MAM
ASEAN chooses CNN as premium media partner
HONG KONG : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has launched its first-ever advertising campaign on CNN International. From this month, the on-air promotion entitled Visit ASEAN Campaign will promote tourism in the Association’s member countries.
The campaign will consist of 30-second TVCs airing on CNN’s Asia-Pacific channel, plus specially produced ‘Sights and Sounds’ on-air spots promoting individual ASEAN countries’ tourism. In addition, CNN has partnered with ASEAN to be the official media partner for its tourism travel forum to be held in Cambodia.
Chairman of Visit ASEAN Campaign Marketing Task Force and Director-General of Brunei Tourism Sheikh Jamaluddin bin Sheikh Mohamed said, “This advertising campaign is ASEAN’s first-ever cooperation for tourism in the region. By partnering with CNN International, our Member Countries are set to benefit from the highest level of exposure to our target audiences”.
ASEAN was established in 1967 with the fundamental goals of cooperative peace and shared prosperity. ASEAN consists of ten member countries which are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
AD Agencies
WPP appoints Hephzibah Pathak CEO of WPP Creative India
Ogilvy India chair takes charge of unified creative model in key market
NEW DELHI: WPP has appointed Hephzibah Pathak as chief executive officer of WPP Creative India, putting a local leader at the helm of its newly created creative operating model in one of its most important growth markets.
The move brings clarity to how WPP’s global restructuring will play out in India, weeks after the group unveiled WPP Creative as part of its Elevate28 strategy. The unit sits alongside WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, and is designed to simplify what the company previously described as an overly complex structure.
Pathak, who continues as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, will represent all agencies under the WPP Creative umbrella in India. Her role centres on driving integration across brands, expanding capabilities and ensuring clients can tap into the network’s full talent pool without friction.
WPP said Pathak will work closely with agency brand CEOs to “enhance integration, expand capabilities, and ensure seamless client access”, while maintaining the distinct identities of its agencies.
The portfolio under WPP Creative includes leading networks such as VML, Landor, AKQA and Grey, along with Burson and its affiliated firms. Leaders across these agencies will now report into Pathak, even as each brand continues to operate independently within a unified system.
The appointment also formalises a dual-track strategy in India, preserving agency identities while accelerating collaboration. Pathak is expected to work closely with media leadership to align creative and media capabilities, reflecting growing client demand for integrated, multi-market solutions.
WPP Creative global CEO Jon Cook has described the unit as “not an agency” but an operating system that helps creative, design and PR brands work together more effectively. The group has been clear that it is not merging or phasing out legacy agency brands, instead aiming to reduce complexity on the client side.
Pathak brings nearly three decades of experience within the network, having joined in 1997 and held roles ranging from Mumbai office head to chief client officer. She made history in 2024 as the first woman to lead Ogilvy India in its 95-year presence in the country.
Her expanded mandate positions India at the centre of WPP’s Asia-Pacific strategy, with a focus on strengthening brand presence, deepening client relationships and unlocking growth in a fast-evolving market.
The appointment signals WPP’s intent to move beyond the traditional holding company model towards a more integrated, AI-enabled structure. With Pathak now steering WPP Creative India, the group appears set to test whether simpler structures can indeed deliver sharper creative outcomes.
