TIME dotCom concludes brand and social pitches

TIME dotCom has appointed Fishermen Integrated and Kingdom Digital Group's subsidiary, Rockstar Digital, to manage overall brand and social media duties respectively for a period of one year with the option to extend for another. The pitch was held from May to June and five agencies were shortlisted. Head of marketing Andrew Yeoh told A+M that the agencies were given 33 days to respond including a tissue session for interim feedback and all were compensated for pitch fees in accordance with 4A's regulations. Work is expected to roll out by year-end and dentsu Malaysia is the incumbent.

"Fishermen Integrated was chosen because it is a kindred challenger with an indie spirit and an innate understanding of social trends to amplify communications," Yeoh said. He added that the team produced effortlessly entertaining and enjoyable creatives to maximise reach and most importantly, it has passionate owners who are hands-on as well as an energetic team.

Mark Darren Lee, MD of Fishermen Integrated, said words cannot express the team's excitement for being selected to work with TIME. "We thank God for this opportunity and we are grateful for our team who had worked tirelessly to churn out some fun ideas that have landed us here. To be honest, this partnership couldn't have come at a better time. Being confined at home for the past year and a half has seen an increase in hours spent online for work and studies," Lee added. 

Meanwhile, Rockstar Digital was appointed because of its structured and strategic understanding of the telco landscape, as well as its bold and fresh approach to social platforms, support by robust data and in-depth insights. “The Rockstar Digital team went above and beyond with a strategy that thrilled and terrified us in equal measure. It showed us the path forward to differentiate and carve out our own distinctive space in a social sphere dominated by giants. In short, when the entire category zigs, we will zag," Yeoh added. 

According to Kingdom Digital Group's CEO, Ryan Ong, Rockstar Digital was established to help challenger brands such as TIME innovate and lead with a consumer-first approach and ideation. The team is also thrilled to work with the company and Ong said this is a fitting time to introduce Rockstar Digital to the industry.

"Brands that partner with Rockstar can expect brave and bold digital strategy and execution. It is for those who don’t want to sing the same tune as everyone else and are looking to create mutually engaging conversations rather than a hardsell monologue," he said.

He explained that TIME is perceived as a challenger brand in a market dominated by various telco giants. Its can-do spirit is what separates it from the competition. "This is something we have in common as an independent agency group. We look forward to taking their social media game to the next level,” added Ong.

To boost awareness and drive brand affinity for TIME, the agency’s head of strategy, Edmund Lou, said it saw an opportunity to showcase TIME as more than just an internet provider. “Our strategy is to position TIME as a lifestyle enabler, one that puts consumers first by enabling them to live more and gain endless experiences through timeless possibilities offered by the Internet.”

At the same time, strategic planner Rachel Chin said the agency aims to leverage interactive and informative content delivered in an entertaining and engaging manner to strike a chord with TIME’s audiences. “Time waits for no one; we need to make every second count. Many of us realised this even more during the challenging situation we are in now. With the Internet being an essential part of the consumers’ lives, we aim to portray TIME as the enabler by inspiring consumers to seize the day and make time for the things they love," she said.

Separately, TIME is also in the midst of a media pitch and the appointment will be two years with the option to extend for another. Invited agencies will be briefed by the second half of this months and given three weeks to reply with a proposal. The appointment is expected to be finalised by September and only one agency will be appointed to handle all media buying duties. M/SIX is the incumbent on the account.

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