FOX Networks Group Asia (FNGA) clinched two gold awards for ‘Best Use of Branded Content by a Media Owner’ for AccorHotels and ‘Best Media Solution-Content Amplification’ with Neutrogena sponsorship on Asia’s Next Top Model (AsNTM) Season 5 at the prestigious Spark Awards 2017 held on 18 August. The Spark Awards, organized by Marketing Magazine, is the definitive platform for media owners and solution providers across different verticals to showcase their innovation, effectiveness, and value proposition to advertisers, agencies and clients.

A gold award is a powerful indicator as a trustworthy and effective partner in Asia Pacific. The successful campaigns drove awareness and changed perception for both brands: AccorHotels and Neutrogena. FOX Sports collaborated with AccorHotels to deliver a comprehensive media and content partnership for 2017 across 22 countries in Asia Pacific. The team developed a unique proposition leveraging multiple assets of the FNG portfolio allowing AccorHotels brand to increase awareness and perception as well as increase room bookings through its digital booking platform: accorhotels.com.

Conceptualized around #OneClickWelcome, a series of branded content featuring FOX Sports presenters Jason De La Peña, Nikki Muller and Brendon Julian; tennis stars such as Serena and Venus Williams was developed and seamlessly integrated into AccorHotels properties in Melbourne, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Paris. The branded content, alongside AccorHotels brand assets, was amplified within high-rating sporting events on FOX Sports and key tent poles on National Geographic, FOX and STAR World across broadcast, digital and social platforms.

To amplify further, FOX Sports gave AccorHotels premium guests access to “money-can’t-buy” experiences through a comprehensive package including VIP tickets to some of the World’s best sporting events hosted in Asia, such as F1, MotoGP and UFC. FNGA and Neutrogena collaborated to co-create and amplify engaging content to strengthen the brand and drive positive growth in Singapore. FNGA identified AsNTM as a good fit for the brand, given its target audience – females 18-35, and its focus on confidence and natural beauty.

Incorporating Neutrogena into AsNTM Season 5, contemporized the brand, aligning it with fashion, photography and influencers which provided key conversation drivers across social platforms. Content was amplified in-store and through retail promotions ensuring synergy from awareness to the purchase stage.

Mike Rich, EVP, Advertising Sales and Content Partnerships, FOX Networks Group Asia said, “We are thrilled to have been recognized at this year’s Spark Awards.

Both gold awards are testament to the team’s hard work and our continuous efforts to create unique campaigns for our esteemed clients. I am very proud of FOX Sports for their integration of our presenters and existing stable of talent to move the needle on AccorHotel’s brand and the FNG Singapore teams’ insight in aligning Neutrogena with such a popular TV show with exactly the right target demographic.

Both campaigns yielded incredibly positive results and promote our desired state of high quality creative production across multiple platforms.” “Creating unique and engaging content was our objective and the successful collaboration between AccorHotels and FOX Sports provided us great visibility across one of the region’s most respected networks” said Michael Parsons, VP Marketing and Strategic Partnerships AccorHotels Asia Pacific. “Integrating FOX Sports personalities into our content added a story telling element and furthered showcased the experience and services that our guests received every day when they stay with AccorHotels. We are thrilled and honoured to be recognized with this prestigious award.”