Tag: Industry Insights

Singapore – The phase-out of third-party cookies by Google is hitting yet another roadblock, as the tech giant announced that the move will most likely be delayed until early 2025. This is the latest cookie deprecation delay from Google, with the phase-out initially intended to roll out back in 2022.

In a blog post in Google’s The Privacy Sandbox page, it stated that they recognise that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers and that they will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem.

“It’s also critical that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4,” Google stated.

The first delay on the Google third-party cookie phase-outs happened by late 2023, then again to late 2024, and now to early 2025.

In light of yet another year of delay of third-party cookie phaseout, MARKETECH APAC reached out to multiple industry leaders in the region to learn more about what does this delay means for the future of a privacy-centric advertising strategy for marketers moving forward, and how brands should continue in their efforts to utilise first-party or zero-party data strategies for their marketing initiatives moving forward.

Genelle Hung, Country Manager for SEA at PubMatic

Adapting advertising technology for a more privacy-centric future is paramount and is an effort worth taking the time to get right. Google’s new timeline does not change our commitment to creating a vibrant ecosystem around Privacy Sandbox as well as other addressability innovation areas like alternative IDs, contextual signals and commerce media. At PubMatic, we are not taking our foot off the gas. We are continuing to test and innovate around Privacy Sandbox initiatives so we can best prepare our publishers and media buyers for an inevitable cookieless future.

Nishanth Raju, Managing Director for Asia at Lotame

Deja vu, Google. It’s really no great surprise that Google has pushed back the third-party cookie deadline again. It’s in an impossible polyamorous relationship where none of its partners (legislators, regulators, industry execs) are satisfied by its commitment. The message for brands and agencies is crystal clear. Do not slow down on divesting your advertising from cookies, as they will be retired at some point. It’s a matter of who controls your fate. Give into waiting on Google, and you’re unfortunately wasting precious time building a solid portfolio of options, whether it’s identity frameworks or data collaboration. 

Dan Richardson, Director of Data & Insights for AUSEA at Yahoo

Google’s new timeline helps the industry continue to test and adapt. Beyond even cookies, non-addressable inventory will only increase and the industry should act now to prepare for these changes. Either way, Yahoo is ready to support advertisers today, with solutions for addressable and non-addressable environments, as well as testing in the Privacy Sandbox.

Gary Cheung, General Manager at NP Digital Hong Kong & Taiwan

From our point of view, the delay comes to no surprise, but the deprecation of cookies will happen eventually, and marketers and advertisers need to prepare for it. This further delay will allow marketers additional time to prepare for the loss of third-party cookies and how we should adopt a first-party-driven data strategy to drive accurate and impactful marketing. 

It is crucial for marketeers and brands to focus towards in maximising the acquisition of 1st-party data. This includes different types of data such as CRM, loyalty data, as well as online behavioural data gathered from digital assets like websites, apps, and media data such as clicks and views.

Bharat Khatri, Chief Digital Officer, Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific

The cookieless future is not the whole story but one part of where we are headed in a privacy-first world. Effective advertising is powered by a wide variety of signals not just cookies. These traditional signals are bound to deprecate next year or soon due to high privacy concerns.

But there is a bigger issue — our industry is so focused on these declining traditional signals that they are not considering new developments like Google PAIR and The Trade Desk’s Unified ID 2.0. Privacy centricity is the now and the future for our industry. 

Nonetheless, this news does not slow down the comprehensive approach we are taking to help clients stay ahead of the curve. OMG is taking a privacy by design approach with clients and accelerating towards privacy-safe future signals to continue our commitment towards responsible advertising.

Fai-keung Ng, Director of Data Partnerships at The Trade Desk

This is a quintessential illustration of why tethering the future of your business to a highly uncertain solution is not advisable. Advertisers ought to persist in their first-party data building endeavours, while publishers must prioritise expanding their base of authenticated users, regardless of Google’s cookie deprecation decision.

It is worth noting that this third-party deprecation delay by Google doesn’t comes as a surprise for many of the industry leaders in Asia-Pacific, as many are optimistic in the alternative strategies they use for a privacy-centric advertising era ahead. Moreover, utilising first-party and zero-party data using various advertising strategies are becoming more and more commonly applied across the industry, with some saying as well that this delay will not slow down their approach for responsible advertising, as they aim to guide their clients to stay ahead of the curve. From a general perspective, this new delay from Google is another indication for many industry leaders to continue evolving towards a future where understanding of users’ privacy is at the heart of their responsible advertising mantra online.

Singapore – After two years as the head of creative for Southeast Asia and India at Ampverse, Robert Gaxiola has announced that he has co-founded PLAYBOOK XP, a creative consultancy firm based in Singapore, specialising in the gaming and esports space. Gaxiola, who is also the firm’s managing partner, co-founded the firm with Jenny Hall.

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Gaxiola said that the firm aims to come to the pitching table with a gaming ecosystem solution first, and not some big budget TV commercial. 

“Our people are real players and fans, you can’t fake this stuff, I am proud to say I have been playing since the golden age of video games. But what we have now is just too good to be true, especially for brands. And this is where the adman part of me kicks in,” he said.

Moreover, he notes that gaming plus creativity and data is their starting point, and their firm offers a range of services including strategic marketing campaigns, brand partnerships, IP development, esports event management, in-game items and content campaigns.

How PLAYBOOK XP stands out from other gaming consultancies

Gaxiola told MARKETECH APAC that what sets PLAYBOOK XP apart from others in the region is their unique blend of deep industry knowledge, innovative strategies, and a proven track record at the highest level.

“We understand too that the gaming landscape is constantly evolving and that means we must keep evolving too. We pride ourselves on our ability to stay ahead of the curve by offering creative solutions that resonate with both gamers and brands alike,” he said.

Moreover, he also noted that their sole purpose as a gaming consultancy is to help brands win in the gaming space, and that they create work that people can engage with and have fun. He understands that while the gaming market is enormous, and as mainstream this looks from the outside, it is highly nuanced within, and that they understand how it works.

“We are also different because we are giving our knowledge away. We want to share everything we know so our industry can develop. We are currently putting a lot of time into education and training. We are running a workshop at the SMU Academy here in Singapore in May. And we hope to have similar workshops in Manila and Jakarta through the M.A.D. School which is based in Singapore but conducts workshops and master classes in the region,” he added.

Carrying previous leadership experiences moving forward

Gaxiola was most recently with Ampverse, and also notes that his previous experiences with Goodby in San Francisco, and Ogilvy and Dentsu Singapore have provided invaluable insights into what brands can really do in the gaming space while staying on brand to deliver an ROI.

“I think we see a lot of bad fits out there, especially with the deployment of social media campaigns through KOLs. It can be entertaining, but it is far from lifting or serving a brand’s needs. People hate advertising, but players are open to cool stuff and experiences. Gaming is entertainment,” he said.

Gaxiola added, “We learned so much last year, my co-founder Jenny Hall reminds me daily about the importance of agility, creativity, and data-driven decision-making. She is buttoned-down and methodical approaching this stuff. Our learnings will continue to build our strategies at PLAYBOOK XP, and ultimately drive our campaigns with a measurable ROI.”

Challenges and opportunities in the APAC gaming market

For Gaxiola, the gaming industry in APAC faces both unique challenges and unparalleled opportunities. One challenge is navigating the diverse cultural landscape of the region while staying true to a client’s brand identity. 

Moreover, he adds that as the industry continues to grow rapidly, competition among brands for the attention of gamers is fierce. However, with this growth comes immense opportunities for brands to engage through immersive experiences, innovative technologies, and meaningful partnerships.

“PLAYBOOK XP is poised to expand and improve in line with this evolution by continuously innovating our offerings, forging strategic partnerships with key players in the industry. We cannot do it alone, we need to find like-minded clients, publishers and platform partners to grow with,” he said.

He also understands that with APAC being the region with the highest number of gamers globally, they are also very diverse in needs. He added that brands need to think very carefully about who they want to target and how. 

“Broadly speaking, you need to know your audience and ask yourself if it fits your brand. For some brands a shooting game is a bad idea and for others it can be a perfect fit. A PUBG player in one market is vastly different from a Dota player in another. We use strategies to target different kinds of players and engage with them in the right way,” he added.

Gaxiola also stated, “Our goal is to not only meet the needs of our clients but to exceed them by delivering unparalleled value and driving measurable results. I love this stuff, this isn’t even work to me, we just want to really dig in deep and start releasing some new projects for some great clients. I’m not delusional, I know it will be hard, but we still want to play.”

With 2024 now in its early full swing, the contours of the marketing landscape in Asia-Pacific are being reshaped by a confluence of factors ranging from emerging technologies to shifting consumer behaviours and evolving regulatory frameworks.

In this era of digital acceleration and heightened connectivity, the very fabric of marketing is undergoing a profound evolution, where traditional boundaries are blurred, and new frontiers beckon. As brands endeavour to navigate this intricate web of opportunities and challenges, the imperative to anticipate and adapt to the evolving needs and preferences of consumers has never been more compelling.

As part of MARKETECH APAC’s “What’s NEXT”, our dedicated thought leadership series is back–unravelling the threads of innovation, cultural nuance, and strategic foresight that weave together the tapestry of this diverse and dynamic marketplace. From the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) to both creative and enterprise uses, to familiarisation of data-driven strategies amidst the privacy-centric advertising era on the horizon, these are the insights various industry marketing leaders have shared to push forward the regional marketing scene further into 2024 and beyond.

Check out the initial line-up of published insights by marketing leaders under the series:

For our inaugural What’s NEXT thought leadership piece, Sudipto Das, Vice President, Advertiser Solutions, APAC at PubMatic, shared his thoughts on the future of programmatic supply chain, which means rethinking the supply chain which in turn will create new opportunities for differentiation and value creation for the industry. Check out the full article here for more insights.

In this piece by Billy Loizou, Area VP, APAC, Amperity, he notes how executives who genuinely buy into the process of digital transformation are more likely to facilitate change effectively and communicate its benefits to their teams. Check out his byline here on how these priorities are essential for guiding organisations toward a successful and adaptive future.

From free ad streaming TV’s (FAST) exponential growth to the impact of AI in advertising, check out this comprehensive byline here from various industry leaders from Nexxen and read some of their insights at some strategic shifts poised to define the year ahead.

This byline from Jennie Johnson, Head of Marketing, GrabAds, details how brands in Southeast Asia can effectively serve as the ideal companion travellers need in their pursuit of an authentic, superior travel experience – both right now and in the future. Check out her byline here.

From the long-anticipated shift from third-party cookies to first-party data to the harnessing of AI and the evolution of e-commerce, these are the trends that will help shape the future of brand connection, according to this byline from Harley Ramien, Director for Asia Pacific at Bonzai.

Sathya Anand, Digital Strategy Director at Iris Singapore, shares his actionable insights in this piece here on how CMOs and marketing leaders must step back, create a martech framework that works for them and be the person to champion it at their organisation.

Marketers who have spent years trying to ‘win’ the organic search engine visibility game may feel understandably crestfallen by this latest disruption, and have to adapt and innovate their search marketing strategies once again to meet a new set of parameters. Worry no more, because Gary Cheung, General Manager of NP Digital Hong Kong & Taiwan offers his actionable insights to win online search this year in this piece.

For Matt Tindale, Head of Enterprise APAC, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn, the future of work that B2B marketers should note of, ranging from the implementation of AI across enterprises, the continued importance of measurement framework, and focusing on more human-centric approaches in building consumer trust. Check out his insights here.

In this byline from Killian Menigot, Senior Production Manager, Tokyo, Nexxen Studios, shares the various benefits of data-driven, in-stream video ads for publishers and advertisers. Check out the article here to learn more about how these types of ads not only offer publishers a robust tool for monetisation but also pave the way for viewers to experience advertising that is both engaging and tailored to their preferences. 

With AI now being used to improve every aspect of DOOH advertising, from targeting and personalisation to creative development and measurement, Divya Acharya, Vice President, Solutions Design & Development & Marketing Science, APAC, at GroupM Nexus, shares how ambitions of the AI-focused businesses being formed today will likely drive this growth in the years to come in her piece here.

On this piece by Shahid Nizami, VP, Sales, APAC at Braze, he imparted advice for marketers on how effectively tapping into the power of first-party data starts with creating a unified customer view, as well as how data agility enables a brand’s data to move at the speed of its business. Check out more of his insights here.

Amidst a relentless expansion of digital platforms and the ever-evolving landscape of consumer behaviours have escalated the battle for attention, compelling brands need to redefine their marketing strategies and carve out distinctive identities. Shant Oknayan, Vice President, Asia, Oceania & Africa, TikTok Global Business Solutions, imparts his insights on encouraging brands to instil a creative bravery mindset in their modern marketing strategies this year. Learn more of his advice here.

While consumers’ needs have not undergone drastic shifts, the evolving dynamics of how retailers meet these consumer needs constitute a dynamic blend of art and science. For Lee Soon Yean, Country Manager, Malaysia, Adyen, adaptability is key for long-term success in the ever-changing retail landscape. Check out more of his retail-centric insights in this piece here.

In this piece from Jonathan Reeve, Vice President APAC, Eagle Eye, he imparts actionable insights on how the subscription-based model, despite its continuing popularity, its competitive edge will come from brands that efficiently and effectively execute it in partnership with specialised and experienced solutions providers who excel at optimising these programs. Check out his detailed insights on the topic on his byline here.

While most advertisers think about third-party cookies in the context of targeting, they are used across a variety of tools that span data collection, audience segmentation, data onboarding, and, most importantly, measurement. For Peter Ibarra, Head of Adtech Solutions, Amperity, brands that have left the cookie-centric environment are experiencing a competitive advantage and will continue to do so since most of the industry has not shifted their reliance on 3P cookies. Learn more about this in his byline here.

Taj Samson, Executive Director, Brand Performance, APAC, Landor, shared how a strategic and comprehensive implementation process, following the outlined steps, enables organisations to navigate the data deluge purposefully, ensuring valuable insights translate into tangible improvements and sustained success in the dynamic world of marketing. Learn more of how marketers can navigate the sea of data in this piece here.

‘What’s NEXT 2024 Thought Leadership Series’ is part of the ‘What’s NEXT 2023-2024 Series’, which gathers marketing and industry leaders in APAC to share their marketing insights and predictions for the upcoming year. If you would like to be a part of this initiative, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Singapore – The Singaporean government has announced a S$1b investment plan on AI in five years, a move that was announced as part of the nation’s Singapore Budget 2024 presented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong

“Part of the investment will be used to ensure that Singapore can secure access to the advanced chips that are so crucial to AI development and deployment. We will also work with leading companies in Singapore and around the world to set up their AI Centres of Excellence here. We want these Centres to spur industry collaboration and innovation, and drive greater value creation across the whole economy,” he explained.

In the budget, Wong stressed how Singapore is already recognised as a serious player in AI development. Furthermore, he noted that they aim to go further–to build new peaks of excellence, and crowd in private sector investments.

Following this, MARKETECH APAC sought insights from various marketing industry leaders to learn more about their perspectives on this recent government move, and how the industry can use this to move forward.

Dan Bognar, Vice President & Managing Director, JAPAC, HubSpot

It is encouraging to see Budget 2024 committing more than S$1 billion over the next five years to accelerate Singapore’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption and innovation. We have arrived at a fascinating intersection where technologies like AI have the potential to play a pivotal role in nation-building and in helping to catalyse economic resilience. 

The reality is that AI provides an opportunity to enhance the future-readiness of Singapore’s growing digital economy. With its ability to improve productivity, AI represents a long-term, sustainable solution for firms to deal with ongoing economic challenges such as rising costs and increased complexities as the business grows. This will be especially relevant for SMEs, where technology can empower them with the means to compete with larger industry counterparts.

As the adoption of AI tools grows, organisations will also require targeted guidance to streamline their technology platforms and data sources. As many business leaders can attest to, a fragmented set of technology platforms, often a result of adopting multiple point solutions alongside legacy platforms, leads to disconnected systems that impede data, productivity and workflows. These shortcomings will likely increase overall operating costs, compromise the customer experience, and negatively impact business outcomes.

Continuous learning has become essential in ensuring that Singapore’s workforce remains in step with technological changes. As the digital economy grows, enterprises who are well-equipped to understand AI’s potential, and able to move quickly to lay a robust foundation for its adoption, will stand to reap the most benefits. These programmes will enhance businesses ability to reinvest in their employees as they capitalise on this change.

Mao Gen Foo, Head of Southeast Asia, Qualtrics

It’s pleasing to see Singapore’s continued commitment to upskilling initiatives, as highlighted in this year’s Budget, along with a significant investment in local AI capabilities and skills.

The newly announced SkillsFuture Level-Up initiative, aimed at supporting mid-career workers in acquiring new skills and competencies, is particularly encouraging. Programmes like this recognise the crucial role this demographic plays in our economy and the need for support in helping our nation’s workers adapt to evolving demands and technological advancements.

The increased focus and investment in AI capabilities, talent, and industry development is also exciting and important for Singapore to strengthen its position as a business and innovation hub. Singapore boasts one of the highest global acceptance rates for AI in the workplace, which supported by the government’s ambitions to set up new AI centres of excellence and investments in upskilling programmes, will empower a new cohort of talent and create high demand for skilled professionals.

Moreover, to ensure Singapore can attract and retain the talent needed in the future, this investment and focus on skills must be complemented by ensuring workers are provided with employee experiences that enable them to do their best work and create high-performing, highly productive teams.

Organisations that embrace this people-centric approach and empower their teams to excel in a period of technological and societal change will be the true standouts, propelling the nation towards a prosperous and competitive future.

Smith Leong, Havas Play Lead at Havas Singapore

Like any other industries, there are 3 things that matter to clients in advertising – Speed, cost, and quality. Based on the trends and what we have observed over the last few months, we can safely say that AI tools have shown us the possibilities of answering all 3 factors when used right. We have already started using some of these tools and they have definitely improved our quality of work at Havas.

We welcome the investment by the government in training as we can foresee the potential increase in productivity and quality of jobs. Talents will be able to do more, and better within a shorter time. That also means the potential increase of profit in relation. The challenge for such transition has always been due to the initiation cost and resources involved for both businesses and individuals.

With the initial investment by the government on AI, we can see the potential of Singapore being at the forefront of things which will help us attract both overseas talents and businesses trusting us with their investment, and that will continue to fuel the industry which higher interest and demand.

Kamal Brar, Senior Vice President, APAC, Confluent

I am glad to see the increasing local investments and upskilling support for Singaporeans and businesses to train and make the best of AI innovations. We live in an incredible time for innovation today where AI is driving significant productivity improvements for businesses in Singapore. While AI can’t replace the intentionality, creativity, or awareness of a human, it can automate the menial day-to-day, allowing employees and companies to focus on the most valuable tasks.

As consumers, we have already tasted the convenience of mobile apps that can process requests immediately, reducing waiting time from days to seconds. With AI, we can also expect businesses to operate closer to the speed of life, that is, in real time. Minister Wong aptly reflected that emerging technologies will change the way expertise is defined and how value is created. One good example is in customer engagements. The ability to access data in real time, supported by AI to analyse previous interactions, individual preferences and behaviours, will help to make the business feel more human. Other possibilities can also include preventing fraud for a fintech app or handling an online retail order and marking out the most efficient delivery route.

Such value of AI is deeply dependent on having clean, trustworthy, up-to-date data. Organisations can tap on real-time streams of accurate data to keep up with AI-driven change. For this, companies in Singapore (small or big) should actively help employees to retrain and upskill in data management with the SkillsFuture Level-Up programme and new grants, especially as we see more AI centres of excellence open up here. 

Eileen Chua, Managing Director of SAP Singapore

The increasing need for employees’ training in AI, reflects on Singapore’s Budget 2024 focus and anticipates an ever-evolving business landscape. With the rising demand for AI expertise in this digital economy, building skills-centric organizations where expertise and know-how take precedence over roles and titles will improve business agility and employee experience. In order to achieve this, companies must have a holistic view of their workforce and ignite potential by providing opportunities for growth and development. 

In line with the Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0, SAP has also named SAP Labs Singapore as a global AI hub, with the aim of developing reliable, relevant and responsible business AI applications for customers and partners globally, while fostering innovation through a private, public partnership approach.

Sanchit Mendiratta, Managing Director, Merkle, CXM Group, dentsu Singapore

Over the past six decades, Singapore has consistently positioned itself at the forefront of global innovation and economic growth. From capitalising on its strategic geographic location to foster trade to diversifying its economy from manufacturing to cutting-edge fintech, Singapore’s journey is a testament to foresight, adaptability, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

In the last 14 months alone, the world has witnessed unparalleled advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), signalling a pivot that promises to redefine our way of life, work, and interaction with technology. This era of rapid technological evolution underscores the power of individual creativity and potential to generate significant impact. In light of emerging narratives about the possibility of ‘one-person unicorns’, it is clear that the ability to drive change is increasingly democratised, residing not only within VC-funded start-ups, big tech, or established multinational corporations but also within the reach of every individual connected to the internet.

The Singapore government recognizes the transformative potential of AI and is committed to ensuring its benefits are accessible to all. By empowering Singaporeans with SkillsFuture credits and monthly training allowances, alongside initiatives designed to encourage companies to adopt AI, the government is fostering a dual approach to innovation. This strategy ensures a comprehensive understanding and application of AI across all levels of society and the workforce, from the ground up by the people and from the top down by companies.

We are on the cusp of a new era where AI is not just a tool for operational efficiency but a catalyst for societal advancement and the empowerment of every individual. The government’s efforts to evangelize AI capabilities reflect our dedication to preparing Singaporeans for the future, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to navigate and shape the emerging new world order.

Thus, the future Singapore envisions is not merely a forecast, but a reality Singaporeans will actively create.

Rebecca Nadilo, Managing Director – Iris Singapore

There’s still so much to learn about the applications of AI – and most importantly – there’s much to teach about it. Singapore’s investment in tech, training and infrastructure means we’re in the best position to beta test its application and understand where, how and who is best to use it.

Tin Sanchez, Executive Creative Director – Iris Singapore

Change is scary – and AI marks a change in the way we do and make things. The budget can allow mastery of AI and overcoming our unease around it. My hope is that it boosts human creativity even more.

Singapore – After serving as Flash Coffee’s head of marketing in Asia-Pacific for over three years, Deniz Kavak has announced that he will be moving to Propseller, a Singapore-based real estate agency, where he will serve as its head of marketing.

In a recent exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Kavak shared that his leadership will focus on two areas: team leadership and strategic oversight. In it, he will be dedicated to recruiting, managing, and developing a high-achieving marketing team, as well as crafting and executing the overall marketing strategy for Propseller.

“A significant part of my hands-on efforts will be directed towards growth marketing and brand-building initiatives. This means I’ll be closely involved in driving customer acquisition via performance marketing channels, enhancing our brand presence in the market, and establishing Propseller as the leading tech-powered real estate agency in Singapore. I aim to blend innovative marketing tactics with data-driven insights to propel Propseller’s growth and solidify its reputation among property owners and seekers alike,” Kavak told MARKETECH APAC.

Marketing capability focal points

When asked about his key marketing priorities for Propseller, he stated that he will focus on strategic areas essential for the brand’s growth and brand presence, including conversion rate optimisation (CRO) and customer relationship management (CRM).

For Kavak, their CRO efforts will be vital to enhance their lead generation efforts, ensuring that their digital touchpoints effectively convert visitors into leads. Meanwhile, their CRM efforts will aim to improve Propseller’s lead nurturing through personalised communication, making the customer journey as seamless as possible.

“To bolster these efforts, we’re excited to announce that we will soon be hiring for key positions in our CRM team. This is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to contribute to a cutting-edge CRM strategy in the real estate sector,” he shared.

He also explained that they will expand their communications team, and that their focused efforts on CRO, CRM and communications will keep them busy over the coming weeks and months.

“Communications, encompassing social media, content marketing, and public relations, is equally crucial for amplifying our brand awareness. Through these channels, we plan to engage our audience, provide valuable insights, and showcase Propseller’s distinctive offerings,” he added.

Reflecting on previous stint at Flash Coffee

Kavak shared that during his time at Flash Coffee, he discovered the enduring power of branding alongside their highly optimised performance marketing campaigns. He also added that their previous investments in branding significantly contributed to reducing their overall customer acquisition costs in the long term, affirming the essential role of brand strength in growth strategies.

“Our experience with partnerships was equally transformative. Collaborating with prominent brands like Bumble, Oatside, and Barbie, we harnessed their extensive reach to connect with our target audience more effectively. These partnerships not only facilitated new customer acquisition but also supported our partners in achieving their marketing goals, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem,” he said.

He also shared that during his time at Flash Coffee, they underscored the critical importance of customer obsession in marketing. This means that every strategy, campaign, and initiative must be deeply rooted in understanding and serving the customer’s needs and preferences.

“This customer-centric approach will continue to be a cornerstone of my strategy at Propseller, guiding our efforts to redefine excellence in the real estate industry. As I transition to Propseller, the essence of strategic marketing and commercial partnerships remains important, although the nature of these partnerships will evolve to align with the real estate sector’s unique dynamics,” he shared.

Understanding what’s next for real estate marketing in APAC and Singapore

For Kavak, the evolution of real estate marketing is marked by significant advancements and challenges, as we adapt to meet the expectations of a digitally connected audience. Moreover, he explains that navigating through these developments requires a nuanced approach, focusing on enhancing tech-driven experiences, leveraging the power of video marketing, and honing in on hyper-personalisation and hyper-local strategies.

“In the forefront of tech-driven experiences within the real estate sector, AI chatbots represent a transformative tool for enhancing lead generation and customer acquisition. By providing instant responses to inquiries and detailed information about brand services, these chatbots play a crucial role in engaging potential clients from the first interaction. The challenge here lies in ensuring such innovations remain user-friendly and accessible to all, regardless of their tech-savviness,” he said.

One of those key opportunities for real estate marketing is having video marketing playing a pivotal role in the industry, which can be implemented in strategies such as virtual tours, property showcases, and neighborhood explorations. In fact, the company is exemplifying the use of said technology through its cinematic video tours that vividly showcase properties, challenging us to distinguish our content in a densely populated digital arena.

“Lastly, hyper-personalisation and hyper-local marketing stand as pillars for crafting marketing messages that resonate deeply with target audiences. An example of this is tailoring ads to showcase similar properties sold in a buyer’s neighborhood, making the content highly relevant and engaging. Tailoring communications to match the specific needs and interests of buyers is essential, yet it presents the challenge of gathering and analyzing data accurately while respecting privacy boundaries,” he said.

Meanwhile, his outlook for the Singapore real estate industry is focused on two pivotal trends: the increasing reliance on technology for seamless transactions and the enhanced role of agents in ensuring customer success.

He stated, “Firstly, technology is set to redefine the real estate transaction process, with customers increasingly expecting digital solutions to make their experiences more seamless and convenient. A prime example of this trend is the launch of the Propseller Mobile App, which significantly enhances the property selling and buying experience. It allows owners to track their sale process, monitor listings, and access offers in real-time, while enabling buyers to discover off-market listings and request viewings with just one click.”

“However, the role of technology does not diminish the importance of agents; on the contrary, it elevates the expectations placed on them. Propseller’s approach combines technological ease with the expertise and personal touch of highly skilled agents, supporting customers through every step— from professional photography and video tours to negotiation and paperwork,” Kavak concluded.

After months of going back and forth with multiple regulators globally, tech giant Microsoft has finally acquired video game company Activision Blizzard for a whopping US$69b, and is considered the most expensive video game merger in history, followed by Take-Two Interactive’s acquisition of Zynga (US$12.7b) and Tencent’s acquisition of Supercell (US$8.6b).

To understand how big this merger is, Activision Blizzard has five business units under it Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, King, Major League Gaming, and Activision Blizzard Studios. These units have produced several popular titles such as Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk’s, Spyro, Skylanders, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, and Candy Crush Saga.

With APAC evidently becoming a lucrative market for gaming–especially with the region ranking first in esports followers globally according to YouGov–the question is: how does this global merger impact the overall gaming market in the region, and does it stand a chance to the staple regional companies in the region like Bandai Namco and HoYoverse?

Will the merger create significant change in APAC for more opportunities?

For Tessa Conrad, head of innovation at TBWA\Asia, the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard offers a ‘fascinating development’ opportunity in Asia-Pacific, in terms of how the tech giant can convince gamers in the region to make more titles accessible to its own console brand Xbox.

“It’s a fascinating development, especially given how PlayStation still reigns supreme across APAC as the console of choice versus Microsoft’s Xbox. Knowing that APAC holds the largest number of gamers globally, this majority is significant and this shift – if it includes Xbox-exclusive content – could sway some users,” she said.

With that being said, Conrad notes that innovation in gaming has been rapid with the pace set by cloud gaming which makes it much easier to play games you want, across any device (including regular computers and phones). This then means that the change likely won’t be as monumental as many ponder, as gamers are getting more and more choice around how they want to play various games.

“Therefore, this acquisition alone is unlikely to spur too much change in the short-term and I’d liken it to content streamers like Netflix, HBO, etc – it’ll boil down to what content is brought to the table before we truly see the effects. As more people opt to game without a console, the rights to games get blurrier as publishers and parent companies are forced to determine whether to go for larger game-specific profits or to use specific games to boost ownership of hardware and/or subscription services. The likes of this have been seen through early battles of streaming providers, SmartTV evolution and the like – so it’s mostly a known evolution,” she explained.

Meanwhile, Jamie Paraso, regional vice president of marketing at Mineski, commented that the merger doesn’t only offer business opportunities for Microsoft in the region but also how they can properly diversify their gaming portfolio, given the diverse demographic in APAC.

“In business merger and acquisitions usually happen geared for growth. Growth can be in the form of market share, expansion in terms geographic location, diversification of products and of course knowledge transfer. This but shows the merger is not just valuable company wise but also opens up more opportunities for the gaming market to grow and scale,” he said.

On standing a chance against regional video game companies

In APAC, regional publishers are gaining momentum in the region with many popular titles released such as HoYoVerse’s Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Impact, as well as Bandai Namco’s Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Moreover, other game companies such as CapCom and Riot Games are also ramping its marketing efforts in the region.

For TBWA’s Conrad, it will eventually boil down to what content they are going to consider making exclusive to Xbox – and how gamers react – to make its merger successful in the region, marketing-wise.

Stating an example how PlayStation’s The Last of Us game spawned a TV series and a PC release later on, she says that while these console battles will continue, there’s a good chance that Microsoft is taking notes on which big game titles they will make it exclusive to its own hardware.

“When you take into consideration the now globally successful TV series based on the game driving more people to want to play the game – you see how the long-term console battle can evolve. I’m sure Microsoft is taking note of this and will consider some big-name games that might temporarily be available only on Microsoft-owned hardware,” she says.

Meanwhile, for Mineski’s Paraso, Microsoft will still be able to compete with regional publishers in terms of how will they market themselves to earn value to their customers.

“In a time where there is a lot of expansion and scaling of Intellectual Property and Publisher business, diversification in terms of portfolio allows not just businesses to grow but gives way to an even more crucial aspect in today’s world which is value creation within communities, whereby the real and true winners are the end consumers,” he said.

Conrad also echoes this sentiment, noting that the success of the merger in APAC boils down to what content they can create for gamers in the region.

“Is it powerful? Is it captivating? How is the value for money? Is it a play-through or a community-focused game? These considerations and many more force gaming companies to adapt around each title they release in the short-term, to build to their long-term plan,” she explains.

However, she notes that with regional publishers sprouting up in the region, mergers to much larger game companies, and that game loyalty from gamers of said titles may change depending on what merger may ensue.

“I love seeing the regional publishers cropping up as well as the indie gaming companies because competition is often the best thing for consumers (like myself). With that said, more gaming studios have been getting bought up over the last few years so I wouldn’t be surprised if some of our regional players follow suit,” Conrad said.

She added, “This can be a positive when it comes to investing more into the making of the games (and the marketing around them) – but then can quickly isolate loyalists to these smaller shops if quality/gameplay rapidly shifts. It’s a careful balance to strike and no doubt will require ever-changing adjustments based on gamer feedback.”

Are marketing opportunities for the merger unclear?

Both Conrad and Paraso have agreed that while Microsoft’s plans for the region remain unclear, there is room for marketing opportunities the industry can ride into in terms of changing their strategies towards marketing ardware releases, subscriptions and individual games.

For Paraso, the opportunity that arises will revolve around creative campaigns that challenge the industry into how they can appease to the diverse APAC gamer demographic.

“New ways of working, new creative ideas, etc. this allows the market to both be challenged creatively and strategically but more importantly allows a plethora of expanded knowledge and learning to transpose within the region. This becomes very healthy in the long term whereby the region is stimulated to produce best in class output to win the hearts of end users and consumers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Conrad said that the trends that marketers should be looking at regardless of this merger revolve around three factors: gaming often is equal to socialization, gaming subcultures have radically evolved, and cloud gaming is the future.

“It used to be that being a “gamer” was largely perceived as liking games around war, fighting, racing or the like. Nintendo has likely been one of the biggest creators in opposition to that with the likes of Super Mario and Animal Crossing – but there’s now more than ever “different” types of games and people are showcasing a much wider palate for gaming. Subcultures like cozy, sandbox, puzzle, etc are giving a much wider view of what it means to be a gamer and game creators have done well in expanding content to suit those niches,” she said.

Conrad also added, “he fact that you no longer need a console or a proper PC gaming rig to play intensive games is still relatively new but it opens the doors to a lot of more casual gamers to delve deeper into more intense content. While the catalogue for cloud gaming still leaves plenty of room for improvement – it will grow and attract more users that don’t want to pay large amounts for the latest hardware. This will force console/rig creators to drastically evolve the tech to enable gaming in a completely new realm – which is exciting.”