Tug appoints Karen Soo to lead new SEA business

Digital marketing agency Tug has appointed Karen Soo to lead its newly launched Southeast Asia operations. Soo was formerly head of Reprise, IPG Mediabrand’s performance marketing agency. Prior to Reprise, Soo worked for five years as digital director at OMD. 

Tug has also opened its fifth international office in Singapore.

As managing director of Tug Singapore, Soo will drive new business across Southeast Asia, targeting categories including software, insurance, and finance. She will supervise Tug’s work and grow the agency’s team in the region.

Tug will have around five or six people in its Singapore hub by end of the year but hopes to build out a 20-to-30-person unit soon, Soo claimed.  She will focus on using Tug’s media, creative and tech capabilities to expand the agency’s business in Southeast Asia.

“Unlike [before], performance marketing has now become a must-do for marketers,” she contended. “It’s bread and-butter now and part of most companies’ marketing mix.” Now, agencies need to focus on pushing users down the funnel and drive conversions—a key focus area and differentiator for Tug, claimed Soo.

Nick Beck, founder and CEO of Tug called Soo “a highly respected and proven leader” who understood the local market well and could use Tug’s expertise to maximum effect. “We want to be the best global digital agency and establishing a base in Singapore, joining our offices in Sydney, London, Toronto and Berlin, is a key step in achieving that,” he added.

Commenting on her new role, Soo said marketers in the region are demanding increased measurability and accountability of their performance-media spend and she hopes to use some of the agency’s global learnings with clients in Southeast Asia. “I’m looking forward to building the business across the region … (and) presenting an… alternative to what currently exists," she said.

Tug, with offices in Sydney, London, Toronto and Berlin, is a specialist in performance media. Soo says it uses a combination of data, media, content and technology to help brands extract better returns on their media investments. The agency’s clients include Budget Direct (Singapore), Easy Compare (Thailand), Charlton Media Group (Singapore) and WWF, serviced from its Sydney and London offices.

The decision to launch in Singapore follows expanding remits from existing clients and demand from prospective clients. CEO Beck said the industry in Southeast Asia is in its infancy and most existing agencies don’t deliver on “big promises” they make to clients. ”We have recognised the time is right for Tug to bring our... global experience to Singapore and Southeast Asia,” he added.

Soo also said clients were demanding a more integrated approach from agencies, covering not just performance marketing, but creative and tech capabilities too. “Digital is always evolving and changing,” she added. “To accelerate our capabilities in Southeast Asia, M&A could be an option."