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Ogilvy Malaysia appoints Kent Wertime as chairman
MUMBAI: Ogilvy & Mather Asia-Pacific chief operating officer Kent Wertime has been given the additional role of chairman of Ogilvy Malaysia.
In the immediate term, Wertime’s focus will be to tap into the strengths of the respective discipline skills within Ogilvy Malaysia to create integrated offerings tailored to clients’ business needs.
Wertime said, “Malaysia is a key market not only in ASEAN but also the Asia-Pacific region. Given its importance, it is essential that Ogilvy Malaysia provides integrated offerings that will support clients’ growing business needs. To ensure we remain ahead of the rapid changes in the market, we are moving quickly to consolidate and strengthen our offerings with a focus on two areas, data and content.”
“Today, we have to monitor and interpret data in real-time and make quick decisions in the moment that are aligned with clients’ long-term business needs. Equally important in this data-driven process is content. We want to create channel-agnostic content – rich content that can be translated across any channel without losing impact or relevance. In order to do so, we need to have the right expertise, insights, and technology in place,” added Wertime.
Given his regional role, Wertime will continue to be based in Bangkok. However, he will be spending a significant amount of time in Malaysia to oversee the business while a new country head is being identified.
Earlier this year, Ogilvy Malaysia group managing director Anand Badami since 2011, moved to Singapore to take on a global client leadership role for the agency.
Wertime has been with Ogilvy Asia-Pacific since 1999, when he joined the network to head up its Interactive division. He has lived and worked in Asia for 25 years, having held senior agency roles in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok prior to joining Ogilvy.
Ogilvy Malaysia comprises Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, OgilvyOne Worldwide, Ogilvy Public Relations, H&O (Hogarth & Ogilvy, previously known as RedWorks), and Bates CHI & Partners.
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Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
