Digital happenings this week from McCann, Intel, ADMA and more

Across the region, the Asia Digital Marketing Association (ADMA) has released its annual Digital Marketing Yearbook helping marketers make sense of more than one billion internet users or 46 per cent of the world's online population in Asia-Pacific. The book lists studies emphasising the region's highly localised diversity and concludes by recommending that marketers need to "get local and get personal".

Newly-launched Digital Asia Festival this week opened for entries and delegate registration. The event incorporates the annual Digital Media Awards and takes place over two days from 7 to 8 November in Beijing. The Festival is organised by Haymarket Media Group and Lions Festival, a partnership which also includes the Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity and the Festival of Asian Marketing Effectiveness (AMEs). 

Reported out of Hong Kong, digital creative agency StartJG this week launched an online campaign for Intel Intelligent Systems, targeting Asia-Pacific developers. To raise awareness and generate leads, StartJG created multi-level competition The Intel Eureka Design Challenges where developers compete to win a VIP trip to the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. 

In Southeast Asia, McCann Worldgroup Malaysia has strengthened its digital team in the market. With 15 years experience, Alec Loh rejoins the agency as group director of digital strategy and innovation. Creatives Ng Teck Yew, Nazri Jamal and Faizal Reza join Loh at McCann Worldgroup as creative group head, senior web designer and creative director, respectively. 

In Singapore, Scottish digital agency Dog Digital has opened an office in the Lion City. Selene Chen joins from Element14 to head the operation as managing director. Dog Digital was established 10 years ago and hopes to differentiate itself by backing solutions with a "strong marketing foundation". Chen has previous experience working at OgilvyOne, XM Asia and Tequila.

Out of Australia this week, McCann Worldgroup Australia has appointed Justine Marino as head of digital. Marino joins from DDB Syney and has prior expeience working at Microsoft and HP. Her appointment coincides with that of Rod Leviton. He joins MRM Melbourne as front-end web developer following more that four years at Struck & Spink. 

In global news, London Advertising, with the backing of the UK government, is launching a global competition offering US$150,000 in startup funds to set up a new global digital agency under its guidance. London Advertising founder Michael Moszynski said the aim was to find the best digital talent reflecting the Government’s growth agenda and focus on the creative sector. Samsung, Warner Brothers and Bupa are providing live briefs for the new agency and taking part in the 'Dragon's Den' style judging panel. The results will be announced on 14 September.