Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA) / Thoughtful Media Group Inc Launches 1st Ever MediaGram to Build Indonesia Online Fitness Community

BANGKOK, Oct 17, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Thoughtful Media Group Inc (“Thoughtful Media” or “TMG”), the Thailand-based social commerce-focused, premium digital advertising network of Society Pass Incorporated (“SoPa”) (Nasdaq: SOPA), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, today announces a launch of first ever MediaGram, entitled “Sit Up”, in partnership with Indonesian superstar actor and producer, Chicco Jerihko, to develop online fitness centric community promoting health focused lifestyle in Indonesia. TMG expects new revenue models with fitness clubs and clothing retailers to emerge as result of this partnership.

“MediaGram” is an Instagram page used as a media platform to build communities in collaboration with individuals and/or companies. TMG Group aims to launch 3 Mediagram partnerships per quarter for the rest of 2023 and in 2024 across SEA to continuously develop innovative advertising channels promoting brands and services.

A household name in Indonesian entertainment landscape, Chicco Jerihko’s popularity derives from acting in and producing movies, TV shows and web series. Chicco has previously been nominated for and awarded prestigious awards for his roles in cinema, including Best Actor and Best Film by Festival Film Indonesia. Due to his on-screen success, Chicco Jeihko has amassed over 3+ million followers on social media. Chicco Jerihko comments, “Since 2003, I have been building these healthy habits to meet career demands and personal priorities. I am thrilled to share these habits and best practices with the wider online community and collaborating with renowned digital advertising firm, Thoughtful Media, on this endeavour”.

Kriangkrai Chaimongkol, TMG Chief Executive Officer, explains, “MediaGram is a direct result of our innovative methodology of growing the SEA digital creator economy and we are proud to present our first collaboration with Chicco Jerihko. We strongly believe that collaboration between TMG and SEA celebrities will have a significant positive impact on the regional social media market. We expect this ground-breaking platform to chart a fresh path for local celebrities to engage with and develop bigger audiences for our brands to market to. As we expand this exciting business to other parts of SEA in 2023 and 2024, and with innovative revenue models just emerging, we project our high margin, MediaGram revenues to contribute over 20% of Group revenues in 2024. TMG continues to create value-added services for our strategic celebrity partners, brands and the wider SEA creator community”.

About Thoughtful Media Group Inc.

Founded in 2010, Thoughtful Media Group is the leading digital advertising platform in SEA. Through our network of more than 10,000 talented creators across multiple industries in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines, we help brands maximise marketing budgets and achieve business objectives through some of the most innovative marketing campaigns in the region.

In July 2022, Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA), the next generation acquisition-focused fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in SEA, acquired TMG. Since then, TMG has fully evolved into a digital-first and fully integrated advertising powerhouse, servicing creators and advertisers in SEA.

For more information on TMG, please visit:
Website at www.thoughtfulmedia.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/thoughtful-media-group-inc or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thoughtfulmedia/ or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thoughtfulmediaasia or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/ThoughtfulMedia.

About Society Pass Inc.

Founded in 2018 as a data-driven loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in the fast-growing markets of Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, which account for more than 80% of the SEA population, and with offices located in Angeles, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, and Singapore, Society Pass Incorporated (Nasdaq: SOPA) is an acquisition-focused holding company operating 6 interconnected verticals (loyalty, digital media, travel, telecoms, lifestyle, and F&B), which seamlessly connects millions of registered consumers and hundreds of thousands of registered merchants/brands across multiple product and service categories throughout SEA.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.6 million registered consumers and over 650,000 registered merchants and brands. It has invested 2+ years building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

Society Pass leverages technology to tailor a more personalised experience for customers in the purchase journey and to transform the entire retail value chain in SEA. SoPa operates Thoughtful Media Group, a Thailand-based, a social commerce-focused, premium digital video multi-platform network; NusaTrip, a leading Indonesia-based Online Travel Agency; VLeisure, Vietnam’s leading provider of hotel management and payment solutions; Gorilla Global, a Singapore-based, mobile network operator; Leflair.com, Vietnam’s leading lifestyle e-commerce platform; and NextGen Retail, a Indonesia-based e-commerce platform.

For more information on Society Pass, please visit:
Website at https://www.thesocietypass.com or
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/societypass or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thesocietypass or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/society_pass or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/societypass/.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Media Contacts:
Rokas Sidlauskas
Chief Marketing Officer
rokas@thesocietypass.com

Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA) Announces Equity Line of up to $40 Million to Invest into Operating Subsidiaries Projected to Go Public in 2024

NEW YORK, Oct 12, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Inc. (Nasdaq: SOPA) (“SoPa” or the “Company”), Southeast Asia’s (SEA) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, announced that it entered into a structured financing agreement for an equity line of credit with Strattners FZCO (“Strattners”) to efficiently access capital.

SoPa shall have the right, but not the obligation, to sell to Strattners up to $40,000,000 of SoPa’s common stock at SoPa’s request over the next 36 months, subject to certain limitations. For instance, the amount that may be sold under the agreement will be subject to Instruction I.B.6 to Form S-3, which is referred to as the “baby shelf rules”. When the Company’s public float is less than $75,000,000, it may not sell more than the equivalent of one-third of its public float during any twelve consecutive months pursuant to the baby shelf rules. The shares of the Company’s common stock will be issued at a 6% discount to the lowest volume-weighted average price during the three trading days following the date of the Company’s request.

Raynauld Liang, CEO of SoPa, explained, “By raising this capital from Strattners, without paying large commissions and fees, we will generate shareholder value by efficiently deploying such capital into our operating subsidiaries, such as our spinout candidates, Thoughtful Media Group Inc and NusaTrip Inc.” Mr. Liang continued, “This financing strategy also allows us to opportunistically invest in acquisitions as well as bolster our working capital and shall be used judiciously when market conditions for our common stock are favorable.”

About Society Pass Inc.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021.

About Thoughtful Media Group Inc.

In July 2022, Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA), the next generation acquisition-focused fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in SEA, acquired Thoughtful Media Group Inc. Since then, TMG has fully evolved into a digital-first and fully integrated advertising powerhouse, servicing creators and advertisers in SEA.

About NusaTrip

Founded in 2013, NusaTrip is a Jakarta, Indonesia-based, IATA-licensed online travel agency that serves both local and global customers and partners by optimizing cutting-edge technology and providing 24/7 customer-centric support team-as-a-service. With its first mover advantage, NusaTrip has onboarded +1.2 million registered users, +500 airlines and +650,000 hotels around the world as well as connected with over 80 million unique visitors.

NusaTrip is now an integral member of Society Pass (Nasdaq: SoPa) ecosystem.

For more information on NusaTrip, please visit:
Website at https://www.nusatrip.com.
LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/nusatrip/ or
Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nusatrip/ or
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nusatrip.travel or
Twitter at https://twitter.com/nusatrip.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Media Contact:
Rokas Sidlauskas
Chief Marketing Officer
rokas@thesocietypass.com

Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA) Announces Plans to Spinout Two Profitable Business Units Into New Publicly-Traded Companies via Nasdaq IPOs in 2024

NEW YORK, Oct 10, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Society Pass Inc. (Nasdaq: SOPA) (“SoPa” or the “Company”), Southeast Asia’s (“SEA”) next generation, data-driven, loyalty, fintech and e-commerce ecosystem, announces that its Board of Directors, together with its financial and legal advisors, have evaluated a comprehensive range of strategic restructuring options to unlock shareholder value. As a result of these discussions, SoPa will pursue a spinout and initial public offering on Nasdaq in 2024 for its digital advertising ecosystem, Thoughtful Media Group Inc (“TMG”), and for its online travel platform, NusaTrip Inc (“NusaTrip”).

Thailand-based TMG, the premier digital advertising network in SEA, operates in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines and connects advertisers/brands/merchants with over 10,000 influencers to targeted audiences in SEA via its social media-focused advertising ecosystem. TMG delivers significant returns on investment on advertising spend for its clients by more efficiently and effectively generating additional revenues across thousands of creator channels in industries such as fashion & beauty, lifestyle, video games, cooking, automotive, travel, luxury, and sports.

Nusatrip, a leading Indonesia-based online travel agency, offers a comprehensive range of airlines and hotels on its travel platform for corporate and retail customers across SEA. With its first mover advantage, NusaTrip has onboarded over 1.2 million registered users, over 500 airlines and over 650,000 hotels around the world as well as connected with over 80 million unique visitors. Initially only focused on the Indonesian market, NusaTrip has expanded to other SEA countries to become a first-choice travel provider throughout SEA.

SoPa believes that its separately-traded TMG and NusaTrip subsidiaries will increase SoPa shareholder value as investors can more clearly evaluate the performance and future potential of these profitable businesses on a standalone basis, whilst allowing each business to pursue its own distinct strategy and capital allocation policy. Both TMG and NusaTrip are managed by separate executive teams.

“We believe that separating and listing our principal businesses in 2024 will improve our ability to unlock hidden value for all our stakeholders,” says Raynauld Liang, the Chief Executive Officer of SoPa. “Both TMG and NusaTrip are profitable and have large and growing market opportunities. This new proposed group structure will further increase both their operational agility and ability to focus on delivering exceptional solutions to their customers.”

Mr. Liang further notes, “SoPa’s actions follow the leads of both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Kellogg’s (K) spinning out operating subsidiaries and we plan on having the same success.”

About Society Pass Inc.

Society Pass completed an initial public offering and began trading on Nasdaq under the ticker SOPA in November 2021.

SoPa acquires fast growing e-commerce companies and expands its user base across a robust product and service ecosystem. SoPa integrates these complementary businesses through its signature Society Pass fintech platform and circulation of its universal loyalty points or Society Points, which has entered beta testing and is expected to launch broadly at the beginning of 2023. Society Pass loyalty program members earn and redeem Society Points and receive personalised promotions based on SoPa’s data capabilities and understanding of consumer shopping behaviour. SoPa has amassed more than 3.6 million registered consumers and over 650,000 registered merchants and brands. For the past 2+ years, it has invested in building proprietary IT architecture to effectively scale and support its consumers, merchants, and acquisitions.

About Thoughtful Media Group Inc.

In July 2022, Society Pass (Nasdaq: SOPA), the next generation acquisition-focused fintech and e-commerce ecosystem in SEA, acquired Thoughtful Media Group Inc. Since then, TMG has evolved into a digital-first and fully integrated advertising powerhouse, servicing creators and advertisers in SEA.

About NusaTrip

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may include “forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements consist of not purely historical statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, the ability of the Company to complete the proposed spinout successfully. A discussion of these and other factors, including risks and uncertainties with respect to the Company, is detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to applicable law. The Company does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

Media Contact:
Rokas Sidlauskas
Chief Marketing Officer
rokas@thesocietypass.com

Hypebeast Ltd. (0150.HK) debuted Hypefest Aranya and brought culture at its finest to life in China

Hong Kong, Oct 6, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Hypebeast Limited (Stock Code: 0150.HK), a leading global platform for contemporary culture and lifestyle, wrapped up a two-day cultural festival, Hypefest Aranya, on the famous coast line of Qinhuangdao, China at the end of September. Following Hypefest’s success in Brooklyn in 2018, its debut in China featured a diverse range of regional and international musical acts, as well as cultural and artistic installation in partnership with renowned brands around the world. Bringing together over 15,000 Hypebeast audiences over the 2-day period, the event offered an intimate experience of all things from music and art to fashion and creativity, and further strengthened Hypebeast’s brand positioning in China.

As physical campaigns resume in full capacity, the festival is a complement to Hypebeast’s strong online presence, and broadens opportunities to monetize the Group’s multifaceted ecosystem of digital platforms and creative agency in the market. Produced in collaboration with RYCE Entertainment and ALLIN Entertainment, the cultural festival featured an impeccable lineup of performers including Jackson Wang, Swae Lee, Aminé, Cordae, MC Jin and more; DJs from renowned labels Preme, Pulse and Yeti Out performed on a second stage and brought energy up high during the 2-day weekend.

Attendees had the opportunity to immerse in a series of installations and experiential pop-ups sponsored by a variety of brands, including adidas Originals, Marshall, Hennessy, GAP, Hoegaarden, Saucony Originals, Vans, Randomevent, Penfolds and more. The event garnered close to 30 million impressions across its social media platforms, including Hypebeast’s WeChat, Little Red Book, Weibo, Douyin and Instagram accounts.

As a digital media company that engages in offering creative advertising services and advertising spaces for global brands in its Media Segment, Hypebeast debuted Hypefest in 2018 in New York City. The event hosted more than 10,000 attendees over a two-day period, and tickets for the event sold out within 3 minutes upon release.

Please download the event images here: https://bit.ly/hypefestaranya

For investor relations, please contact: investors@hypebeast.com

About Hypebeast Ltd. (Stock Code: 0150.HK)

Hypebeast is a leading global platform for contemporary culture and lifestyle, and a premier destination for editorially-driven news and commerce. Founded in 2005, it became a publicly listed media company in 2016, and today boasts a global readership across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and more. The Group has expanded its publishing brands to a wider scope, encompassing Hypebeast and its multiple content distribution platforms, creative agency Hypemaker, and e-commerce and retail platform HBX. For more information, visit hypebeast.ltd.

WARC expands global strategy and effectiveness awards with five new regional competitions

LONDON, Oct 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Changes are being introduced to the WARC Awards for Effectiveness 2024, in association with LIONS, making the awards bigger than ever before. Now in their fourth year, the WARC Awards honour the best marketing campaigns from around the world that deliver strategic brilliance and effective impact to drive business success.

Five new regional awards: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and North America. Gold winners will compete at a global level

Entrants compete in one of five regional awards: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and North America.

The regional awards will each be judged by high-calibre panels made up of senior marketers from some of the biggest brands and top agency professionals from around the region. The juries will award Bronze, Silver and Gold accolades for each of the twelve entry categories.

Gold regional winners will automatically compete at a Global level, judged by a high-profile super jury made up of all the regional awards chairs (no need to re-enter or pay additional fees) for the chance to be elevated to Grand Prix status, the ultimate global recognition for marketing strategy and effectiveness.

Uniquely, submissions will be judged using the global standard of the WARC & LIONS Creative Effectiveness and B2B Effectiveness Ladders

A global marketing strategy and effectiveness benchmark like no other, the WARC Awards are judged rigorously and to a consistent standard regardless of origin of the entry, using the Creative Effectiveness and the B2B Effectiveness Ladders – universal frameworks for planning effective marketing communications to drive specific business-to-consumer and business-to-business outcomes.

Commenting on the changes to the 2024 WARC Awards, John Bizzell, Awards Lead, WARC, said: “WARC’s consistent, rigorous and definitive approach to judging marketing strategy and effectiveness is more valuable than ever for brands, media owners and agencies who want to prove they can deliver commercial success in the current financial climate.

“The expansion of the WARC Awards for Effectiveness provides marketers everywhere the ideal platform to showcase their great work, demonstrate their impact in their region and be up against the best in the world, ultimately helping drive the industry forward by imbedding a culture of effective marketing.”

Key dates for WARC Awards 2024

24 October 2023: Open for entries
12 December 2023: End of early bird entry fee
6 February 2023: Final deadline for entries
14 May: Regional awards’ shortlists announced
20-25 May 2023: Bronze, Silver, Gold winners announced for all regional awards
May-June: Gold winners automatically proceed to compete globally
June: WARC Awards 2024 Grand Prix winners announced during Cannes Lions week

All previous WARC legacy awards for effectiveness, media and strategy are now subsumed into these WARC Awards. Entry fees are priced consistently across the globe, with a lower fee for WARC customers. For more information on the new WARC Awards, register your interest here.

About WARC – The global authority on marketing effectiveness

For over 35 years, WARC has been powering the marketing segment by providing rigorous and unbiased evidence, expertise and guidance to make marketers more effective. Across four pillars – WARC Strategy, WARC Creative, WARC Media, WARC Digital Commerce – its services include 100,000+ case studies, best practice guides, research papers, special reports, advertising trend data, news & opinion articles, as well as awards, events and advisory services. WARC operates out of London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai, servicing a community of over 75,000 marketers in more than 1,300 companies across 100+ markets and collaborates with 50+ industry partners.

WARC is an Ascential company. Ascential delivers specialist information, analytics, events and eCommerce optimisation to the world’s leading consumer brands and their ecosystems. Our world-class businesses improve performance and solve customer problems by delivering immediately actionable information and visionary longer-term thinking across Digital Commerce, Product Design, Marketing and Retail & Financial Services.

With more than 3,800 employees across five continents, we combine local expertise with a global footprint for clients in over 120 countries. Ascential is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For further information, please contact:
Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press, WARC
amanda.benfell@warc.com
www.warc.com

WARC releases The Future of Strategy 2023, a worldwide survey-led report with insights from almost 1,000 marketing strategists

LONDON, Oct 3, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – As tough economic conditions continue to squeeze client budgets, levels of optimism are lower as client bravery wanes. Strategists see the biggest opportunity in upstream work, understanding new tech and helping brands navigate culture, whilst there is still much work to do on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Some argue strategy is stymied by frameworks, and that strategy needs more revolution. These are some of the findings included in The Future of Strategy 2023 reportreleased today by WARC – the global authority on marketing effectiveness.

This eleventh edition of the annual WARC study unpacks the key trends considered pivotal to the future of strategy. The research is based on a worldwide survey with 971 client- and agency-side strategists fielded in June and July this year, topics explored at this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and discussions with leading strategists from around the world.

Lena Roland, Head of Content, WARC Strategy, says: “Our annual Future of Strategy report acts as a temperature check for how strategists are feeling about the state of the discipline. Amid a tough economy, which appears to be stymying team growth, the report looks at how strategy careers are evolving, the biggest forces impacting the function, and the core values strategists can bring to help marketers get a more realistic understanding of people and cultural trends.”

Covering the big issues defining marketing, such as economic downturn, career development, measurement and diversity, the report uncovers insights and opportunities of today’s strategist.

Key takeaways considered pivotal to the future of strategy are:

Strategy needs more revolution: 70% of strategists are encouraged to be strategically brave, but just a third (34%) agree clients encourage brave decision making

Knowing what has worked in the past has its place, but strategy is also about imagining the future, and strategists are well placed to identify game changing ideas and innovations. For this, they need ambition, imagination, bravery, and revolution.

However, this year’s survey highlights a strategic bravery gap. Whilst 70% of strategists say their company encourages them to make brave strategic choices, in contrast, just a third (34%) agree that clients encourage strategic bravery as tightening budgets mean brands are taking fewer risks.

Over-reliance on frameworks can leave strategists and strategies in a safe/conformist zone. Almost half (48%) of respondents agree that accepted marketing frameworks are a hindrance to strategic bravery, while 30% disagree.

Matt Klein, Head of Global Foresight, Reddit, says: “The future of strategy is straightforward. Uphold the bureaucratic way things have always been done and study from a distance, or immerse oneself and explore the way the world truly operates to affect progress.”

Calling for a Marketing Reality Movement, Richard Huntington, Chief Strategy Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, says marketers are far removed from the real lives of the people they’re meant to understand and reach, and calls on marketers to “turn the tide on aspirational marketing”.

Planning in a world where niche is big: 76% of strategists agree that greater emphasis on qualitative methods is necessary to understand emerging and niche communities

With fewer monoculture moments to capture mass attention, strategists and brands are having to find ways to effectively understand, reach and engage niche communities.

76% of strategists agree that greater emphasis on qualitative rather than quantitative methods is necessary to understand emerging and niche communities and that understanding how they spread from those communities to larger groups will be crucial moving forward.

Through their connection with culture, strategists are well placed to look to the fringes, identify new opportunities and need states, critical for marketers moving forward.

Charlie Elliott, Strategy Director, Billion Dollar Boy, says: “Niche communities… give a sneak peek into what may come in popular culture – from vocabulary, to fashion trends, to the next big rising star – and allow brands to get ahead of it and engage audiences with greater impact.”

Planning for a sustainable future: 59% of strategists say DEI objectives do not feature in briefs and 50% say sustainability never features

Many companies have taken great strides towards responding to the climate crisis. However, sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) objectives rarely feature in client briefs, suggesting an intention-action gap in what marketers say, and what they do.

The majority (59%) of strategists say DEI objectives do not feature in briefs and half (50%) say sustainability never features. This also suggests that there’s a need for better briefing.

Strategists expect this to change, and strategies of the future will need to imagine better ways for this to grow. This might mean things like demand switching, the circular economy, radical innovation, and doing (and wasting) less.

Helen Brain, Communications Strategy Director, Iris, says: “Sustainability isn’t a ‘thing’ out there, it’s part of culture. If we want brands to be culturally relevant we could do worse than aligning with, amplifying and exploring themes in sustainability, nature and wellbeing.”

Summing up, WARC’s Lena Roland says: “A recurring theme in this year’s Future of Strategy report is the need for strategists to get away from their desks and meet real people. Without this, it’s harder to have a realistic understanding of people’s lives, their hopes, fears, pain points and harder to spot game changing opportunities that build a better future.

“Calling for a revolution suggests we need a rethink. Strategies need to be more imaginative and ambitious, and research needs more respect and reality.”

The Future of Strategy 2023 report, which includes quantitative and qualitative data analysis, expert commentary and advice from leading strategists, is available to WARC subscribers. Two Future of Strategy podcasts will be available to all this week including one with Richard Huntington unpacking his call for a research revolution.

Contributors to the report are: Charlie Elliott, Billion Dollar Boy; Dr Marcus Collins, University of Michigan; Ellie Bamford, Wunderman Thompson; Yael Cesarkas, R/GA; Elizabeth Paul, The Martin Agency; Helen Brain,Iris; Matt Klein, Reddit; Tomas Gonsorcik, DDB North America, Ayo Fagbemi, Explorers Club, Jenna Cummings, Rival; Leo Rayman, EdenLab; Acacia Leroy, Culture Group; Amy Daroukakis, Freelance; Katie Rigg-Smith, WPP; Narayan Devanathan, Dentsu India; Andy Wilson, Ogilvy Consulting; Jo Arden, Ogilvy UK; Richard Huntington, Saatchi & Saatchi.

About WARC – The global authority on marketing effectiveness

With more than 3,800 employees across five continents, we combine local expertise with a global footprint for clients in over 120 countries. Ascential is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For further information, please contact:
Amanda Benfell
Head of PR & Press, WARC
amanda.benfell@warc.com
www.warc.com

Bollywood Sensation Javed Ali to Mesmerize Singapore with a Spectacular Musical Extravaganza at Esplanade Concert

SINGAPORE, Sept 26, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Get ready to be enchanted by the melodious tunes of Bollywood’s renowned playback singer, Javed Ali, as he graces the stage in Singapore for a captivating performance.Javed Ali, celebrated for his soulful voice and chart-topping hits, will set the Esplanade Concert hall ablaze on October 12, 2023, at 7:30 p.m., promising an unforgettable night of music and entertainment.

Known for his mesmerizing renditions in numerous Bollywood blockbusters, Javed Ali has won the hearts of millions worldwide. With an incredible vocal range and the ability to infuse raw emotions into his songs, he has created timeless musical moments that continue to resonate with audiences of all ages.

Some of Javed Ali’s most iconic songs include “Srivalli” from “Pushpa: The Rise,” “Saude Bazi” from “Aakrosh,” “Deewana Kar Raha Hai” from “Raaz 3,” “Ishaqzaade” from “Ishaqzaade,” and “Kajra Re” from “Bunty and Babli.” Each of these songs has left an indelible mark on the Indian music industry, making Javed Ali an indispensable talent.

This magical evening is brought to you by Teamwork Productions, a pioneering name in the field of entertainment production. Shweta Asnani, Director of Teamwork Productions, expressed her excitement about the event, stating, “We are thrilled to host Javed Ali in Singapore. His exceptional talent and melodious voice have captivated audiences worldwide, and we are honored to bring this musical extravaganza to the vibrant city of Singapore. This concert promises to be a celebration of Bollywood music at its best, and we can’t wait to share this memorable experience with the audience.”

Don’t miss this opportunity to witness Javed Ali’s spellbinding performance as he takes you on a musical journey through his chart-topping hits and soul-stirring melodies. Get ready to be enthralled on October 12, 2023, at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Mark your calendars and book your tickets now for a night that promises to be a one-of-a-kind Bollywood experience!

Event Details: October 12, 2023 @ 7:30 PM

Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore

For tickets, click here.

About Teamwork Productions

Teamwork Productions is a leading event management company known for curating exceptional experiences through performing arts.This collaboration marked a significant milestone in the entertainment industry, reaffirming Teamworks’ commitment to bringing world-class artists to the forefront.

For more information, visit http://www.teamworkprod.com.

For Media/ Alliance:
Contact – Mett.AI – http://www.mettai.world/
Email- ganesh@mettai.world

Mett.AI to revolutionize communications landscape, promises to deliver innovative solutions and pro-bono packages

SINGAPORE, Sep 15, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Mett.AI, an integrated communications consultancy is delighted to unveil the official launch of its communications services. Mett.AI promises to transform the way businesses engage with their audiences in the dynamic and diverse market. The firm caters to technology, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, finance and banking, entertainment, automotive, travel and tourism, energy and environment, real estate, nonprofits and NGOs, education, legal, government and public sector, food and beverage, professional services, fashion and beauty, sports, agriculture and food production and emerging sectors. Mett.AI works closely with it's India partners Krescendo Communications and Bloomindale PR and is looking at spreading its wings across APAC and other parts of the World.

Ganesh Somwanshi, Founder, Mett.AI

The comprehensive suite of services includes everything from public relations and digital marketing to events, branding, creative services, corporate communications, and market research and insights. Mett.AI blends innovative thinking and creativity to deliver bespoke results-driven integrated communications solutions.

METT.AI will support companies not only to align with UN SDGs but also effectively communicate their commitment to sustainability, engage stakeholders, and make a positive impact on the world while enhancing their reputation and bottom line.

The consultancy has introduced pro-bono packages for start-ups that are designed to attract potential investors and enhance brand awareness. Their primary goal is to assist start-ups in effectively reaching their target audience and ensuring comprehensive knowledge about their products and services. Through strategically crafted PR campaigns, the consultancy positions start-ups as trailblazers in their respective industries, earning them the esteemed title of "the first of its kind." Such a perception of innovators significantly impacts their market position and opens doors to valuable partnerships. These packages are being offered with a 50% discount on public relations services, providing start-ups with valuable support to scale up and achieve success.

Mett.AI envisions to launch a specialized program designed for emerging and experienced leaders, empowering them to actively shape industry trends and sway public opinion. Through this program, leaders can showcase their expertise in various forms of content, thereby establishing trust and credibility among their followers. The consultancy's dedication lies in supporting purpose-driven brands as they forge meaningful alliances in the region, ultimately enhancing brand image and optimizing the sales funnel.

Ganesh Somwanshi, Founder & Director, Mett.AI, quips, "In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, effective communication is more critical than ever before. With the launch of our communications consultancy, we aim to provide our clients with innovative, results-driven solutions that break cultural barriers and captivate diverse audiences."

"Asia represents a rapidly growing market with diverse cultures, languages, and consumer behaviour. Recognizing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the region, it is important to work with a consultancy that understands the risks and opportunities posed by AI," shares Ross Monaghan, International Association Of Business Communicators Asia Pacific Vice Chair, Australian academic and leading AI communications specialist.

"Mett.AI's pro-bono initiative for startups & future leaders is a game-changing model that empowers brands and leaders alike to embrace the vital significance of creating a brand equity in their career development. By aligning who they are with what they do, these leaders gain a profound sense of purpose and director. Sharing industry insights further catalyses a powerful transformation, benefiting not only themselves but also the people working in that industry. It's a journey of growth and impact, fostering a brighter future for both leaders and industry they influence," adds Letlhokwa Mpedi, Vice Chancellor & Principal at the University of Johannesburg.

Mett.AI is well-positioned to be the go-to partner for businesses aiming to navigate the intricate communications landscape in the dynamic evolving world.

About Mett.AI

Mett.AI is a premier boutique 360-degree communications consultancy. We specialize in providing a comprehensive range of strategic communications services that empower brands to thrive in today's dynamic landscape. With a team of seasoned professionals, we offer a personalized and holistic approach to communications, encompassing public relations, building digital assets, content creation, public affairs and more. Our commitment to creativity, innovation, and tailored strategies ensures that every client receive bespoke solutions that resonates with their unique goals and target audience. At Mett.AI, we pride ourselves on crafting compelling narratives, fostering meaningful connections, and driving impactful results to elevate the brand's presence across all channels. Welcome to a new dimension of communications excellence.

Learn more at www.mettai.world

For Media Contact:
www.mettai.world
Ganesh Somwanshi
Ganesh@mettai.world

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

HubSpot unveils HubSpot AI and new Sales Hub at INBOUND 2023

SINGAPORE, Sep 7, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The way we buy and sell is changing. From an unpredictable economy to the AI revolution, there's no shortage of factors affecting the customer journey. And more than ever, the pressure is on businesses to adapt.

As the customer platform for scaling businesses, HubSpot provides the tools needed to connect with customers and grow, no matter the challenge. In 2023 alone, HubSpot has shipped over 200 updates for customer-facing teams across marketing, sales, and service. At this year's INBOUND, HubSpot's annual conference and product showcase, the company is launching some of the most exciting and impactful products to date.

"We are experiencing a transformative shift with generative AI. Customer expectations are changing, and businesses now have the opportunity to leverage AI to drive customer connection at scale." said Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot.

"HubSpot has been thinking deeply about these changes and iterating quickly to help our customers thrive in the age of intelligence. We introduced many powerful new features and capabilities at INBOUND 2023, and I'm excited by our progress in becoming the #1 customer platform for scaling companies."

Introducing HubSpot AI: Platform-wide AI-powered capabilities that help SMEs grow better

At INBOUND 2023, HubSpot unveiled HubSpot AI, a new set of platform-wide AI-powered products and features to help customer-facing teams unlock productivity, harness data for improved performance, and create deeper connections with customers.

HubSpot AI is a robust portfolio of new and existing products and features available globally, including:

– AI Assistants: Generative AI tools to supercharge marketing, sales, and service teams. AI Assistants will work across the entire HubSpot platform to help teams draft content, create images, generate blog ideas, build websites, and develop reports – instantly.

– AI Agents: A set of AI-enhanced tools that help SMEs automate, respond to, and elevate their customer service across live chat and email. The first AI Agents will launch in early 2024.

– AI Insights: Predictive AI features that unlock better analysis and recommendations, like AI-powered forecasting.

– ChatSpot: Currently in public beta, ChatSpot combines the power of ChatGPT with dozens of unique data sources, like a HubSpot customer's Smart CRM, to give growing businesses access to powerful generative AI capabilities. Since launching in March 2023, ChatSpot has seen 80,000 total users with 20,000 prompts created.

"HubSpot's generative AI features have helped me unlock time and better focus on priority tasks," said Colleen McKenna, Demand Generation Manager at Frequence. "Even with my copywriting background, I use the tools to generate new ideas, simplify wording, and work through writer's block. I'm excited to adopt even more of HubSpot's AI-powered tools and free up time that we can spend connecting with Frequence's prospects and customers."

"It's our job at HubSpot to help growing businesses take advantage of new technology without any of the burden," said Andy Pitre, EVP of Product at HubSpot. "With HubSpot AI, we're taking the guesswork out of generative AI and giving all customer-facing teams across sales, marketing, and service the complete toolkit to help them accomplish even more."

Learn more about HubSpot AI and see a full list of new features here: http://hubspot.com/new

New Sales Hub features and expanded relationship with LinkedIn give sales teams an edge

In the past, selling was all about doing more: adding more reps, more activity, more technology. Today, budgets are shrinking, deals take longer to close, and prospects are harder to reach. The default "more is more" playbook no longer works, and reps are feeling the pressure. In fact, 71% of global sales leaders say their teams have to do more with less.*

Being asked to do more with less means productivity has taken a hit. Instead of focusing on connection – which 88% of sales leaders say is the most important part of their jobs – teams are bogged down by administrative tasks. That's a problem considering companies who focus on connection actually grow 5x more than average.** Sales teams that aren't focused on customer connection are leaving growth on the table.

Sales teams need a better way to connect, grow, and win – now and into the future. That's why HubSpot has reimagined its Sales Hub with new capabilities, including:

– Prospecting workspace: A dedicated workspace for sales reps that consolidates prospecting activities into a unified experience, helping them organise their day, stay focused, and identify urgent tasks. By streamlining activities, the prospecting workspace (currently in public beta) will help reps increase efficiency and focus on customer connection.

– Advanced lead management and reporting: Now prospecting reps can better organise, track, and prioritise leads – enabling richer data and unmatched visibility for both sales and marketing teams. With improved clarity, sales leaders and their marketing counterparts can unlock new insights into lead pipeline efficiency and prospecting effectiveness.

— Lead reports, including lead source reports and contact rate reports (currently in public beta), give marketers insight into the impact of their leads and give sales leaders visibility into how their reps are engaging with high-value leads.

— Prospecting activities reports give sales leaders a holistic view of rep outreach effectiveness, including conversion rates and activity metrics.

– Intelligent deal management and forecasting: New AI-powered features enable sales teams to better prioritise efforts and predict outcomes.

— AI Forecasting (currently in private beta) uses HubSpot's predictive AI and historical sales to project future sales. Early testing showed that AI Forecasting helped some teams improve accuracy by up to 95%.

— Deal insights help reps prioritise their deals with ease by providing contextual insights into the health of their pipeline and sales process.

— Deal tags programmatically categorise deals through coloured labels and quick presets, enabling reps to focus on the right deals.

– Seamless scheduling and handoffs: With Sales Hub, no matter where an opportunity originates, the prospect will experience a smooth handoff to the right rep.

— Reps can book meetings on behalf of others, enabling streamlined handoffs between sales development and sales.

— Lead form routing (currently in public beta) ensures website leads are qualified and routed to the right reps, quickly and automatically.

– Expansion of HubSpot's relationship with LinkedIn across marketing & sales: Enabling sellers to be smarter and more efficient in how they prospect, build relationships, and close deals by syncing HubSpot's Smart CRM with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, with a private beta starting later this month. HubSpot Sales Hub and LinkedIn are bringing two critical data sources for sales teams closer together.

"For fast-growing companies like ours, it's important to have visibility into how deals are moving ahead and gauge where you'll be by the end of the quarter or end of year," said Kashish Gupta, Head of Sales and Customer Success at Volopay. "Sales Hub provides a hundred percent of everything I need from an analysis perspective. It gives me direct, actionable insights into how different channels are performing, how specific accounts are performing, and how many accounts have moved to dormant. All of these things are directly correlated to revenue, so this visibility is important."

"With buyer behaviour evolving so rapidly, the old playbook of adding headcount, creating more activities, and implementing point solutions to drive sales no longer delivers," said Dan Bognar, VP & Managing Director, JAPAC at HubSpot. "Sales Hub has been completely reimagined to enhance sales team productivity and foster stronger connections with both prospects and customers. From lead prospecting and reporting to deal management and forecasting, Sales Hub is the solution that sales teams need to drive growth today and in the future.

Learn more about Sales Hub in a video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XmJkELlXL0), and see a full list of the new features here (https://community.hubspot.com/t5/Releases-and-Updates/Your-End-All-Guide-to-the-New-Sales-Hub/ba-p/838193).

In addition to the launch of HubSpot AI and new Sales Hub features at INBOUND 2023, HubSpot also shared the following releases:

– Mobile messaging: HubSpot's SMS feature offers marketers an easy, instant, and personalised way to communicate with customers, allowing them to build stronger relationships and improve campaign effectiveness – all from a single platform. Mobile messaging is available to customers with U.S.-based SMS numbers for messaging into the U.S. and Canada, and globally with HubSpot's WhatsApp integration. (https://www.hubspot.com/products/whatsapp-integration)

– New Smart CRM customisations: Customers can now model, configure, and extend data with greater flexibility using HubSpot's Smart CRM, easily adapting HubSpot to better match their unique needs and processes. (https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm/customization)

Learn more about the products released at INBOUND 2023 here: http://hubspot.com/new

Press contact for further information, assets and interview requests:

Althea Del Rosario
E: altheadelrosario@slingstone.com
P: +65 8813 1169

Yanchang Tan
E: yanchangtan@slingstone.com
P: +65 9474 5338

About HubSpot

HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is the customer platform that helps your business grow better. HubSpot delivers seamless connection for customer-facing teams with a unified platform that includes AI-powered engagement hubs, a Smart CRM, and a connected ecosystem that extends the customer platform with over 1,500 app marketplace integrations, a community network, and educational content from HubSpot Academy. Today, over 184,000 customers, like DoorDash, Reddit, Eventbrite, and Tumblr, across more than 120 countries use HubSpot to attract, engage, and delight customers. Learn more at www.hubspot.com.
*Sales Leader Market Research, HubSpot, March/May 2023
**Why Connection Matters, Customer Research, HubSpot, January – May 2023

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ESG Innovation Lab by Dream Impact (DI) and The Executive Centre (TEC) Launched

HONG KONG, Sep 7, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Dream Impact (DI), Hong Kong's leading cross-sector impact ecosystem and platform of social enterprises and impact ventures, together with The Executive Centre (TEC), Asia's leading premium flexible workspace provider, announce the launch of the ESG Innovation Lab – Hong Kong's first ESG community with a dedicated physical space in the heart of Central, at 28 Stanley Street.

As Hong Kong's first ESG community, the Lab will strive to accelerate the development and implementation of corporate-social ESG solutions, and deliver intentional and measurable impact – closing the gap between the social sector and the corporate world.

The ESG Innovation Lab serves as a bridge to close the gap between social enterprises, impact ventures, and corporates, while facilitating cross-sector collaborations for impact creation. As ESG continues to gain momentum globally, the ESG Innovation Lab will help companies in Hong Kong prioritise sustainable development to remain competitive in the international business community.

Dream Impact and TEC will officially launch ESG Innovation Lab in September in order to support companies in Hong Kong on their ESG journey. Situated on level 28 at 28 Stanley Street, TEC's newest en bloc building in the heart of Central, the full dedicated floor spanning over 2,000 sq ft provides an eco-conscious collaborative space. Equipped with coworking desks, two combinable meeting rooms and a tatami area for gatherings, the Lab offers flexibility for hosting larger consultation workshops or trainings, as well as space for mindfulness. The Lab is an experimental ground for new and forward-thinking ESG initiatives.

The Lab operates on a membership basis, offering Social Impact Partner and Business Partner membership types. Elements such as strategy consulting and solutions matching are part of the memberships. Additional services include inclusive hiring and recruitment, ESG reporting, and Board of Directors training. An active community engagement with extensive programming focusing on creating intentional impact will be a key part for Lab Partners and a wider community.

DI Co-Founder & Chief Catalyst, Dorothy Lam said: "This is a groundbreaking project to bring together 120+ social impact partners in Hong Kong and the corporate world to go beyond reporting and actually implement ESG and impact strategies on the ground. The world is awakening; we need an integrative way of doing business. ESG Innovation Lab is here to demonstrate that using ESG as a framework, impact and purpose can be integrated into your business, your work and your daily life."

TEC Founder and CEO, Paul Salnikow, commented: "The Executive Centre team is thrilled to be partnering with Dream Impact to launch the ESG Innovation Lab. With more than 83% of TEC's 45,000+ clients multinationals, and with over 29 years of experience as Asia's premium flexible office space provider, TEC is uniquely positioned to listen to and address the ESG needs of companies in Hong Kong and Asia Pacific. The ESG Innovation Lab demonstrates TEC's commitment to proactively drive and evolve the ESG agenda. By stimulating interaction amongst companies we want to ensure that TEC is making a lasting impact on our society and environment. The launch of the Lab is all about creating a more sustainable future for our clients, our stakeholders and the wider community".

ESG practices will only become even more critical in the near future. According to a recent survey ( https://research.hktdc.com/en/article/MTMzNzcxNTEwNg ) by HKTDC and PwC, over 76% of respondents will increase investments in ESG-related programmes over the next five years. Hong Kong has also taken significant steps to promote and encourage ESG practices. It was recently announced that The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HKEX) has proposed mandatory disclosure ( https://www.hkex.com.hk/News/Regulatory-Announcements/2023/230414news?sc_lang=en ) of climate-related risks in listed companies' ESG reports from 1 January 2024, and introducing new climate-related disclosures aligned with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Climate Standard.

About ESG Innovation Lab by Dream Impact x The Executive Centre

ESG Innovation Lab is Hong Kong's first ESG community with a dedicated physical space for ESG collaboration, consultation, as well as implementation in the heart of Central.
Marrying the extensive social enterprise network of Dream Impact with the premium workspace solutions of The Executive Centre, ESG Innovation Lab closes the gap between the social sector and the corporate world. Through cross-sector collaboration and action-driven strategy, the Lab strives to accelerate the development and implementation of corporate-social ESG solutions, and deliver intentional and measurable impact.
www.esg-dreamimpacthk.com
www.partnerships.executivecentre.com/esg-innovation-lab

About Dream Impact

Dream Impact is Hong Kong's leading cross-sector impact ecosystem and platform of social enterprises and impact ventures. Since 2017, Dream Impact has grown from a humble, dynamic community to one of the strongest driving forces in building and growing Hong Kong's impact ecosystem. To sustain, widen and deepen the network's impact, they establish three core pillars of work: Impact Community and Space, Impact Solutions and Consultations, and Impact Capital Services.
www.dreamimpacthk.com

About The Executive Centre

The Executive Centre (TEC) is Asia's premium flexible workspace provider, opened its doors in Hong Kong in 1994 and today boasts over 180+ Centres in 33 cities and 15 markets. It is the third largest serviced office business in Asia.
The Executive Centre caters to ambitious professionals and industry leaders looking for more than just an office space – they are looking for a place for their organisation to thrive. TEC has cultivated an environment designed for success with a global network spanning Greater China, Southeast Asia, North Asia, India, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and Australia, with sights to go further and grow faster. Each Executive Centre offers a prestigious address with the advanced infrastructure to pre-empt, meet, and exceed the needs of its Members. Walking with Members through every milestone and achievement, The Executive Centre empowers ambitious professionals and organisations to succeed.
Privately owned and headquartered in Hong Kong, TEC provides first class Private and Shared Workspaces, Business Concierge Services, and Meeting & Events facilities to suit any business' needs.
www.executivecentre.com

Press Enquiries

Dream Impact
Anna Demydiuk
anna.demydiuk@dreamimpacthk.com / +852 9295 9740

The Executive Centre
Pebble Lee
pebble_lee@executivecentre.com / +852 3951 9888

FGS Global
Crystal Chow / Kitty Lam
Crystal.Chow@fgsglobal.com / +852 6133 9007
Kitty.Lam@fgsglobal.com / +852 6306 8851

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com