The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and Globe Telecom launched Southeast Asia’s first Disney Mobile smartphone. Globe Telecom will be the first telco in Southeast Asia to offer Disney Mobile smartphones through its new myStarter postpaid plans.

Created especially for the trendsetting Disney fan and themed around popular Disney franchises, these smartphones carry the signature aesthetic of the Disney brand from its lively colors to matching themed accessories. The first Disney Mobile range for the Philippines comes in three themes –Mickey Mouse, Frozen and Disney Princess.

Apart from its hardware design, each device is packed with custom content from Disney. The smartphones’ interfaces show tailored app icons, Disney-themed live and static wallpapers, widgets and exclusive re-recordings of famous Disney songs as ringtones, such as It’s A Small World, Do You Want to Build a Snowman, Part of Your World, and the like. Premium Disney apps are also included in each device and in line with the smartphone theme. These range from Princess Story Theater, Frozen Storybook Deluxe, to Castle of Illusion, among others.

Disney Mobile is an LTE device that gives users access to a whole range of other Disney content such as games, apps, books and the Disney Philippines website.

“The arrival of Disney Mobile in the Philippines is one of the milestones of our multi-year comprehensive partnership with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia. We are thrilled to offer these phones exclusively through our budget-friendly myStarter postpaid plans. Not only do our customers have access to Disney’s interactive content, movie premieres and retail promotions, but also to a device designed after one of the most iconic brands in the world,” says Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business, Dan Horan.

“Disney continues to actively pursue innovative digital media opportunities and provide fans with the best entertainment experience on whatever platform they want. Smartphones have immensely changed the way Filipinos consume entertainment and Disney Mobile allows us to bring our content closer to more fans in a fun and personal way,” said James Gray, General Manager for Disney Interactive, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia.

Alongside Globe and Disney, Cellprime CEO Eric Yu also shared that “We are proud to be working with Disney and Globe Telecom to bring Disney Mobile to the Philippines. With this new exciting partnership, we aim to provide Globe Telecom’s millions of customers with devices that bring them the magic of Disney, every day, through their phones.” Cellprime is the manufacturer of Disney Mobile handsets in the Philippines.

Disney Mobile smartphones are top quality dual SIM android devices compatible with 4G LTE that runs on a Lollipop operating system. It has a 5” HD IPS Screen; 13 megapixel (MP) rear camera; 5MP front camera; and 1.2 Quad Core.

In 2015, Globe and Disney entered a comprehensive collaboration to gain access to brand properties of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and global leader in short-form video, Maker Studios.

With the rise of video-on-demand platforms where consumers have the power to select, watch or listen to video content whenever they want, broadcast TV still reigns supreme in the Philippines. In a new report from global performance management company, Nielsen, 59% of online Filipino consumers are subscribed to a cable provider and at the same time, 16% are subscribed to an online service provider.

The Nielsen Global Video-on-Demand Survey polled over 30,000 online respondents in 61 countries to gauge worldwide sentiment about VOD viewing and advertising methods. The number of self-reported VOD viewers is significant. Eighty one percent (81%) of Filipino respondents subscribed to an online service provider claim they watch some form of VOD programming. This includes long-and short-form content, be it through TV, computer, tablet or a mobile phone.

“The emergence of video-on-demand programming options is giving consumers greater control over what, when and how they watch content,” says Stuart Jamieson, Managing Director of Nielsen Philippines. “Viewers are now expanding their range of viewing platforms as well as the amount of media they’re consuming. We are seeing that online is supplementing traditional services.”

In addition, 45% of online Filipino consumers watch VOD once a day or more often. When they access VOD, movies dominate the type of VOD content watched by Filipinos. In fact, close to nine in ten (89%) Filipinos say they view movies, followed by TV programmes (60%) and other genres such as comedies (52%), documentaries (44%), reality shows (40%), news shows (38%) and dramas (35%).

Filipino consumers predominantly use computers (80%) and mobile phones (76%) to watch VOD programming.

Given the fast-paced lifestyle of today’s consumers, convenience is an important consideration. Eighty-five percent of online Filipino consumers said they can view VOD at a time that is most convenient for them. Eighty-two percent (82%) of online Filipino consumers said they like to catch up on multiple episodes at one time. “We see that VOD is complementing TV by filling the gaps that come with traditional TV viewing. When Filipinos can’t get to their TV at a certain time, they now know that they have the ability to watch it at a later date that allows them to catch up,” observes Jamieson.

Filipino consumers are also showing great propensity to be on social media while watching VOD, with 74% saying they like to use social media while watching VOD programming.

Around three quarters (74%) of online Filipino consumers wish they could only see ads that are for products that interest them while close to 7 in 10 (69%) of Filipino consumers who watch VOD say online ads displayed before, during or after VOD programming are distracting and, 62% wish they could block ads.

On the other hand, 63% of Filipino respondents who watch VOD somewhat or strongly agree that ads in VOD content give them good ideas for new products to try. Around two thirds (66%) say they don’t mind getting ads if they can watch free content. This sentiment is highest among Southeast Asian consumers.

“Consumers can be open to advertisements but this has limits,” says Jamieson. “To engage and keep the attention of consumers, it is critical for advertisers and content providers to customize both content and advertising. Innovations such as programmatic and addressable advertising give the needed precision in reaching viewers.”

He however cautions that: “Mass advertising via traditional TV is still compelling and effective in capturing the attention of audiences and should not be disregarded. It is always important to consider that traditional and digital models serve different purposes.”

Y&R Philippines’ TURDTalks for Silad Aralan Inc has been named as the country’s only Finalist at the APAC EFFIES 2016, proving to a compassion-fatigued nation that anyone can overcome a ‘crappy’ start in life.

Background: Education-oriented NGOs usually champion the 1.3% of Filipino public school students who show promise, leaving average students (18.6%) and under-performing students (80%) to fend for themselves. From scholarships and educational stipends to local and international exposure, it’s those who excel that get support. Silid Aralan (translation ‘Classroom’) focuses on the neglected 80%, those struggling academically yet equally worthy of investment. The charity sought to scale the country for change; rather than just banking on the promising few, instead unlocking the potential of the majority to impact society.

Challenge: Compassion fatigue - the Philippines is home to 60,000 registered NGOs serving many causes. From women’s and children’s rights, disaster preparedness and education, to personal health, sanitation and hunger, the list is long and so are the requests. Annual natural disasters, like the strongest typhoons ever recorded in Southeast Asia, add to the donors’ fatigue. Getting people engaged in the cause had to start with overcoming the compassion fatigue Filipinos face.

Execution: The campaign tapped into the popularity of TEDTalks’ accessibility – how it makes expert knowledge interesting and available to anyone who wants to learn, through conferences and videos of the talks shared on social.
Introducing TURDTalks: an eye-opening speaker series featuring those that society perceive as ‘tae’ (translation ‘dirt/turd’) low-performing, low-income students who ended up changing not only their report card grades for the better, but their lives and society as well. Not because of an exceptional ability, but because someone invested in them. The popular idea-sharing platform was spun by featuring students as the ‘experts’ – ‘tae’ who have been transformed by Silid Aralan. The audience, comprising potential donors and education practitioners, saw first-hand just how they turned their lives around. Beyond the event, the media strategy moved with the assets in hand – videos of the conference. The rest – tweets, shares, blog entries, and media features – happened organically, further spreading the thought that ‘turds’ too have ideas worth sharing.

Results: Donations of almost Php$9 million (USD185,916.8), exceeded the Php $2 million target by 340%; plus 4 learning hubs were established – exceeding the 3-hub target.
Silid Aralan’s core objectives for 2015:

• To increase pledges and donations by 67%
• To increase learning hubs by 300% from 1 to 3.

During the first TURDTalks event in April 2015, Silid Aralan received an on-the-spot public donation of corporate office space worth Php 6million (USD126,761) which allowed Silid Aralan to grow its number of learning hubs from 1 to 4. Additionally, Silid Aralan received Php $2 million (USD42,253.8) in support from a Singaporean donor who heard of Silid Aralan via an article shared online. Apart from corporate sponsorships, Silid Aralan also received Php 800,000 (USD16,901.5 USD) in pledges from individuals.

Other results included an increase in volunteerism by 300% from 7 to 20 and the increased legitimization of Silid Aralan, which in May 2015 received an endorsement from the Department of Education. TURDTalks paved the way for Silid Aralan to gain free media equivalent to Php 10,787,220 (USD228,267.10 USD) across news on leading local channels, radio, in digital and print.

With a minimal campaign spend of just Php 28,000 (591.55 USD), TURDTalks gained the support of stakeholders, covering operational costs in the long term and therefore helping more low-performing, low-income public school students. Donation fatigue was also overcome with influencers advocating Silid Aralan as a worthy and important cause. In less than 6 months, Silid Aralan is already half-way towards its 5 year-goal, thanks to TURDTalks.

Dentsu Aegis Network Philippines has officially appointed Jam de Guzman as General Manager for Dentsu media Philippines effective immediately. This is a newly-created role following the formal establishment of Dentsu media Philippines, which he will be responsible for driving business growth and raising the profile of the agency in the country.

Jam joined Dentsu Aegis Network in 2013 as Director for Media Services and under his leadership, he has successfully landed the agency’s biggest media pitch – the Philippine Department of Tourism, which won media assignments across multiple markets in Asia Pacific and the Americas. Most recently, the agency won several category-leading brands such as Philippine National Bank, Cherry Mobile and Fitness First, and has contributed to the network’s new regional business wins such as Disney Studios and Mondelēz International.

Jam has 16 years of extensive advertising and media experience and prior to Dentsu Aegis Network, he worked at Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, Universal McCann, and ZenithOptimedia in the Philippines.

Angelito Pangilinan, CEO at Dentsu Aegis Network Philippines, said, “Jam is a results-focused media professional who is also highly team-oriented, and has a natural ability to create deep and lasting partnerships with his teammates, clients and media partners. Couple this with his keen insight and strong understanding of the Philippines market, I have full confidence that Jam will be able to inspire and lead the team towards the next stage of growth.”

Commenting on his promotion, Jam said, “I am very excited at this opportunity and aim to bring to life the vision for Dentsu media in the Philippines. Working closely together with my team, we will continue to push our boundaries and provide a spectrum of diversified services that are fully integrated, which we believe are what that makes us the agency of choice for our partners.”

超过27岁还没结婚的中国单身女性被称为「剩女」，她们都面对沉重的社会压力。

为了改变这种心态，护肤品牌SK-II推出了一段视频来支持剩女，鼓励她们主宰自己的人生，不会在压力之下为结婚而结婚。

这部名为「她最后去了相亲角」的视频，揭露家人与社会要求中国女性早婚的压力，并记述了她们争取认同的历程。

https://youtu.be/irfd74z52Cw

观众似乎都无法抗拒情感销售，该励志视频在三天之内迅速在中国社交媒体吸引超过270万人次观看。

在短片中，这个宝洁旗下品牌邀请了三位女性勇敢对抗社会的标签和父母的压力，道出自己的真实想法，力图争取社会更多的理解，最终改变自己的命运。

该宣传战役旨在表明「剩女」是坚强的女性，她们可以主宰自己的婚姻。

这些单身女性「敢于」过独立生活，希望等待真正的爱情，否则干脆选择独自生活。她们决定前往上海人民公园相亲角，勇敢宣布自己的独立宣言。在视频中看到了很多坚强和快乐的单身女性照片，更写上了她们想跟父母表达的心声。

该视频由瑞典创意机构Forsman & Bodenfors制作，以作为SK-II全球#changedestiny推广战役的一部分。

而有趣的是，该战役是由一家在中国没有实体业务的国外机构创建，但深深引起本地观众的共鸣。

这部4分钟的视频正式上线后3天，已经在腾讯的视频平台录得超过120万人点击，并在优酷网录得超过150万次收看率。

Hard Rock Hotel has again teamed up with independent music and entertainment company Modern Sky Entertainment to bring a music festival for youths in some of the country's biggest cities starting from this month.

As part of the ongoing partnership, Hard Rock will have a branded stage during various stops of the Strawberry Festival tour, which takes in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

“Music is the heart of the Hard Rock brand and connecting people through the power of music has been at the forefront of Hard Rock’s mission from the very beginning,” states John Galloway, chief marketing officer at Hard Rock International.

“Our collaboration with Modern Sky not only allows us to showcase our passion for music, but also engage with our growing fan base in the region.”

In addition to performances by some of the most recognised names in Chinese indie music, Hard Rock will for the first time ever bring a Chinese version of its legendary Battle of the Bands to its Strawberry Festival stages.

Bands from all across China are encouraged to participate in the official Battle of the Bands online contest, where fans can vote to see their favorite bands perform live on Hard Rock’s stages. At the end of the Strawberry Festival tour, one band, which will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges, will win the grand prize – the chance to perform live at Hard Rock Hotel Shenzhen.

Strawberry Festival draws nearly one million attendees through stops at more than fifteen cities throughout China each year.

As sponsors of Strawberry Festival for three years in a row, Hard Rock’s presence at the festival has lead the company to acquire priceless pieces of memorabilia from newfound talent to showcase at future Hard Rock venues throughout China.

Kobe Bryant announced to retirement from NBA last year, creating mixed feelings for his millions of fans around the world. Now, Nike China has joined hands with Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai to craft a provocative spot embodying the spirit of Bryant to say goodbye to his Chinese fans.

Dubbed “Don’t love me, hate me”, Bryant shares his secret weapon on the court in this 60-second video transforming fear of failure and hatred from those around him into fuel to be better.

Azsa West, creative director from W+K Shanghai, said Bryant was the perfect person to deliver the “Just Do It” spirit of Nike.

“Standing back and doing nothing, that’s real failure. This philosophy is very Nike ‘just do it’,” said West.

Nike China and W+K Shanghai has teamed up with editor and director Biff Butler to craft an emotional film that pays tribute to Kobe – the legend, the mentor and the challenger.

Bryant also worked with the creative team and the brand to craft the script, making sure the film was just as provocative as the man himself.

The film launched in China on 7 April when Bryant played his last LA derby game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Credits:
Brand Name: Nike
Campaign Name: Kobe Last Season
Spot Name: Don’t love me, Hate me
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai
Creative Directors: Terence Leong, Azsa West
Director: Biff Butler

国际娱乐及休闲品牌Hard Rock International与中国独立音乐公司摩登天空再度携手打造本月展开的草莓音乐节。

一如过往的合作，Hard Rock将竖立其品牌的舞台在草莓音乐节的巡回站上，包括北京、上海、杭州、广州和深圳。

Hard Rock International首席营销官John Galloway表示：「音乐是Hard Rock品牌的灵魂，通过音乐的力量连系人与人之间，也是品牌自创立以来最重要的使命。」

「与摩登天空的合作不仅展示出品牌对音乐的热诚，更让我们有机会与区内增长中的支持者接触。」

除了邀得多位知名本地独立音乐人呈献精彩表演，Hard Rock将首次在草莓音乐节引入中国版的「Battle of the Bands」比赛。

中国各地的乐队均可在网上报名参加比赛，乐迷更可透过投票让自己喜爱的乐队在Hard Rock品牌舞台上现场演出。草莓音乐节巡回演出结束之时，由著名音乐人组成的评委会选出的冠军乐队，将获邀到Hard Rock Hotel Shenzhen献技。

草莓音乐节每年在中国15个城市巡回举行，吸引近1百万乐迷参与。

作为草莓音乐节连续三年的赞助商，Hard Rock更凭借参与此音乐盛事扩大其音乐收藏系列，收录多位中国音乐人的珍贵音乐纪念品，在中国即将落成的Hard Rock酒店或餐厅展出。

科比去年宣布退役，让一众球迷百感交集。因此，耐克中国与W+K上海联手，特别为科比制作一支反映科比精神并希望引发中国球迷强大共鸣的告别短片。

在这支名为「别爱我，恨我。」的一分钟短片中，科比跟球迷分享在球场的制胜秘诀――就是将对失败的恐惧和来自周遭的恶意转化成前进的动力。

W+K上海负责耐克业务的创意总监Azsa West表示，科比是传达耐克「Just Do It」精神的最佳人选。

West说：「什么都不做而等待命运降临，才是真正的失败。科比的理念是耐克『Just Do It』最好的体现。」

耐克中国与W+K上海携手导演兼剪辑师Bliff Butler共同创作了这支短片，向人们眼中的传奇球星、篮球导师、永不服输的挑战者科比致敬。

科比也跟创意团队和品牌一同策划编写了这支短片脚本，确保每一位篮球爱好者在看到片子的时候，都会感觉是科比在跟他直接对话。

此片于4月7日科比职业生涯的最后一场洛杉矶德比大战——湖人队对阵快船队的比赛时在中国大陆正式上线。

制作团队：
品牌：耐克
项目：科比退役篇章
片名：「别爱我，恨我。」
创意代理商：W+K上海
创意总监：Terence Leong、Azsa West
导演：Bliff Butler

超过27岁还没结婚的中国单身女性被称为「剩女」，她们都面对沉重的社会压力。

为了改变这种心态，护肤品牌SK-II推出了一段视频来支持剩女，鼓励她们主宰自己的人生，不要在压力之下为结婚而结婚。

这部名为「她最后去了相亲角」的视频，揭露家人与社会要求中国女性早婚的压力，并记述了她们争取认同的历程。

https://youtu.be/irfd74z52Cw

观众似乎都无法抗拒情感销售，该励志视频在三天之内迅速在中国社交媒体吸引超过270万人次观看。

在短片中，这个宝洁旗下品牌邀请了三位女性勇敢对抗社会的标签和父母的压力，道出自己的真实想法，力图争取社会更多的理解，最终改变自己的命运。

该宣传战役旨在表明「剩女」是坚强的女性，她们可以主宰自己的婚姻。

这些单身女性「敢于」过独立生活，希望等待真正的爱情，否则干脆选择独自生活。她们决定前往上海人民公园相亲角，勇敢宣布自己的独立宣言。在视频中看到了很多坚强和快乐的单身女性照片，更写上了她们想跟父母表达的心声。

该视频由瑞典创意机构Forsman & Bodenfors制作，以作为SK-II全球#changedestiny推广战役的一部分。

而有趣的是，该战役是由一家在中国没有实体业务的国外机构创建，但深深引起本地观众的共鸣。

这部4分钟的视频正式上线后3天，已经在腾讯的视频平台录得超过120万人点击，并在优酷网录得超过150万次收看率。

Infiniti Motor has appointed Lu Yi as president of Dongfeng Infiniti Motor co., ltd, and managing director of Infiniti China.

Lu Yi takes over from Gaby-Luise Wuest who, as the global chief operating officer at Infiniti Motor company, has supported the Infiniti operation in China for the past two months.

“Lu Yi has a proven track record as an automotive leader who has a wealth of experience in Chinese premium auto market, and I am very pleased to welcome him to our Infiniti team. Lu Yi’s expertise in premium automotive business management and knowledge of the Chinese market will be key to ensure Infiniti China’s continued growth and success,” said Infiniti's president, Roland Krueger.

“At the same time, I am grateful for Gaby-Luise Wuest’s contribution to Infiniti China during this transitional period. She will continue to support Infiniti China as global chief operating officer of Infiniti Motor company.”

Lu is a seasoned professional in the automotive industry especially in the China market supported by over 16 years of experience in multiple premium automotive brands.

Mini Asia has appointed Govt Singapore as its creative agency. The appointment comes following a multi-stage pitch process. The incumbent is Kinetic.

The local agency will be managing Mini Asia's advertising and digital communication needs. It will handle the Singapore, Philippines and Vietnam markets and the appointment is for three years.

Peter Medalla, head of Mini Asia said: “Mini Asia has selected Govt to continue enhancing the Mini brand and taking it to the next level. Mini is known for being an innovative and passionate brand, and we look forward to seeing creative concepts and ideas from Govt that adhere to this same brand philosophy.”

Irene Nikkein, marketing manager of Mini Asia said: “Mini Asia would like to take this opportunity to thank Kinetic for the invaluable work they have done for us throughout the tenure of the relationship. The dedication and passion for the Mini brand is benchmark in the region. ”

Marketing has reached out to Mini for more comments.

英菲尼迪汽车有限公司宣布任命陆逸为东风英菲尼迪及英菲尼迪中国总经理。

陆逸从英菲尼迪汽车有限公司首席运营官武佳碧（Gaby-Luise Wuest）手上接过该职务。武佳碧在过去两个月全力支援了英菲尼迪中国业务的发展。

英菲尼迪全球总裁罗兰•克鲁格（Roland Krueger）表示：「陆逸是对中国豪华车市场有深厚经验的本土高管，我们热烈欢迎他加入英菲尼迪。陆逸在豪华车品牌管理中所展现的才能以及对中国市场的全面了解，将是英菲尼迪在中国实现持续增长和成功的关键。」

「同时，非常感谢武佳碧女士在过渡期内的重要贡献。她将在英菲尼迪汽车有限公司首席运营官的职位上继续对中国市场的发展给予支持。」

陆逸是豪华车市场的一位资深人士，曾在多个豪华车品牌工作，拥有16年丰富经验。

Here are snapshots from a recent report by artificial intelligence company Appier which explores the habits of Asia’s multi-device users.

The report points to a ‘post-mobile’ world where using three or more devices is the norm as users move between smartphone, tablet and desktop PC to suit everyday needs. Although mobile comes out on top in Asia, PCs are not far behind as they generate over 50% as much usage as smartphones despite six or more reachable smartphones for every PC available.

Varied and complex consumption behaviour is also observed as users move between screens according to convenience, individual habit and preference which make it difficult for marketers to predict as they favour different ad formats and subject matter.

Device usage varies on any given day based on time of day, day of the week, gender and even market. Usage patterns observed for men and women show men being more active on both PCs (3% more) and smartphones (4% more) and women on tablets (14% more).

The time of day also impacts usage of devices. Smartphone usage rises during lunch (12pm to 2pm) and during the commute home (from 5pm onwards) while tablet usage jumps after 5pm.

Tablet usage rises during the weekend – an indication of tablets as more of a leisure device. Smartphone usage varies through the week depending on the region, from mid-week in Indonesia, to Mondays in Singapore and the weekend in Taiwan.

In developing markets where PC is primarily used in the workplace, usage per PC peaks on weekdays whereas for developed markets where household-owned PCs are high, usage tends to rise on weekends.

As compared to PC, smartphone usage and conversion patterns are less susceptible to dramatic spikes. While usage is highest on smartphone at night, it is not the most optimal time to reach users as PC conversions are at their highest peak during this time.

Different screens also illicit different responses – a trend more pronounced in places like Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam which shows that one size does not fit all when it comes to mobile, PC and tablet marketing.

This also shows that cross screen ads are no longer optional for businesses. Cross screen campaigns as opposed to multi-device campaigns, perform 26% better as they reach users across every screen rather than the latter which targets devices separately.

The report is based on an analysis of Appier-run campaigns across 11 markets in Asia, from the second half of 2015. Over 850 billion campaign data points including ad requests, impression, clicks and conversions was analysed.

The internet and social media both have a tremendous impact on our behaviour, how we communicate and the way we make decisions. They open up a whole new area for doing business in e-commerce and online services.

Collinson Group recently conducted a survey of over 4,000 affluent middle class consumers to understand their buying behaviour and how it is affected by customer reward schemes and personalisation.

Over the last few years, banks have begun investing significantly in digital services, such as mobile banking and mobile payment and much more. Understanding the nuances in how consumers choose to use online channels is important in retaining clients. Here are five tips that all financial services brands should adopt to have a real opportunity to turn mass affluent consumers into powerful brand advocates.

1. Personalised service

Despite significant investment from banks in digital and customer systems, 29% of Chinese consumers still feel that their bank does not know or understand them, and a quarter do not feel they receive a high level of personal service. Personalised and consistent communications, rewards and service were all cited as important for the affluent middle class.

2. Recognition and reward

Our research found that not being rewarded for loyalty is the biggest frustration for affluent middle class consumers, cited by two thirds of respondents, ahead of poor interest rates and charging unnecessary fees. Many banks offer standardised, purely transactional loyalty programmes which rely on traditional points-based rewards and lack the emotional appeal to build loyalty.

3. Boosting loyalty is determined by the choice of reward

While banks still tend to think of rewards which relate to other financial services or points-based programmes, we are seeing companies in other sectors offer a wide range of rewards.

4. Simplify redemption

An effectively delivered digital experience has real potential to offer immediate rewards to valued customers and a common perception is that many current loyalty programmes make redemption processes too complex. Giving customers greater flexibility in how they access rewards will enhance the experience of a programme.

5. Real-time engagement

Social media and mobile services encourage an ‘always-on’ attitude and mean consumers continually expect fresh content from reward programmes. In return, financial service providers can track spend, understand who their best customers are, and motivate behavioural change. Customers realise value from frequent use of their bank card, and the perceived value of the loyalty programme is greatly increased.

Collinson’s research uncovered the fact that nearly three-quarters (72%) are willing to make a repeat purchase from a brand they feel loyal to, 70% would recommend that brand to friends and family and 53% will choose a particular brand even if it is more expensive – directly impacting the bottom line and driving customer loyalty.

The research also identifies four global “tribes”, each showing distinct preferences in what it expects from their digital interactions.

Prudent planners, or those motivated primarily by family goals, continue to value face-to-face from their digital interactions. Prudent Planners, or those motivated primarily by family goals, continue to value face-to-face interactions, particularly in areas such as banking where there is a shift towards online and mobile services.

Stylish spenders, loyal to brands they trust, expect companies to know who they are and offer highly tailored offers and content. Banks should look to build services with responsive platforms, as well as applications that provide access to account details and financial planning services.

A seamless experience across digital channels is important for Mid-Life Modernists, the most active users of smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and apps. Our research indicates a growing trend among consumers who use mobile applications for banking services.

Experientialists ‘live for the moment’ and expect fresh content, regular updates and unique experiences from their financial service providers.

Although the surge in group buying has slowed in recent years, 75% of purchases last year still came from group buying websites. When asked which brands they are most loyal to, 82% of consumers indicated they were loyal to their credit card and mobile provider, with 80% claiming to be loyal to their bank.

On the other hand, 36% of customers stated that they did not feel loyal to their banks as they were charged unnecessary fees, received poor customer service (32%) and they were sold other products and services (25%).

The writer is Christopher Evans, director of Collinson Group.

DBS will set its sights on artificial intelligence, data analytics and wealth management for the second DBS Accelerator, a 12-week mentor-driven programme held in partnership with startup group NEST.

In 2014, the bank revealed plans to invest more than HK$1 billion over three years to harness digital technology. This is on top of some HK$6 billion the bank has invested in technology initiatives.

Aimed at innovative and scalable financial technology startups, the accelerator programme looks to support startup businesses and entrepreneurs delivering breakthrough innovations in the world of finance. The initiative is also being used to appeal to innovative and digitally-savvy DBS employees. The bank piloted its first hackathon in Singapore and organised a Greater China hackathon for about 75 talented employees from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan.

Up to eight potential startups will get access to a dedicated 5,000-square foot co-working space in Wan Chai and receive support from DBS and Nest executives.

Sebastian Paredes, DBS Bank CEO, said at the heart of the DBS Accelerator programme was a commitment to shaping the future of finance through digital innovation.

Simon Squibb, CEO of NEST, added the first round featured 10 exceptional entrepreneurs from around the globe, but all had one thing in common: "Aspirations to build their business in Hong Kong and scale it across Asia and beyond," he said.

The 2016 accelerator program will conclude with a demo day scheduled in November.

Lifestyle media network Scripps Networks Interactive has promoted Carl Zuzarte as senior vice president of programming and production, Raphael Phang as head of programming and Elise Ching, programme acquisitions director.

Zuzarte will now assume overall responsibility for all four of Scripps Networks’ brands, including Asian Food Channel, Food Network, Travel Channel and HGTV, with the programming and production team reporting to him. In his new role, Zuzarte will be working across all four brands to leverage programming content, on-air talent and digital programming extensions to develop compelling and relevant content.

Phang, who currently leads programming for HGTV and Travel Channel, has been promoted to head of programming across all of Scripps Networks Interactive brands in Asia-Pacific. She will be tasked to drive the strategic direction across all four channels, spearheading the planning and execution within the programming function to improve integration and efficiency.

In a newly created role, Ching will report to Phang, and will work closely to enhance the current content as well as identify new programming and commissioning opportunities in the region.

"Priority for the Asia-Pacific region this year is the global integration of our unit within the greater Scripps Networks family, focused on creating tighter relationships between programming and other functions of the business, particularly marketing and sales,” Derek Chang, managing director, Scripps Networks Interactive, Asia-Pacific, said.

"The promotions we are making today are proven executives whose abilities have propelled the success of the Scripps brand. They will be instrumental as we continue to further position our brands to connect key programming priorities with consumers across Asia."

This post is sponsored by Xaxis. 

Programmatic marketing in Southeast Asia has in recent years been bubbling under the layers, with many claiming advertisers are not ready, the ecosystem is still at a nascent phase, it’s a perceived performance driven medium and that there is no data available. This is simply down to a lack of education and involvement in a marketplace that is evolving at tremendous pace with clients crying out for direction to embrace data innovation and understand this chaotic space.

Fact is that programmatic marketing and the ability to target audiences with the use of data across SEA markets is set to turbo charge upwards in all digital spend in 2016, has many clients fully understanding what and how to utilise it and has proven to these clients clear efficiency to their media budget.

To crush the myth that programmatic is small in Southeast Asia, Xaxis in 2016 will have over 400 advertisers in market in this region that have embraced and driven programmatic and it’s effectiveness. This accomplished by investing in local markets with people, education, technology and innovation not just to advertisers but the entire ecosystem.

Job done? No, because we are at prime point and time to move to 5th gear. Before we talk about the future, it is time to change our past. What do we need to change as an industry in 2016:

1. Kill the Click: The optimisation towards wrong metrics in the click is fundamentally the biggest enemy of digital in SEA. There simply isn’t any value in this and it promotes ad fraud.
2. Define Attribution: There is a lack of cost efficient attribution methodology that allows the true effectiveness of digital to be quantified through the different touch points in a user journey.
3. Value Data: It’s time to look through the smog of data and put value on true intent data for its effectiveness.

What lies ahead

Advertisers that have looked at the points above and feel that they have been left behind, not knowing where to start, there are many ways that programmatic can become a positive backbone of your marketing strategy in 2016:

1. Embrace and share your data. You have not setup your marketing strategy right, let alone programmatic if your customer is not at the heart of your strategy and you are not able to seamlessly cut through the clutter of big data to pin point the who, what, where, why and how your customer is navigating, interacting and thinking.

2. Move up the funnel. There is a lot of room for innovation when it comes to your digital ad campaigns. There are suites of solutions that are available. Think linear TV, radio, outdoor, content, wearables, and even beyond that, think how all your marketing efforts can be synchronized or leveraged in this digital revolution to reach your customer via multiple engagement points and immediately. It is about getting out of comfort zones in single platforms and embracing the ability of data or more importantly the customer being that single touch point.

3. Education. Make sure you know the ins and outs of programmatic and your partner upholds the highest work ethic standards to deliver results for you. Do not chase for the cheapest solution because when something comes cheap, that means something else is compromised. Also, if you understand the true value and benefits of programmatic, you would kill the archaic method of buying, optimizing and or measuring results purely based on clicks. 

The time has come for all media to become digital and all digital to become programmatic. The first movers in technology and innovation will benefit, and small to mid size publishers who have agility to move quickly will profit.

As all of the above sounds simplistically bright and rosy, there are also many pressing points of concern that need to be addressed for the charge forward to continue such as - viewability and ad fraud that threatens not only the quality of campaigns and results, but also the integrity of the industry. This is being taken seriously and as we can see is flooding our news feed with education and innovation that will be evident in 2017.

Overall we are in the era of machines and algorithms powering data allowing for immediate decision-making and precise targeting. This creates ample room for creative and effective campaigns. 2016 will define leaders in programmatic with only the ambitious, agile and innovative to survive.

Written by Arshan Saha, Vice President, Xaxis SEA

Image: www.shutterstock.com

After 16 years with the agency, Omnicom Media Group Hong Kong chief executive Jackson Kwok is stepping down.

Doug Pearce, CEO of OMG Greater China, confirmed the news late Friday evening, saying Kwok had resigned.

News of his departure began to swirl late last week. An official statement from the agency said he has decided to take a break and explore other opportunities and new ventures.

Kwok spent 11 years with OMD Hong Kong, leading the agency through some of its most awarded years. He took on the role of OMG CEO in January 2011, overseeing development and business operations of all media brands under OMG including OMD and PHD.

Havas Media Group has appointed Andrew Cawte as managing director of the agency’s Hong Kong operations.

Cawte replaces Jason Kwong, the former MD, who left the agency after five years for Publicitas as managing director of North East Asia and Australia.

Cawte joined Havas Media as general manager of Havas Media International and within a span of few months was promoted to the position.

His new role will be to manage and grow the agency’s current clients, along with fuelling new business and developing talent in Hong Kong operations.

Based in APAC for over 20 years, Andrew was previously leading the HSBC account at Mindshare and was the head of strategy and of training and development for Mediacom in the region.

Cawte will report directly to Christophe Cases, CEO of Havas Media Group, Greater China.

“Andrew’s promotion as managing director of Havas Media Group was a natural step after so successfully managing the set up of Havas Media International in Hong Kong over the past five months. His experience fits perfectly with our plans to develop a truly integrated service across multiple disciplines,” said Cases.

"Knowing the agency scene in Hong Kong so well, I recognise the great opportunity for growth here and I am really looking forward to building a unique service offering," said Cawte.