners working for us," said An Bellemans, Unilever Vietnam's VP for Beauty and Media, who headed the review committee.
Vietnam has one of the fastest growing internet usages in Southeast Asia, and is the fourth highest in terms of internet penetration. Online advertising expenditure in this country continues to grow with increasing traction from consumers. Given the country's predominantly young population, markedly high literacy rates and a matching penchant for technology, digital has become a key channel of choice for leading consumer marketing companies.

This win reflects JWT Vietnam's enhanced focus on digital in Vietnam. "Our renewed offering is all about brand building with consumer-centric digital specialism at the core, using a number of our global and local group assets in digital," said Saby Mishra, CEO of JWT.

"As Unilever's partner we are excited about this win because it challenges us to think in new, interesting ways about these brands - to unlock local market growth, think platforms, not just a commercial or a campaign."
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TBWA\SIngapore's Creative Director Mel Du Toit to spearhead VISA's regional creative direction

2012-05-29T02:20:15Z

TBWA\Singapore's creative director, Mel Du Toit (pictured), has extended his portfolio to take on VISA's regional creative initiatives.

Du Toit joined TBWA\Singapore as Creative Director in July 2011, responsible for the global creative development of all SIA communications in 36 countries.

In his new, expanded role he will work with TBWA's international offices across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, Central Europe and African (APMCA) regions to lead the creative output for VISA's major regional and global campaigns. He has also been tasked with mentoring the current creative team in the APMCA region.

"Mel's talent and experience will be an invaluable resource across our fastest growing region, for both VISA and for the development of our young creatives," said Philip Brett, President of TBWA\Asia Pacific (South and Southeast Asia).

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LongXi Awards 2012 Call for Entries

2012-05-28T04:25:59Z

Entries for the LongXi Awards 2012 are now open. Registration and entries (except for submission of 3 dimensional entries in certain categories of Design and Catch) are available online.

For details, please visit LongXi official website.

LongXi Awards is the only Chinese language Advertising Creative Awards recognized by two of the most authoritative global creative annual rankings: The Gunn Report and The Big One. The winners will also get extra points in the annual creative ranking tabulated by the Longyin Review.

Deadline for submission is June 29, 2012.

The 2012 LongXi Awards include some new ideas including:

New categories developed for outstanding creative work
A new award - LongXi Social Engagement Award
New VI and website designed by SenseTeam

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Everywhere in the world is only an inch away

2012-05-28T04:25:06Z

Vodafone via Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai sent a ruler to its customers. However all the inch marks were replaced with famous landmarks from across the world, indicating that with their lower international calling rates nothing is far away.

Credits - National Creative Director: Rajiv Rao. National Creative Director: Abhijit Avasthi. Group Creative Directors: Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha. Art Director: Vishakha Modak. Copywriter: Kainaz Karmakar. Illustrator: Vishakha Modak.

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Euro RSCG Malaysia selected by Aivoria Group

2012-05-28T04:14:18Z

Aivoria Group has selected Euro RSCG as its agency of record. The agency is tasked with building overall brand management for Elianto, Bonita and Tiamo.

The announcement follows a great series of wins for Euro RSCG Malaysia, which recently added Peugeot, Carlsberg, Old Town White Coffee and AmBank to their client roster.

"We were really impressed by the strategy paper that Euro RSCG presented us," said Edwin Saw, CEO, Retail Division, Aivoria Group."It was thought provoking and consistent with our culture. We wanted to partner with an agency that has the ability to develop a truly integrated approach to communications and I can't think of a better team to bring the brands to new heights."

Commenting on the win, Andrew Lee, Managing Director, Euro RSCG Malaysia (pictured with ECD Ng Heok Seong) said: "We are delighted to start working with Aivoria Group. It is a very exciting challenge to be given the opportunity to build three brands and we look forward to providing strategic counsel and revealing their brand identity to the market."

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The purest icecream frozen fresh from the fields

2012-05-28T04:14:09Z

Brand 8 Beijing have created this poster for Kaku pure milk icecream.

Credits - Creative Director: Li Gang. Art Director: Gang Zong. Copywriter: Teresa Wan.

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Millions of flowers add colour to Sony Bravia spot by Flying Fish via Frontage Inc Tokyo

2012-05-28T04:05:43Z

Sony Bravia is all about vibrant colour and the latest TVC from Luke Savage at Flying Fish gives you a glimpse into a world with lashings of it. To transform the landscape with millions of flowers a mixture of techniques was enlisted including beautifully filmed plates and the compositing of real and CG elements.

VIEW THE SPOT

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JWT Shanghai wins Starbucks digital business

2012-05-28T03:52:40Z

Starbucks China has awarded JWT Shanghai its digital strategy and social media engagement business, which underpins the Seattle-based coffee company's marketing strategy for this critical growth market.

Starbucks has over 570 outlets in China and recently announced plans to accelerate store openings to 1,500 by the end of 2015. That would make China the company's second biggest market worldwide.
To help reach that goal, Starbucks & JWT have signed a two-year contract. Starbucks China does very little paid advertising, and instead focuses on social media engagement as a key business driver.

"JWT's knowledge of the China digital media landscape, and proven expertise in creating content and managing social media for other major clients, including Friso, Pizza Hut and Levi's Denizen, played a big role in the selection process", said Starbucks China's Chief Marketing Officer, Marie Han Silloway (pictured).

"We went through an extensive review of agencies and selected JWT because we feel JWT has the depth of expertise in the digital space that Starbucks is looking for. They presented thoughtful recommendations on how continue to build the Starbucks brand digitally and recommended creative applications of new and existing digital tactics," said Silloway. "We felt the team really understood what we were looking to do and were convinced this was the right team to help us to continue to elevate the brand in this space."

JWT has been aggressively building out its digital capabilities in China, investing in digital specialists and integrating those experts into its traditional brand teams. This integrated model has helped JWT Shanghai land a number of key digital project wins in 2012, including HSBC, Listerine, Sofy and Ford.

JWT will manage Starbucks brand pages across social media networks Sina Weibo, Kaixin and Renren. In addition, JWT will utilize the latest digital technology to keep Starbucks top of mind even when consumers are not in the store. Digital engagement via new mobile and online platforms, like Weibo, will build Starbuck's fan community, drive participation in product promotions, and enhance the overall Starbucks customer experience by providing customers with surprising new ways to interact with the brand.

"We're thrilled to be working with Starbucks, who are known for their innovation and leadership in both the coffee industry and in digital marketing," says Eugene Chew, Director of Digital Strategy for JWT Shanghai. "Starbucks has consistently been an early adopter of new digital platforms, such as Facebook, Foursquare & Instagram. We will apply this same pioneering approach to the Chinese digital media landscape, and look forward to sharing many exciting engagement programs in the coming months".
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Santi Suwanvalaikorn promoted to Executive Creative Director of McCann Thailand

2012-05-28T03:39:02Z

McCann Worldgroup Bangkok has promoted Santi Suwanvalaikorn to Executive Creative Director.

He has been recognised as a prominent creative person by both McCann Worldgroup Thailand and the international advertising arena.

Santi Suwanvalaikorn has been working with McCann Worldgroup Thailand for 10 years since 2002, starting as Senior Copywriter. In his new position, he will report to MW's Chief Creative Officer Martin Lee, sharing his creative talent and expertise with other team members. He has been recognized for his outstanding creative work with numerous awards both internationally and domestically, also serving as a member of jury for AdMan, B.A.D Awards, and New York Festivals.

His recent work on the 'Sexuality Talk' campaign for Thai Health Promotion Foundation created a buzz at AdMan Awards 2011, earning him 'Best of the Best Award'. His other notable works have been for clients such as Nestle, SCA, L'Oreal, and Dentyne.
Monica White, CEO of McCann Worldgroup Thailand said, "Santi is such a talented creative thinker. After joining McCann, he has continuously put forth quality work, earning us numerous awards from several prestigious advertising competitions, both domestically and worldwide."

"I certainly believe that Santi's creativity will continue to shine and strengthen our creative team, enhancing McCann Worldgroup's image as one of the Thailand's leading marketing communications organizations," Martin Lee added.

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Peter Riley to join OgilvyOne Hong Kong

2012-05-28T02:54:52Z

OgilvyOne Hong Kong has appointed Peter Riley as Executive Creative Director.

Riley (left), the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of 20:20, one of the UK's largest digital agencies, is amongst the world's leading digital creative specialists. He is the winner of over 100 international advertising awards and is a past juror for both the Cannes International Advertising Festival and the British Academy of Film & Television Arts (BAFTAS) Awards.

Welcoming Riley's recruitment, Adam O'Conor, Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong said, "This is a heavyweight appointment and a major element in our plans for Ogilvy in Hong Kong. The city faces severe challenges if it is to align global creative standards to its role as a world economic hub. As the industry leader, we have a responsibility to nurture creative talent in Hong Kong. We have an established Fellowship Programme, operated in conjunction with local universities, and an unrivalled programme of in-house training. But developing Hong Kong's creative talent is also about raising the bar. Peter brings a track record of creative leadership and flair that sets the highest possible standard."
Riley will lead a creative team of around 35 people, working on accounts including American Express, SmarTone, IBM, Louis Vuitton and Prudential, as well as new business development.

Emphasising the significance of Riley's appointment for the standing of Hong Kong's advertising industry, Kitty Wong, Managing Director of OgilvyOne Worldwide Hong Kong commented, "I am delighted that Peter is joining us - it bodes well for the future of Hong Kong's creative development that we have attracted someone of his calibre. Our clients demand global standards of inspiration, combined with deep local insight to answer real business needs. I am more than confident that under Peter's creative direction, OgilvyOne will continue to deliver just that."

Riley will take up his new position in June, but he is planning to move to Hong Kong immediately to spend several weeks fact-finding and observing the territory's creative climate.

Commenting on his decision to move to Ogilvy Hong Kong, Peter Riley said, "When I got the call from Ogilvy, I knew the time was right to join at such an exciting moment. Asia is leading the world economically and the next stage of its development is to exploit creativity as a business tool. Ogilvy is supremely well-placed in the region and I'm delighted to be joining forces with such a brilliant team of ambitious people."

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Anindya Banerjee elevated to Branch Head at Scarecrow Communications Delhi

2012-05-28T02:50:07Z

Scarecrow Communications has appointed Anindya 'Andy' Banerjee (pictured) as Branch Head. Banerjee, who is currently serving as Executive Creative Director and Creative Head of the Delhi office, will take over his additional responsibilities in June.

This continues a recent trend of creative professionals assuming roles that were traditionally seen as the domain of suits.

Says Raghu Bhat, Founder Director, Scarecrow, "Andy's contribution to the growth of Scarecrow Delhi deserves more than lip service. Andy believes in Scarecrow as much as Scarecrow believes in him. We are merely unleashing Andy's potential through timely empowerment."
Manish Bhatt, Founder Director, Scarecrow added, "Andy is the 'face' of Scarecrow Delhi; he was already playing this role. All we are doing here is recognizing it and giving it a nomenclature. We are giving him due liberty and power to the role he was playing by default. And wishing him to attract great brands and great talent."

Says Arunava (Joy) Sengupta, "As we move to the next phase of our growth in Delhi, we needed a captain, and to all of us there was no better candidate than Andy. I am sure he will lead us well in our journey in Delhi market."

Scarecrow is one of India's fastest growing agencies with clients such as Reliance Digital, Anchor Panasonic, DNA, Religare, Future Capital, Viacom 18, Rupa, Core and Quikr. Scarecrow Delhi, based in Modi Mills, Okhla handles brands such as Eristoff, Pentair, DLF and MVL Mobiles.

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Lowe Lintas Mumbai and Lifebuoy Super-Fast Handwash win India its first ever Global Effie

2012-05-28T02:03:23Z

After being shortlisted earlier in the month along with brands like Nike, Google and X- box, Lowe Lintas and Partners India's campaign for 'Lifebuoy Super-Fast Handwash' was declared the 2012 Global Effies Bronze winner at New York last week.

Joseph George, CEO, Lowe Lintas and Partners, India (pictured) said "As an agency, we take the Effies seriously, so winning not just the Lowe & Partners Worldwide Network's but also India's first ever Global Effie is hugely satisfying and encouraging".

Saji Abraham, Global Planning Director, Lifebuoy and Virat Tandon, Global Business Director, Lifebuoy said, "Lifebuoy "Superfast" Hand-wash is a liquid handwash formulation that kills 99.9% germs in 10 seconds. We responded to this fantastic innovation with a simple but insightful and persuasive idea - that children are in a hurry when it comes to hand-washing; and so if your handwash cannot keep pace with them, germs on their hands will just not go. This campaign won because we were bold, competitive and consumer focused at the same time".

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