Tag: Digital

In 2024, global losses from fraud exceeded $1 trillion USD as AI-powered scams, deepfakes, and data breaches escalated. But while security is critical, trust today extends far beyond protection. Consumers now expect reliability, convenience, and seamless experiences at every touchpoint. In an increasingly digital world, trust isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the ultimate differentiator.

One misstep—a misleading claim, a confusing checkout process, or unresponsive support—can erode trust instantly. And once it’s gone, it’s almost impossible to rebuild. Trust influences every purchase decision, yet it isn’t something brands can sell. It’s something they must prove through consistent, credible, and customer-first experiences.

Marketers play a pivotal role in earning and maintaining that trust—not through louder ads or flashier campaigns, but by creating intentional interactions that demonstrate value and authenticity. In industries where differentiation is tough, trust drives loyalty. Brands that prioritize trust won’t just attract customers—they’ll keep them.

To thrive in this “Trust Economy,” marketers must embrace three core principles:

  1. From Selling to Listening: Value Speaks Louder Than Volume

In crowded digital landscapes, attention is fleeting. Too many brands default to shouting louder—bigger ads, sharper slogans, endless content. But attention alone doesn’t create trust. Value does.

Consumers don’t want more noise; they want useful, reliable information that empowers them. Educational content, transparent messaging, and human storytelling are the tools that build long-term trust. The shift from selling to solving is key: marketers who guide rather than push will position their brands as trusted advisors, not just vendors.

To achieve this, content should be:

  • Informative: Provide educational resources that help customers make informed decisions.
  • Actionable: Share how-to guides, case studies, or success stories that offer real-world value.
  • Authentic: Reflect real customer experiences, not just marketing claims.

Whatever the format, the goal remains the same: deliver something useful. By proving expertise and sharing honest insights, marketers can foster deeper relationships and build credibility over time.

  1. Personalization That Respects, Not Overreaches

AI-powered marketing has unlocked unprecedented personalization, but it comes with a caveat: just because brands can use data doesn’t mean they should.

Consumers appreciate tailored experiences, but not at the expense of privacy or trust. Hyper-personalized recommendations and predictive marketing only work when they feel helpful, not invasive. The key is balance—using AI to enhance human connection, not replace it.

To build trust through personalization:

  • Use AI to anticipate needs, not manipulate behavior.
  • Be transparent about data collection and usage—trust grows when customers know what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • Empower customers to control their experience—personalization should feel like a service, not a sales tactic.

When done right, personalization fosters loyalty by showing consumers that brands truly understand and respect them.

  1. Building Community, Not Just Transactions

Trust doesn’t come from one-off campaigns—it’s built through consistent, meaningful engagement over time. In a digital world, consumers don’t just buy products; they buy into relationships, shared values, and a sense of belonging.

The rise of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) models is proof of this shift. Traditionally, companies relied on intermediaries or third-party retailers to reach their audiences. With D2C, businesses can now bypass those layers, owning the customer experience end-to-end. This direct connection creates emotional bonds that drive long-term loyalty.

Yet trust doesn’t stop at individual relationships; it thrives within communities. Marketers must lean into active participation in broader industry conversations, fostering peer-to-peer trust and collaboration. To do this:

  • Engage in industry forums and events to showcase credibility and leadership.
  • Leverage user-generated content, reviews, and testimonials—consumers trust other consumers more than ads.
  • Create spaces for customers to connect, whether through online forums, live events, or social communities.

By investing in community-driven marketing, brands can position themselves as integral parts of their customers’ lives, not just vendors of products.

Trust: The True Currency of Brand Success

In an era of AI-driven fraud, digital misinformation, and rising consumer expectations, trust isn’t just a business imperative—it’s the foundation of sustainable growth.

Marketers have moved past the challenges of simply selling security. Now, their mission is to embed trust into every aspect of the customer journey. The brands that prioritize transparency, human connection, and consistent value creation won’t just capture consumer attention—they’ll earn the kind of loyalty that lasts.

By embracing this evolution, marketers can position themselves as architects of trust, building relationships with digitally savvy consumers in ways that go beyond traditional marketing. In the “Trust Economy,” trust isn’t just a differentiator—it’s the ultimate competitive advantage.

This thought leadership piece is written by Claire Weston, chief marketing officer of Coda.

The insight is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series under What’s NEXT in Marketing 2025, a multi-platform industry initiative which features marketing and industry leaders in APAC sharing their marketing insights and predictions for 2025 and beyond.

As the digital economy continues to expand in 2025, digitalisation remains a priority for MSMEs striving for long-term success. However, adopting digital solutions is not always straightforward. According to EY, two in five MSMEs find digital adoption daunting. At the same time, waning consumer loyalty and rising expectations are pushing businesses to rethink their marketing strategies and embrace digital tools to foster trust online.

How can MSMEs balance digitalisation with meeting customer needs without becoming overwhelmed? The key lies in understanding their customers’ unique shopping journeys and enhancing their experience incrementally with targeted digital solutions.

Making online shopping feel more human

While transactions are critical conversion points, what truly matters to consumers is the experience leading up to a purchase. Increasingly, consumers prefer shopping experiences that seamlessly fit into their lifestyles, helping them find the right products at the right time.

Take new homeowners, for example. Traditionally, they might visit a furniture store and rely on a sales associate to guide them from sofas and coffee tables to shelves and cabinets. Customers enjoy experiences like this as it reassures them that they are in good hands, and helps them trust that the associate understands and proactively addresses their needs.

Through technology, MSMEs can replicate this personalised shopping journey online. Today, e-commerce platforms like Shopee deploy AI-powered solutions such as tailored search results and smart product recommendations. These tools require minimal effort from small business owners but significantly enhance the customer experience, making online shopping feel more intuitive and personalised.

Earn trust by working with genuine, trustworthy advocates

As consumers become more savvy, driving purchases requires more than just trustworthy and personalised browsing experiences. A 2024 Kantar survey commissioned by Shopee found that Southeast Asian shoppers also rely heavily on recommendations from other consumers when making purchase decisions. In addition to user reviews, MSMEs can also explore other touchpoints and sources to tell their brand story and help consumers trust their brand.

One effective approach is partnering with affiliates—including established content partners and trusted key opinion leaders (KOLs)—to promote their brands and products. Traditionally, brands have to individually vet and negotiate with affiliates for such collaborations. Today, MSMEs can use simple solutions to find relevant KOLs and choose cost-effective partnerships, whether through fixed per-post payments or commission-based models tied to sales.

For instance, a local seller of professional-grade photography and filming equipment can collaborate with budding content creators on affiliate marketing campaigns. These affiliates, who may be everyday consumers rather than influencers, can then share product demos, reviews, and experiences through social media posts, short videos, or personal livestream sessions. This enables potential buyers to learn about products authentically from a third party while also allowing other users to contribute by sharing their own experiences, further reinforcing credibility and trust.

Convert trust to loyalty by delivering on your promises

Unlike brick-and-mortar retail, the e-commerce customer journey doesn’t end at checkout. When it comes to online shopping, a seamless fulfilment experience can also contribute greatly to fostering brand loyalty. Shopee’s 2024 survey highlights this, with shoppers ranking timely deliveries as a top priority. However, many MSMEs, especially those new to online selling, struggle with logistics and inventory management due to limited resources, fragmented supply chains, and unpredictable demand. These occasionally lead to stock shortages, delayed shipments, and dissatisfied customers.

To overcome these hurdles, MSMEs can leverage digital solutions to optimise inventory planning and logistics. By analysing past sales trends, AI-driven forecasting tools help businesses predict demand surges and maintain sufficient stock, reducing the risk of cancelled orders. Additionally, working with logistics partners that provide accurate delivery date estimation enables MSMEs to provide customers with greater transparency and confidence in their purchases. These technologies not only enhance fulfilment efficiency but also help small businesses build stronger customer relationships.

The rapid pace of change—driven by technology, economic shifts, and evolving consumer behaviour—means that simply having an online presence is no longer enough. To earn trust and long-term loyalty, MSMEs must provide a seamless and reliable shopping experience. While this may seem daunting, modern technology makes it easier than ever for small businesses to meet rising customer expectations, build credibility, and position themselves for sustained growth in 2025 and beyond.

This thought leadership is written by Huiyan Pan, Regional Marketing Lead, Shopee

The insight is published as part of MARKETECH APAC’s thought leadership series under What’s NEXT in Marketing 2025, a multi-platform industry initiative which features marketing and industry leaders in APAC sharing their marketing insights and predictions for 2025 and beyond.

Singapore – Nearly two-thirds (61.5%) of Southeast Asia’s population are active on social media, accounting for 10.2% of the world’s social media identities, according to a report by We Are Social and Meltwater.

The report highlights Southeast Asia’s strong affinity for social media, with users in every country exceeding the global average of 6.83 platforms. On average, Filipinos use 8.36 platforms, followed by Malaysians (8.12), Indonesians (7.93), Singaporeans (7.24), and users in both Vietnam and Thailand (7.11).

Delving deeper, Filipinos spend an average of 3 hours and 32 minutes on social media daily—over an hour more than the global average. They also have a strong affinity for influencers and vlog content, with 44.9% following influencers on social media and nearly half (48.3%) watching vlogs or influencer videos weekly.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, social media accounts for nearly half (42.6%) of the country’s total online activity. Two-thirds of Indonesian users actively search for brands on social media, while 82.1% use it for brand research.

Indonesians are also among the world’s most engaged TikTok users, spending close to two full days per month (44 hours and 54 minutes) on the app. Malaysia follows closely, with users averaging 42 hours and 44 minutes on TikTok each month.

Thailand ranks as YouTube’s second most engaged market, with users spending an impressive 42 hours and 14 minutes on the platform—far exceeding the global average of 27 hours and 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Singapore stands out as a top market for Reddit, with users spending 3 hours and 56 minutes on the platform each month and accessing it an average of 116.9 times.

Notably, over a third of the region also relies on social media as a source of news.

Anton Reyniers, head of strategy at We Are Social Singapore, commented, “Southeast Asia is home to some of the most active and engaged social media users in the world. With users across the region spending their time across more than seven platforms – above the global average – and more than half using social media for brand research, it’s integral for marketers to ensure they have a carefully considered strategy to capture their audience’s attention across each platform.”

“This latest report highlights the nuances across different demographics in the social and broader digital ecosystem to help marketers make informed decisions in their plans for 2025 and beyond,” he added.

The report names YouTube as the most used social platform at the start of 2025, with a user base 16% larger than WhatsApp. Instagram leads as the world’s favourite platform, with 16.6% of users pledging loyalty, followed by WhatsApp (16%) and Facebook (13.1%).

Meanwhile, TikTok’s Android users are spending almost 35 hours per month on the app, with time spent increasing by nearly two hours from August to November 2024. In terms of growth, Threads has 320 million monthly active users, with over 100 million active daily users, while Bluesky, with more than 30 million registered users, still has fewer than 25 million monthly active users.

Meltwater and We Are Social further highlight the growing importance of social media for marketers, as half of adult users now visit platforms to learn more about brands—a trend that’s steadily rising. Instagram leads in brand research, with 62.3% of users using it for this purpose, followed by Facebook (52.5%) and TikTok (51.5%). Additionally, 22% of social media users follow influencers, a figure that rises to 30.8% among women aged 16 to 24.

In 2024, global ad spend reached US$1.1t, a 7.3% increase from 2023, with digital channels now accounting for 72.7% of this investment. Online ad spend surpassed US$790 billion, growing 10.3% year-on-year. Social media ad spend rose to $243 billion, up 15%, while global influencer marketing spend increased 14%, reaching $35 billion.

“With digital ad spend exceeding $790 billion in 2024 and social media ad spend growing more than 15% within that, it’s clear that businesses are investing more than ever in capturing consumer attention. Along with this growing investment comes the growing need to prove ROI and show results based on marketing campaigns. With user behaviour on social platforms continuing to shift, teams need data to inform decisions about what platforms to prioritise and create strategies for,” said Alexandra Bjertnæs, chief strategy officer at Meltwater.

The report also highlighted ChatGPT’s growth, with its mobile app averaging over a quarter of a billion monthly active users from September to November 2024. It ranked as one of the world’s most downloaded apps, placing eighth globally. Additionally, ChatGPT.com saw 310 million unique visitors, generating 3.5 billion visits during the same period.

Toby Southgate, global group CEO at We Are Social, said, “Social is where brands can win or lose – it’s central to brand discovery, consumer engagement, and commerce. At the same time, AI is revolutionising how we search, create, and interact, while influencers continue to shape content trends and consumer behaviours.”

“The opportunities for marketers to drive meaningful engagement have never been broader, but the complexity of digital and social media – evident in our 630+ page report – means there’s no single route to success. To create effective work, brands need to understand the cultural nuances of the online world and create ideas worth talking about. Those who do will make an impact,” he added.

Australia – Independent agency Apparent has been appointed to Volkswagen Group Australia’s digital and CX business following a competitive pitch. The appointment encompasses Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda and CUPRA.

Joshua Wood, head of digital and CRM, Volkswagen Group Australia, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Apparent. Their exceptional data analysis, customer experience, and creative innovation capabilities align perfectly with our vision.  With a strong commitment to partnership we have great confidence in achieving meaningful outcomes.”

Suzy Smiley, managing director at Apparent, added, “It’s an honour to be selected as Volkswagen Group Australia’s Digital and CX partner. The appointment is a significant new partnership for Apparent. Volkswagen Group has an inspiring vision for the future and we’re excited about the opportunity to achieve outstanding results together.”

Other Apparent’s clients include Google, Cricket Australia, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and IBM.

Taiwan – English luxury lifestyle brand Barbour has partnered with digital experience agency CONTEN.T to create its first-ever mobile game, aiming to engage Gen Z consumers as part of the brand’s 130th-anniversary celebrations.

With expertise in mobile-first strategies, CONTEN.T will help Barbour deepen its connection with younger audiences by delivering immersive and interactive experiences. This collaboration represents a pivotal move in Barbour’s efforts to engage the next generation of consumers.

Barbour’s new mobile game adopts a “match-and-win” format, where players must pair two matching stickers to earn points. Each sticker represents elements of the brand’s iconic heritage, offering users an interactive way to engage with Barbour’s century-old legacy.

Examples of stickers featured in Barbour’s game include a Cocker Spaniel, symbolizing their dogwear collection, and the Herd Groyne lighthouse, referencing the iconic red landmark in South Shields, where the brand was founded.

To boost engagement and excitement, the game will also feature a leaderboard that taps into players’ competitive spirit. The top three scorers are incentivized with a chance to win Barbour’s best-selling waxed jacket, encouraging repeat play and adding a rewarding challenge to the experience.

Barbour’s partnership with CONTEN.T sets the stage for the brand’s revitalization, aligning with its long-term strategy to engage digital natives through immersive experiences. In a world where traditional ads no longer resonate with tech-savvy consumers, this move allows Barbour to connect with a generation that craves interactive and meaningful digital content

The game was rolled out across five key regions in Asia: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Singapore – Tech giant Google has introduced confidential matching, a new way to allow advertisers to securely connect their first-party data for measurement and audience solutions. For Google, this marks the first use of confidential computing in its Ads products, and that they plan to bring this privacy enhancing technology to more products over time.

According to Google, the use of confidential computing means added protections for their customers’ information that are secure by default. Other technical assurances include transparency into a product’s code and the ability to receive proof, known as “attestation,” that data is processed as intended.

Moreover, they have also highlighted how technologies like confidential computing, which use special software and hardware known as Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs), unlock new ways for businesses to use their first-party data to reach customers and measure the impact of their digital ad campaigns.

“We’re using this same confidential space technology, which has already received rigorous security reviews from third-party auditors, as the technical foundation in Ads for confidential matching,” Kamal Janardhan, senior director of product management and measurement at Google, said in a recent blog.

Janardhan added, “In line with our privacy principles, we’re committed to making confidential computing and other complementary technologies accessible to everyone. That is why confidential matching will be available at no additional cost to customers.”

Google also stated that they will also share their TEE architecture along with a few open source examples to help others build confidential solutions. Moreover, they will also continue to work alongside others in the ads industry to further adoption of and build standards for this privacy enhancing technology.

With this solution rollout, the confidential matching is now the default for any data connections made for Customer Match including Google Ads Data Manager. For advertisers with very strict data policies, it also means the ability to encrypt the data themselves before it ever leaves its servers.

“In the coming months, we’ll continue to roll out encryption support in confidential matching globally. We also plan to expand our use of confidential matching across more of our advertising solutions. For example, in the next few months enhanced conversions implemented with the Google tag will start rolling out first-party data processed with confidential matching. Processing will happen behind the scenes, without changing how you measure conversions or manage your Google tag,” Janardhan explained.

The confidential matching follows Google’s abandoning plans to sunset third-party cookies, with a large chunk of APAC industry leaders already stating that they are doing their own part to move towards privacy-centric advertising measures. Moreover, this also comes in line with Google’s ongoing antitrust trial by the United States’ Department of Justice over Google’s control on web adtech market.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Following a competitive pitch process, Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) has been appointed as the digital and social agency of record (AOR) for isotonic sports drink 100PLUS in Malaysia.

MBCS’ appointment will begin in October 2024. The agency will oversee full-service digital campaigns and provide ongoing social media management for 100PLUS, emphasising the brand’s mission to refresh and rehydrate active individuals.

Stanley Clement, chief executive officer of MBCS, said, “Working on this truly exciting brand within the isotonic drink market is a challenge we’re eager to tackle. We aim to transcend its sports association, making it a top-of-mind essential for everyday use! ” 

“MBCS has a deep breadth of experience within the content creator space and has a proven track record of bringing out-of-the-box entertainment to connect with new consumers. The team is thrilled to be a part of the brand’s vision to continue promoting a healthy and active lifestyle, innovate, and inspire, thereby reinforcing its position as the number one isotonic drink in the country,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Leong Wai Yin, marketing director of F&N Beverages Marketing, commented, “We awarded MBCS with this assignment as they demonstrated to us their deep understanding of social media behaviours within the beverage segment. They also demonstrate a keen content creator mindset that falls in line with the vision we have for our brand. We’re excited to begin collaborating with MBCS on upcoming campaigns that will bring excitement and new perspectives to our existing loyal consumers while also attracting new ones! ”

Singapore – BBDO Singapore and MOH Holdings have partnered with Livewire to launch a Fortnite Creative experience as part of the ‘The Power of Care’ integrated campaign.

In this industry-first partnership, the ‘Power of Care’ experience will have ‘healing’ as its ultimate power. The game will have players partner with each other as they traverse the customary map of Singapore, avoiding hazards and healing each other to complete the course.

The custom map used in the game is also one of the first maps to globally utilise the Unreal Engine for Fortnite to create precise 3D models and sculptures to recreate the iconic Marina Bay cityscape.

Some local, high-profile gaming influencers like Supercatkei have also jumped on board with the campaign, sharing their gameplay experiences and personal healthcare stories with their followers.

BBDO Singapore and MOH Holdings experience inside Fortnite Creative is part of their efforts to forward the ‘Power of Care’ campaign, which aims to cultivate a newfound appreciation for the healthcare profession as a career choice. The campaign spotlights everyday heroes such as nurses and allied health professionals working across acute and community care settings to transform and empower lives.

The Power of Care integrated campaign also includes brand film, outdoor, and digital with social and on-ground activations.

The film shows the transformative power of care in life’s most vulnerable moments. Meanwhile, the series of out-of-home (OOH) visuals pays tribute to healthcare professionals and their unwavering dedication and commitment to their profession.

The ‘Humans of Power’ series and the ‘The Care Identity’ digital activation, on the other hand, focus more on the raw human-centric stories of healthcare workers, highlighting both well-known and lesser-known roles within the sector.

Also part of the campaign, MOHH introduced an immersive roadshow activation, ‘The Care Adventure’, to bookend the campaign. The roadshow activation engages visitors, particularly students, with interactive games that also give them a look into the world of healthcare professionals.

Speaking on the campaign, Gareth Leeding, chief innovation officer at Livewire, said, “What’s incredibly exciting about this experience is that for the first time, we’re flipping the rules of Fortnite Creative on its head, proving that gaming can be for good. The recreation of Singapore is mind-blowing. It really does demonstrate the power of UEFN to immerse players in both story and experience.”

Tay Guan Hin, creative chairman at BBDO Singapore, also shared, “We’re thrilled to bring a fresh perspective through this campaign—one that honours our healthcare professionals and their spirit of care and collaboration. Through all this, we’re not just celebrating healthcare professionals; we’re inspiring a new generation to consider the profound impact they can have in this industry.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysian digital telco Yoodo has appointed The Clan as its new lead creative, social, and digital agency for the next 12 months in a 7-way pitch.

This appointment of The Clan extends is for a period of 12 months with an option to renew for the next 12 months, covering the spectrum of creative ideation, strategy, creative output, social media strategy, and content development. 

As life evolves for both the brand and agency in 2024 and beyond, Yoodo looks forward to enhancing its brand connection through this partnership with the Clan, further enriching its customers’ experiences. 

Casey Loh, creative chief at The Clan, said, “We are honoured to be given the opportunity to work with an innovative brand like Yoodo, which has all the makings of a gamechanger in the telco industry. Yoodo’s philosophy in challenging the status quo echoes Clan’s DNA to bring about positive change in everything that we do.”

Yoodo has since grown from strength-to-strength with a continued approach in innovation to differentiate itself from other telco players in an increasingly competitive environment. The telco brand empowers its users with full customisability of their mobile plan from 31 billion combinations through its app, while rapidly adopting breakthrough mobile connectivity solutions like seamless eSIM activation in under 5 minutes.

Seattle, USA – Amazon Ads has launched image generation in beta—a generative AI solution designed to remove creative barriers and enable brands to produce lifestyle imagery that helps improve their ads’ performance. 

For example, an advertiser may have standalone images of their product against a white background, like a toaster. When that same toaster is placed in a lifestyle context—on a kitchen counter, next to a croissant—in a mobile Sponsored Brands ad, click-through rates can be 40% higher compared to ads with standard product images.

According to the company, the solution is helpful for advertisers of all sizes—enabling those that do not have in-house capabilities or agency support to more easily create brand-themed imagery, while also supporting bigger brands, who are constantly looking for ways to be more efficient around creative development. 

In the Amazon Ad Console, advertisers simply select their product and click Generate, with the tool leveraging generative AI to deliver a set of lifestyle and brand-themed images, based on product details, in a matter of seconds. The image can then be refined by entering short text prompts, while multiple versions can be quickly created and tested to optimize performance.

According to Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president at Amazon Ads Products and Technology, with the launch of their image generation capability, any advertiser can now use a simple tool to create unique, lifestyle creative assets that make their campaigns more compelling, and at no additional cost.

“Producing engaging and differentiated creatives can increase cost and often requires introducing additional expertise into the advertising process. At Amazon Ads, we are always thinking about ways we can reduce friction for our advertisers, provide them with tools that deliver more impact while minimizing effort, and ultimately, deliver a better advertising experience for our customers,” she said.

Aubrey added, “Providing tools to make image generation simple and easy is another way for us to support advertisers while also making the ads our customers see more engaging and visually rich. It’s a perfect use for generative AI—less effort and better outcomes.”