Deliveroo hands Initiative global media account

Deliveroo has appointed Initiative to manage global media planning and buying following a pitch which excluded the UK. The appointment is effective mid October and the incumbent on the global account was Mindshare. The online food delivery company currently services more than 500 towns and cities in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, France, and Kuwait, among others.

Deliveroo's APAC and Middle East marketing lead, Fiona Hampshire, said with so many diverse markets in the region, it is important the company has a strong, strategy-led partner to help it accelerate growth. "In Initiative, I think we have found just that," she added.

Meanwhile, Will Anstee, president, Initiative, APAC, added that it was particularly gratifying to cement a partnership with a brave and innovative brand that recognizes culture as a key tenet to its success.

"Initiative were selected for their differentiated positioning and we look forward to partnering on the future trajectory of Deliveroo across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond," Anstee added.

The current incumbent for its media account in the UK is the7stars. Founded in London in 2013, Deliveroo uses predictive technology that evaluates the most efficient way of distributing orders based on the location of restaurants, riders and customers. Marketing has reached out to Initiative for additional information.

In July this year, shared kitchen operator Smart City Kitchens filed a complaint against Deliveroo and GrabFood to the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) after it claimed platforms “go against the spirit of fair play and healthy competition”, according to ST. This is because Deliveroo and GrabFood have allegedly refused to list food businesses operating out of its kitchen on their platforms.

Meanwhile in Hong Kong, the company leveraged data to analyse partner restaurants' performances and offer discounts. It also introduced a new "Get Paid" feature, allowing Hong Kong riders to receive their earnings the same day they make a request.

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