Sydney-based Host launches in Singapore

To be led by managing director Dan Gibson, the agency has been operational since last month, with founding clients such as Coca-Cola and Tourism Western Australia at the regional and local level.

Host is the lead agency for several brands for Coca-Cola in the Asia-Pacific region.

Gibson was formerly managing director at Ogilvy Advertising, having moved to Singapore in 2010. Starting his career at BBH London, he spent seven years at 180 Amsterdam leading the global Adidas business.

Host is known for its collaborative model, which embraces the notion of working with external creative partners based on their suitability to a brand or brief, according to the agency. The Glue Society, an independent creative collective based in Sydney and New York, is one of the collaborators Host has worked with since its launch in 2000.

Among its key clients in Australia are Playstation and Lego. It won the Grand Prix for Branded Content at Spikes Asia last year for the ‘Kiwi Sceptics’ campaign for Air New Zealand.

“We are defined by the work we do and not just putting out campaigns,” said Anthony Freedman, founder and regional CEO of Host. “We live on ideas, content...and as we work collaboratively, we have the flexibility to deliver ideas.”

Host plans to further expand its business globally, with new offices in Shanghai and San Francisco. Freedman noted that these new ventures are already in the planning process, and the agency will set up new offices rather than enter into partnerships.

“Singapore is a natural place for point of presence in Southeast Asia,” he told Campaign Asia-Pacific. “It is a great place for international companies to set up their presence here.”

He added that another factor in the establishment of the Singapore office was the presence of its existing clients in Singapore. The new office will have an initial team of 10 employees.

Havas acquired Host in July 2011 when it purchased 51 per cent of the business. While Host’s founders maintain control of the operation of the business, Freedman noted that the partnership gives Host additional reach to implement its campaigns.