The AAA 2026 programme celebrates creativity, innovation, and measurable impact in advertising — honouring the trailblazers driving bold ideas and breakthrough solutions in an increasingly complex and competitive landscape.

The awards spotlight groundbreaking campaigns, trailblazing agencies, and high-performing teams across the Asia-Pacific region, acknowledging not only executional brilliance but also the forward-thinking strategies shaping the industry’s future.

Strong regional participation across Asia Pacific

The inaugural edition of the Advertising Awards Asia Pacific attracted broad regional participation, resulting in a total of 124 unique organisations advancing as finalists. 

The finalist pool spans brands, agencies, and technology companies, with 56 brand organisations, 47 agencies, and 21 martech and adtech companies earning finalist recognition.

The Philippines leads the region with 40 finalists, followed closely by Singapore with 35 and Malaysia with 34. Thailand recorded 21 finalists, while Indonesia followed with 13. 

Meanwhile, India contributed 5 finalists, with Bangladesh, Australia, and New Zealand each recording 3. Hong Kong, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and China also feature among the participating markets, underscoring the awards’ cross-market representation across Asia Pacific.

Brands and agencies leading the field

This year’s finalist nominations reflect strong competition across both brand and agency categories, with several organisations emerging as clear front-runners.

Among brands, Krungthai Bank PCL leads the field with 20 nominations. On the agency side, The Shout Group tops the rankings with 18 nominations. 

Top nominated brands

• Krungthai Bank PCL – 20 nominations
• Malaysia Airlines – 8
• PalawanPay – 8
• AirAsia Philippines – 7
• RHB Bank – 7
• Prudential Indonesia – 5
• CapitaLand Investment – 4
• Tata Sampann – 4
• Dove – Unilever Philippines – 4
• PepsiCo Malaysia – 3

Top nominated agencies

• The Shout Group –  18 nominations
• Dentsu Singapore – 6
• Digitas Thailand – 6
• VML Thailand – 5
• Havas Ortega – 5
• GIGIL – 5
• iProspect – 5
• Ogilvy Manila – 4
• Streamlined Campaigns – 4
• Wavemaker – WPP Media – 4

See full list of finalists HERE. 

Judging panel brings senior advertising leadership across APAC

Winners will be selected by a jury panel of senior marketing and advertising leaders from across the region, ensuring a balanced evaluation of creativity, strategy, execution, and measurable business impact.

The judging process spans four category groupings — Creative Advertising Campaigns is divided across four jury groups, while AdTech-Driven Advertising Campaigns is covered by two.

The Head of Jury appointments and categories are as follows:

• Diana Boo, Chief Marketing Officer, Boost Holdings, an Axiata Company (Malaysia) – Creative & AdTech-Driven Advertising Campaigns Categories
• Helen McRae, CEO, WPP Media SE Asia, Pakistan, S Africa & Taiwan, WPP Media (Singapore) – Creative & AdTech-Driven Advertising Campaigns Categories
• Kabeer Chaudhary, Global CEO, M+C Saatchi Performance (Singapore) – Creative Advertising & Platform Categories
• Rebecca Ang Lee, Chief Marketing Officer, MSIG Asia (Singapore) – Creative Advertising & People Categories

Other jury members include senior leaders from AEON360, Canva, Cheil Worldwide, Dentsu creative, FCB Shout, GCash, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Mondelez International, Prudential Indonesia, Publicis Groupe Hong Kong, and more. 

Full list of jury HERE. 

Joven Barcenas, CEO and Founder of MARKETECH APAC, said, “The Advertising Awards Asia Pacific is created to celebrate the boldness and ingenuity that defines advertising across our region. This year’s finalists are a testament to the strength of creativity and innovation coming from brands, agencies, and technology partners who are truly pushing the craft forward.”

The AAA 2026 Gala Night will take place on 29 July 2026 at One Farrer Hotel, Singapore, bringing together the region’s top advertising professionals to celebrate the best work across all categories, with Grand Prix honours awarded to the highest-scoring entries across the programme.

Participating brands, agencies, adtech organisations, and other parties interested to attend are invited to secure their seats for the Advertising Awards Asia Pacific 2026 Gala Night. For enquiries, please contact [email protected]. 

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“This is not just a commercial issue; it is a matter of fairness and responsibility,” the association said through its President Tan Kien Eng.

The statement struck a nerve — and not just in Malaysia. Across Southeast Asia, agency leaders have long navigated the same tension: delivering work on time while chasing payments that arrive anything but. For many, especially smaller independents, it’s less an inconvenience than an existential pressure point.

But is Malaysia an outlier — or simply the first to say out loud what the rest of Southeast Asia’s advertising industry has long felt?

For our latest feature under our Inner State series, we recently spoke with Anish Daryani, Founder, President Director and CEO at Moonfolks and President Director at Havas Moonfolks; Pradhana H. S., Chief Executive Officer at Volare Advertising Network; Yollie Viola, Finance Head at GIGIL; and Jeanne Go-Mendoza, Chief Financial Officer at Propel Manila, as their perspectives shed light on an issue that many say has quietly shaped the way agencies operate, survive, and grow across the region.

A regional problem

The consensus among the industry leaders is that this challenge is far from isolated. 

Volare’s Pradhana confirmed that longer cycles are a familiar reality in his market in Indonesia. 

“In recent years, some payment cycles have become longer than traditional 30-day terms, particularly within larger organisations that operate with more complex procurement and approval structures,” he said. “It is an industry dynamic that requires constructive attention to ensure long-term sustainability across the ecosystem.”

Meanwhile, Anish Daryani of Havas Moonfolks was careful to draw a distinction that often gets collapsed in the broader conversation. 

“Extended payment terms and payment delays are two separate issues altogether,” he said. In his experience, most clients in Indonesia are reasonably disciplined — paying as per the terms of payment (TOP) agreed in the contract — but the existence of extended TOPs in the first place still puts pressure on agencies to make a judgment call before they sign. 

“It is up to the agency to decide whether they can afford such high credit periods from the client, before they sign on the client,” he noted.

Propel Manila’s Jeanne affirmed that the strain is felt in the Philippines as well. “Longer cycles do tie up working capital and that’s a shared pressure for agencies across the region, ours included,” she said — though she was quick to add that the conversation needs to go deeper than the headline issue.

The operational reality for agencies

Whatever the cause, the downstream effects are consistent. Cash flow tightens, vendor relationships strain, and the pressure ripples outward well beyond the agency itself.

“Cash is the lifeblood of any business,” Daryani said. “Extended payment terms can put stress on an agency’s cashflow. It also affects vendor partners — production, tech, and others. It just doesn’t affect agencies, but the entire ecosystem.”

Pradhana echoed this, framing it in terms of the people-first nature of the business. 

“Extended payment cycles require agencies to manage cash flow and operational planning more carefully, especially for campaigns involving upfront commitments to media partners, production vendors, technology platforms, and talent resources,” he said. 

“As agencies are fundamentally people-driven businesses, maintaining healthy financial cycles supports continued investment in innovation, capability development, and service excellence for clients,” he added.

Jeanne offered a more granular view of where the operational pain actually originates. In her experience, the problem isn’t always a client refusing to pay — it’s that the administrative machinery surrounding payment is broken. 

“Approval and compliance processes have grown more layered on both sides — POs, service agreements, completion sign-offs — and the payment clock effectively starts much earlier in that chain than the invoice date suggests,” she said. The result: agencies absorb weeks, sometimes months, of invisible delay before a payment term even begins to count down.

How agencies are responding

Rather than waiting for the industry to self-correct, several agencies have built internal processes designed to reduce their exposure before payment delays become a crisis.

At GIGIL in the Philippines, Yollie points to vigilance at every stage of the billing cycle as the cornerstone of their approach. 

Key practices include sending invoices to clients within 24 hours of completion, conducting regular follow-ups on outstanding payments, and immediately looping in the accounts team once an invoice exceeds its agreed credit term. 

“Consistency in follow-ups is critical,” Viola said. “Delays are easier to address when they are managed proactively rather than reactively.”

GIGIL’s approach also emphasises a clean separation of responsibilities between finance and accounts — with finance managing collections and payment follow-through, while accounts maintains the client relationship and keeps conversations focused on partnership rather than transactions. 

“Regular, honest, and open communication builds trust with our clients,” Viola added. “This trust allows us to maintain strong relationships while also being firm and consistent in managing collections and payment timelines.”

At Moonfolks, discipline begins even earlier — at the client selection stage. “We get market intelligence before signing on a client and wouldn’t take on a client that has demonstrated poor credit history in the past,” Daryani said. “We have low tolerance for payment delays. If we have a client that is consistent with payment delays, we are not afraid to take hard calls.”

For Volare, the answer lies in financial governance and proactive client communication. “We focus on prudent cash flow management, diversified client portfolios, and structured project planning to reduce concentration risk,” Pradhana said. “For larger or production-heavy engagements, phased billing structures or project-based payment schedules often create a healthier and more sustainable framework for both parties.”

Jeanne’s prescription at Propel Manila targets what she calls the “silent runway” before invoicing. She advocates for shared service-level agreements that impose committed timelines on each step of the pre-billing process — from PO issuance to vendor onboarding to invoice acknowledgment. 

“None of these touch the headline payment term,” she said. “They target the silent runway in front of it — where 30, 45, 60 days actually hide. The same way we’d align with a client on a creative timeline, we can align on documentation turnaround.”

Rethinking the conversation

Perhaps the most pointed reframe came from Propel Manila’s Jeanne, who argued that the industry may be directing its energy at the wrong part of the problem entirely.

“The bigger story isn’t simply ‘clients paying late,'” she said. “It’s that approval and compliance processes have grown more layered on both sides — POs, service agreements, completion sign-offs — and the payment clock effectively starts much earlier in that chain than the invoice date suggests.”

Joanne’s argument is that the real time loss happens in the invisible runway before an invoice is even submitted. An unacknowledged invoice can sit in a client’s system for weeks before the official payment clock begins. Vendor onboarding that should have been completed at kickoff gets done post-delivery, stalling the billing process entirely. POs that should have been issued upfront arrive late, leaving agencies delivering work with no document to bill against.

Her prescription: shared service-level agreements that impose committed timelines on each of these steps. “None of these touch the headline payment term,” she said. “They target the silent runway in front of it — where 30, 45, 60 days actually hide. The same way we’d align with a client on a creative timeline, we can align on documentation turnaround.”

Should regulation enter the picture?

With the issue gaining visibility, the question of whether government or industry intervention is warranted has begun to surface. Opinions, however, are divided.

Daryani believes existing commercial contracts already provide agencies with legal recourse — but sees room for industry bodies to go further. 

Beyond regulations, he floated a more practical idea: “Industry bodies can certainly do more — like calling for better regulations on TOP, or creating a blacklist of regular defaulters to protect the industry at large.” 

He was also quick to credit 4As Malaysia for raising the issue publicly. “4As Malaysia has demonstrated exemplary leadership in this matter and deserve commendations for the same,” he said.

Pradhana takes a more measured stance on hard regulation, preferring industry-led frameworks over government mandates. “Rather than strict regulation, I believe the industry would benefit more from stronger standards, transparency, and shared best practices established through industry associations and market stakeholders,” he said. “Every market operates with different commercial realities, so maintaining flexibility remains important.”

A shared responsibility

What emerges from these conversations is not a simple villain-and-victim narrative. The issue is structural — shaped by procurement complexity, layered approval processes, and an industry culture that has, perhaps for too long, absorbed financial imbalance as an accepted cost of doing business.

But there are signs of a shift. Agencies across the region are pushing back — not loudly, but deliberately — through tighter contracts, sharper client screening, and more disciplined billing processes. Viola perhaps put it most plainly: “Nothing beats honest and open communication with clients.”

And with 4As Malaysia now putting the issue squarely on the industry’s agenda, the hope is that candour at the association level will translate into change at the contract level — for the benefit of agencies, their vendor partners, and ultimately, the brands they serve.

As Pradhana put it: “The strongest agency-client relationships are built not only on creative ambition but also on trust, transparency, and long-term sustainability.”

***

Whether through stricter internal processes, earlier commercial alignment, or broader industry advocacy, the path forward demands accountability from all parties. Agencies are not banks. But until the industry collectively treats fair payment as a baseline standard rather than a negotiating point, many will continue operating as though they are.

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Serving as a key platform for Malaysia’s marketing ecosystem, the awards provide brands, agencies, and technology organisations with an opportunity to spotlight work that delivers both creative excellence and measurable business impact in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic and competitive markets.

Moreover, the programme highlights campaigns and initiatives that demonstrate how Malaysian brands and organisations are adapting to an increasingly complex and fast-evolving marketing landscape.

Part of the broader NEXT Awards Series, the NEXT Awards Malaysia 2026 continues to champion marketing innovation, creativity, and effectiveness, recognising the people, teams, and ideas driving the industry forward.

The initial lineup of jury members includes:

• Keith Ng, SVP, Digital Marketing & Channel Management, Group Corporate Communications & Marketing at AmBank Group
• Fatin Sarjat, Head of Marketing at Delima Oil Products at FGV Holdings
• Kelly Lim, Head of Marketing at Frasers Group
• Deon Lee, Director, Customers & Marketing at Lotus’s Malaysia
• Merlin Ang, Vice President of Marketing at Melaleuca: The Wellness Company
• Fiona Liao, Group Chief Marketing, Communications & Sustainability Officer at POS Malaysia
• Jayson Ong, Head of Brand & Channel Marketing at Sharp Electronics
• Kee Shing Lim, Head of Marketing at Sime Darby Motors
• Freddie Wong, Marketing Director at Tyson Foods
• Erin Hwang, Head of Brand, Marketing & Communications at Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

The NEXT Awards Malaysia 2026 will recognise excellence across 49 award categories, celebrating a broad spectrum of achievements within the country’s marketing industry. These categories cover impactful campaign work, outstanding agency performance, and notable contributions from marketing teams and professionals, alongside the prestigious Brand, Agency, and MarTech Grand Prix titles.

What sets the NEXT Awards apart is its tournament-style format. Winning entries from Malaysia that receive Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition will have a chance to represent the market at the NEXT Awards Asia-Pacific 2026, where they will be evaluated alongside leading work from across the region.

More details of the NEXT Awards Malaysia 2026 can be found HERE.

For nominations, sponsorship, or judging enquiries, interested parties may visit the official website or contact MARKETECH APAC’s Awards Team at [email protected].

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The new agency will provide communications services across brand and consumer marketing, corporate affairs, health, technology, and food, agriculture and nutrition. It will operate through a global network of offices and specialty practices.

Matt Neale has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Golin Ketchum, while Tamara Norman will serve as President.

“Golin Ketchum was formed with a clear ambition to shake up the agency landscape with unmatched creativity and category expertise,” said Neale. “For our clients, this means access to world-class resources and integrated capabilities. For our people, it means career-defining opportunities and the chance to do the best work of our lives, for the greatest clients in the world.”

According to the agency, the decision to launch under the Golin Ketchum name was made to reflect the histories and reputations of both organisations.

“We considered a range of options, but ultimately the strongest choice was the simplest one,” Neale said. “Both Golin and Ketchum have built strong relationships with clients and strong reputations in the market. Bringing the names together honors that history while reflecting the future we’re building as one organisation.”

The agency said its operations will be guided by principles focused on creativity, curiosity, and collaboration. Its stated purpose is: “Together, we’ll do the best work of our lives and create change that matters.”

As part of the launch, Golin Ketchum introduced a new visual identity featuring a signature color palette centered on “Flare,” a red-orange shade intended to represent the agency’s ambitions and direction. The branding also includes a new mark based on the agency’s initials, designed for use across its practices, sectors, and geographic markets.

“This isn’t simply a brand launch. It’s our declaration of intent,” said Neale. “Golin Ketchum offers clients the most awarded creative team in the world underpinned by a relentless curiosity and the most effective AI and data solutions. We embody the apex of human creativity and next generation technology.”

Golin Ketchum said it will continue operating through local market teams supported by specialised practices and industry expertise. Existing client teams and relationships will remain in place, while clients will gain access to the combined agency’s broader talent base, capabilities, and technology resources.

The merger was first announced earlier this year, with Omnicom Public Relations (OPR) restructuring their portfolio that included the two agencies. In a previous memo seen by MARKETECH APAC, OPR said the Omnicom-IPG acquisition “created an opportunity for OPR to define what a modern PR and communications organisation should look like” and that the changes mark OPR’s “next phase of evolution”.

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The move comes after Omnicom Group announced plans to retire the DDB brand worldwide following its acquisition of Interpublic Group.

Established in 1992 through a partnership between DDB Worldwide and Filipino-owned Advertising Marketing and Associates (AMA), DDB Group Philippines had served as the network’s local office for more than three decades.

Under its new identity, GGC Group Asia will continue to collaborate with Omnicom when required, providing clients with access to global marketing communications capabilities while operating independently.

The rebrand is named after Group Chairman and CEO Gil G. Chua, whose initials form the new company name. 

According to Chua, the transition represents an opportunity for the organisation to build on its legacy while embracing greater independence.

As part of the restructuring, several agencies within the network have also adopted new identities. 

DDB Philippines has been renamed Velocity+, DDB MNL becomes Alab MNL, and Tribal Worldwide Philippines will now operate as The Tribe.

Other agencies within the group, including Optimax Communications, Agile Intelligence, Ripple8, Touch XDA, and Bent and Buzz, will retain their existing brands.

The rebrand also includes the integration of several sister companies from the FCT Group, expanding the organisation’s footprint across business solutions, logistics, and marketing support services.

Following the consolidation, GGC Group Asia will comprise 14 companies operating across 18 offices nationwide, supported by more than 7,500 employees.

The company said the transition will not affect leadership structures, client relationships, existing contracts, or day-to-day operations.

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For marketers, the market presents significant opportunities to engage increasingly omnichannel shoppers who move seamlessly between physical stores, social commerce platforms, online marketplaces, and brand-owned channels. 

At the same time, retailers are investing in technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud infrastructure, and automation to enhance customer experiences, optimise operations, and improve supply chain efficiency.

Within the backdrop of a constantly evolving retail and e-commerce landscape in the country, MARKETECH APAC and UpTech Media have joined forces to launch the second edition of the Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Marketing & Tech Summit: Philippines 2026 conference.

The event, happening on 10 September 2026 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, offers a sophisticated mix of high-level strategy and practical insights—from dynamic panels to high-impact keynotes. Moreover, the event will also deep dive into the innovative strategies and transformative technologies shaping the country’s rapidly evolving retail and e-commerce landscape.

The first lineup of speakers for the Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Marketing & Tech Summit: Philippines 2026 conference include:

• Hannah Pacaba, AVP, Marketing and Channels Revenue at Cocopan
• Beverly Maddul, Head of Performance Marketing and Customer Lifecycle Management at Concepcion Industrial Corporation
• Wendy Talan, Head of Ecommerce at Diageo
• Katrina Lee-Chua, Assistant Vice President Strategy & Insights and Digital at McDonald’s Philippines
• Giann Vega, E-Commerce Head & Digital Data Transformation Lead at PepsiCo

The Retail & E-Commerce Innovation Marketing & Tech Summit: Philippines 2026 is the second iteration of said conference in the Philippines under the Retail & E-Commerce Marketing & Tech Summit series. The first one was held on 12 August 2025 at Shangri-La The Fort, Manila, and united industry leaders, marketing experts, and tech innovators in exploring the latest trends, strategies, and technologies driving the evolution of retail and e-commerce in the region.

For more information on the summit, visit the official event page HERE.

For speaking opportunities, contact Rachele Ciabal at [email protected].

For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to our sales team at [email protected].

For registration queries, contact Rizza Mae Escio at [email protected].

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No, the grocery clerks have not lost their minds. Or rather, they have, but only because the entire Philippine corporate marketing sector lost theirs first.

The culprit behind this sudden shift in FMCG merchandising is a viral comedy sketch by content creator BAET on TikTok that triggered a mass identity crisis among grocery store produce. 

In the video, anthropomorphised fruits are dramatically complaining about the utter laziness of their English names. 

The absolute catalyst for the madness was an orange undergoing a profound crisis over being named after its own colour, aggressively decreeing that its name is now, officially, ‘Sharmaine’.

@eko06004 Ay hindi naman magandang biro yan! #fyp ♬ original sound – BAET

Moments later, a deeply offended avocado vocalised its trauma at constantly being misheard as “abogado” (the Tagalog word for lawyer), demanding to be addressed exclusively as ‘Melanie’.

@eko06004 Finally sya na si sharmaine! #fyp ♬ original sound – BAET

It was stupid. It was surreal. It should have been a fleeting piece of late-night, scroll-induced psychosis.

Instead, it became the holy grail for corporate marketing departments across the country, who collectively sprinted to capitalise on the fruit-based delusion like vultures circling a very charismatic citrus crop.

Leading the charge into the abyss was Netflix Philippines, which immediately abandoned all semblance of corporate restraint. 

Without a hint of shame, their social media managers altered the Korean drama, changing the title from When Life Gives You Tangerines to When Life Gives You Sharmaines and another series, Orange is the New Black to Sharmaine is the New Black. 

Not to be outdone by a streaming giant, dessert chain Avocadoria underwent a full mid-life crisis, temporarily ditching its actual registered business name across social media to embrace its true calling as “Melanieria”.

@avocadoria Abogado. Avocado. Melanie. or should I say Melanieria? siyang tunay ba nak, @BAET? #TeamMelanie ♬ original sound – BAET

The madness quickly breached the digital realm and infected physical infrastructure. 

@smcenterantipolodowntown Sharmaine season is finally here at your most loved mall — #SMCenterAntipoloDowntown ✨🍊 Visit SM Markets located at Ground Level to find all the Sharmaine and #GalaToTheMax ♬ original sound – BAET

Local supermarkets completely abandoned standard inventory protocols, replacing their labels with handwritten cardboard signs over grocery bins to formally introduce bewildered shoppers to piles of Sharmaines and Melanies.

@fishersupermarket Mukhang may bagong celebrity na naman sa produce section. Meet Melanie 🥑 now available at Fisher Supermarket! Fresh picks and premium quality araw-araw. Credits to the original owner of the audio/voice used in this video @BAET 🎙️ No copyright infringement intended. #ILoveFisherSupermarket #TheFreshAdvantage #Melanie #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Fisher Supermarket

This entire chaotic spectacle is the absolute peak of modern brainrot marketing. It relies on a complete abandonment of polished corporate copywriting in favour of hyper-speed trendjacking. 

@smcityrosales 📝 Fresh Selections Roll Call 🍊 Sharmaine — Present ✅ 🥑 Melanie — Present ✅ 🥭 Mango — Present ✅ Buy-is-Now at SM Hypermarket Rosales. 🛒✨ #GalaToTheMax #HomeOfEverydayCelebrations ♬ original sound – SM City Rosales

The humor does not even come from the joke itself anymore; it comes from the post-ironic contrast of  multi-million-peso corporations acting like chronically online teenagers chasing a fleeting algorithm.

This collective, frantic race to the bottom of the meme barrel underscores a shift in consumer engagement. 

Long-term brand strategy has been thoroughly murdered by hyper-speed algorithms. Thus, somehow, being chronically online has to be in everyone’s marketing checklist. 

@abscbn Saan sila dalahen? 🍊🪰🥑 #KapamilyaTrend #ABSCBN ♬ original sound – BAET

For contemporary brands, a three-month campaign plan is completely useless compared to the chaotic necessity of absolute trend immediacy.

The success of the Sharmaine and Melanie wave proves that traditional marketing is dead; after all, why spend hundreds of thousands of pesos on a polished, demographic-targeted advertising campaign when you can achieve record-breaking organic reach simply by bullying a lime into calling itself Valerie?

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Positioned as a celebration of dynamic and impactful content marketing, the CMAA 2026 programme recognises work that goes beyond creative execution to demonstrate strategic thinking, cultural relevance, and measurable business impact. 

The initiative highlights Asia Pacific’s excellence in content marketing, spotlighting how content continues to drive deeper audience connections and community building in an increasingly complex digital landscape. 

The 2026 edition features 50 categories spanning Marketing Campaigns and Industry-Focused Campaigns, along with Grand Prix honours for the highest-scoring entries across the programme.

Strong regional participation across Asia Pacific

The inaugural edition of CMAA attracted strong participation from marketing organisations across the region, with 61 organisations submitting entries, resulting in a total of 73 finalists.

Malaysia leads the region with 49 finalists, followed by Singapore with 36, and the Philippines with 30. Indonesia recorded 24 finalists, while Hong Kong followed closely with 23.

Other participating markets include Thailand, India, Vietnam, Australia, and Mongolia, underscoring the awards’ regional breadth and cross-market representation.

Brands and agencies leading the field

This year’s nominations reflect strong competition across both brand and agency categories, with several organisations emerging as clear front-runners.

Among brands, Malaysia Airlines leads with 22 nominations, followed by Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) and Cebuana Lhuillier (Philippines), each securing 12 nominations. 

On the agency side, Volare Advertising Network tops the list with 11 nominations, closely followed by GrowthOps with 9 nominations.

Top nominated brands

• Malaysia Airlines – 22 nominations
• Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) – 12
• Cebuana Lhuillier – 11
• Citiplaza Hong Kong – 10
• Hong Kong Tourism Board – 10
• Scoot – 9
• BOSCH HOME APPLIANCES (SINGAPORE) – 6

Top nominated agencies

• Dentsu Hong Kong – 11 nominations
• GrowthOps – 9
• LÈNGUA – 7
• Zeno Group – 7
• ADA Data AI Solutions Pte. Ltd. – 6
• Leo Burnett Hong Kong – 8
• VML Singapore – 5

See full list for finalists HERE.

Judging panel brings senior marketing leadership across APAC

Winners will be selected by a jury of senior marketing and advertising leaders from across the region, ensuring a balanced evaluation of creativity, strategy, execution, and measurable business impact.

The judging process is structured across four category groupings, with the Marketing Campaign Categories divided into three specialised divisions alongside the Industry-Focused Campaign Categories, each overseen by dedicated jury heads. 

The Head of Jury appointments and categories are as follows:

• Tim Green, Chief Creative Officer APAC, Edelman (Singapore) – Marketing Campaigns Categories (Brand, Storytelling & Cultural Impact)
• Andrew Pinto, Vice President, Unifi Brand and Marketing, Telekom Malaysia – Marketing Campaigns Categories (Integrated Campaigns, Partnerships & Impact)
• Rajat Basra, Chief Executive Officer, Omnicom Media Group (Indonesia) – Marketing Campaigns Categories (Performance, Platforms & Growth)
• Simone Tam, CEO Greater Bay Area, dentsu (Hong Kong) – Industry-Focused Categories

Other jury members include senior leaders from Burger King India, Discovery Hospitality, Doctor Anywhere, Ducati Asia Pacific, Edelman, Goldilocks Bakeshop, Harcourts International, Havas Asia Pacific, Mindvalley, Pos Malaysia, Telekom Malaysia, VIVAIA, VML Thailand, and Volare Advertising Network.

Full list of jury HERE. 

Commenting on the finalist line-up, Joven Barceñas, Founder and CEO of MARKETECH APAC, said, “The Content Marketing Awards Asia Pacific was established to spotlight excellence across the region’s fast-evolving content landscape. This year’s finalists reflect the strength of creativity and strategy coming from brands and agencies that are pushing the boundaries of what content marketing can achieve.” 

The CMAA 2026 Gala Night will take place on 9 July 2026 at Sheraton Petaling Jaya Hotel in Malaysia, where winners across all categories will be unveiled, alongside Grand Prix recognitions for top-performing entries.

Participating brands, agencies, and martech organisations are now invited to secure their seats for the Content Marketing Awards Asia Pacific 2026 Gala Night. For inquiries, please contact [email protected].

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The numbers tell part of the story. Since 2020, the bank’s brand value has more than tripled to US$1.6 billion, according to Brand Finance 2025, placing it among Vietnam’s five most valuable brands and among ASEAN’s leading banking brands. Its customer base has doubled from around nine million to over 18 million, while its brand equity, top-of-mind awareness, and Net Promoter Score continue to lead Vietnam’s private banking sector.

Behind much of this transformation is Thai Minh Diem Tu, Chief Marketing Officer at Techcombank, who joined the organisation in 2021 with a mandate to sharpen its strategic narrative and build a brand capable of connecting with the aspirations of modern Vietnamese consumers.

In this edition of Milestones, Tu Thai reflects on the defining moments that shaped Techcombank’s marketing evolution, the philosophy behind its “Be Greater” positioning, and why she believes brands have a responsibility to contribute to national progress as much as business growth.

Creating a unified brand architecture around a shared purpose

For Tu Thai, one of the most significant milestones of her tenure was creating a cohesive brand architecture that could unite every aspect of Techcombank’s business under a single vision.

“One of the most defining milestones was establishing a clear and enterprise-wide brand architecture anchored in our vision, mission, and ‘Be Greater’ promise. This created a consistent foundation across corporate branding, product branding, corporate story, product storytelling, and customer experience, rather than fragmented campaigns,” she explained.

The initiative came at a pivotal time for the bank as it sought to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive financial services landscape.

“When I joined, it was clear we needed to translate our purpose into a sharper, more differentiated strategic narrative. We defined our vision, ‘Change Banking, Change Lives’, and our mission to lead the digital transformation of Vietnam’s financial industry, with a clear focus on enabling customers to thrive in an increasingly digital economy.”

The result was the creation of Techcombank’s now-familiar “Be Greater” platform.

“We then brought this to life through our ‘Be Greater’ promise — not just a tagline, but a unifying ambition across the organisation. Today, it underpins our product innovation, customer experience and culture, positioning Techcombank as the bank of choice for Vietnam’s most aspirational and future-ready customers.”

Building a brand rooted in Vietnamese aspirations

While many financial institutions focus primarily on product benefits, Tu Thai wanted Techcombank’s positioning to resonate on a deeper emotional level.

“One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that Techcombank’s brand positioning truly reflected the aspirations and cultural DNA of the Vietnamese people. From the beginning, I wanted to build a brand that people could emotionally connect with and genuinely love, not one focused only on selling products.”

This insight became the foundation for the “Be Greater” philosophy.

“Our ‘Be Greater’ positioning was built on a deep understanding of Vietnamese people and their desire for a healthy life, self-development and success on their own terms. That insight became the foundation of our brand strategy and shaped how we approached corporate branding, product marketing and customer experience.”

For Tu Thai, the role of corporate branding extends far beyond communications.

“For us, corporate branding is about building trust, relevance and emotional connection. It meant creating a brand positioning that embraced the DNA and aspirations of the Vietnamese people and contributed positively to the community. I wanted Techcombank’s brand to be seen in a similar way to iconic global brands that have built meaning beyond products themselves.”

The strategy eventually crystallised around three themes.

“This led us to build the ‘Be Greater’ platform around three core pillars — success, healthy living and self-development — which closely align with both Vietnamese aspirations and national development priorities.”

Doubling the customer base through integration, data, and ecosystem thinking

One of the clearest outcomes of Techcombank’s transformation has been the rapid growth of its customer base, which expanded from approximately nine million customers to more than 18 million.

According to Tu Thai, this achievement was never the result of marketing campaigns alone.

“Doubling our customer base in a competitive market requires more than effective campaigns — it demands a disciplined, integrated approach to growth that connects brand, product, and customer experience.”

She points to customer-centricity and digital innovation as foundational drivers.

“At the foundation is an unwavering commitment to putting the customer first and continuously innovating to serve them better. Technology and digitalisation are central to this — enabling us to deliver personalised financial solutions and optimise the customer experience at scale across every touchpoint.”

Equally critical was breaking down organisational silos.

“By working closely together to understand customers, validate our offerings, and optimise every interaction, we ensure that what customers experience — at every touchpoint — reflects the very best of what Techcombank can offer.”

Maintaining consistency across an expanding organisation also became a priority.

“Whether across different entities within the Techcombank Group or from product branding through to individual product campaigns, we maintain a coherent identity and narrative. And within that consistency, we invest in creativity and differentiation to continually build distinctive memory structures with our customers about our brand.”

Yet Tu Thai believes growth requires a full-funnel mindset.

“Brand-building captures the top of the funnel — but sustainable growth requires a full-funnel strategy that converts awareness into lasting customer relationships.”

She also highlights the role of Techcombank’s broader ecosystem, which now includes Techcombank Securities (TCBS), Techcom Life, Techcom General Insurance, Masterise Group, and OneMount.

“This interconnected network of touchpoints allows us to understand customers far more holistically, engage them at the moments that matter most, and seamlessly deliver the right financial solution at the right time — turning the ecosystem’s scale into a genuine marketing and relationship-deepening advantage.”

Turning campaigns into experiences: The Techcombank Marathon story

For Tu Thai, successful marketing is built through integrated experiences rather than isolated channels.

“A strong brand is never built by a single campaign, and a great campaign is never built on just a few key touchpoints. What we believe in is a truly holistic approach — where every element of a campaign works together to create one unified, immersive experience for the audience.”

Among the strongest examples of this philosophy is the Techcombank Marathon, which has become one of Vietnam’s largest sporting events.

“The Techcombank Marathon — our flagship running platform spanning both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City — is perhaps the clearest expression of this philosophy in action.”

The event now attracts more than 36,000 runners from over 80 countries and continues to grow year after year. But for Techcombank, the marathon extends far beyond race day.

“Each year, we refresh our master brand assets — a new campaign key visual and hero film — that articulate Techcombank’s point of view on healthy living, personal achievement, and what it means to ‘Be Greater.'”

The campaign combines multiple channels, technologies, and storytelling approaches to create a connected experience.

“On social, our AI-powered personalisation experience became one of the campaign’s most talked-about moments: runners could upload a single photo and receive a fully personalised AI-generated video recreating their running journey — battling fatigue, pushing through doubt, and crossing the finish line — set against Hanoi’s thousand-year-old landmarks.”

More than 70,000 personalised videos were generated, while influencer content, livestreams, and community storytelling helped amplify participation.

Beyond engagement, the initiative also delivered social impact.

“Through a Virtual Run challenge, more than 22,000 runners logged nearly 966,000 km collectively to raise funds for community causes — generating over VND11 billion, including VND4.2 billion for the ‘Loving Touch Fund’ supporting disadvantaged children.”

For Tu Thai, this demonstrates how modern campaigns can simultaneously deliver reach, emotional connection, and purpose.

From serving customers to serving the nation

As Techcombank expands beyond traditional banking, its brand narrative is evolving as well.

“The honest answer is that our narrative has fundamentally shifted — not just in scope, but in ambition.”

She describes a transition from being recognised primarily as a bank to becoming part of a broader ecosystem contributing to Vietnam’s development.

“When I joined Techcombank, the story was about being the best bank in Vietnam. A bank that understood its customers deeply, delivered exceptional financial services, and led the industry in digital transformation. But the story today is meaningfully different.”

“Techcombank is no longer just a bank. We are the financial core of a broader integrated ecosystem — one that now spans banking, securities, wealth management, and insurance.”

The shift has prompted a broader reframing of the brand’s purpose.

“The evolution is perhaps best captured in the shift from ‘serving customers’ to ‘serving the nation.'”

According to Tu Thai, Techcombank and its partners are increasingly participating in areas central to Vietnam’s future development.

“For our brand, this means ‘Change Banking, Change Lives’ now carries a much larger meaning than it did five years ago. It is no longer just about changing the banking experience for individual customers. It is about changing what is possible for Vietnam as a nation — and positioning Techcombank and its ecosystem as a private sector force that is genuinely committed to Vietnam’s next chapter of growth.”

Building brands from the heart

Throughout her career, Tu Thai’s approach to marketing has remained guided by a simple principle.

“My personal philosophy is that everything must come from the heart.”

She believes authentic emotional connections remain the foundation of enduring brands.

“That is how we create real emotional connections with customers and build brands that people genuinely trust and love. I always tell my team that if we approach our work with genuine passion and purpose, we will succeed.”

That philosophy is perhaps most visible in Techcombank’s healthy living platform, “Run for a Greater Vietnam,” an initiative that reflects her personal passion for marathon running.

“Running gives me peace, focus and balance, and I wanted to build something that could inspire healthier lifestyles and bring communities together.”

Ultimately, she believes the strongest brands are those that reflect the identity and ambitions of the people they serve.

“For me, the strongest brands are those that reflect the cultural DNA of the country and enable the aspirations of the people. In Vietnam, this is the desire for autonomy and success on their own terms.”

“That is why we have focused on building a purpose-led brand that goes beyond products to create emotional connection, contribute positively to society and empower everyone to achieve their own greatness.”

As Techcombank enters its next chapter, that commitment to helping customers — and increasingly the nation itself — “Be Greater” continues to shape both its brand story and its broader ambitions.

The post Milestones: Techcombank’s Thai Minh Diem Tu on building a brand that empowers Vietnam to ‘Be Greater’ appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.

This is why, for marketers, decoding consumer behaviour is never a wasted effort. As Albert Cuadrante, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at Union Bank of the Philippines, emphasises: at its core, marketing is about changing behaviours.

In this MARKETECH Mondays feature, we sat down with Albert Cuadrante to explore his passion for marketing, his formative years at P&G, and the disciplines that have shaped him into one of the country’s most formidable marketers.

The Psyche of Choice

Albert’s fascination with marketing began in college, inspired by professors who introduced him to brand management and market research. “What really attracted me to the discipline is understanding the reasons behind people’s behaviours—why do people choose one product over another? Sometimes, people make seemingly irrational choices, like why some more expensive products outsell their cheaper alternatives, and decoding the reasons is fascinating,” he reflects.

He soon realised that marketing sits at the intersection of behaviours and the mindsets that drive them. “I learned this in my Brand Management class, so I researched who pioneered Brand Management as a discipline. When I found out it was Procter & Gamble, I aspired to work there—and eventually did,” Albert recalls.

His role at P&G was demanding, but the long hours were essential to meeting the company’s high standards. After nearly six years, Albert felt validated in his career choice. While marketing brands like Tide and Pampers required different approaches, the real value was in understanding diverse consumer segments and industries.

These foundational years were not without challenges and sacrifices. Albert describes working on Tide as one of the most difficult assignments of his career, calling it “very competitive.” He recalls observing people do their laundry firsthand, believing that genuine insights come from direct observation, not just desk research.

“For me, a campaign must be driven by a core insight—something you can’t gain by staying behind a desk. Marketing, at the end of the day, is about changing behaviour. Whether it’s encouraging more consumption or switching brands, it’s about influencing what people do,” he explains.

Albert carried this principle throughout his career, emphasising the importance of thorough consumer analysis and interacting and listening to them firsthand. “The discipline I learned in analysing the business and extracting insights remains foundational for me, even today.”

When asked about a campaign he’s most proud of, Albert recalls his time at Jollibee. “When I handled the Jollibee brand, the big problem then was…it didn’t have a strong affinity with teenagers because teenagers felt that Jollibee was a kiddie brand…We used a product which we felt had a higher chance of relevance with teens, which was the burger, as the lead for the campaign to win over teens to Jollibee and it worked! That year we were finally part of the top brands Pinoy teens loved.”

From Mentors to Modern Realities

Albert credits three former bosses for shaping his professional DNA. From his first boss, he received his share of revision notes—tedious at the time, but invaluable in making him data-driven. His next boss taught him to “see the forest for the trees,” fostering a big-picture mindset. The third instilled a numbers-oriented discipline: every idea must ultimately contribute to business revenues and profits.

“You can buy market share with promotions, but you can’t sustain a business without revenues and profits as a result of being the preferred brand as a result of a compelling value proposition,” Albert notes.

Beyond his direct supervisors, Albert was inspired by the late Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., whom he admired for his ability to read people and articulate insights. “That’s why the ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ campaign was so brilliant. Even now, people remember it—it’s the most memorable DOT campaign,” Albert shares.

Navigating the Digital Pivot

As the economy grows more challenging, marketing leaders must ensure every action translates to business results. “For any marketing leader, it’s about bang for the buck. It’s easier to make things happen with a huge budget, but it requires real Marketing skill to win with less,” Albert observes.

He describes the pandemic as a “reboot” that challenged everything he knew—a period that forced him to “throw his book out the window.” Yet, he found opportunity in crisis: “Don’t let a good crisis go to waste. There are always opportunities in what seems impossible.”

This mindset found a home at UnionBank, which committed to digitalisation as early as 2016. “UnionBank embraced digitalisation early on, which attracted me because it’s not a typical legacy bank,” he says. While others expanded their branch networks, UnionBank maintained its footprint, fully committing to digital banking.

For Albert, digitalisation was just the first step. Today, the bank leads in AI integration. “AI is permeating our operations. The sooner you embrace and master it, the less threatening it becomes—and it can even be a competitive advantage.”

Albert is optimistic about the future. “Everything in our pipeline aims to make customers realise what’s possible with digital banking,” he says.

An Enabler’s Approach to Leadership

Albert often shares his insights with aspiring marketers, emphasising that technology cannot replace human proximity. “AI can make sense of what’s online, but staying close to the customer offline is irreplaceable,” he asserts.

He believes that if marketers lose touch with people, their work will lose relevance. “You have to keep pace with behavioural changes and, ideally, anticipate them.”

Asked to describe his journey in one word, Albert chooses “transformational.” He’s drawn to brands and companies at the forefront of change, and his leadership philosophy centres on enabling others. “I like drawing solutions out of people, helping them realise their capabilities. I enjoy working with brilliant people—I don’t have a monopoly on knowledge.”

In the end, what seems like a simple choice in a grocery aisle is anything but mindless. It’s shaped by insight and observation. Albert’s journey reflects this truth: behind every decision lies a mindset waiting to be understood, influenced, and reimagined. By staying close to people, the reasons behind their choices will always reveal the way forward.

The post MARKETECH Mondays: How Albert Cuadrante champions transformational marketing appeared first on MARKETECH APAC.