Advertising
Key marketing appointments to kickstart your week
This week: Zoo Group continues expansion, taps Havas talent, Initiative strengthens Melbourne leadership, Via Group marks two years with five hires, and Archetype names a head of AI & transformation to drive its next evolution. More to come, follow for updates.
Asia-Pacific Power List 2025: Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, RHB Banking Group
Sani's visionary leadership continues to position RHB Banking Group at the forefront of Malaysia’s financial sector, driving innovation and redefining industry standards.
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Cannes Lions 2025 rocked by multiple controversies over AI, authenticity, and licensing
A week after the festival closed, São Paulo-based DM9, part of the DDB network, withdrew three award-winning campaigns. Meanwhile, LePub’s New Balance case is under fire for unverifiable claims, and a Budweiser campaign by Africa Creative is facing criticism for skirting music licensing rules.
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Where the real Cannes happened
Cannes Lions first-timers pick out their highlights of the week.
Chaka Sobhani and Tara Ford to co-chair Campaign Big Awards
The standard entry deadline is Thursday, July 10.
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DM9’s creative chief steps down in wake of Cannes backlash
Icaro Doria helped relaunch the agency in 2022.
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A small step for Cannes, not a giant leap for Asian creative influence
Cannes Lions amplified Asia’s usual hits this year—K-pop and Xiaohongshu's marketing model but the real creative revolution happening in Southeast Asia’s music, film and creator economy is still bubbling at the edges. McCann's Shilpa Sinha says it’s time for Asia to stop waiting and claim the stage.
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Preparing for the open agentic web: What brands need to know
As AI agents and answer engines reshape how people search and interact online, brands are rethinking web design, SEO, and measurement for a new era of dual human and machine audiences.
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Cannes Lions faces calls to step up action on sexual harassment
Women sought refuge in the Empower Café when the Cannes Lions safe zones were not open.
Edelman makes senior leadership cuts amid ongoing restructuring
The PR giant has made senior leadership cuts in Australia, including three key executives, as part of ongoing efforts to future-proof the business.
Agency Report Card 2024: Wavemaker
It was a year of disruption for Wavemaker APAC as network-level leadership instability, China reckonings, and client losses weighed on performance—but momentum in India, Indonesia and AI-driven innovation signal potential for recovery.
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How do you like your coffee? Shaken by the streets!
A new coffee brand enters Vietnam's saturated market with a creative twist on delivery.
Agency Report Cards 2024: We grade 25 APAC networks
The grades are in for Campaign Asia's 22nd annual evaluation of APAC agency networks. Subscribe to read our detailed analyses.
Agency Report Card 2024: VML
Working through a complex merger in 2024, VML remained steady and stable. Now it's time to show the world how it can flex its scale to creative benefit for all to see.
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'If it doesn’t entertain, don’t even enter': Valerie Madon on films, humour, and the power of purpose at Cannes Lions
Nearly 80% of the Film Lion winners used humour as a narrative style. McCann’s APAC chief creative officer and Film juror Valerie Madon explains why funny works, short-form is trickier than it looks, and why the best films sell more than just a feeling.
Canva plugs MagicBrief into the creative feedback loop
By acquiring MagicBrief, Canva is blending AI-powered insights with real-time design iteration—turning creative guesswork into scalable, data-backed storytelling for enterprise teams.
Inside the first global benchmark for AI creativity in advertising
As AI tools become increasingly essential in creative workflows, an independent initiative backed by Springboards has launched the first benchmark to measure the true creative instincts of large language models.
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Japan FTC hits Dentsu, others with 3.3 billion yen penalty over Tokyo Olympics bid-rigging
Citing violations of the Antimonopoly Act, Japan's Fair Trade Commission fined Dentsu and six other firms ¥3.3 billion (US$22.8 mil) for bid-rigging tied to the Tokyo Olympics. Dentsu is contesting the 'discrepancies'.
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From loud and proud to lost and quiet? The 'confused adolescence' of Pride 2025
As rainbow logos vanish and corporate sponsorships dwindle, Pride 2025 reveals a new era of caution and introspection for brands navigating political pressure and demands for authenticity.
Microsoft AI CEO: Bigger organisations are ‘starting to feel the pressure’ from AI
Mustafa Suleyman was joined on the stage at Cannes by Colleen DeCourcy to discuss how AI will democratise creativity and the importance of ‘friction’.
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