Poh Heng engages agency for creative, social and media duties

Poh Heng has appointed Havas & Arena Media to handle strategic creative, social, and media duties following a pitch to help fulfil the company’s long-term plan to further elevate the brand.The agency will cover integrated functions including strategic counsel and advice on brand strategy, as well as creative, digital, and media strategies. This will be done through an inter-agency approach with Poh Heng’s PR partner, Bless Inc Asia, and events partner, Division Communications. R3 was enlisted to aid in the pitch process in June.Together, the agencies will work closely with Poh Heng to “future-proof its business by continuing to deliver high-impact brand communication strategies in the market”, the statement said. The move also comes as the brand celebrates its 70th anniversary.Pamela Seow, manager of marketing and communications, Poh Heng, added that as the highly dynamic marketing and communications landscape continues to evolve, the brand seeks to collaborate with the right strategic partner who is able to deliver an integrated solution to take the brand to new heights.“[The appointment is part of] our plans to further deepen our engagement with Poh Heng’s loyalists, and to attract new customers to the brand. We look forward to a strong partnership as we seek out fresh ideas to continue to evolve the brand,” she added.“Poh Heng is a highly respected brand in the industry, and we are excited to be given this opportunity for us to build and tell wonderful stories together, and leverage the synergies of having data, insights, creative, media, and content under one unified approach,” Jacqui Lim, group CEO, Havas Group, added.Most recently, as part of its anniversary campaign, the jewellery brand launched a photo exhibition called “A Journey of Trust”, which features images of local personalities and people with their loved ones. The exhibition ran across Orchard Road and boldly featured images of two same-sex couples on an OOH billboard. The photo assets were also shared on Poh Heng’s social media platforms, with an exclusive Poh Heng 70th Anniversary heritage video is also running online.Unconventional for a local heritage brand, Pamela Seow, marketing and communications manager of Poh Heng, said in a statement to Marketing at the time that the campaign was created to display how all of the relationships embody the value that Poh Heng stands for – that is trust, regardless of gender.While Seow did not directly comment on why the same-sex couples were chosen for the ad, she said, “The exhibition, A Journey of Trust, was conceptualised to honour people from all walks of life, races, ages, and vocations. It is a celebration of the relationships and friendships we enjoy with our customers all these years.(Read also: Poh Heng marketer on same-sex couple ads and evolving a heritage brand)