Happy Friday. Here are some of the most important regional stories from around the Campaign global network you may have missed this week.
M&C Saatchi's ad agency 'most disappointing part of business'
CEO David Kershaw has admitted that its UK ad agency has been "the most disappointing part of the business" and that it was "a credit to the rest of the UK agencies" that the group managed to increase revenues last year. Ouch.
Micro segments: Connecting via niche online platforms
Whether using Houzz to discuss home renovations or Meet My Dog to connect with other canine buffs, special-interest online communities are filling niches for people not satisfied to set up a Facebook or LinkedIn group for their interests. So how's a brand to connect? According to Simon Kemp, regional managing partner for We Are Social Asia, "I would spend a huge amount of time learning about customers and their needs, not trying to sell them something."
Campaign Viral Chart: Adidas' goalkeeping masterclass video most shared
Unruly compiled its list of the week's most viral branded videos. At the top of the list: Real Madrid's Keylor Navas gives a masterclass on how to be a goalkeeper in this football fan fodder by Adidas, which was the most shared online ad over the past seven days.
Cognac makes appeal to young Chinese drinkers
DDB's Shanghai and Paris offices have collaborated to launch a new campaign for Hennessy X.O, which aims to make the brand more exciting for younger drinkers. The brand is calling its 146-year-old cognac a "new-lux spirit," hoping to broaden the appeal of the drink with the tagline "Each drop of Hennessy X.O is an odyssey. Don’t wait to experience greatness."
Twitter users skeptical of SeaWorld's decision to end orca breeding
SeaWorld says no more Shamu on Thursday morning to few positive response online. PRWeek has gathered some of the best responses on Twitter, many concerning the CEO's Los Angles Times OpEd column which said "Americans' attitudes about orcas have changed dramatically."
So #SeaWorld is ending Orca breeding because attitudes have changed? How about because it's wrong, it's cruel and your excuses are weak.
— Faith (@FaithFabry) March 17, 2016
This feels back-handed, @SeaWorld. "You only like orcas bc we told you about them, and now they're gonna die out." https://t.co/6s3Ye5MvFI
— Beth Elderkin (@BethElderkin) March 17, 2016
How 9 brands tried to get lucky on Twitter on St. Patrick's Day
It was only yesterday that green beer flowed, and everyone was Irish just for one day. Brands celebrated the day with their own unique flair. Some are a natural fit such as Guinness and Lucky Charms, but others such as New Balance got in on the fun. This collection showcases some of the best St. Patty's day Tweets brands had to offer.
Buzz the bee buzzes off boxes to preach about pollinator population plight
Colony collapse disorder has ravaged bee populations across the globe for a decade. In Canada, Honey Nut Cheerios' mascot has also "disappeared." The campaign encourages education on the importance of bees, and other animals valuable to the ecosystem.
The future of the senses in storytelling
JWT London's Global business director Sonali Fenner notices a trend in storytelling: senses besides sight and sound. As touch, taste, and smell are incorporated into V.R. and A.R., it is important for brands to use these new immersive experiences wisely. Fenner reports from SXSW on the best uses of these other faculties at the festival.
Charity asks WTF you're doing watching clickbait videos
A UK based charity is tricking social media viewers to click on what seems like a "viral" video. Instead, it's English stage and screen actor Nathaniel Parker explaining how you have just wasted time — which could be put to work helping people in Africa.
Vodafone brings back the pug to launch 'SuperNet' 4G
"Cheeka," a famous mascot in India for cellphone network Vodafone, has graced the TV screen again. The country's answer to Spuds MacKenzie is well-known in the country for a series of popular ads by Ogilvy & Mather that debuted with the network's launch in 2011.