18 œ theSun | FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20 2009

media & marketing

ING Malaysia backs F1 pullout

DESPITE generating more than
20,000 leads from its local F1
consumer activities last year, ING
Malaysia has decided to back the
ING Group’s decision not to renew
a three-year sponsorship contract
with Renault F1.
“The goal for 2009 is to get the
most out of the assets that we
have,” ING branding and corporate
communications head Geraldine
Wong said.
“Just because the sponsorship
will come to its natural end this
year, does not mean that we’re
putting the brakes on activation.”
Ahead of F1’s return to Sepang
in over a month’s time, she said
ING would continue to use the
low-cost and no-cost assets of F1
to further business objectives and
“tap the experience of the F1 global
central team and other business
units to develop the most effective
F1-related sales and marketing
campaigns”.
In the past, ING Malaysia had
adopted a 360-degree marketing
strategy for the F1, using a com-
bination of ATL, BTL and online
platforms in communications as
well as roadshows and sales drive
initiatives.
However, ING Malaysia “fully
supports” the decision not to re-
new the sponsorship owing to
current economic conditions,
Wong said.
“Over the past two years, ING
Group has successfully achieved
its objectives for the F1 sponsor-
ship, raising its overall global brand
awareness by 16% and driving
several billion euros in new assets
to the group,” she said.
“To date, 134 of these business
activations in 36 countries have
driven new sales and revenues to
the group,” she said.
The news follows ING’s
announcement last month that it
would cut operating expenses by
€1 billion euros this year.
The company said in a state-
ment: “F1 remains a powerful
business driver even in a difficult
economic climate. Whilst ING has
cut the F1 sponsorship costs by
40% in the final year, revenue
generating opportunities will be a
continuing focus through 2009.”
ING is the official sponsor of the
season-opening Australian Grand
Prix in Melbourne as well as the
F1 races in Belgium, Hungary and
Turkey.
It has been reported that the
Dutch financial group had on-track
branding at 13 of last season’s 18
races, and was the largest sponsor
in Renault’s books. – marketing-
interactive.com.

Brand loyalty
and social
networking
by Hemananthani
Sivanandam
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
ORGANISATIONS need
improved ways to build
brand loyalty through the
use of social networking and
The development of online com-
invincible munities, especially during an
man economic downturn.
“Obama-Magic in KL” – a
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New appointments for OMG

OMNICOM Media Group (OMG) has an-
nounced the appointments of Guy Hearn as
its Asia Pacific director of communications
insights and Lee Smith as CEO of Digital,
OMG Asia Pacific.
“We are delighted to have Guy and Lee
joining us. I am confident their experience
and expertise will elevate market research
and insights initiatives and contribute to our
already wide-ranging portfolio of research
tools,” said OMG Asia Pacific CEO Barry
Cupples.
Hearn will lead the research unit of the
company to provide new business leads and
expand the group’s expertise in consumer un-
derstanding and planning within the region.
He brings with him 20 years of professional
experience across various industries spanning
FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), travel
and tourism to finance and research areas
such as Shopper Research, Early Adopters
and Web 2.0.
Meanwhile, Smith who was previously
OMD Canada managing director, brings with Hearn Smith
him more than a decade of digital agency
experience. with OMD in Canada is testimony of his capa-
“Lee has a strong background in digital bilities,” said Cupples.
strategy, search and multi-platform analyt- Both Hearn and Smith will be based in the
ics. group’s regional headquarters in Singapore and
“His stellar performance during his tenure will report to Cupples.