VICE’s creative agency VIRTUE opens Asia Pacific HQ in Singapore, with offices in Seoul and Sydney + makes a number of new APAC hires

VICE’s global creative agency, VIRTUE, has announced its Asia Pacific presence and a differentiated approach to the business, alongside multiple hires, expanding client relationships, and the opening of offices in Singapore, Seoul, and Sydney that will service the entire region.

VIRTUE is the agency born from VICE, the global youth media brand, appealing to a multi-generational mindset that aims to empower young people across Asia and the world through a distinct, but adaptable, voice and style.

VIRTUE’s ethos originates from a devotion to this style – moving beyond campaigns, creating sustained 360 identities, not fleeting moments. VIRTUE pushes clients to create a living, breathing manifestation of their brand – leveraging years of VICE experience, talent, and hard, 1st party data to get audiences to really choose to engage and identify with a brand, not just passively consume.

The three VIRTUE key offices and dedicated team announced today will service the entire region, and initiate and manage brands’ ability to tap into VICE & VIRTUE talent from Asia and around the world.

Aaron Pearce, newly appointed Managing Director for VIRTUE, Asia Pacific (pictured above) , describes the VIRTUE ethos of style, “The first things we ask our clients is who they want to reach, and what they want to stand for and everything after that point is crafting. We know that the division between brandland and culture is no more, people expect the same feeling from brand content as they do from their favorite film, or track — it has to be authentic, multi-dimensional, and entertaining — that’s the best way to introduce value exchange.” Based at VIRTUE HQ Singapore, Pearce joined from IPG Sports & Entertainment agency, Octagon.

Joining countless existing creative and strategic talent across VICE & VIRTUE in Asia, is Alex Koo (pictured left) as Creative Director (Seoul), bringing experience from Y&R NY and HAVAS NY where she worked with the likes of JetBlue, Colgate Palmolive, Lysol and Under Armour. Also new to the VIRTUE team are Senior Regional Strategist Sacha Bury (Singapore), Managing Director Daniel Kang (Seoul), and Creative Strategist Rich Lim (Seoul). VICE veteran Alex Light will be taking on the leadership role for VIRTUE Sydney.

“There is a violent collision happening between entertainment and advertising, and there is no place where that is happening at a faster pace and more unique way than in Asia. This is the moment where brands have to make their mark, to define what their style is, and own it. I’m excited to be joining VIRTUE’s expansion in Asia, as we take on this next chapter and push what it means to be a brand.” says Koo.

Since the opening of the VICE Asia Pacific HQ in Singapore earlier in 2018, the company has been executing projects and campaigns through VIRTUE for some of the most prestigious brands across all of the territories in Asia – both those with VICE offices and without – including Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Korea, Australia, Singapore, & New Zealand. The brands include beverage giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI), multiple Unilever brands, Pernod Ricard, lululemon, Coach, Asics, GSK and more.

Hosi Simon, CEO of Asia Pacific added, “Expanding VIRTUE in Asia has been a key focus for VICE’s plan for 2018, and after simply getting on with actual work, we’re excited to formally launch VIRTUE across Asia. We’re leveraging VICE’s years of experience in the region – our unique content and insights and unwavering dedication to deeply locally and globally relevant stories, helps our partners break through in this rapidly shapeshifting part of the world.”

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