In this weekly segment, ExchangeWire sum up key industry updates on ad tech from around the Asia-Pacific region – and in this edition: Brands must think mobile-first to tap Asia's growing user base; AANA unveil guidelines for media contracts; FITCH acquire Hong Kong consultancy; IAB AU form viewability taskforce; and Ogilvy name Singapore MD.

Brands must think mobile-first to tap Asia's growing mobile base

Hong Kong and China have among the world's highest proportion of mobile internet users, with mobile expected to account for 79% and 76% of internet use, respectively, in the countries this year.

Only Spain would be ahead, with 85% of internet use in the country on mobile devices, according to Zenith's inaugural Mobile Advertising Forecasts. The report predicted that, by 2018, Hong Kong would have the highest mobile internet use at 89%, followed by China at 87% and Spain at 86%.

The highest smartphone penetration rates also were expected to be in Asia and Western Europe. Ireland would have the highest smartphone penetration, at 92% this year, followed by Singapore at 91%, Spain at 88%, Norway at 86%, and South Korea at 84%.

In 2018, Zenith projected that Ireland would retain pole position with 94% smartphone penetration, followed by Singapore and Switzerland, at 92% each, and Taiwan and Norway, at 91% each.

The agency group said brands would need to be mobile-first in their digital communications, spanning all platforms, including brand websites and video ads. These should be designed to provide "the best and most effective experiences on mobile devices", it said.

"Advertisers also need to think about consumer mobility, not just mobile devices", Zenith said. "During the day consumers shift their attention from tablet to desktop to smartphone, sometimes while watching TV, so advertisers need to build brand experiences that are coherent across screens and devices."

According to the agency, mobile ads would outpace desktop ads in 2017, accounting for 52% of global online ads. This would climb to 60% in 2018, when mobile ads would generate USD$134bn (£109.88bn) – more than newspaper, magazine, cinema, and outdoor ads combined.

AANA unveil guidelines for media contracts

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) have unveiled two documents to help advertisers gain more transparency regarding the returns and impact of their media investment.

The first, the AANA Media Contract Template, had been adapted for the local market from the version written up by the US Association of National Advertisers.

AANA Chair Matt Tapper said: "The template has been written to equip advertisers with a starting point to each element of the contract negotiation. We believe appropriately detailed contractual agreements, together with capability training, are the keys to achieving transparency in media buying and ensure media buying dollars are spent with the sole objective of securing the best outcome for the brands they are promoting."

The second document, the AANA Media Contract Guidance Notes, aimed to provide advertisers with considerations and questions that should be addressed in order to reduce or eliminate non-transparent and non-disclosed practices related to their media spend. The guidance list was designed to ensure all revenue earned by agencies and related parties would be detailed in the contract, unless explicitly agreed otherwise by the advertiser, AANA said.

AANA CEO Sunita Gloster explained: "The dealings agencies undertake with third-party media and technology vendors, and the media owners themselves, are much more complex today than a few years ago, so these initiatives are very timely.

"Individual brand owners, as the buyers of the services, must always take primary responsibility for carrying out their own due diligence", Gloster said.

FITCH acquire Hong Kong consultancy

The WPP retail and brand consultancy has acquired a majority stake in StartJG, a Hong Kong-based brand and design consultancy.

As part of the acquisition, StartJG would be rebranded as 'FITCH Design'. Founded in 2009, the Hong Kong firm currently have a team of about 40 employees, specialising in branding, as well as environment and interaction design with digital and retail branding capabilities.

Their clientele included Swire Properties, Nord Anglia Education Hong Kong, and Genting Hong Kong.

According to WPP, the acquisition would boost FITCH's existing service portfolio and presence in the China market, where the group's revenues clocked USD$1.6bn (£1.32bn) and headcount tipped 14,000 employees.

IAB AU form viewability taskforce

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Australia have formed a viewability taskforce with the aim to offer guidance and education around the issue.

Established several months ago, the team comprised members from various digital organisations and developed "a consistent definition and understanding of viewability", IAB Australia said. They added that this would help publishers, agencies, and advertisers hold more informed conversations about what they were buying or selling.

They added that the taskforce currently have been working on a whitepaper, slated for release later this month, and would be extending their focus beyond viewability to include a wider range of ad measurements in the coming months.

The group's Australian chapter said they supported IAB US's viewability measures, which were introduced in 2014, and have since expanded to include video, mobile web, and mobile in-app. These set the baseline for measuring advertising effectiveness.

IAB Australia CEO Vijay Solanki said: "Our taskforce will provide the industry with a diverse and robust perspective on viewability and associated metrics."

The local chapter, in 2015, had issued their viewability guidance outlining, amongst others, the minimum standards for displays at 50% of pixels in view for one second and large format displays at 30% of pixels in view for for second.

O&M Singapore MD Chong Ee Rong

Ogilvy appoint Singapore MD

Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) Singapore have named Chong Ee Rong as their group managing director, where she will help to drive the agency's global strategy encompassing new marketing services such as data analytics and marketing automation.

Formerly the managing director of the group's public relations (PR) unit, a role she would continue to hold, she would work with O&M's group chairman Chris Riley to "future proof" existing service offerings.

Chong, who has 16 years of experience in PR, said: "My focus will be on making sure we continue to groom [employees] who share the passion for creating great work. I will also focus on making brands matter, our own included, by bringing the best of Ogilvy and giving our all in everything we do."