DDB Group Singapore has reinforced its strategic planning arsenal with the appointment of Daniel Huang as Senior Strategist. Bringing a global perspective shaped by stints in Shanghai, London, and Hong Kong, Huang will work alongside Chief Strategy Officer Subodh Deshpande, who joined the agency last year.
An expert in brand planning and customer experience, Huang has worked across sectors including FMCG, consumer tech, and hospitality. His notable contributions include helping Dove break down global beauty stereotypes for Unilever and leading global product campaigns for Huawei’s Mate 40 and P40 smartphones, as well as the Huawei Global Photography Awards.
He joins a growing team of strategic leaders:
- Susanna Yap, a long-serving strategist at DDB, known for her digital-first thinking on clients like Google, DBS Bank, and McDonald’s.
- Annabelle Goh, who recently joined from Ogilvy Singapore, where she drove award-winning digital work for Unilever, Coca-Cola, and Colgate-Palmolive. She brings a strong e-commerce and social-first mindset to the table.
The department is further supported by Kenneth Wee, an integrated consultant who brings a multidisciplinary skillset across research, strategy, and cultural insights. With his experience spanning Southeast Asia and the U.S., Wee helps decode the deeper, often-unspoken emotional context behind consumer behavior.
Huang’s arrival also aligns with the launch of DDB’s Feels Barometer—a new global planning tool developed in partnership with insights agency TRA. This unique tool moves beyond basic sentiment tracking to measure and decode human feelings with nuance, capturing their intensity, cultural tone, and even sensory dimensions like shape, color, and temperature. A localised Asian edition of the tool is expected later this year.
Together, this expanded team and the launch of Feels Barometer mark a bold step in DDB Singapore’s ambition to lead with emotion-driven, culturally resonant strategy—empowering brands to create more impactful connections with their audiences.
“We have seen first-hand the power of feelings to gain an emotional advantage,” said Deshpande. “As a hub for regional clients, the Feels Barometer will be instrumental in making sure our campaigns align with the unique emotional drivers of diverse audiences. This is particularly pertinent in Southeast Asia, one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world.”
“I believe that a brand’s value lies in its meaningful impact on people,” adds Huang. “Thanks to our incredible team and the powerful resources we have at hand, we are in the best position possible to empower clients with creative ideas that move people deeply.”
The Feels Barometer will be integrated into DDB’s global strategic and creative process, adding to the global group’s proprietary AI tool stack – RAND DDB. Clients will now have access to in-depth reports, interactive workshops, and customised applications of the tool tailored to their specific industry.
