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Tag: asia

  • Courts Singapore Looks to Tackle Southeast Asia’s Growing E-commerce Market

    Courts Singapore Looks to Tackle Southeast Asia’s Growing E-commerce Market

    Courts has recently unveiled its plans to capitalize on the growth of e-commerce in Southeast Asia by rebuilding its online business, originally launched in 2012 with an offering of 7,000 products that has increased to 14,000 today, through a partnership with premier e-commerce agency SmartOSC.

    Under these new plans, Courts will further penetrate into Singapore’s growing e-commerce market, which is estimated to reach US$6.42 billion by 2020, according to research firm Statista.

    Known as a Singapore based retailer specialising in furniture and consumer electronics, from its initial establishment, Courts has seen growth throughout Southeast Asia, most notably in Malaysia and Indonesia.  In April 2016, the business revamped its traditional brick and mortar stores to engage with customers more effectively – the two offline “testbeds” opened in Causeway Point, Singapore and Sri Damansara, Malaysia. As a result of that,  in parallel with an expected boost in productivity from traditional retail stores, the brand now looks at radically reshaping its e-commerce business, moving towards an integrated shopping experience both in-store and online.

    Stan Kim, Court’s Group CIO, explained that their strategy is really about creating an omni-channel experience for customers. The limitations of the current e-commerce framework, including extending functionalities, handling the increasing amount of visitors, as well as personalising the shopping experience, do not fit into the overall commerce strategy.

    “We were looking for partners who not only have technical expertise but more importantly understands how e-commerce and brick-and-mortar stores work together to create a seamless experience for modern shoppers. SmartOSC is a perfect match given their experience in building connected commerce solutions for top retailers, and their capability has been recognized by Magento as the platform’s enterprise solutions partner,” explained Stan Kim.

    Built upon the Magento Enterprise 2.0, combined with innovative technologies for omni-channel, marketing automation, and content management, Courts is looking to establish a new industry-standard for mobile first and user-centric experience. A real-time single view of inventory and customer profiles is activated through integrations with ERP and retail management systems. The brand will also enhance the click and collect offering, which is currently contributing about  50% of Courts’ online sales.

    The platform has also been architected to accompany and facilitate future expansion plans, ready for easier roll-out to other regional markets. Although Southeast Asia’s e-commerce is still in its infancy (relative to European and North American markets), it is expected to grow 32% year on year. The region is currently estimated to be worth $5.5 billion and expected to reach $88 billion by 2025, according to a report by Google and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek.

    When asked for a statement on the partnership, Stan Kim commented “We’ve been working closely with SmartOSC to ensure an integrated and smooth transition to the new platform. We’re very excited with the current progress – SmartOSC’s depth of knowledge in e-commerce, resource scalability and innovative development has helped us realize our omni-channel potential. We cannot wait to launch this to the public.”

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  • Challenge to build engagement among a fashion-loving clientele

    Challenge to build engagement among a fashion-loving clientele

    To marketers nowadays, the major challenge is to build engagement among target groups to provide first-hand experience and brand engagement inside of their own. However, one target group found very demanding in terms of engagement building is fashion lovers as they are very unique, and hard to persuade. Indeed, they do not just follow fashion trends but adapt the trends to suit their own character. This makes marketing planning for this target group complicated and difficult.

    But not for Siam Center The Ideaopolis, a shopping destination which is a hub of fashion in Thailand for more than 44 years. No matter how edgy fashion trends would be, Siam Center will enable Thai fashion lovers to be the first to get updated on up-to-date fashion trends.

    To build engagement among a fashion-loving clientele, Siam Center has done a fantastic job as if it is simple. Thanks to its long-term experience and support of Thai designer brands as well as being a catalyst for the promotion of Thai fashion industry to be equal to world fashion cities, Siam Center meets fashion lovers’ demands. Such demands mean how to wear clothes to reflect their own identity and not to create a distinct character but to shine at getting dressed with style and being fashionable for the society to see and admire.

    Siam Center devises a strategy to reach this kind of customers by presenting the latest collections of over 40 Thai designer brands at the end of last March.

    Siam Center The Ideaoplois, joining hands with Cheeze and Looker magazines, held “#iamsiamish” campaign to fulfill the dream of youngsters who would like to become professional models. The campaign set up a casting room box to select 100 teens as #Nodels to strut on the catwalk of the fashion show of the year, “#iamsiamish Fashion Show [S/S Collection 2017].”

    Ms. Chanisa Kaewreun, Senior Deputy Managing Director for Marketing Events and Business Relations – Siam Piwat Co., Ltd., said, “Since the opening, Siam Center has always been the center of Thai fashion industry because we are the second home of many Thai designers, both top and young-blood designers. Housing many local brands, Siam Center is therefore the first place fashion-forward people think about when it comes to trend updates. As a place of inspiration for everyone, especially young generation wishing to enter the world of fashion, Siam center joined forces with Cheeze and Looker magazines in hosting “#iamsiamish” campaign. It opened a studio to cast talented teens as models. Out of 1,700 candidates, the judge panel selected 100 finalists to become #Nodels and walk in “#iamsiamish Fashion Show [S/S Collection 2017]”, which launched spring/summer collections of leading Thai brands in Siam Center.”

    “#iamsiamish Fashion Show [S/S Collection 2017]” mixed and matched the latest collections of 40 Thai fashion brands featured by 100 #Nodels. The fashion show presented the trends of this season, which encouraged fashionistas to find the perfect items that match their own style and create their own look. Moreover, the 1,600 fashion-loving candidates who did not join in walking on the catwalk were also invited to a party and enjoyed the fashion show of the latest collections. Let’s imagine that this event can gather those who are really interested in fashion to see the launch of the latest collections of 40 fashion brands. It is another fantastic marketing promotion activity that Siam Center created.

    #Nodels deserved big applause for their courage to express themselves and join a troop of professional models in “#iamsiamish Fashion Show [S/S Collection 2017].”

    At the same time, Siam Center earned praise for setting a new phenomenon to Thai fashion industry, giving customers the opportunity to have experience in fashion industry. Marketers have also realized an outstanding example of the strategy to build customer engagement and thus definitely contribute to sales of Thai designer brands.

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  • Amazon Ready to Launch in the Philippines

    Amazon Ready to Launch in the Philippines

    Amazon with exclusive affiliate partner iPrice Philippines premieres the first screenshots of the all new and exciting online shopping platform: Amazon.ph. Slated to be launched late 2017, millions of local and international products will be made available to Filipinos with same-day delivery service throughout the nation.  Maintaining the ethos of Amazon, the new e-commerce platform in the Philippines will be guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking.

    Partnering Amazon in this new endeavor is iPrice, a meta-search website in seven major countries in Southeast Asia as Amazon’s prime affiliate partner. With similar values and vision for ecommerce in Southeast Asia, iPrice’s partnership with Amazon will empower the Seattle based company with the needed marketing channels to aggressively market its products and services to the competitive ecommerce sector.

    Further details of Amazon’s affiliate partnership with iPrice will be revealed at the annual AWS Summit on 20th of April 2017 at the Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom in Manila. Here is an exclusive screenshot of Amazon.ph.

    The Baguio Barrel Man

    Often seen as the souvenir of choice of most travelers, the Barrel Man offers more than just it’s barrel. Handcrafted from tropical wood unique only to the Philippines, the Barrel Man is a figure that is built of quality material and has the magical powers suited to relieve men of their physiological and psychological barriers.

    Amazon.ph and the Baguio Barrel Man was reviewed by test audiences prior to launch. It assisted in saving a marriage, and restoring one’s manhood.

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  • Amouage Opens Second Italian Shop

    Amouage Opens Second Italian Shop

    JHP has designed a ‘beautiful stand-alone store’ in the heart of Milan for Middle Eastern luxury

    brand Amouage. It is the latest store in a ten-year relationship between JHP and Amouage, and

    the newest incarnation of its ever-evolving concept.

    Owned by the Omani Royal family, the perfume and accessories house chose Milan’s Artists’

    quarter, Brera, as a showcase for its fine ranges of eclectic fragrances. Besides the Brera

    Academy of Fine Arts and Brera Art Gallery, Brera houses numerous antique and art shops,

    restaurants, and colourful street markets. Amouage’s unique and selective collection of handcrafted

    fragrances is a natural fit in this lively street full of culture, and fashion.

    A key challenge for JHP was the complex approval process inherent in the store’s historic

    building.

    JHP embraced the philosophy of the area and aligned the depth of the store with the external

    arch of the building. Through clever planning and space usage, JHP’s creative team has

    ultimately created an illusion of more space.

    JHP’s Creative Director Raj Wilkinson commented ‘I love finding hidden spaces and exploring

    them. We are very proud to have one of our projects in such a prestigious area’.

    Designed by JHP, this new store, located on Via Fiori Chiari 7, alongside other high-end brands

    like Hermes Paris, Mac and Louis Vuitton, offers the entire Amouage line, a limited edition

    series and its latest releases Myths, Bracken and Lilac Love.

  • Atradius announces key Asia hire on the back of strong 2016 results

    Atradius announces key Asia hire on the back of strong 2016 results

    In a newly created role Atradius appoints Oliver Ford as Regional Sales Manager Asia based in Hong Kong. Mr. Ford’s hire comes on the back of strong Group and Asia results which saw the credit insurer surge ahead of its competition and signals Atradius’ continued commitment to growing its business in the region. “I am excited to be supporting continued profitable growth for Atradius in its most culturally diverse region” says Oliver Ford.

    Mr. Ford will start in his new remit on June 1st and will report to Eric den Boogert, Managing Director for Asia.

    Mr. den Boogert adds “Oliver has been the face of Global Sales in the London market for the last five years and has greatly enhanced the professionalism of our sales process. That, com-bined with his enthusiasm and cooperative approach has helped to keep Atradius in pole position in this fast changing market.”

    In his previous position Mr. Ford led business development for Atradius Global in the UK.

    Collaboration with key distribution partners and building bespoke international credit insurance programs for multinational organizations were amongst his key responsibilities. Oliver Ford has spent his entire career with Atradius and has risen quickly through the ranks in his past decade of service with the organization.

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  • AirAsia, AirAsia X offer 3-day promotion

    AirAsia, AirAsia X offer 3-day promotion

    AirAsia and AirAsia X will offer a three-day promotional campaign, “#AirAsiaDanceToFly”, to all destinations, offering fares from as low as RM499 for one-way all-in fares. It is inclusive of taxes and fees.

    In a statement, AirAsia X said the promotion was valid for booking from March 31 to April 2 and for travel from March 31 to Sept 30.

    It said the campaign was inspired by one of AirAsia X’s cabin crew, Assraf Nasir, who became an overnight online sensation after a dancing video of him onboard an empty A330 aircraft went viral.

    Chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail hopes for all guests to catch this contagious fun spirit onboard and grab the low fares to fly with AirAsia X fun crew.

    “The world has enjoyed his sassy video and now it’s your turn to show us your moves,” he added.

    In conjunction with the promotion, AirAsia X will award the most creative video entry that best emulates the dance moves of Assraf with a pair of return free flights to Honolulu, Hawaii, through a social media contest from April 3-9.

    It said the winner would be awarded with a pair of return flights from Kuala Lumpur to Honolulu, Hawaii via Osaka, excluding taxes, fees and optional services.

    To participate, the public must create a 15-second non-audio dance video, upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #AirAsiaDanceToFlyMY by 11.59pm April 9, with a caption saying why they deserve to win.

    The winner will be named on AirAsia’s official social media channels.

  • Ford says it will spend $295 million on two new recalls

    Ford says it will spend $295 million on two new recalls

    Ford Motor Co, the second largest U.S. automaker, on Wednesday announced two new recalls affecting 440,000 vehicles and expects to spend about $295 million to fix the issues.

    The recalls include 211,000 vehicles in North America to replace potentially faulty side door latches and 230,000 vehicles for under-hood fire risks. Ford said it has reports of 29 fires but no injuries.

    Ford said the cost of the recalls were included in its updated earnings guidance issued last week.

    Last week, Ford warned it expects lower earnings per share in the first quarter and lower pretax profit in 2017 due to higher spending on commodities, warranties and investments and a drop in sales volumes especially fleet sales.

    The Dearborn automaker had previously recalled nearly 4 million vehicles for door latch issues in six separate recalls since 2014, including 2.4 million vehicles recalled in late 2016. In September, Ford said it was taking a $640 million charge for its expanded side-door latch recalls.

    The new door latch recall includes 211,000 2014 model year Ford Fiesta, 2013-14 Ford Fusion and 2013-14 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. Ford said it not aware of any crashes or injuries associated with this issue.

    The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in 2015 it had 1,102 reports related to the problem and Ford said it had 10,883 warranty claims related to door latch failures. Some owners told NHTSA they used ropes or tape or seatbelts to restrain doors.

    The under-hood fire recall covers 230,000 2013-15 Ford Escape, Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Fusion and Ford Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6-liter GTDI engines in North America.

    Ford said a lack of coolant circulation could cause an engine to overheat, resulting in a crack in the cylinder head, which could result in a pressurized oil leak and raise the risk of a fire.

    In October, NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into 440,000 Ford 2011-2013 Edge SUVs over door latch warning light issues. The agency said Wednesday it is closing its investigation without seeking a recall.

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  • China Telecom Global teams with HKT on m-payment

    China Telecom Global teams with HKT on m-payment

    China Telecom Global (CTG) has entered an agreement with HKT Payment, the mobile payment subsidiary of Hong Kong operator HKT, to issue a co-branded mobile payment solution.

    The companies will collaborate to issue a co-branded virtual Tap & Go card for subscribers to CTG’s CTExcel multinational mobile brand.

    Tap and Go is the contactless mobile payment technology used by HKT Payment for its stored value facilities (SVF) mobile payment service.

    Through the collaboration CTExcel customers will be able to take advantage of the payment option at a wide range of merchants, China Telecom Global CEO Deng Xiaofeng said.

    “We think mobile payment is an area that will help CTG to differentiate its mobile solution with extra benefits. This partnership is the first step into this space in Hong Kong and aims at empowering CTExcel users to enjoy smart and convenient mobile payment at over 6 million merchant outlets worldwide as well as online,” he said.

    HKT Payment head Monita Leung added that in addition to the extensive global payment network, “the unique Tap & Go peer-to-peer payment services PayBuddy and PayMaster enable our partner to reach and engage wider markets including children and young adults.”

    CTG has separately agreed to provide the network in China and Hong Kong for for global roaming and IoT solutions provider UROS Uni-fi Roaming Solutions.

    Under the agreement, CTG will provide 4G mobile services in both markets, delivered via both traditional SIM cards and eSIM technology.

    ““CTG is excited to support UROS for its connectivity requirements across HK and mainland China. With its CTExcel brand, CTG is committed to providing high quality mobile service across the regions for both consumers and enterprises without compromising quality and reliability,” Deng said.

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  • Law to allow bank bankruptcy

    Law to allow bank bankruptcy

    The State Bank of Việt Nam (SBV) is drafting a law on supporting credit institutions to restructure and resolve bad debt in an effort to quicken the process.

    The incomplete legal framework for handling poorly-performing banks and bad debts is hindering the restructuring of credit institutions, according to SBV.

    The central bank in a note pointed out that it currently does not have adequate jurisdiction to handle weak banks, and there is a shortage of mechanisms and resources for handling bad debts and mortgaged assets, which increase risks to the system and the whole economy.

    The first draft version of the law, which SBV recently published for comments, provides mechanisms for the first time for weak banks to file for bankruptcy. The idea of allowing weak banks to go bust was not new but was included in a legal document for the first time.

    Allowing bankruptcy was necessary when the restructuring of the banking system must be hastened and improved in term of quality, according to Bảo Việt Securities.

    Statistics show that as of the end of 2016, bad debt ratio was controlled at below 3 per cent, but the central bank warned that it could amount to 8.86 per cent if bad debts managed by the Việt Nam Asset Management Company (VAMC) and loans which could potentially turn into non-performing were included.

    The safety of the credit institution system in Việt Nam remains low compared to other countries in the region, while the burden of supplying capital for the economy was increasingly heavy, making the system vulnerable to shocks, the central bank said.

    The ratio of credit to GDP increased in 2012-15 from 95.2 per cent to 111.1 per cent, high compared to Indonesia (36.5 per cent), the Phillippines (39.1 per cent), Brazil (67.1 per cent) and India (51.6 per cent).

    “If the legal framework is not improved, it will be impossible to promote banking capital, which will affect GDP growth,” the central bank said in the note. “It is necessary to have a separate law to enhance the restructuring in the next five years towards efficiency.”

    Let weak banks fall?

    Lawyer Bùi Quang Tín from the Banking University of HCM City said bank bankruptcy is new to Việt Nam and the process would need a carefully-prepared roadmap.

    Last year, Deputy Prime Minister Vương Đình Huệ said that Việt Nam should bravely pilot allowing a bank to go bankrupt, but the bankruptcy must ensure rights of depositors and not cause a domino effect.

    According to Nguyễn Văn Hưng, the SBV’s Deputy Chief Inspector, 2017 would be the year to handle weak banks thoroughly in order to resolve cross ownership among credit institutions.

    SBV planned to handle five weak banks this year, including three banks bought at zero đồng – Việt Nam Construction Bank, OceanBank and GPBank.

    The central bank would also consider letting some poorly-performing financial companies and credit funds go bankrupt, as a warning for the whole system.

    Six-year credit high

    Banking credit grew 2.81 per cent in the first quarter of 2017 over the same period last year, a six-year high, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

    Credit growth in Q1 was higher than deposit growth of 2.43 per cent, reflecting the improved capital absorption capacity of businesses.

    Deposit rates were stable at 4.5-5.4 per cent per year for deposits of 1-6 months, 5.4-6.5 per cent for 6-12 months and 6.4-7.2 per cent for 12 months and up.

    Lending rates were at 6-7 per cent for prioritised sectors and 6.8-9 per cent for short-term loans and 9.3-11 per cent for medium and long-term loans.
    Read more at https://vietnamnews.vn/economy/373862/law-to-allow-bank-bakruptcy.html#EqFj3ehlSdUGJYzy.99

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  • AirAsia to start Vietnamese carrier

    AirAsia to start Vietnamese carrier

    AirAsia, the low-cost carrier headed by Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes, plans to start a Vietnamese carrier in a local partnership, as cheap fares and rising incomes fuel a travel surge in the South-east Asian nation.

    The region’s largest budget airline will partner Gumin, Hai Au Aviation Joint Stock and businessman Tran Trong Kien for the venture, which is expected to start flying early next year, AirAsia said.

    Gumin will own about 70 per cent of the new venture, with AirAsia holding the rest.

    Vietnam is the latest country to woo Mr Fernandes, who is seeking to build a pan-Asian budget airline, as the 28 per cent growth in passenger traffic was triple the pace in other South-east Asian nations. The fifth-biggest market in the region has seen domestic traffic double since 2013, and the middle-class will comprise close to a quarter of its population by 2010, AirAsia said.

    AirAsia has over the years established affiliates in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Japan, and is betting on a low-cost, long-haul model for global travel via its AirAsia X unit. It has ordered hundreds of planes from Airbus, and is selling a plane- leasing unit to raise more cash.

    Vietnam will continue to see a double-digit gain in passenger numbers in the next decade, said ACB Securities in December.

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  • Singtel launches global optimized internet service

    Singtel launches global optimized internet service

    Singtel has launched an optimized internet service promising to provide enterprises with up to ten times faster access to cloud applications.

    The operator’s new ConnectPlus Optimized Internet Service provides assured internet connectivity between enterprise’s offices worldwide by taking advantage of the ConnectPlus IP VPN network comprising around 430 PoPs worldwide.

    Enterprises can take advantage of the network by connecting their offices worldwide using a hybrid WAN configuration capable of delivering assured, high-performance connectivity, which will also allow enterprises to expose less critical data to attack over the public internet.

    The second component of the service is the ConnectPlus Optimised Internet Cloud Access service, which Singtel said can overcome latency problems to boost cloud connection speeds tenfold.

    “Many enterprises use the internet to access their applications on public clouds as it is convenient and widely available. However, internet access can be affected by unstable connectivity or latency issues,” Singtel CEO Bill Chang said.

    “With the Singtel ConnectPlus Optimized Internet service, enterprises are not only assured of reliable and secure internet connectivity, they can also raise their productivity by accessing their data and business solutions in the cloud much faster.”

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  • Alibaba plans regional distribution hub in Malaysia

    Alibaba plans regional distribution hub in Malaysia

    Alibaba Group has signed an agreement with the Malaysian government covering the establishment of an e-fulfillment hub in Kuala Lumpur and a one-stop online cross-border trading platform.

    The agreement will also include cooperation in e-payment and financing, and development of e-talent training that will fit into Malaysia’s roadmap of transformation into a digital economy.

    The e-hub to be built near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport is under the Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) initiative which is being undertaken together with the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and other parties. The facility is envisioned to function as a centralized customs clearance, warehousing and fulfilment facility for Malaysia and the region, to deliver faster clearance for imports and exports.

    “We have set out plans to progress Malaysia’s economy and place it firmly at the center of the global marketplace. To do this we need to harness the assets that we have and provide the support for individuals and businesses to be competitive in the new digital landscape. “The Alibaba Group is at the forefront of private sector development of e-commerce solutions and their ambitions to enable trade, particularly for SMEs, make them the perfect partner in this new initiative,” said Prime Minister Razak.

    Ma proposed the establishment of digital free trade zones for small businesses while attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia last June, suggesting that such special trading areas can act as e-commerce hubs linking up markets around the world.

    As part of Malaysia’s DFTZ initiative, the e-hub will provide new commercial opportunities on the established trade route with the country. As more trading routes are covered with new hubs that reflect the needs of the firms participating in the modern economy, a digital global e-road will be created.

    Alibaba has already played a key role in the establishment of the China (Hangzhou) Cross-Border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Free Trade Area which will be connected to the DFTZ in Kuala Lumpur.

    The eWTP’s e-hub concept has been incorporated into Malaysia’s DFTZ which will see the involvement of Alibaba, its subsidiaries and affiliates such as Lazada and Cainiao Network in other areas as well, such as the proposed e-service platform, which, when connected to Alibaba’s OneTouch platform, will link Malaysia directly to the e-commerce pilot area in Hangzhou, China to allow SMEs and businesses to trade conveniently and efficiently between the two countries. Relevant parties from both sides will also explore e-payment and financing opportunities and establish training programs to help incubate startups and develop skillsets in individuals in support of Malaysia’s digital economy development.

    “With innovation throughout the supply chain, support from governments and important private sector collaborations, we will achieve our aim of enabling SMEs and young people to thrive and enjoy in the fruits of the next phase of globalization,” Ma said.

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  • Viettel aims to complete 4G rollout by April 10

    Viettel aims to complete 4G rollout by April 10

    Vietnam’s Viettel aims to be complete with its nationwide 4G rollout by April 10 after a frenzy of base station installations over the past six months.

    The military-run operator has deployed 36,000 4G base stations since commencing the rollout in November last year. The company has completed the installation of 1,000 4G base stations per day.

    At this pace, Viettel has been installing in one week as many base stations as it took a year to deploy during the operator’s 2G rollout.

    Viettel now has a number of 4G base stations comparable to that of its 2G network and exceeding the number of 3G base stations. Its network spans all provinces and cities in the nation, covering around 99% of all districts.

    According to the report, the pace of Viettel’s 4G rollout is considered unprecedented globally. As well as its base station footprint, Viettel has 320,000km of fiber domestically and around another 180,000km in overseas markets.

    The report also states that Viettel has set a target of ensuring that by 2020 every Vietnamese citizen has a smartphone and access to the internet. To achieve this goal the company plans to offer 4G-capab le handsets for as little as 1 million dong ($43.90).

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  • Burger King, Foodpanda launch April Fool’s Day campaigns

    Burger King, Foodpanda launch April Fool’s Day campaigns

    A Whopper-flavoured toothpaste and a weekend staycation where you can chill in a panda costume… those were the first two April Fool’s Day pranks orchestrated by marketers this silly season.

    Putting aside for a moment the question of whether launching such promotions several days in advance really qualifies as an April 1 stunt, the issue is whether the marketing programs are designed to make the news media look foolish in an era of growing chatter about “fake news”, or are just an entertainment for consumers.

    Foodpanda Singapore issued a media release on Wednesday promoting a “wellness retreat” dubbed The Pandanctuary.  The food delivery service cited “UK research” (not referenced) as finding that more than 10,000 people “enjoy dressing up as animals to escape the pressure of modern living”.

    In the release, MD Aspa Lekka (her name checks out on Google) says: “With studies showing that dressing up like an animal is scientifically proven to reduce stress levels, we wanted to give our busy customers the opportunity to see what it’s like to live like our ‘chilled out’ mascot for the weekend – the beloved panda.”

    The release was distributed by Leon Tan, an account executive with W, whose signature file references an award for “Best new PR consultancy in Asia Pacific”. We sent Tan an email asking him to confirm it was an April Fool’s Day stunt. He didn’t reply.

    But the sheer detail of the promotion was impressive enough to fool the likes of mainstream media including the South China Morning Post, which appeared to treat it seriously in an online article.

    According to the release, Foodpanda has partnered with Studio M Hotel on Nanson Road to create “the ultimate panda experience, decking out bespoke ‘panda rooms’ with bamboo plants, play ropes and large water bowls”. Catering will be provided by Jamie’s Italian.

    The biggest hint of mischief in the campaign was at the bottom of the application form where those interested in participating in the “pandamonium” had until “23.59 on March 31” to apply.

    Here’s a video of The Pandanctuary:

    A whopper

    Meanwhile in Europe, Burger King France and its ad agency Buzzman claim to have teamed up with “experts” to create a signature toothpaste with extracts that recreate the distinctive barbecued beef flavour of its Whopper burger (also note that in western slang, “whopper” means a massive lie).

    They even created a realistic 60-second commercial to promote it, in movie-trailer style with the memorable tagline “the Whopper’s taste is so good, some people will do anything to keep it in their mouths”:

    As Marketing Interactive reported online, considering April Fool’s Day is this week “we can safely assume this is a joke – but we will report back if we get our hands on a sample”.

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  • Katrina Group plans So Pho restaurants for Hong Kong

    Katrina Group plans So Pho restaurants for Hong Kong

    Singapore’s Katrina Group, an F&B business specialising in multi-cuisine concepts, has taken a step toward opening So Pho restaurants in China and Hong Kong.

    It has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with fast-casual restaurant group Ajisen (China) Holdings regarding collaboration on the restaurants. The parties will negotiate and determine if this will be through a franchise or JV, with a definitive agreement expected to be finalised within the next few months.

    Ajisen China, which is listed on the mainboard of Hong Kong Stock Exchange, has a chain of restaurants under different brands in China and Hong Kong.

    Katrina founder/CEO/executive chairman Alan Goh says the collaboration is a step toward the company’s aim of growing its overseas presence and diversifying its revenue stream.

    Katrina Group owns and runs 33 restaurants in Singapore under nine different brands, including Bali Thai and Streats, which services streetfood-style dishes. It also has two restaurants in China.

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