Hakuhodo Communications Asia retains Canon EOS creative duties

The agency is the regional team responsible for driving the Canon network business in Southeast Asia. The assignment covers all emerging markets in the Canon Asia system, namely Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Woon Hoh, regional executive creative director of Hakuhodo Asia-Pacific, said the agency secured the win by creating communication platforms for the campaigns that “struck a chord at the local level”.

“Our in-market teams took to the streets to ensure that the advertising was locally relevant, aspirational and inspiring,” he added. He is responsible for leading the creative charge in winning the business.

The appointment came after a pitch called in February, which also included Dentsu. The 12-month contract, which spans ATL and BTL, was awarded last month.

Tanner Nagib, regional group account director of Hakuhodo Communications Asia, noted that the nature of the brief and launch timing saw the agency putting together in a fortnight a strategic framework, market understanding, product positioning with integrated creative and media solutions.

Dinesh Sandhu, regional director- strategic planning & integrated media at Hakuhodo Communications Asia, added that the rich vein of cultural and socioeconomic factors at different markets led the agency to its communications springboard.

“The challenge of the brief was that the market is very diverse,” he told Campaign Asia-Pacific. “From the size of the market to the landscape, the level of prosperity and the marketing comprehension, they are completely different and we need one message to cut through all markets.”

Dentsu Singapore handles other creative duties and the media buys of Canon in Singapore.