Agency Profile: VoxEureka (Malaysia)
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Agency Profile: VoxEureka (Malaysia)

Telum is looking to highlight the diverse and vibrant agencies in the Southeast Asian PR agency landscape in upcoming editions of our PR Alert. We want to encourage networking, business opportunities, and to celebrate the great initiatives being worked on around the region. If you'd like your agency to feature, get in touch.

What services does VoxEureka offer?
We are in the business of earned reputational storytelling. Our roots are in public relations, but we craft and create stories across the entire communications ecosystem. We currently offer integrated PR, digital marketing (social media, performance), influencer outreach, media buying, and crisis communications.

How big is your team?
We have 30 consultants across servicing, media, digital, creatives.

Where is the team based in?
Our office is based in Subang Jaya but we have a permanent WFHO (work from home or office) policy – everyone is free to choose where they work.

Do you have a particular area of focus?
Our clientele is highly diversified, so we would have to say we generally love creating and telling impactful, meaningful, or playfully fun stories. Check out BMW Shorties, Pfizer #UNPAUSE, or Magnum Ice Cream’s Augmented Reality Playground to get an idea for work we love.

Who is the founder and why did they start VoxEureka?
Jonathan Tan started Vox in 2017 following a six-year stint with WPP agency Cohn&Wolfe, where he grew the agency from scratch to 2015 SEA PR Agency of the Year award winners (Holmes Report & Campaign Asia).

Having observed market demands shifting, he foresaw local brands would require greater agility that larger network agencies may struggle to cater to. Like most millennials, he also wanted to build and leave a legacy – a high performing agency that is both truly people-first and a force to be reckoned with. (And yes, VoxEureka is inspired by Vox Media from the U.S.!)

Tell us about the leadership Team?
Vox is led by a team of powerful, independent women. Senior Director & Associate Partner Crystalbelle Lau helms the day-to-day client operations and business development. Still only 31, she was the recipient of PRWeek Asia’s Young PR Professional of the Year 2020.

She is backed by Account Directors Dara Shaipudin (Tech) and Dashwini Ravi (Digital) and Team Leads Christina How (Automotive), Pam Kaur (FMCG / Healthcare), Audrey Chow (Retail), and Sarah Tam (Fashion/Luxury). Jon oversees the administrative, financial, and marketing aspects of the business.

What is next for VoxEureka? What is the five-year goal?
We are in the middle of a 3-year pivot strategy to hire, build, and curate in-house digital capabilities and partners. Progress has been on-track in-spite of the pandemic setbacks.

With the business still growing at double-digit rates, we will be focusing on ‘regeneration’: to build up the next generation of leaders and rainmakers to ensure we maintain this strong growth trajectory and momentum in the business lifecycle.  

In a sentence, describe your ideal relationship with a journalist.
Mutual respect, earned from an understanding and appreciation for the value we both derive from and to each other.

Any key PR trends your agency is keeping an eye on?
The LRT collision press conference has thrust crisis preparedness back to the fore, but if anything, it serves to remind that in this age of digitalisation - reputation management matters more than ever.

The aspects and elements of what impacts reputation are becoming increasingly nuanced: from boardroom-level ESG transparency to actively demonstrating empathy at the grassroots, or even managing personal-professional boundaries on social media.

However, trends are constantly evolving, and it is the pursuit of being ahead of the curve that keeps what we do still so exciting. 

What skillsets do you look for in new hires?
3 C’s: Character, Competence, Chemistry.
  • Human character, values, and attitudes are hard to teach, so that is the most fundamental criterion. Leaders who have a heart for people and excellence stand out.
  • Our culture and DNA matter significantly, and so we also ensure candidates vibe with #MyVoxFam and possess youthful vigour.
  • In terms of competency, we appreciate imaginative thinkers – candidates who can comprehend complex subject matters, make sense of them, and then apply it to current trends or happenings. Yes, we are really selective!

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