Putting our brands at the heart of culture: A conversation with Head of Culture and Partnerships, South East Asia

Having joined Diageo from another company within the industry, I have long admired Diageo’s diverse and impressive portfolio and respected them as a leader and top brand builder in the premium spirits space. Coming from the world of single malt whisky, I was interested in how other spirits are created, branded, and marketed; and would often look up to campaigns across Diageo’s extensive portfolio as best-in-class examples.

Moreover, I was very intrigued by the focus of this role on culture, which I had previously not come across in past work experiences within the music and entertainment industry. The scope of work seemed like the perfect marriage of my interests and past work experiences. I was excited by the thought of a new challenge, and by the opportunity to lead culture-first brands for Diageo in Southeast Asia.

As the Head of Culture & Partnerships for Southeast Asia in Diageo, I am a marketer who builds brands and partnerships in culture. Culture, referring to the ever-evolving space within Entertainment, Art, Music, Cuisine, and Digital Media; to name a few but not limited to just these areas.

It is all about identifying and understanding the passion points and cultural interests of our current and potential consumers – what they talk about, what excites them, what is trending amongst them, what values are important to them. And then, matching some of these with the same values and propositions of our brands, and how our brands can, in turn, show up in these relevant culture spaces with authenticity and credibility. We do this by building partnerships between the brands and key opinion leaders who are already championing in these spaces.

The most exciting part of my role for me is honestly getting to know the very diverse groups of consumers which differ between different markets in Southeast Asia. So, I am without a doubt learning something new every day which keeps me going!

In my first year within Diageo, I have been blessed with the opportunity of leading two very different projects.

The first was the launch of the world’s most luxurious tequila, Don Julio 1942 in Southeast Asia. With Diageo’s ambition to grow and accelerate in the luxury space, the launch of Don Julio 1942 was an amazing opportunity for Southeast Asia to showcase the fusing of luxury and culture.

I wanted to ensure Don Julio 1942 launched in a way that resonates with our key target segment – those who are culturally progressive, and in the know of music and fashion. We successfully engaged Peggy Gou as the DJ for our event - Peggy Gou is undeniably the most celebrated Asian female DJ in the global club circuit, not to mention a fashion icon with a close network of friends including the likes of Victoria Beckham and Pharrell. She was the perfect fit for the launch, and her social media posts about Don Julio 1942 helped to raise the talkability and excitement for the event. Along with colleagues across the regional markets, we planned every detail to ensure guests enjoyed a luxurious experience from start to finish.

As an iconic luxury tequila, the launch presented Don Julio 1942 in a way that truly redefines celebration. Positioning the brand as exclusively synonymous with celebratory moments linking to music, fashion, and luxury.

The second project was working closely with the team in the Philippines on a “Johnnie Walker: Walk Beyond in the Metaverse” project. I secured a highly visible partnership with global culture champions Hypebeast, who designed the campaign’s 360 creatives, including stunning visuals for the design sets within the metaverse concert space. Hypebeast is THE platform to go on to find out about the latest trends and cool collaborations happening around the world. Our partnership enabled Johnnie Walker to be featured on their social media and website: a first for the brand and incredible exposure for us in culture. This campaign focused on pioneering new consumer experiences and gifting celebrations. It shows the bold steps we are taking in the pursuit of pushing boundaries in innovation for our brands.

I, like many others, have always been aware of Diageo’s impressive portfolio, but what I only realized upon joining was that having so many different brands also means numerous opportunities for employees to really build a career within Diageo. Not just across brands but also across functions as well as geographical locations.

During my first year here, I have observed several colleagues moving internally from in-market to travel retail, as well as from APAC to global functions within the brand teams. It is certainly encouraging to know that Diageo is supportive of internal mobility, as it shows the longer-term progression opportunities and succession plans the organization has in place for employees.