GSK appoints digital agency for Singapore

Global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has hired Vertic as its digital agency for Singapore. The pitch, held earlier in May, saw Sapient Nitro, Tribal worldwide and Ineo vying for the account. The account is for at least a year with the option to extend further.Vertic was engaged as the GSK digital creative agency, responsible for devising and executing digital campaigns across GSK’s consumer healthcare brands within Singapore. Vertic will be collaborating with GSK's creative agency Grey Group and media agency Mindshare as well as other GSK partners to deliver integrated solutions.According to the agency, Vertic comes on board at a time when GSK is prioritising digital worldwide. Hence, the agency has been enlisted to help drive and support this shift, work on strategies and end-to-end execution for GSK’s key brands.Work is expected to roll out towards the end of August in Singapore. The agency was unable to comment on the account size.“We will apply industry best practices and digital innovation to amplify GSK’s well-established brands in Singapore, infusing it with local market insights and best in class creative,” Asil Toksal, GM at Vertic said.Joe Zandstra, creative director for Vertic’s APAC office added: “With GSK’s focus on being truly digital, we don’t just have an opportunity, we have a mandate to fully leverage the most engaging digital tools and techniques available to bring them alive online.”“Having the right digital partner as part of an integrated agency group is critical. Vertic showed the perfect blend of strategic clarity and creative versatility that could accelerate our objectives in digital, " Oliver Parkes, marketing director at GSK Consumer Healthcare said.Vertic first launched in Singapore a year and half ago. It is a global, independent, full service digital agency with offices in Singapore, New York, Seattle, and Denmark. Locally, it has worked with brands such as Microsoft, Philips and Paypal amongst others.