Tag: Asia Pacific

Singapore – The Marketing Technology Awards 2025 has recently announced its first lineup of jury members, comprised of top industry leaders from global and regional brands across Asia-Pacific.

As the only awards programme dedicated exclusively to marketing technology in the Asia-Pacific region, the Marketing Technology Awards 2025 aims to shine a spotlight on achievements that fuel innovation, raise industry benchmarks, and usher in a new era of excellence.

For this year’s awards, the jury panel–made up of diverse and accomplished marketing leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region–brings together deep industry knowledge and extensive experience to thoroughly assess entries across all award categories.

The confirmed initial lineup includes:

  • Dibin Raj, Vice President, Marketing Technology and Operations at Broadridge
  • Prashant Sukhwani, VP Marketing at Burger King India
  • Ruchira Jaitly, Chief Marketing Officer at Diageo India
  • Rebecca Newton, Chief Marketing Officer & Director of Category at eBay – Australia
  • Bea Bravo, Head, Marketing – Verticals and Brand at Grab
  • Roj Tirona, Country Marketing Lead at HBO Max Philippines
  • Anjali Saroj Kalia, AVP, Digital Excellence at IHH Healthcare
  • Michelle Lei Fang, Chief Experience Officer, Asia at Manulife
  • Ilona-Jade Errington, Consumer Marketing Director at Mastercard Singapore
  • Jayss Rajoo., Director of Marketing and Food Innovation at Pizza Hut Singapore
  • Desmond (Chai Xuan) Seow, Head of Marketing, APAC at The Body Shop
  • Lydia Yau, Head of Group Marketing Strategy and Communications at Vitasoy International

Joven Barceñas, CEO and founder of MARKETECH APAC, said, “We’re proud to introduce a jury panel composed of some of the most respected marketing and technology leaders in the industry. Their combined expertise spans innovation, strategy, data, and digital transformation—making them uniquely equipped to evaluate the groundbreaking work shaping the future of marketing technology.”

He added, “These awards go beyond recognition; they spotlight the individuals, teams, and solutions driving real change and setting new standards for the industry. With such an accomplished panel at the helm, we’re confident the Marketing Technology Awards will celebrate not only excellence but also the visionaries pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this space.”

Marketing Technology Asia 2025 spotlights tech powerhouses and brands redefining strategies, with 58 categories recognising key specialisations in marketing and marketing technology. 

The categories where entities can submit include:

  1. Brand Collaboration Categories
    1. Best Use of AdTech Platform
    2. Best Use of Content Marketing Platform
    3. Best Use of Contextual Advertising Tech Platform
    4. Best Use of Creative Automation Platform
    5. Best Use of CRM Platform
    6. Best Use of Customer Data Platform
    7. Best Use of Customer Engagement Platform
    8. Best Use of Customer Experience Platform
    9. Best Use of Data Analytics and Insights Platform
    10. Best Use of Digital Out-of-Home (dOOH) Tech Platform
    11. Best Use of DSP Platform
    12. Best Use of E-Commerce Tech Platform
    13. Best Use of Email Marketing Software
    14. Best Use of Gamification Platform
    15. Best Use of Generative AI Platform
    16. Best Use of Influencer Marketing Platform
    17. Best Use of Loyalty Tech Platform
    18. Best Use of Marketing AI Solution
    19. Best Use of Marketing Automation Platform
    20. Best Use of Mobile Marketing Platform
    21. Best Use of Omnichannel Marketing Platform
    22. Best Use of Retail Media
    23. Best Use of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Software
    24. Best Use of Social Listening and Monitoring Tool
  2. Martech Categories
    1. Best AdTech Platform
    2. Best Content Marketing Platform
    3. Best Contextual Advertising Tech Platform
    4. Best Creative Automation Platform
    5. Best CRM Platform
    6. Best Customer Data Platform
    7. Best Customer Engagement Platform
    8. Best Customer Experience Platform
    9. Best Data Analytics and Insights Platform
    10. Best Digital Out-of-Home (dOOH) Tech Platform
    11. Best DSP Platform
    12. Best E-Commerce Tech Platform
    13. Best Email Marketing Software
    14. Best Gamification Platform
    15. Best Generative AI Platform
    16. Best Influencer Marketing Platform
    17. Best Loyalty Tech Platform
    18. Best Marketing AI Solution
    19. Best Marketing Automation Platform
    20. Best Mobile Marketing Platform
    21. Best Omnichannel Marketing Platform
    22. Best Retail Media
    23. Best Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Software
    24. Best Social Listening and Monitoring Tool
  3. Industry Leaders Categories
    1. Chief Marketing Officer of the Year (Brand)
    2. Chief Technology Officer of the Year (Brand)
    3. Technology Leader of the Year 
    4. Tech Sales Leader of the Year
    5. Tech Marketing Leader of the Year 
    6. Agency Leader of the Year
  4. Team Categories
    1. Marketing Team of the Year (Brand)
    2. Tech Commercial Team of the Year
    3. Tech Customer Success Team of the Year
    4. Martech Product Innovation Team of the Year

Meanwhile, the judging criteria for the awards are as follows:

  • Brand Collaboration Categories – Objective (10%), Tech Selection Process (10%), Tech Implementation (30%), Results (50%)
  • Martech Categories – Tech Capabilities (25%), Innovation (30%), Case Studies (45%)
  • Industry Leaders – Business Contributions (40%), Leadership (40%), Industry Influence (20%)
  • Team Categories – Team Culture (30%), Business Innovation (30%), Team Performance (40%)

To learn how to be a part of this industry award series, click HERE to explore more about the Marketing Technology Awards.

Singapore – Samsung Ads, the advertising division of Samsung Electronics, welcomes two strategic senior hires namely Levi Guillory as agency head of strategic accounts for NSW & NZ and Carla Dawson, head of strategic marketing for ANZ & SEA.

In the newly created role of agency head for strategic accounts, Levi joins Samsung Ads from Foxtel Media and News Corp, bringing over a decade of high-level experience in sales and premium streaming platforms. 

Reporting to head of sales Richard Wheeler, Levi will focus on deepening relationships with Samsung Ads’ growing portfolio of agencies. Working closely with existing clients, Levi will help optimise and elevate campaign outcomes through Samsung Ads’ innovative product and data capabilities. 

“As the company continues to expand, being able to come on board and focus on enhancing our collaboration with existing partners is a welcome opportunity. Identifying areas of ongoing strategic growth in such a fast-paced industry is going to be key to making CTV campaigns work smarter for our clients,” Levi said.

Meanwhile, Carla steps into her new role as head of strategic marketing at Samsung Ads following a ten-year tenure at NBCUniversal. With her extensive background in premium content and media, Carla brings a unique depth of understanding to the advertising landscape. 

As she takes the reins on strategic initiatives focused on client growth, retention, and engagement, Carla will play a crucial role in harnessing the strong APAC-wide momentum Samsung Ads is experiencing – momentum that has seen the client base grow fourfold year over year.

“I’ve followed the evolution of Samsung Ads over the past few years, and it’s an exciting time to be joining the team. With a strong foundation already in place, I’m looking forward to building on that momentum by leveraging a blend of creative strategy and data-led marketing to elevate Samsung Ads’ presence and impact across the region,” Carla stated.

Alex Spurzem, managing director, Samsung Ads Southeast Asia & Oceania (SEAO), commented, “To add such a wealth of experience to the team at a time when advertisers are seeking better outcomes in TV is a huge win for the company. Carla and Levi’s leadership will not only strengthen our team as we deliver smarter capabilities for advertisers, but also ensure our clients’ campaigns are optimised to their fullest potential.”

In today’s global economy, the ability to communicate effectively across cultures has evolved from a competitive edge into a fundamental business necessity. As brands extend their presence across borders, the real challenge lies not just in crafting messages that work internationally – but in making those messages genuinely resonate within each local market.

For marketers, this means moving beyond basic translation to embrace strategic localisation – a practice rooted in cultural intelligence, deep audience insight, and the agility to adapt messaging without losing brand integrity. It’s a delicate balance: maintaining global consistency while responding to regional behaviours, values, and platform preferences.

As consumer expectations shift and digital touchpoints multiply, the brands that win will be those that speak the local language – not just in words, but in meaning. These expectations–and more–are what have been discussed in the recently concluded Global Conversations, Local Impact: Mastering Regional Communication Strategies, held on 17 June 2025.

Leveraging conversation channels to scale customer communication

In the webinar’s keynote presentation from Hugh Haley, Head of Partners for APAC at Sinch, he outlines the dramatic shift in global communication trends, where nowadays, communication towards customers has evolved into two-way, real-time conversations driven largely by the proliferation of mobile devices and social messaging platforms.

In addition, as mobile usage has grown, so has the richness of the messaging experience, with brands moving away from static SMS into dynamic, media-rich formats such as RCS (Rich Communication Services), which allows for verified sender information, branded UI, multimedia sharing, and interactive chatbot experiences.

Hugh also emphasises that the future of customer experience hinges on successfully combining AI with messaging platforms, adding that successful businesses will build systems that enable seamless AI-human collaboration in customer support and engagement.

“For brands to really achieve success, they’re going to need to address both AI and agentic experiences and those conversational channels at scale. Customer experience is where we believe the battle is going to be won and lost. And the businesses that adopt both AI and conversational channels are the ones that will really win in the long term,” he said.

Moreover, he puts focus on how chatbots are becoming the new “front desk” of a brand, acting as always-on concierges for customers. However, he cautioned that deploying a chatbot isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it task – it requires constant training, language and slang adaptation, monitoring for errors or AI hallucinations, and alignment with the brand voice.

“Your chatbot is the new front desk of your brand. It’s not a set-and-forget play – it’s a constant train, iterate, and improve loop. You need to monitor how the bot behaves, make sure it doesn’t hallucinate or go off-script. This is where your brand voice lives now, and you need to treat it with the same care as any customer-facing channel,” he added.

What lies ahead for the future of communication strategies in APAC

Next up on the webinar was a panel discussion featuring industry leaders May Ling Chan, Head of Brand & Marketing Services at CelcomDigi Bhd; Angeline Angeles, Marketing Director at GoTyme Bank; Hugh Haley, Head of Partners for APAC at Sinch; and Alyaa Ramlan, Head of Social at Unifi, as they discussed the future of customer communications in Asia, including the rise of super apps and their profound impact on how brands connect with consumers, and how to delve into the role of AI and automation in enhancing and streamlining customer interactions.

In the discussion, the industry leaders have noted that as super apps continue to dominate how customers interact with brands across Southeast Asia, companies are rethinking how to blend personalisation, platform strategy, and real-time service to meet rising expectations.

For Angeline, the journey always begins with trust.

“At GoTyme, nobody cares about a cashback promo if their salary didn’t go through,” she said. “So we focus on what we call ‘beautiful basics’– that’s a seamless digital onboarding, fraud protection, goal-based savings, and instant transfers. Trust comes before anything else.”

Meanwhile, May Ling emphasised the power of data-driven prediction in building what she calls a “digital concierge” brand experience.

“In today’s world – especially post-pandemic – apps are built to serve customers in their own customised view. We sit on a 20 million customer base, and we know their online behaviours, what they watch, when they browse. Using that data responsibly lets us act like a concierge – serving the right offer at the right time, predicting when something might go wrong and fixing it before the customer even notices,” she said.

She also added that hyper-personalisation has become a strategic advantage for telcos, allowing them to retain relevance even as digital ecosystems become more crowded.

From a social engagement perspective, Alyaa made it clear that social media isn’t being replaced by apps – it’s becoming their strategic partner.

Using their telco’s app as an example, she shared, “Our app handles transactional tasks like bill payments. But when the internet’s down, people don’t go to the app – they run to Twitter. That’s our feedback loop. We take those complaints and feed them into the product team. Then if we need to educate customers – how to reset a router, how to use a feature – we push that from social. It’s one engine. Both parts need to run in sync.”

Alyaa also praised how AI has transformed her social listening operation – from a manual three-person task into a one-person job powered by intelligent tools that spot crises and sentiment trends in real time.

And when it comes to the AI revolution itself, Hugh urged brands to future-proof their customer strategies with conversational platforms.

“We’ve gone from dumb bots that couldn’t understand a basic question to conversational AI that understands 125 languages. If your app goes down, do you still know how to reach your customer? That’s the question. You need to own your first-party data,” he said.

A total of 164 marketers attended the webinar, representing brands such as 2GO Group Inc, AIA, AirAsia MOVE, Alfamart Trading Phils. Inc., AXA Philippines, Bata Group, City Savings Bank, ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia, Cushman and Wakefield, Decathlon Philippines, GetGo Carsharing, Hong Leong Bank Berhad, Malayan Insurance, Metropolitan Bank, PBCOM, Photobook Worldwide, Puregold Price Club, Shopee Malaysia, SSI Group, Tonik Digital Bank, ZALORA, amongst others.

If you missed attending it, you can catch the on-demand access to the webinar, where brands explore strategies to boost customer engagement. Register HERE for free.

Singapore – Following a period of significant growth, La Maison du Whisky Asia-Pacific (LMDW APAC) has announced a strategic leadership transition. Arthur Morbois, who has served as managing director for the past five years, will formally hand over leadership to Diego Araud, a long-standing executive within the company.

During Morbois’ tenure, LMDW evolved from a Singapore-centric distributor into a regional hub. Revenue grew by more than 130%, and the team expanded from 11 to 24 staff across key functions. The Singapore office now supports operations across 19 markets, including Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and South Korea, and functions as a central logistics and commercial base for the region.

Among the key developments under Morbois’ leadership were the integration of the TOLL logistics centre, the implementation of a region-wide ERP system in 2022, and the Southeast Asia relaunch of flagship brands such as Nikka.

“It’s been an honour to build LMDW into a regional player. We’ve built a team that combines passion, expertise, and ambition. I’m confident Diego will take it even further,” Morbois said. 

As incoming managing director, Araud brings over 13 years of experience at LMDW across retail, wholesale, education, and brand marketing, most recently serving as marketing director. Having lived in both France and Singapore, he is positioned to bridge the brand’s European heritage with regional growth opportunities.

In his new role, Araud will focus on expanding LMDW’s presence in Southeast Asia, accelerating export growth, and strengthening its multichannel development, particularly in Singapore’s on-trade sector. He also plans to grow the private clients and high-net-worth-individual segment and further develop Whisky Live into a flagship event for both long-time enthusiasts and emerging consumers.

“La Maison du Whisky has always stood for authenticity, curation, and connection. As we grow, it’s about deepening those values across every channel – from retail and e-commerce to on-trade and private clients. We want to reach more people, tell stronger stories, and redefine how fine spirits are explored and enjoyed across Asia-Pacific,” Araud said. 

To support its next phase of development, LMDW APAC has also reinforced its senior leadership team around four core areas: commercial growth, brand storytelling, portfolio elevation, and customer experience. The new leadership reflects a blend of regional expertise and global perspective.

Nish Senan joins as marketing manager following five years in Australia’s spirits industry. With more than a decade of experience, he will lead portfolio development with a focus on brand strategy and channel execution.

Senan said, “Growth isn’t about adding more SKUs. It’s about building relevance in each market and executing with precision across every channel.”

Charlotte Then returns to the company as communications director after a two-year stint in brand and sustainability consulting. She previously helped shape LMDW Singapore’s brand voice from 2018 to 2023. She is currently overseeing the repositioning of Whisky Live Singapore as a leading event that blends discovery, culture, and next-generation whisky engagement.

“The fine spirits space is evolving fast. Consumers want context and experience, and we’re ready to lead that conversation,” Then commented. 

Rachel Lam continues as sales manager for Singapore, where she oversees on-trade and prestige sales. Lam also manages key accounts, private clients, and prestige partnerships.

“It’s about connecting the right bottle to the right moment. Whether for a collector or a bar’s signature pour, we prioritise long-term value over quick wins,” Lam shared. 

Meanwhile, Clémence Delaunay, senior sales export manager, leads LMDW’s commercial efforts across 19 markets in the region. She recently oversaw the launch of Nikka Whisky in Indonesia, with campaigns in Jakarta and Bali. 

“Every market has its own rhythm,” she notes. “But the desire for quality and discovery is universal. We’re here to build lasting brand footprints, not just fill shelves,” Delaunay said. 

Singapore – OCBC has launched its 2025 brand campaign, spotlighting authentic stories from across the region to reinforce its purpose-driven brand promise: enabling individuals and communities to realise their aspirations.

Continuing the momentum of its 2024 campaign, the new initiative takes a more intimate and human-centred approach by focusing on four real-life personalities from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. 

Each individual represents a unique, purpose-led journey that ties personal ambition to collective progress — a reflection of OCBC’s regional presence and social impact across ASEAN and Greater China.

Conceptualised by GOVT Singapore and directed by Desmond Tan of Atypical Films, the campaign comprises four films, each shot in the individual’s home country. Tan also directed last year’s OCBC films, Perfect Fit and Greater Heights, which were praised for their emotive storytelling.

Koh Ching Ching, head of group brand and communications at OCBC, said the campaign brings the bank’s values to life through the voices of inspiring individuals across its key markets. “Our purpose is brought to life through four outstanding individuals in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia. Through their inspiring, purpose-led stories, we hope to convey that at the core of OCBC’s business is a commitment to helping individuals and communities realise their aspirations,” she said. “GOVT Singapore has once again delivered a campaign that is both heartfelt and regionally resonant.”

Meanwhile, Tim Chan, chief operating officer of GOVT Singapore, highlighted the shift toward unscripted, authentic storytelling. “Instead of scripted narratives, we worked with real individuals—people whose aspirations are making a real difference in their communities. It’s been incredibly rewarding to bring their stories to light, and to further evolve OCBC’s brand story in a way that feels timely, human, and deeply rooted in the region.”

The campaign underscores OCBC’s efforts to foster cross-market connectivity and affirm its relevance in the diverse communities it serves, aligning brand purpose with real-world impact.

Singapore – Ogilvy has announced the appointment of Richard Brett as president of Ogilvy PR Asia-Pacific, effective 1 August 2025. Brett will take on the expanded role while continuing as CEO of Ogilvy PR Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and Ogilvy Health Australia. He will remain based in Sydney.

The move follows the planned departure of Emily Poon, who is stepping down as President of Ogilvy PR Asia-Pacific after 17 years with the firm, including five years in the regional leadership role. Ogilvy said Poon decided earlier this year to take a break and pursue new ventures.

Chris Reitermann, CEO of Ogilvy Asia-Pacific, praised Poon’s contribution, saying, “Emily has been a driving force behind Ogilvy PR’s strength and evolution in the region. Her leadership and dedication have shaped not only our agency’s success and culture but also the careers of many who worked with her. We wish her all the best in her next adventures.” He added that Brett’s promotion reflects the agency’s commitment to nurturing internal talent: “We are excited to have Richard lead Ogilvy PR Asia-Pacific into our next phase of growth.”

Brett joined Ogilvy PR ANZ in 2013 and became CEO in 2018, taking on leadership of Ogilvy Health Australia in 2021. With more than 25 years of experience in communications consultancy and in-house leadership, he is widely recognised for award-winning campaigns, client growth, and fostering a people-centric culture.

Commenting on his appointment, Brett said: “I’m honoured to step into this role and build upon the momentum Emily and our Asia and Australia teams have established. Ogilvy PR’s legacy is built on a people-first culture, bold creativity and cutting-edge innovations, and I’m excited to lead our talented teams into the future.”

He added that continuing his ANZ and Health leadership roles alongside the Asia-Pacific remit would strengthen collaboration across markets.

Julianna Richter, global CEO of Ogilvy PR, said, “Richard’s strategic brilliance and passion for integrated, earned-first creativity make him the perfect fit to guide Ogilvy PR forward in the region. We are confident he will elevate our capabilities in APAC and inspire our team to continue achieving great things.” Richter also paid tribute to Poon’s “charismatic leadership,” saying she would be greatly missed.

Reflecting on her tenure, Poon described her 17 years at Ogilvy as “truly transformative and enriching,” and said she was proud of leading the APAC team for the past five years. “Ogilvy is more than a workplace, it is a community where I found lifelong learnings and lasting bonds in shared purpose,” she said. “While I’m excited for new horizons ahead, my heart remains with friends at Ogilvy. Richard is an extremely talented and values-driven leader—I couldn’t be happier with him taking on the role.”

At the recent NRF APAC Conference in Singapore, Jonathan Reeve, VP APAC for Eagle Eye, and I discussed the magic of omnichannel and personalisation. We explained that when these are done right, they should feel almost magical. Getting it right requires retailers to understand that omnichannel and personalisation are essentially two sides of the same coin, where omnichannel is the organisational goal and personalisation is what the customer expects. 

Forces set to reshape APAC retail lnadscape

Several powerful forces are set to reshape retail across Asia-Pacific, creating challenges and significant opportunities for forward-thinking retailers. Market pressures, for one, are intensifying. Amidst a cost of living crisis, loyalty has the opportunity to ease pressures for consumers while providing retailers with an advantage, should they choose to adopt it, to maintain customer relationships and drive growth.

We also know that consumer expectations have fundamentally shifted. McKinsey research reports that 71% of consumers now expect companies to deliver personalised interactions. If you think about Spotify’s weekly playlists or Netflix’s viewing recommendations, customers now expect that same level of “made for me” experience wherever and whenever they shop, whether that’s online, in-store, or through mobile apps.

Meanwhile, we find ourselves in the middle of a new wave of technological transformation, where AI, data, and cloud-driven platforms and architectures can be powerful enablers of new ways to shop and save money. The tools to deliver true 1:1 personalisation at scale are no longer just the domain of tech giants, they’re accessible to retailers of all sizes.

Playing it nice

Personalisation isn’t just about being nice to customers (though that matters enormously). The business case for personalisation has never been stronger. Boston Consulting Group’s latest research is striking: “Over the next five years, US$2 trillion in revenue will shift to companies that create personalised experiences and communications.”

The most compelling evidence for personalisation’s power comes from those already making it work. Take Tesco’s recent success with their Clubcard Challenges. As CEO Ken Murphy shared in January 2025: “We introduced personalisation and gamification through Clubcard Challenges to over 10 million customers, and that had a great effect. There was a really, really strong response to that.”

Clubcard Challenges effectively reward participants who meet shopping or purchasing goals presented via the Tesco app. These might manifest as a big points boost for purchasing a particular item or category of product from certain brands in a given period.

When Tesco targeted 10 million Clubcard members with these challenges, 76% of distinct visitors to the Clubcard Challenges pages converted to players, and 62% of players became winners by reaching their first reward. These aren’t just impressive engagement metrics – they represent real customer value and business impact.

EagleAI models make over 190 intelligent decisions to assign each individual a single personalised challenge, ensuring that targeted products, categories, spend thresholds, and rewards are perfectly tailored for each participant. Each challenge is designed to reward incremental spending, creating benefits for the customer, retailer, and participating suppliers.

Our analysis of personalised loyalty leaders shows consistent patterns, sales growth, and digital customer satisfaction scores. 

People often ask about the technology that powers intelligent loyalty solutions like this. At Eagle Eye, we’ve built our entire platform on Google Cloud, using services like BigQuery, Looker, Kubernetes, and Vertex.ai to deliver real-time personalisation at scale.

Kubernetes handles promotion execution in real time, processing thousands of API calls per second; BigQuery serves as our data lake for billions of weekly offers; Looker enables retailers to analyse and optimise campaigns in real time; and Vertex.ai powers our personalisation algorithms that tailor offers to individual customers.

These components represent an effort to orchestrate technology in the service of customer experience. When customers interact with retailers using our platform, they feel recognised and rewarded in real time, see offers perfectly tailored to their needs and preferences, and experience programs that keep getting better over time.

The Profitability Possibility for APAC Organisations

We know that personalisation will become a key driver of profitability, and we know of the growth experienced by early and sophisticated players, as analysts have told us, and we have observed it firsthand. 

For example, we’ve seen that it’s much more effective to be personally relevant than to rely on broad-brush discounts. We have observed scenarios wherein a generic 25% discount might only achieve a 5% redemption rate, wasting promotional spend on 95% of recipients. However, a personalised 13% discount, offered to customers who want that product, can achieve a 60% redemption rate. 

Retailers could spend less on the discount but achieve dramatically higher engagement and sales impact.

The potential for personalisation extends far beyond traditional offers and promotions. We’re seeing early innovations in personalised cooking programs, health and wellbeing tracking, charitable giving options, and sustainability initiatives. The goal isn’t just to sell products but to create genuine value for customers. We expect that predictive and generative AI will accelerate this expansion dramatically.

Whether you’re a regional chain in Australia, a growing retailer in Southeast Asia, or an established brand expanding across multiple markets, the technology and expertise needed for personalisation success are now accessible.

Personalisation will reshape retail, and the only question is whether your business leads or follows. This transformation works across our client base, from Woolworths to Carrefour, and Morrisons to Loblaws. The technology exists, the business case is proven, and customers expect it.

At Eagle Eye, we’re passionate about helping retailers across Asia-Pacific rediscover the power of personalisation, but now at a scale that would have been unimaginable to that corner shop owner. The convergence of market pressures, consumer expectations, and breakthrough technology has created the perfect conditions for a personalisation revolution, and APAC retailers are well positioned to lead it.

This thought leadership piece is written by Aaron Crowe, Regional Director, Eagle Eye, Asia

Singapore –  1 in 4 Asia-Pacific consumers chose foodservice delivery over dine-in in 2024, with delivery now leading the consumer foodservice market in the region—accounting for 23%, up from just 10% in 2019—according to a report from Euromonitor International.

The report attributes this shift to strong growth in the Asia-Pacific, which contributed 40% of global foodservice sales. The region is projected to post a 6% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in market value through 2029. Globally, delivery comprised 21% of the consumer foodservice market in 2024, up from 9% in 2019.

Despite inflationary pressures and economic uncertainty, the global foodservice sector expanded in 2024, reaching a total market value of USD3.2 trillion—a 5.5% increase from the previous year. In Asia-Pacific, the industry’s value rose to USD1.3 trillion, marking a 6% year-on-year increase and surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

As delivery gains momentum, the report notes a corresponding decline in the share of dine-in services. Delivery is forecast to make up 26% of Asia-Pacific’s foodservice market by 2029, while eat-in is expected to stagnate at around 64%.

Third-party delivery platforms are seen as key enablers of this trend, offering promotions, subscription models, and waived service charges to drive repeat orders. These efforts have helped position delivery as a convenient and cost-effective option for consumers.

Meanwhile, limited-service restaurants continue to gain ground among cost-conscious diners by offering flexible menus. The rise of “snackification” strategies—ranging from smaller, budget-friendly items to premium add-ons—has allowed operators to balance value with perceived quality.

The report also highlights the rapid growth of beverage-focused food service in AsiaPacific. Specialist coffee and tea chains grew by 13% in 2024, reaching a market value of USD39 billion. These outlets are increasingly viewed as sources of affordable indulgence and casual socialisation.

Growth in the beverage segment has been supported by expanded product lines and increased store counts, both domestically and internationally. In markets such as Singapore, the aggressive expansion and pricing strategies of these chains have helped solidify their market position amid rising competition from global players.

Rocio Franco, senior consultant at Euromonitor International, said, “Inflation and economic uncertainty remain major concerns for consumers. Despite global transactions recovering to pre-pandemic levels, indicating strong demand in the industry, consumers are still cutting back on spending and opting for more affordable options.” 

“To retain customers, restaurant operators must strategise to offer value beyond price, focusing on enhancing experiences, embracing digitalisation, and building brand loyalty,” Franco added. 

Australia – Global public relations firm Edelman has recently announced a restructuring of its company, impacting a limited number of roles in the company. Reports have also noted that the exercise impacted senior leadership in Australia.

Among those affected include head of brand Preya McMahon, head of Melbourne and director of corporate reputation Jana Tsiligiannis, and executive creative director Jamil Bhatti.

Edelman has confirmed the news to MARKETECH APAC, but declined to comment on how much of the workforce was affected by this restructuring.

“In line with our efforts to future-proof our business and better meet our clients’ evolving needs, we have made some changes to our team structure. As a result, this has impacted a limited number of roles within the firm. We are sad to part ways with these colleagues. We are grateful for their contributions and the impact they’ve made, and we remain committed to supporting them through this transition,” the firm told MARKETECH APAC.

It is worth noting that this is the latest layoffs from the global firm following a 5% from its workforce back in December 2024. As reported by Axios back then, the layoffs resulted in the shuttering of several boutique agencies including Edible, Revere, Salutem, Mustache, EGA and Delta.

“It’s about evenly split between vice president and up and account executive to account supervisor,” CEO Richard Edelman stated back then.

Singapore – Archetype APAC has appointed Mei Ling Yeow as head of strategy and innovation, marking a strategic evolution in the agency’s regional leadership aimed at accelerating service innovation, client value delivery, and operational transformation across key markets. 

This newly created role reflects Archetype’s commitment to transforming its consulting model and service offerings to meet the evolving needs of clients – who are navigating increased complexity, rising expectations, and a rapidly changing communications landscape. 

Mei Ling will focus on building future-facing services, advancing AI-forward consulting, and embedding strategic advisory capabilities deeper into market teams. Her immediate remit includes Singapore, Australia, and Malaysia, with additional support for India and China, where she will work closely with regional leaders to scale innovation and client impact. 

A central focus of her role will be to enhance Archetype’s Responsive Resourcing Model (RRM) – in close collaboration with Liz Weselby (MD, Australia), Mabel Chiang (MD, Singapore), and Lee Tiam Siang (MD, Malaysia). Together, they aim to evolve the model into a more responsive, collaborative, and borderless system – unlocking cross-market talent for both client excellence and career development. 

“This is about momentum,” said Mei Ling. “Our service innovation strategy is rooted in practical transformation: deeper consulting, sharper execution, and smarter ways to align our marketing and strategic communications services to business needs. We are focused on unlocking potential and rethinking how we resource and deliver, and by actively realising the power of GenAI workflow adoption level-by-level, client-by-client, we’re creating a system that benefits both clients and our people.” 

On the APAC senior bench, Mei Ling is joined by Marc Ha, SVP and head of client strategy APAC, an industry and Archetype veteran whose expanded role focuses on driving service and sector expansion. Marc will also evolve the agency’s consulting model – incorporating behavioural science to uncover deeper insights and deliver more impactful outcomes for messaging and campaigns. 

A specialist in crisis communications, Mei Ling will also lead the development of a regional service roadmap focused on crisis preparedness and response – an area of growing urgency for brands navigating geopolitical, reputational, and operational risk. She has advised leading organisations across Asia Pacific and will scale that expertise to ensure clients are better equipped for what’s ahead.

With over 25 years of consulting and leadership experience, Mei Ling has launched and scaled offices in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and China, fostered high-impact performance in businesses, and built models such as RRM that deliver both commercial impact and employee growth. She also drives key agency initiatives including the Archetype Academy and a leadership coaching programme.