with Valerie Ong, Regional Marketing Manager of Reeracoen Singapore

To capture this valuable client-side perspective, we sat down with Valerie Ong, Regional Marketing Manager of Reeracoen Singapore, for a candid Comms Q&A.

Valerie dissects the new metrics for success, pinpoints the gap between marketing and comms execution, and reveals how her team uses strategic distribution to master the nuances of brand messaging across the multiple markets in APAC.

Q: You sit at the intersection of communications and commercial strategy. What is the most significant shift you’ve observed in the communications’ role in driving business growth?

Valerie: Over the past few years, communications has evolved from a purely operational function into a strategic growth driver. Today, it directly influences how organisations are perceived, trusted, and chosen by both clients and candidates.

At Reeracoen, communications now plays a pivotal role in shaping our employer brand and positioning the Group as a thought leader in Asia’s recruitment industry. Guided by the vision of our Group CEO, Kenji Naito, we’ve transformed communications into a regional growth enabler that amplifies our mission of Connecting People & Opportunities with Purpose.

Instead of simply announcing news, we now use storytelling and data-driven insights to connect meaningfully with audiences across APAC. This shift from “informing” to “influencing” has made communications an engine for both reputation and revenue growth.

Q: Can you share a pivotal campaign or challenge where a strategic earned media decision fundamentally shifted your market narrative and delivered a measurable commercial win?

Valerie: A major milestone was our APAC Workforce Whitepaper 2025, developed in partnership with Rakuten Insight under the direction of our Group CEO, Kenji Naito. It analysed the aspirations of more than 12,000 workers across 12 markets, uncovering actionable insights on workforce trends and employer expectations.

Through a targeted earned-media strategy using Cision PR Newswire’s network, we achieved coverage in over 550 global media outlets, including The Straits Times, Yahoo! Finance, CNA, LINE TODAY, and Money FM, generating strong inbound enquiries from clients interested in regional hiring trends across Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, and the wider APAC region.

This visibility not only elevated Reeracoen’s credibility as an APAC thought leader but also translated into measurable business growth through new client partnerships and cross-border talent-solution opportunities across Southeast Asia.

Q: What type of strategic content are you currently using to successfully shape public opinion and drive success in the APAC region?

Valerie: We combine data-centric thought leadership with local storytelling that reflects the diverse cultures of Asia. Our content strategy includes:

• Regional reports such as the APAC Workforce Whitepaper and Salary Guides;
• Localised press releases tailored for Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Japan, and other key markets;
• Insight-driven blog articles optimised for both traditional SEO and emerging AI-driven search; and
• Employer-branding features spotlighting outstanding consultants through our Reeracoen Heroes series.

This integrated approach allows us to engage both corporate and candidate audiences while maintaining Reeracoen’s voice as a trusted bridge between people and opportunities, a philosophy championed by our Group CEO and adopted throughout the Group.

Q: When it comes to content execution, what is your non-negotiable process for ensuring releases are polished, credible, and attractive to top-tier media outlets?

Valerie: Every release follows a five-step editorial and validation process to ensure accuracy and brand consistency:

1. Verify facts and data with internal experts.
2. Localise tone and structure for each country’s media culture.
3. Apply AP Style and Reeracoen’s brand tone for clarity and credibility.
4. Conduct multi-language proofreading across English, Japanese, and other local versions to maintain consistency, tone, and factual accuracy.
5. Distribute through Cision PR Newswire’s platform for optimal reach and media formatting.

This disciplined process reflects our Group’s Japanese DNA, which is precise, quality-driven, and built on trust, ensuring every message resonates authentically with the market.

Q: Beyond print and online, you secured non-traditional placements like a local radio interview. How critical is a diverse distribution network in helping you secure media coverage across all relevant channels?

Valerie: A diverse distribution network is essential because every medium, whether print, digital, radio, or social, engages audiences in different ways.

While our Money FM 89.3 radio interview came through direct media outreach, it worked hand-in-hand with the broad exposure achieved via Cision PR Newswire’s distribution. Together, these channels created a 360-degree communications ecosystem that strengthened Reeracoen’s visibility, credibility, and brand authenticity across platforms.

Q: Proving ROI is challenging for comms pros. How do you quantify the business impact of earned media, and what KPIs do you closely monitor?

Valerie: We align communications metrics with Reeracoen Group’s business goals. Beyond standard AVE and reach, I measure:

• Number of inbound leads generated from media coverage and backlinks
• Referral traffic to the corporate website
• Engagement rates across campaigns
• Share of voice compared with competitors in key markets

We also conduct media-sentiment analysis and link post-campaign outcomes to client acquisition and reputation lift. This data-driven approach helps our Group CEO and regional leadership see how communications directly supports both revenue growth and brand equity.

Q: What post-distribution insights or metrics do you rely on to demonstrate success internally, and how do they justify future budgets?

Valerie: Cision PR Newswire’s post-distribution reports provide clear data on reach, engagement, outlet categories, and readership demographics. These insights help us identify high-performing regions and refine our future strategies.

By presenting these results alongside Reeracoen’s internal analytics, such as web traffic, UTM tracking, and lead conversions, we justify future communications budgets with confidence and forecast which media ecosystems to prioritise in upcoming quarters.

Q: Reflecting on your success, what new APAC markets or media ecosystems are you focusing on, and what role will distribution and targeting play?

Valerie: We’re expanding deeper into Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan, which are fast-growing economies with evolving workforce aspirations. Strategic distribution and audience targeting will be key to breaking the language and cultural barriers and ensuring our insights reach the right HR and business leaders.

Q: For fellow PR or comms professionals looking to replicate your success, what is the single most important piece of advice you’d offer?

Valerie: Always connect your communications strategy to a clear business purpose. PR is not about volume, it’s about value. Anchor every campaign in credible data, meaningful stories, and measurable outcomes.

And most importantly, stay aligned with your leadership’s vision. Under the guidance of our Group CEO, we’ve learned that sustainable success in communications comes from authenticity, using the right insights, tone, and distribution partnerships to build long-term trust.

Strategic distribution isn’t just about reach, it’s about reputation!

Final Takeaway

Valerie's insights underscore that regional communications success hinges on strategic execution and measurable impact. For PR and communications professionals, it is high time to stop relying solely on media coverage and tap on dedicated distribution and targeting tools to ensure messages are integrated with marketing and communications goals to ensure that they resonate effectively across the diverse APAC landscape.