Stagwell adds Coconuts Media to global affiliate network to grow APAC presence

Stagwell has entered into an affiliate partnership with Southeast Asian online publisher Coconuts Media. Stagwell said the partnership "meaningfully expands" its media investment in Asia Pacific and adds a key partner with scaled content, production, and distribution capabilities to support global clients.

Via the partnership, Stagwell and Coconuts Media will collaborate to offer clients a mix of traditional and digital media services, advice on region-specific consumer trends including the high growth in social commerce sales in APAC, and scaled media placement and distribution opportunities informed by first-party data across the Coconuts Media network. Additionally, Stagwell’s agencies in the region –- including Assembly, Allison+Partners, 72andSunny, Forsman & Bodenfors, and Ink, among others -- will partner with Coconuts’ in-house marketing agency, Grove, in collaborative pitches and marketing campaigns.

Coconuts Media reaches audiences in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Myanmar. Its publications include Coconuts, BK Magazine, and Soimilk. Aside from Grove, Coconuts Media also has Coconuts TV which produces documentary and unscripted programmes for the likes of Netflix, Discovery, and MTV.

Meanwhile, Stagwell opened its new regional headquarters in Singapore last November to accommodate rapid growth and drive expansion across other key markets throughout Asia Pacific. The company said that Singapore will serve as a key geographic hub to anchor the network's international client engagements and connect local teams with Stagwell's platform of modern marketing services. Randy Duax currently leads Asia Pacific as MD. Stagwell currently has over 40 affiliates in locations across Asia Pacific, MENA, Europe, and Latin America.

According to Mark Penn, chairman and CEO, Stagwell, it is investing heavily in Asia Pacific as part of its global expansion this year. "We are eager to collaborate with founder and CEO Byron Perry and the Coconuts Media team to offer our mix of digital and media services to strengthen the Asia Pacific offering for our clients," he added.

Perry added that with its publishing roots as a foundation, Coconuts Media is growing its creative and media buying services and the business of serving clients as a modern creative agency. "Partnering with a challenger marketing network such as Stagwell makes total sense as we work with larger, more complex global clients," he added.

Photo courtesy: 123RF

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