Tag: insights

When you read the title of this article you might think the opposite. You might think there are already too many tools out there but in fact that’s not the reality. At least within independent agencies, it is not true and if you look at bigger agencies, tools are rarely adopted and used across markets. 

What are tools?

Tools are like a recipe. Once you have the right formula you write it down and start working on making it easier and applicable to all situations. You remove the manual bits and bring more automation. 

Tools will help you systemise a success that you encountered before or help you overcome an issue you regularly have. Overall, all tools’ purpose is to reduce manual and ad-hoc work to save time but not only that otherwise it would be the same as a process. 

Let’s clarify the difference between a tool and a process. A process is a few steps put together to achieve an end goal and usually, it will leverage several tools in the steps, while a tool is a platform or a technology that is automated and will minimise as much as possible the manual and ad-hoc work. 

The benefit of having a tool in an agency is to repeat some work as much as you want and to be able to scale it to more brands and more markets. For example, a budget optimiser tool will help every time a plan is being created to optimise the budget so the campaign can deliver maximum ROAS. If there is no tool, then it becomes a manual process every time a planner builds a media plan and resulting in wasting time with repeated tasks.

Tools in advertising

From a campaign perspective, how do tools help in driving cost savings and deliver more effective campaigns? It’s simple. If you have to repeat the same processes and task every time you build a plan it will require a lot of hours of specialists. This means more budget is required to make it happen. 

In our previous example, of a budget optimiser tool, if there is no such tool available, the agency has every time to collect data, analyse it and build the optimised budget. Not only does this require a budget to do but also it is a source of error as it is all manual work. 

Tools can be created to serve specific purposes and therefore directly drive efficiency for campaigns. In our previous example, a budget optimiser tool will help to make the most of each channel by avoiding the point of diminishing return (PODR).

Tools are innovation catalysts 

A tool is a way to ensure every client can benefit from the innovation. If the innovation is not conceptualised in a tool, then every time the client wants to leverage the innovation the wheel needs to be reinvented and the process started again. Having tools guarantees that each client of the agency will benefit from it and use it.

Tools in agencies 

We mentioned earlier a budget optimser tool. Yes, that’s something you should request from your agency as it will ensure your media budget is well spent across each of the channels you will use. In other words, it will help you deliver the maximum ROAS for your campaign. You could expect some performance improvements around 5-8%. Let’s now look at the different types of tools you should request from your agency:

  • Insight tools – Another repetitive task that every agency is doing is uncovering insights to inform each strategy. Not so repetitive as each insight is different but the process of doing it via different sources can be time-consuming and repetitive. You could again push your agency to formalise the process with building a tool that can extract data in an automated way from various sources but also visualise it in an actionable way. These tools are more applicable to the planning stage of your campaign. You should request from your agency tools that are present all across the steps of a campaign, from planning to reporting. This will help you win. 
  • Execution tools – Planning tools are important, but nothing is more important than the execution of a campaign. Look into tools that are simplifying the media buying process. For example, a tool that could aggregate all buying platforms into one platform. This would allow the optimisation of your campaign to happen in one single platform rather than 5 to 10 various platforms. It will drive effectiveness for your campaigns.

Finally, let’s tackle a topic related to tools but more relevant to agencies. Adopting new tools within an agency can be challenging, but with the right approach, you can increase the likelihood of successful integration. Here are some strategies to help ensure that new tools are adopted by teams:

  • Identify the Need and Benefits
    • Clearly articulate why the new tool is necessary and how it addresses specific pain points or improves current processes.
    • Highlight the benefits, such as increased efficiency, better collaboration, or cost savings.
  • Involve the Team Early
    • Involve team members in the selection process to ensure the tool meets their needs and preferences.
    • Gather feedback and consider conducting a pilot test with a small group to gather insights before a full rollout.
  • Provide Training and Support
    • Offer comprehensive training sessions to help team members become comfortable with the new tool.
    • Provide resources such as tutorials, FAQs, and a dedicated support team to address questions and issues.
  • Communicate Clearly
    • Communicate the implementation plan, including timelines, expectations, and how the tool will be integrated into existing workflows.
    • Use multiple channels (emails, meetings, documentation) to ensure everyone is informed.
  • Showcase Success Stories
    • Share success stories and case studies of how the tool has benefited other teams or organisations.
    • Highlight quick wins and positive outcomes from the pilot phase or early adopters within the team.
  • Encourage and Reward Adoption
    • Encourage team members to use the tool by recognizing and rewarding those who embrace it.
    • Create a culture where experimentation and learning are valued, reducing resistance to change.
  • Monitor and Iterate
    • Continuously monitor the adoption process and gather feedback from the team.
    • Be prepared to make adjustments based on feedback and changing needs.
  • Measure and Report Progress
    • Establish metrics to track adoption rates, usage patterns, and impact on productivity.
    • Regularly report on progress and celebrate milestones to keep the team motivated and informed.

To conclude I would say that tools are critical in advertising, and we need more of them if and only if they serve a strategic purpose and if you build processes for them to be used. 

This thought leadership piece is written by Sebastien Lepez, Founder and CEO at JOLT Digital

Singapore – Integral Ad Science, a global media measurement and optimization platform, has announced that it has expanded its reporting and insights to Amazon. Through a server-to-server (S2S) interaction on Amazon’s DSP, advertisers now have access to measurement coverage for campaigns across Amazon custom audiences and Twitch inventory.

Advertisers in Amazon DSP from IAS have access to viewability, invalid traffic (IVT), brand safety, and appropriateness as solutions. 

IAS now offers Amazon DSP media buyers brand safety and suitability, viewability, and IVT measurement for custom audiences, as well as viewability and IVT measurement for Twitch. Cross-device measurement is available on the web and via apps for CTV, mobile, desktop, and tablet. 

Viewability, invalid traffic assessment with Amazon Ads, and brand safety and suitability expansions from IAS will be accessible in IAS Signal. The purpose of this platform is to give marketers a more uniform view of their global campaigns and more access to campaign data. 

In the third quarter of 2023, IAS also improved its integration with Amazon Ads by adding Context Control pre-bid segments. In addition to IAS’s regular pre-bid categories in Amazon DSP, customers can now simply select where their advertisements appear and reach contextually relevant content. 

Speaking about the partnership, Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS, said, “IAS and Amazon Ads share the value of customer obsession, and our global collaboration demonstrates how our companies continue to maximise return on investment for advertisers and are committed to providing independent measurement. This is yet another way IAS is empowering marketers with actionable data to drive superior results, giving them more confidence that their spend is being optimised towards performance.”

Singapore – Singaporeans spent more than 30 million hours on hold to address a customer service complaint or issue, according to new research, by digital workflow company ServiceNow. 

Data from the research suggests that the average person in Singapore spent approximately two full working days (equivalent to 16.1 hours) on hold last year equivalent to a staggering loss of S$1.24 billion in wages nationwide.

According to the study, 34% of Singaporeans are having to resolve issues by themselves because of poor service, with their top frustrations including having to repeat their issues to multiple people/departments (60%), being transferred to multiple people or departments (53%), and the relentless wait on hold (42%).

With this in mind, respondents believe the nation is ‘stuck on hold’ due to staff not having any power to make decisions/resolve issue (52%), lack of ownership and responsibility between different departments (48%), inefficient communications within the organisations (48%), customer service departments being understaffed or overwhelmed (47%), and customer service staff not listening to the customer (40%).

72% of Singaporeans have even less patience with bad service because of inflated costs; with a similar number of locals (70%) thinking that customer service is getting worse because companies are cutting costs. 70% of Singaporeans also reported encountering service disruptions from key providers. On average, each Singaporean experienced two disruptions each year.

Furthermore, 1 in 3 respondents believe that the time they spent on hold in 2023 is an increase from the previous year; almost 1 in 2 respondents (43%) believe the time it takes to resolve an issue has also increased. 43% of Singaporeans say their expectations of an organisation’s customer service department has increased in 2023.

Notably, the research also compared generational service experiences, revealing signs of a digital divide in customer service quality. Baby Boomers were left waiting the longest for service in Singapore, in 2023, spending an average of 5.7 days for their issue to be resolved. For younger generations, it takes around 2 days less on average to have their issues resolved.

When asked about the quality of customer service that they want to be provided with, the respondents cited that exemplary customer service for them is having the issue resolved quickly (67%), getting through to someone quickly by phone, chat or in person (52%), having an empathetic customer service agent who cares (47%), being able to track progress (46%), and a customer service agent knowing all your service details/interaction history (42%).

Talking about these results, Wee Luen Chia, managing director at ServiceNow Asia, said, “A better customer experience starts with clearer visibility of where and why processes are currently letting customers down. Only then can organisations invest in improving operations, to consolidate, augment, or replace the service gaps. Instead of betting on quick-fix solutions, customer experience requires a long-term commitment to building service roadmaps to progressively meet and even exceed Singaporeans’ evolving expectations.”

“To break this downward spiral and earn back trust, customer service needs to enable the service teams to do their best work. Routing the right people to the right process, at the right time will solve the customer’s issue fast – this is where automation and AI technologies can deliver their best work in the service of employees and also for customers,” he added.

Canada – While digital out-of-home (DOOH) has taken centre stage in recent years, static OOH continues to be in high demand. Currently, static OOH accounts for around 70% of the current OOH market inventory. This is according to the latest report from Broadsign, putting focus on critical insights into the current and future problems and possibilities in the OOH sector.

Even though static OOH has been successful in the digital age, most participants expressed that procedures for OOH are excessively complicated and hinder productivity. Only 17% of respondents said their teams ran well, and almost 50% said there was a serious need to improve workflow.

Additionally, 53% of respondents cited operational inefficiencies as a barrier to competition. According to participant input, improving OOH’s share of advertising revenue in the upcoming years will depend heavily on the modernization of static technologies and procedures.

Emerging technologies are opening up new prospects in the static OOH sector. These include automation tools, data, and analytics solutions. Interviewees for the report expressed a rising focus on data and analytics, along with real-time technology insights regarding inventory availability. 87% of respondents said their organisations would benefit significantly from adding greater automation to their processes.

When asked which trends or technologies they believed would have the biggest impact on the expansion of the industry going forward, 59% of respondents named data-driven targeting, and 47% named data measurement and attribution. 

The report’s participants prioritised sustainability, with many expressing their aim to implement more sustainable business practices in order to achieve carbon neutrality in the future. Approximately 64% of the participants had already pledged to decrease their carbon footprint, and 17% indicated that they intended to introduce sustainable practices. 

In terms of ongoing initiatives, 56% of participants were using energy-efficient LEDs for signage, 33% were using recycled materials, and 48% were recycling or donating vinyl after the campaign. 

More than 125 OOH professionals from 60 different companies throughout the world contributed to the report’s compilation. With screen counts ranging from a few hundred to thousands, organisations running hybrid static/digital networks accounted for almost two-thirds of the participants. 

Speaking about the report, Catherine Lee, Broadsign product marketing specialist, said, “Static is going to continue playing an essential role in the OOH market for the foreseeable future, but as more screens go digital, adapting with the times will be vital. To this end, there is more work to be done to automate the tools and processes used across the industry and reduce static OOH’s carbon footprint.” 

She added, “Our report findings not only reinforce these challenges, but point toward an optimistic future for the industry should it work together to evolve and overcome them. We’re excited to reveal our findings to the community and hope they’ll inspire conversions that drive change.”

Manila, Philippines – Popular coffee chain Starbucks in the Philippines recently came under fire after a signage from one of its local chains limiting discounts for PWDs and senior citizen went viral on social media. In it, the signage noted that said discounts will be only limited to ‘one food item and one beverage only per visit.’

Following this, a government hearing ordered by House Speaker Martin Romualdez summoned representatives from Starbucks Philippines to discuss the said issue. During the hearing, Angela Cole, operations manager at Starbucks Philippines; apologised and clarified there was an error in their advisory, saying it was not properly worded.

“We are taking full accountability and acknowledge the mistake. We are disappointed at the confusion we caused because of the erroneous signage,” Cole said.

However, many lawmakers still point out that Starbucks wasn’t sincere with their apology, with some stating that Rustan’s Coffee Corp, the local Starbucks licensee, should substantially correct its mistake by doing promos such as making a buy-one-take-one offer to senior citizens and PWDs, like buy one croissant, take one beverage.

To learn more about how online social sentiment for this fiasco unfolded, MARKETECH APAC tapped insights from social media monitoring Digimind to learn more about the numbers and insights regarding this local Starbucks issue.

A constant growth of negative sentiment

According to the data Digimind recorded from January 11 (the date when the signage’s image went viral) to January 19, the fiasco got around ~328,000 people online talking about it, and was mentioned around ~556,000 times with around 20 million estimated online reach.

The news reached its peak by January 17, which saw a +190% increase in online engagement since the image was first posted. Digimind notes that this news recorded a negative sentiment score of -27%. This change started drawing flak from netizens for its alleged violation of anti-discriminatory laws against PWD and the elderly.

For context, under the ‘Expanded Senior Citizens Act’ and ‘Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of PWDs,’ PWD and senior citizen beneficiaries are entitled to a 20% discount and exemption from value-added tax on some goods and services.

Digimind also noted that a significant portion, approximately 20%, of recent Twitter conversations related to Starbucks reflects a noteworthy sentiment of dissatisfaction, prominently featuring the term ‘boycott.’ 

For Digimind, this surge in online discourse signifies a considerable level of discontent among users. Various reasons have been articulated for advocating a boycott, with the recent alteration in Starbucks’ discount policy emerging as a pivotal point of contention.

Jared Silitonga, marketing lead at Digimind, said, “Adding complexity to the discourse surrounding Starbucks, it has come to light that the recent discontent among internauts has been exacerbated by the apology given by Starbucks associated with the changes in the discount policy. The company’s apology, brushing away the error as “erroneous”, has been a pivotal development in the ongoing narrative.”

He added, “The apology, while a step towards transparency, seems to have unintentionally intensified customer dissatisfaction. The amplification of discontent could be attributed to a variety of factors, including the manner in which the apology was communicated or perhaps a deeper-seated frustration stemming from perceived insensitivity or lack of responsiveness.”

Netizens still defend discount policy change

Looking into the data that Digimind had collected, the negative sentiment against Starbucks Philippines focused more on questioning why the coffee chain should decide the limitations on the PWD/senior citizen discount despite it being government-mandated, as well as the discount limitation being ‘discriminatory’ against the certain demographic.

This sentiment also spills over to some netizens desiring to boycott the coffee and instead move to competitor coffee chains or support small-and-medium coffee chains locally.

Despite this, some netizens are defending said discount policy, stating that there are instances where the PWD/senior citizen discount is often allegedly misused by users and are used repeatedly in an establishment. Moreover, some netizens argue that the discount should instead be only used on essentials and not through expensive items.

“Looking beyond the negative sentiment, there are also internauts who commend the policy change aimed at reducing abuse of the system designed to benefit the elderly and PWDs. These supporters view the change as a way to explicitly protect the rights of a minority group within Starbucks’ customer base. Some argued that it is worth considering how other establishments do not provide any discount at all,” Silitonga noted.

How to address corporate social responsibility issues

In terms of what Starbucks should do in terms of addressing these issues properly, Silitonga offers a piece of advice related to balancing its corporate social responsibility and the cultural nuances in the Philippines.

“In the context of the Philippines, where Starbucks holds a significant market presence, the impact of this message and subsequent apology takes on added significance. The local nuances and cultural considerations must be carefully considered in addressing the concerns raised by the community. Starbucks may need to engage in a more targeted and culturally sensitive communication strategy to navigate the intricacies of the Philippine market,” he said.

He added, “From a broader business perspective, this situation highlights the importance of crisis communication and the delicate balance required in managing online reputation. This fiasco has not only triggered dissatisfaction but has also highlighted the need for meticulous planning and expeditious execution when communicating changes, especially those that directly impact customer experiences.”

Singapore – Yahoo has announced first-to-market testing capabilities for its identity suite, ‘Yahoo Identity Solutions,’ directly in the Yahoo DSP. The move aims to have advertisers gain valuable media insights and prepare their businesses today to properly optimise and measure campaigns amid third-party cookie deprecation. 

Through this new identity suite, advertisers can test their campaign’s future-proofing strategies in a simulated environment directly within the Yahoo DSP across all web browsers and in-app inventory. The test also enables advertisers to remove cookies across all identity-related use cases such as frequency capping, targeting, conversion attribution, and reach metrics to understand how Yahoo Identity Solutions can support their programmatic media. 

Through a simple A/B test, advertisers can view a control line running on the web and in-app inventory as it exists today – inclusive of all third-party cookies and identifiers – and a test line that runs across the same environments without third-party cookies and device IDs, which leverages Yahoo Identity Solutions for targeting and buying. 

Moreover, by juxtaposing control and test campaigns, advertisers can get a better sense of future advertising trends, thereby optimising campaigns and enhancing overall outcomes. Identity testing can be run using a variety of audiences, including demographic, income, interest, lookalike, and predictive.

Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, chief revenue officer at Yahoo, said, “As cookie deprecation quickly approaches, advertisers are looking to easily and accurately test solutions without having to change the way they buy or introduce friction into their campaigns. These new testing capabilities and our continued enhancement of Yahoo Identity Solutions reflect our unwavering dedication to providing advertisers with accurate insights and measurable business outcomes.”

Meanwhile, Dan Richardson, director of data and insights for AUSEA at Yahoo, emphasises the significance of identity testing, saying, “These new testing features move Identity from back end to front and centre, right there in your campaign setup, giving advertisers more control and a bigger impact. This underscores Yahoo’s dedication to a privacy-centric and results-driven ecosystem in the APAC region, ensuring advertisers achieve their business objectives with precision and adaptability.”

Manila, Philippines – Media giant GMA has launched its own artificial intelligence (AI) sportscasters, which debuted at the start of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 99.

Following the release of it, GMA has been hit with negative publicity, most especially from media practitioners, over the ethics of launching it and ‘cheapening’ quality of mass journalism in the country.

Exclusive data obtained from Meltwater by MARKETECH APAC notes that negative sentiment for it comprise around 25% of the online discussion, while neutral discussion comprising around 55.4% of online discussion. Lastly, positive sentiment was around 19.6% of online discussion.

Most of these highly-engaged discussions on Twitter, to where much of the discussion is coming from, have noted also negative sentiment media reportage of the AI sportscaster launch.

GMA joins a growing list Asian media entities who have launched their own AI newscasters, including Hong Kong’s RTHK with Aida, Indonesia’s TVOne with Nadira and Sasya, India’s OTV with Lisa, Malaysia’s Astro AWANI with Joon and Monica; amongst others.

In a press statement, Oliver Victor B. Amoroso, senior vice president and head of integrated news, regional TV, and synergy at GMA; said of the launch, “GMAIN’s adoption of AI technology also demonstrates our commitment to innovation in journalism. We embrace emerging technologies to stay at the forefront of the media industry by providing our audience with a modern and engaging sports news experience. Through this initiative, we continue to fulfill our commitment to providing valuable information and enriching the lives of Filipinos worldwide.”

Bangkok, Thailand – A large chunk of consumers in Thailand say that they have a negative perception towards a brand if their online ad appears alongside inappropriate content, with 74% saying they would trust a brand less. This is according to the latest data from Integral Ad Science (IAS).

For context, IAS notes thaat inappropriate content online for Thai consumers includes those depicting violence and human rights violations, spam or malware, piracy, explicit adult content, hate speech, illegul drugs, alcohol, smoking, terrorism, profanity, and debate on sensitive topics.

Data notes that around 71% of the respondents would feel less favourable towards a brand that advertises near inappropriate content, and 67% saying they are likely to stop using a product and/or service of a brand whose ad appears near inappropriate content.

In terms of brand accountability, 71% believe that brands are responsible for the content surrounding their ads, 74% say that the content surrounding a brand’s ads is a reflection of their values, and 72% believe that brands have a responsibility to publicly denounce offensive content online.

Lastly, both 70% of respondents agree that they are likely to recommend the brand to others when their ad appears near appropriate content and that they are likely to purchase a product and/or service from the brand whose ad(s) appear near appropriate content. 

In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Megan Reichelt, country manager for SEA at IAS, stressed the importance of placing ads on safe environments, noting that they will be likely to be seen by the right people and have a positive impact on the brand. This in turn can lead to improved campaign performance in terms of reach, engagement, and conversions.

“Brand safety is important to Thai marketers because it helps to protect their brand reputation and avoid negative publicity. In recent years, there have been a number of high-profile incidents of brand safety breaches, such as ads appearing alongside inappropriate or offensive content. These incidents have damaged the reputations of the brands involved and led to calls for stricter regulations in the digital advertising industry,” Reichelt stated.

She also added that when a brand’s ad appears alongside inappropriate or offensive content, it can damage the brand’s reputation and make consumers lose trust in the brand.

“A brand safety breach can lead to negative publicity for the brand, which can damage its reputation and sales. In some cases, brand safety breaches have even led to legal action against the brands involved,” she noted.

Reichelt also added that stakes are high when the industry talk about keeping a brand safe, as a given brand’s image may have been carefully crafted over the years, only to be destroyed for a consumer in the milliseconds it takes for a display ad to render next to the ‘wrong’ content. 

“This damage can spread further in the time it takes to snap a screen grab and post it. So, what happens next? The digital version of guilt by association—your brand now appears to represent something that it probably does not,” she said.

When asked how brands can place their ads at the right place, she advises that aside from working with trusted publishers as well as third-party verification providers, it is also important to understand contextual advertising.

“Contextual targeting is a method of placing ads based on the content of the page where they are being displayed. This means that ads for cars will be more likely to appear on pages about cars, and ads for shoes will be more likely to appear on pages about shoes,” she said.

All of these advices fall under the goal of attaining brand safety, as well as an advertisement appearing in a suitable context.

“There is no shortage of misinformation and social media commentary related to any number of topics right now, so many regional marketers are actively looking to understand the facts associated with brand suitability. The conversation is indeed fast evolving from the binary focus of brand safety to the more nuanced and bespoke brand suitability. In today’s digital landscape, we are scaling successfully through the likes of programmatic—now we need to focus on quality,” she concluded.

Singapore – Consumers in Singapore are wary of the fast adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by businesses, with 87% of local consumers saying they want to know whether they are communicating with an AI or human for customer service. This was according to the latest data from Salesforce.

According to the data, around 79% of the respondents are concerned about companies using AI unethically. However, it is also worth noting that around 66% of customers in Singapore say advances in AI make it more important that companies are trustworthy.

Meanwhile, 53% of customers in Singapore expect companies to understand their needs as they change. Furthermore, 85% of customers in Singapore expect faster service and 78% expect better personalisation as technology advances.

In addition, 78% of customers in Singapore expect consistent interactions across departments and 76% expect to interact with someone immediately when they contact a company.

Lastly, in terms of customer engagement, 85% of consumers in Singapore say the experience a company provides is just as important as its products and services. However, many companies fall short – 66% of customers in Singapore say most companies treat them as a number rather than a unique individual.

Moreover, 62% of consumers in Singapore switched brands at least once in the past year. With this, the quest for better deals is the leading reason for switching brands but the demand for product quality follows closely behind. 

Sujith Abraham, senior vice president and general manager for Salesforce ASEAN, said, “Rising customer expectations means companies can’t afford to stand still when it comes to customer service. Technologies such as AI hold immense potential for businesses to keep up with changing needs and preferences. But this also raises pressing concerns around the ethics of AI.”

He added, “The trust imperative is now more important than ever. Companies that will succeed are those that demonstrate they are approaching the technology thoughtfully, grounded in transparency and security, in order to win the trust of their customers.”

Manila, Philippines – Having close family ties is one of the hallmarks of Filipino culture, so it comes as no surprise that family celebrations are much beloved in the Philippines.

Amongst the most anticipated is Mother’s Day – and insights from GrabAds, the advertising arm of the leading superapp, show that Pinoys do get busy creating special moments for their nanays every second Sunday of May. 

GrabAds’ report, the ‘GrabAds SEA Mother’s Day Insights Report 2023’, gives brands and consumers a clear picture of how Grab – with its portfolio of services like GrabFood, GrabMart and GrabExpress – enables and empowers users to create extra-special Mother’s Day celebrations for their moms. 

According to the report, 88% of Grab users in the Philippines have already come up with plans specific to Mother’s Day 2023. The respondents look forward most to gathering their families, ordering food online, and going out for a meal together with their loved ones and, of course, their moms. 

GrabAds insights also show that Filipinos are happy to create special dining experiences at home as they tend to order more on the said date. In 2022, GrabFood orders rose by 25% on Mother’s Day versus the average number of food orders across all Sundays of April.

Meanwhile, delivered items also tend to be on the road more during Mother’s Day. For instance, last 8 May 2022, there were 37% more GrabExpress Deliveries versus the average Express Orders on the Sundays of the month prior. 

Moreover, eight out of 10 Grab users in the Philippines also plan on buying their moms a gift, and 82% of these are keen on buying a gift from Grab. Among the most popular choices on GrabFood and GrabMart during Mother’s Day last year were cakes and pastries, flower bouquets, and home and kitchen appliances. 

“Mother’s Day remains to be one of the most important gifting occasions in Southeast Asia. Our GrabAds report shows a surge in user activity one week before the day itself, across the region, as people start looking for ways to make this day extra special for their loved ones,” said Jennie Johnson, head of regional marketing at GrabAds. 

Johnson added, “This Mother’s Day, merchants and brands across the region have the opportunity to connect with consumers looking for the perfect gift for their mom via superapps like Grab.”

To celebrate the occasion, Grab will also be rolling out promos on GrabMart and GrabFood on May 14.