BMW Group Asia names roster of agencies as it closes regional creative pitch

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BMW Group Asia has decided to work with its incumbent agencies TMRW, and KINETIC as it wraps up its regional pitch. TMRW and KINETIC will handle creative duties for BMW Singapore and MINI Singapore respectively, effective 1 April 2022. Both agencies will be responsible for the brands' marketing lead management and retail marketing, a BMW Asia spokesperson confirmed to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

At the same time, IPG Studios' Team Dynamic has been appointed to drive creative production for both brands, across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Thailand, South Africa and the Middle East. "Each agency was chosen based on team chemistry, extensive knowledge of the respective brands, and alignment on our vision for engaging customers in the future," BMW Group Asia's spokesperson said.

Meanwhile according to IPG Studios, the win consolidates remit across 11 markets with IPG, following Team Dynamic’s appointment as production partner in Japan and India in early 2021. New markets include Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Middle East and South Africa.

Mish Fletcher, chief growth officer, Asia Pacific, said it is thrilled to extend its partnership with the BMW Group in Asia Pacific, Middle East, and South Africa through its proven Team Dynamic production model. "Our connected technology solution allows for real time optimisation, consistency, and flexibility while ensuring unbeatable content production quality at speed and scale," Fletcher added.

The appointments follow the Group's call for a regional creative pitch in July last year, where the appointed agencies would cover select markets in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and South Africa. BMW Asia's spokesperson confirmed to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE then that it was a closed-door pitch. Observatory International managed the pitch process.

Tribal Worldwide and TMRW were previously appointed in 2019, winning the account from Leo Burnett. In the new arrangement, both agencies supported BMW Group Asia and local dealer Performance Motors in creative campaign development in Singapore. That marked the first time the group concurrently appointed two creative agencies for the same remit. Brenda Pek, then marketing director and current sales director, said previously that Tribal and TMRW brought to the table “a winning mix of expertise and creative brilliance”, that made them the "right fit” for BMW.

Last June, Pek took on the new role of director of sales while Daren Ching was named director of marketing for BMW Asia in August. He joined from BMW Group Indonesia where he was head of marketing based in Jakarta. Pek has been with BMW Group Asia since 2007. She joined the BMW team in 2016 as network development manager from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. At Rolls-Royce, she last helmed the role of head of marketing, Asia Pacific, according to her LinkedIn.

Meanwhile, Ching began his career with BMW Malaysia in 2005 as a product manager. Five years later, he joined BMW Asia in Singapore and helmed the role of regional product manager for three years, and then regional sales manager for six years. He later relocated to Jakarta. BMW Group Asia comprises 14 markets, including; Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Bangladesh, Guam, New Caledonia, Nepal, Tahiti, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

The year 2021 also saw Lars Nielsen being appointed managing director of BMW Group Asia in September. Nielsen is based in Singapore and was previously director of sales and marketing at BMW Group Middle East in Dubai for nearly two and a half years. He also served in the same capacity at BMW Group Thailand from 2015 to 2019. Nielsen joined BMW Group in 2008 as director of sales for BMW Group Denmark in Copenhagen.

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