Global digital marketing agency Tug has opened its fifth international office in Singapore, appointing former head of IPG Mediabrand’s performance marketing agency Reprise, Karen Soo, to lead its South-East Asia operations.

Karen Soo, Managing Director,Tug

Tug, which has offices in Sydney, London, Toronto, and Berlin, is a specialist in performance media and uses a smart combination of data, media, content, and technology to deliver improved return on investment for brands.

Since 2019 it has worked with regional clients including Budget Direct (Singapore), Easy Compare (Thailand), Charlton Media Group (Singapore), and WWF, serviced from its Sydney and London offices. The decision to launch in Singapore follows expanding remits from existing and demand from prospective clients for a new approach to digital marketing.

As managing director of Tug Singapore, Soo will drive new business across South-East Asia, targeting key categories including software, insurance, and finance, in addition to overseeing Tug’s current portfolio of work and building the agency’s team on the ground.

Nick Beck, founder and CEO of Tug said: “We see tremendous opportunity for a performance media specialist in Asia that effectively uses data, media, content, and technology to deliver better outcomes for marketers. The industry is still in its relevant infancy here, and there continues to be a large number of operators that make big promises but consistently fail to deliver. Having already built a small portfolio of clients, and following their request for us to create a permanent presence, we have recognised the time is right for Tug to bring our many years of global experience to Singapore and the wider South-East Asia region.

“I’m delighted that Karen Soo has joined us to realise our ambitious growth plans. She is a highly respected and proven leader who understands the market and how to optimise Tug’s expertise to maximum effect for our partners. We want to be the best global digital agency and establishing a base in Singapore, joining our offices in Sydney, London, Toronto, and Berlin is a key step in achieving that.”

An award-winning digital business leader, Soo has helped clients maximise their performance marketing, across media, content, data, and tech. She joins Tug after three years as head of Reprise Digital Singapore and five years as digital director at OMD. She has also held digital focused roles at Starcom, Mindshare, and ZenithOptimedia in Singapore and China.

Soo added: “Marketers in the region demand measurability and accountability in their performance media spend and Tug works with leading brands around the world delivering on that. Now we will do the same in South-East Asia. I’m looking forward to building the business across the region and growing the team, presenting a real, effective, and integrated alternative to what currently exists.”

Tug, which was named APAC performance agency of the year in 2022 by Performance Marketing World, will make additional announcements on new appointments to its Singapore office shortly.