Digital happenings this week from the Google, Nike, Changi Airport Group, P&G and more

Changi Airport Group has appointed Waggener Edstrom Worldwide as its agency-of-record to support its digital communications strategy, including strategic counsel, campaign conceptualisation, influencer engagement and technical support, as well as social monitoring and analysis for the Group.

New York-based mobile demand-side platform (DSP) StrikeAd has expanded into Asia for rich mobile opportunity. Its newly opened headquarters in Singapore is led by managing director Carl Costa, who will be responsible for managing operations across Asia-Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, and driving awareness and brand recognition in the region.

Nike is rolling out its first mobile campaign via Tencent's WeChat (微信) with a teaser ad featuring a QR code. The brand will launch its official WeChat account on 23 August. More than 100 million WeChat users will be able to activate daily news feeds from Nike through subscription. Nike's agencies also can integrate existing sports applications using Tencent’s open API (application programming interface).

Hungama Digital Services has been named the digital media AoR for Timex India and its youth brand Helix, and will work exclusively on the web and mobile platforms for the watch maker, who will soon launch ‘brand Webstores’. The agency will manage social media for both brands, online media buying and applications.

Aegis Group plc has acquired Communicate 2, a performance marketing and search agency in India. Communicate 2 will be merged into iProspect and the new entity will be called iProspectCommunicate 2, which will be led by CEO Vivek Bhargava, who was the managing director of Communicate 2.

XM Asia-Pacific has launched a Consumer Experience Lab that will use Tobii eye-tracking technology to better understand how Asian consumers absorb information on digital ads, websites and traditional media. The lab will also include a range of heuristic techniques and usability metrics and will support projects across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

Google is delving deeper into the travel sector with the pending acquisition of the travel guide brand Frommer's. According to The Wall Street Journal, Google will pay about US$25 million for Frommer's in the yet to be closed deal. The acquisition has the potential to turn Google into a one-stop-search for online travel incorporating research, guides, reviews, locations and sharing.

Mediacom has added the remit of fellow incumbent agency Starcom to its share of P&G Korea's media account by winning the FMCG giant's digital planning and buying business, said to be worth about US$50 million. According to sources, prior to the win P&G Korea's digital planning was split between Mediacom and Starcom, while Starcom handled digital buying through several local agencies.

Vodafone Group has appointed Text100 as its global agency-of-record to support B2B communications campaigns across the globe, starting with three key markets from 1 October, including the UK, South Africa and Singapore. Text100 will provide strategic planning, global campaign management and local tactical support for B2B initiatives targeting a wide range of enterprise audiences in more than 70 markets.