The seven most exciting agency launches in APAC in 2023

In 2023, the advertising and marketing industry in APAC saw some of its biggest social media trends and most interesting CMO moves. Within the dynamic landscape, new agencies also emerged, aiming to meet the evolving needs of the communications and advertising markets.

In fact, there have been notable shifts in the rankings of startup ecosystems across the APAC region. According to the "Analysis of Asia Pacific Startup Ecosystems" by StartupBlink, Singapore has gained momentum, climbing one spot to secure the 6th position globally, highlighting its robust ecosystem and favourable business environment. China, while experiencing a slight decline, remains a powerhouse in the region, albeit losing its position in the global top 10.

With industry leaders starting new ventures and joining hands to launch new initiatives, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE looks back on the seven most exciting new agencies that have opened shop this year.

Don’t miss: These were the region's most interesting CMO moves in 2023

1. Blossom Lane Communications launches under ex-Shangri-La Group's media and social lead

Tim Hung, Shangri-La Group's former assistant vice president of media and social, left in October to establish Blossom Lane Communications. The social media agency specialises in Red marketing for brands in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Hung said that he saw a chance to establish the agency in response to an emerging demand following the reopening of cross-border travel. He expressed hope to offer China-focused social media marketing services to global brands in this capacity. 

“Why wait? Embrace RED marketing today to gain a head start over your competitors, as in three years, it will be the industry standard,” he said, highlighting how he had seen the impact of the Red social media platform in boosting businesses and driving brand talkability. 

Hung took on the roles of founder and CEO of the agency, taking charge of speaking to marketers in the Hong Kong and Asia markets to convince them to embrace Red. Meanwhile, his mainland China team was placed in charge of strategy and content for clients. 

2. Ex-foodpanda marketing director launches Climate Club

Launched in November by ex-foodpanda marketing and sustainability director, Laura Kantor (pictured), Climate Club, specialises in sustainability communications. In a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Kantor said that Climate Club fills a gap in the industry, where few businesses take sustainability seriously.

“It’s often only talked about on Earth Day, or with a one-off PR stunt, and it doesn’t have to be the case,” said Kantor. Climate Club aimed to turn sustainability into a competitive advantage for businesses, either by reducing costs or generating revenue. By creating a positive impact, Kantor hoped that business leaders would start to make sustainability a priority.

Prior to launching Climate Club, Kantor was the vice president of marketing and growth at sustainability-focused company, abillion, in 2022, before being promoted to chief marketing and impact officer in 2023.

Her role at foodpanda spanned 14 years from 2016 to 2022, during which she grew the business by over a hundredfold, launched six business units and grew the marketing team from three to 32 professionals.

3. Former Be Strategic chiefs open DNA Creative Communications

Launched in February by Ashvin Anamalai (pictured right) and Dan Iskandar (pictured left), DNA Creative Communications provides an array of services, ranging from digital design, branding, marketing strategy, performance marketing and public relations services to event management. The boutique agency also aimed to help brands find their purpose and voice with audiences.

Anamalai was previously the chief strategist at Be Strategic, a Malaysian marketing agency, while Iskandar formerly served as its creative strategist. Both had worked together for the past seven years of their careers, with tenures in FAL Food and Beverages and Be Strategic.

According to Anamalai, the new venture was formed to bring together an immense powerhouse of talents in the hopes of making an undeniable impact in the Malaysian advertising and marketing industry. “We strive to show that there is a space for Malaysian-owned agencies to not only compete, but to also score big against the bigger boys,” he explained.

“Our goal is to live the details and make a difference for each and every client,” added Iskandar.

4. FAB Indonesia and MRA Media partner to launch Foniks

The Indonesian creative business platform and media conglomerate teamed up in May to launch Foniks, an agency that aimed to leverage ongoing trends to create compelling advertising campaigns.

Based in Jakarta, the agency was co-founded and led by internet personality, Iwet Ramadhan (pictured left), and advertiser Yogi Prada (pictured right). Amidst rising demand for influencer marketing in Indonesia, the new venture aimed to leverage influencer marketing and market insights as well as its extensive network of influencer connections to meet this demand.

“We empower brands to become trendsetters themselves,” said Ramadhan, managing director of Foniks.

Addressing the demand for influencer marketing in Indonesia, Yogi Prada, creative business director, added that the agency has embraced the trend of using influencers in campaigns and positioned itself at the forefront of the movement.

5. The Foundry Asia emerges with former Mandala Group comms head at the helm

Germaine Woon (pictured), former head of marketing communications at Madala Masters, launched The Foundry Asia in August. The new marketing and communications agency aimed to provide innovative solutions tailored to the hospitality industry.

The agency was structured by its events and creative, commercial marketing, communications and digital marketing departments to serve the APAC region, with a focus on Hong Kong and Singapore.

Woon brought with her an extensive background in the hospitality industry, having worked across sectors such as nightlife, luxury hotels, and global spirits.

Prior to launching The Foundry Asia, Woon was the head of marketing and communications at Mandala Masters Singapore from June 2022. In this time, she developed a curated network of creators and brands for the group.

6. Ex-Redhill staff join hands to launch TriOn & Co

TriOn & Co, a strategic communications consultancy, was launched in March to offer tailored communications services and special consultancy projects. Its founders, Charu Srivastava (pictured centre), Joel Lah (pictured left), and Marion Ang (pictured right), hailed from global communications agency, Redhill.

With a regional focus, the consultancy was created to meet an increasing need for strategic communications that meet the real needs of organisations and individuals.

"We offer a full suite of communications services including reputation management, stakeholder relations, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) communications," said Srivastava.

As chief strategy officer and corporate affairs lead, Srivastava brought with her 14 years of leadership experience in communications companies such as Redhill, BCW APAC, and Litmus PR.

Lah brought about 11 years of experience to his new role as fintech lead and chief research officer, with a track record in companies such as Rice Communications and Wachsman. Meanwhile, Ang took on the roles of ESG and government lead as well as chief people officer, with an eight-year background in companies such as BCW Global and Burson-Marsteller.

7. Former Durian HK's managing partner launches creative agency NoTwo Hong Kong

Most recently, Hong Kong-based creative agency Durian Hong Kong’s managing partner Andy Chan has left the firm to launch a new local creative agency NoTwo Hong Kong, which serves clients in diverse sectors, including technology, FMCG, insurance, amongst others.

By establishing NoTwo under The Bees Group, Chan aims to create a space where the agency could bring a cool and unique approach to advertising and marketing.  

“We believe that when attention is scarce, uniformity is a sin. All marketers need NoTwo-like campaigns more than ever. So we aim to break away from the traditional planning way and deliver exceptional value to our clients through creativity and client satisfaction,” he said. 

As the owner of the agency, Chan oversees the overall operations, including setting the strategic direction, fostering a creative and collaborative work culture, and maintaining client relationships.  

Chan brings over 10 years of agency experience, with his most recent role as managing partner of Durian HK. Prior to Durian, he was the business director at local digital agency The Bread Digital. He had also worked at Mindshare for four years.

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