Tag: Report

Singapore – Nearly 4 out of 5 APAC consumers agree that companies should do a better job at capturing Asian people’s true lifestyle and culture in advertising, a report from Getty Images revealed.

The new research showed that stereotypical and inauthentic visual representations of various Asian communities are still present in the Asia-Pacific advertising scene.

According to the data, only less than 10% of the most popular visuals for Australasia, Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan accurately represent Asian people and their lived experiences. Instead, the findings revealed that the most commonly used imagery tends to lean heavily towards perpetuating common stereotypes.

The common stereotypes in the Asian advertising scene include depicting Asians as youthful, slender, having lighter skin tones, and predominantly portrayed in work-related contexts. Furthermore, popular visuals all portray the same underlying messages, styling, and emotion, which is often overly happy and has little to no connection to each culture.

Getty Images’ research report also showed that nearly 4 out of 5 consumers across APAC agree that companies also need to do a better job at capturing people’s true lifestyles and cultures. They felt that simply increasing the representation of individuals from diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, and appearances within advertising and media was insufficient.

Additionally, a striking 3 out of 5 also shared that they’ve felt discrimination based on body size, lifestyle choices, race, ethnicity, gender identity, disability, and sexuality.

The report identified a number of representation gaps that are specific to APAC, which include disparities in depicting cultural specificities, underrepresentation of older adults, a lack of diversity in gender representation, limited portrayals of Asian working life, a prevailing preference for Eurocentric beauty standards and body types, and an absence of individuals with disabilities, among others.

The representation gaps and lack of diversity in imagery limit the opportunity to showcase Asia-Pacific’s extensive span of cultures and demographics.

These concerning findings underscore the importance for the media and advertising industry to recognise the intricate diversity and multidimensionality inherent in Asian cultures and align their strategies with consumer expectations to deliver authentic and meaningful portrayals of Asian identities.

Yuri Endo, creative insights manager at Getty Images, said, “Despite the region’s diversity, everyday images and videos that aim to capture Asian experiences often fall short, perpetuating harmful stereotypes or missing the mark entirely. This misrepresentation and underrepresentation in TV shows, social media, and advertising has led to significant gaps in consumers’ understanding of the region’s realities.”

“By sharing these guidelines, the report takes a significant step towards helping brands serving APAC customers promote accurate and respectful portrayals of Asian communities, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and equitable visual landscape,” she added.

Singapore – PC and mobile gaming will continue to have notable growth for the next 5 years in the SEA market amidst post-pandemic normalcy and overall economy, according to the latest SEA-6 games market report by market research company Niko Partners.

Data from the report suggests that this increase in revenue is projected in line with the consistent rise of mobile games along with the growth of mobile gamers in SEA, as well as other factors such as the prevalence of esports and government support in the region.  

The rise of mobile gaming is made clear as the report states that mobile games are making up 66.4% of the region’s games revenue in 2023, which is expected to increase by almost 70% in 2027. 

Notably, Indonesia leads the region’s gamer growth with more than 4% PC and mobile gamers expected over the next 5 years. Meanwhile, Thailand and Vietnam lead the mobile games revenue growth, with more than 7% growth over the next 5 years. On the other hand, Singapore shows a particular growth for its mobile games’ revenue, surpassing more populous countries including Malaysia, Philippines, and Vietnam.

Another main factor is esports remaining as a major driver for gaming in the region. Esports’ inclusion as a medal sport in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, saw teams from SEA countries’ all vying for the esports medals, with Thailand and Malaysia among the highest earners of esports medals in the event. With this, the SEA esports market is estimated to generate $78.6 million in 2023.

Lastly, there is now an increased government support in SEA to strengthen the local game industry and ecosystem through various initiatives, funding, and regulatory updates. SEA also sees continuous investments from global game companies, with new offices, collaborations, and growing communities that mark the importance of the region to the video game industry.

Talking about the results, Lisa Hanson, CEO and president of Niko Partners, said, “As a mobile-first market with a huge esports fanbase, Southeast Asia offers tremendous opportunities for global game companies. Their increased presence in the region showcases how promising the Southeast Asia market is.”

“As Southeast Asian countries are culturally diverse, it is crucial for companies to understand there is no uniformed approach and consider the uniqueness of each market”, she added.

APAC – Consumers in six markets across three regions now spend more than five hours each day in apps for Q3 2023 with APAC leading the way, according to the report by mobile analytics provider data.ai.

Data from the report indicates that globally, Indonesia surpassed the five-hours-per-day threshold the most in Q3 2023 with more than 6 hours per day, followed by Thailand with 5.7 hours and India making top 5 with 5.2 hours.

Additionally, Singapore holds firm in the top 10 countries with a 10% growth in usage from Q2 2023 with 4.7 hours spent, adding to how daily time spent on mobile apps has climbed double-digit percentage points across several markets in APAC.

The report also focused on the emergence of Threads, which was launched by Meta at the start of Q3, which skyrocketed up the charts and reached 150 million downloads faster than any other app in history. For APAC, Singapore saw Threads as the top app in terms of downloads and download growth for the quarter, but it remains to be seen if it can sustain its position at the top in Q4 2023.

Furthermore, Threads was also regarded by the report as the number one breakout app in terms of downloads for Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.

Lastly, in terms of consumer spend in APAC,  the top breakout apps by consumer spend growth vary in different markets, but the focus for Q3 2023 centres around social media apps such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, accompanied by new trends such as AI photo editing apps and generative AI apps.

Singapore – Almost 84% of Singaporean travellers are greatly inspired to travel to movie or TV show destinations, a report from Skyscanner revealed.

The insights from Skyscanner’s report showed that the majority of Singaporean travellers are greatly inspired by film and entertainment, with 8 out of 10 choosing destinations based on a movie or TV show they watched.

In addition, nearly half, or 41%, of the respondents consider the overall ‘vibe’ of a destination as important when planning where to go in 2024. The four key travel vibes identified by the report are set-jetting (84%), gig tripping (60%), budget bougie foodies (54%), and destination Zzzz (23%).

Among the four key travel vibes, set-jetting came out on top as Singaporean travellers embody their ‘main character energy’ thus wanting to slot themselves into the locations of their favourite shows.

The jet-setting trend can be partially attributed to the ‘Korean Wave’ that hit Singapore since 2001 and is still present today, with the TV series favourite Jeju in South Korea claiming the top spot in the 2024 destination list Singaporeans wish to visit. This is followed by Christchurch in New Zealand, where ‘Lord of the Rings’ was filmed, and Paris in France featured in ‘Emily in Paris’.

Aside from the ‘main character energy’ trend, ‘gig tripping’ follows behind, with Singaporean travellers expressing the willingness to fly to another country to catch their favourite artist.

Under this trend, 46% said they were willing to fly short-haul and 14% said they’d fly long-haul. In fact, 28% of Singaporean travellers plan to attend a gig or music concert abroad in 2024.

Meanwhile, eating and trying local authentic cuisines remains a popular activity for Singapore travellers, thus placing the ‘budget bougie foodies’’ trend on the top 4 list.

Around 30% of respondents have booked a destination purely to visit a specific restaurant, with Osaka, nicknamed ‘the kitchen of Japan’, being the top trending destination amongst Singaporean travellers.

Also making it to the top 4 key travel vibes is the ‘destinations Zzzz’ trend, with the data from the report revealing that sleeping ranks high on the Singaporean travellers’ main activities for their next holiday. This even ranked above water sports (22%), wildlife spotting (19%), and snow sports (18%).

The trend is likely to continue as 39% of Singapore travellers attest to enjoying better sleep on a holiday, likely due to the therapeutic escape a vacation offers.

The report also looked into the changing lifestyles of consumers that are creating new traveller types in 2024.

Among the types of travellers emerging in 2024 are the analogue adventurers, with one in five, or 19%, of Singaporean travellers aged 18 to 24-years-old now bringing a Polaroid camera with them on holiday. This stems from the trend where Gen Zs are bringing back old-school analogue adventures that ditch the digital device.

Celebration vacationers are also expected to emerge as more Singaporean travellers look into celebrating big milestones in their lives with style. The report revealed that two in three, or 64%, of travellers have taken a group trip to celebrate a birthday or anniversary.

However, the issue of cost often comes up, as one in two (48%) said that agreeing on the expected costs of the trip is their primary hurdle when planning group trips, followed by knowing how or where to communicate with their group (43%).

Lastly, the report also identifies the emergence of the ‘luxe-for-less seekers’, as 23% of Singaporean travellers plan to upgrade their flight to business or first class in 2024, while 25% plan to purchase airport lounge access.

The report not only covered decision-making trends but also the top trending destinations Singaporeans are looking into for their 2024 trips.

Japan places two of its cities, Osaka and Fukuoka, on the top trending list for Singaporeans, with the former being a foodie haven and the latter being beautifully serene. The bustling city of Taipei in Taiwan also rounds out the list at number three.

On the other hand, Indonesia came out top overall, securing the highest three spots for the best value destinations category, with its cities Yogyakarta, Jakarta, and Praya making it to the list.

It is worth mentioning, however, that the report also found Singaporeans grappling with the challenge of switching off while on vacation. Despite 89% of respondents acknowledging the importance of disconnecting during a trip, 34% still check their work emails, with 23% even admitting they are searching for a new job while overseas.

Cyndi Hui, travel trends and destination expert at Skyscanner, shared, “Singaporeans have shown themselves to be inspired travellers, driven by a strong desire to go where their imagination takes them. That said, we also see that the demands of modern life too often prevent us from committing ourselves to the present.”

“In 2024, we hope to help Singaporeans prioritise themselves, and that includes fully embracing the many opportunities and experiences that come with travelling. Skyscanner, with its suite of traveller-first tools, provides fuss-free travel planning, allowing you to live in the moment, free of distractions,” she added.

Singapore – Around 70% of marketing decision-makers worldwide are investing more than half of their budgets in long-term initiatives, with 78% remaining optimistic in the future regardless of ongoing crises, a study from GfK revealed.

The results showed that 61 percent of marketing decision-makers worldwide believe that their industry has been hit harder than others by the ongoing turbulence of recent years.

Among these numbers, there are regional disparities, with 66% of marketing decision-makers in Europe and 65% in North America feeling particularly affected by the economic situation. Meanwhile, only 52% in Africa and the Middle East and 55% in the Asia-Pacific region agree with this statement.

However, despite ongoing crises, over two-thirds (70%) of marketing decision-makers worldwide are investing more than half of their budgets in long-term initiatives like campaigns focused on strengthening the brand. The proportion further rises to 78% among CMOs.

Industry-wise, consumer tech (76%), automotive (76%), and retail (74%) are among the areas marketing leaders are zeroing in on for long-term brand-building strategies. Additionally, B2B brands are more willing to make long-term investments, with longer conversion cycles and smaller customer bases probably playing a role in their decision.

The results of the study further showed that optimism and confidence are still present among CMOs, as almost three-quarters state that their company has grown in the last three years and 78% state that they are optimistic about the future.

These optimistic marketing leaders are more focused on long-term brand building (77%), suggesting a link between optimism and long-term investment. Most marketing leaders also show impressive confidence in their budgets, with nearly two-thirds overall saying they find it easy to justify their financial needs and fund their marketing expenditures, particularly in North America and Europe.

In terms of the speed at which they receive real-time insights, 61% of global marketing leaders state that they receive actionable insights either immediately after data gathering or in the short term, but still quickly. Only 3% claim that generating insights takes too long to be useful for their marketing campaigns at all.

On the other hand, larger companies seem to have an advantage. The data revealed that the bigger the company, the higher the proportion of insights generated in real-time.

Among the frontrunners, Europe leads the way, with 33% of marketers saying they receive insights in real-time. This shows a huge gap versus the global average of 26%.

The score, meanwhile, is lowest in Africa and the Middle East, where only 19% claim to have access to real-time insights. One-third of global marketers state that data integration is the main obstacle to achieving real-time insights.

Overall, 44% of the survey’s respondents want to improve their capabilities in generating actionable insights, while 42% aim at improving data integration in their companies.

Next to real-time insights, AI is also transforming the way marketers work. Almost half of marketing leaders worldwide (45%) said they are already using AI, while 40% are familiar with or using machine learning models.

Additionally, the uptake of ChatGPT has been rapid, with 36% of respondents stating they were already using it by March 2023, despite it being on the market for less than a year. Marketers in big enterprises are seen to be early adopters of such technology, showing more familiarity than those in smaller firms.

Another thing worth noting, however, is that the data from the report also raises the question of whether marketers are failing their audience in terms of sustainability.

After some extreme weather events, CMOs worldwide are placing more emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection, with 42% stating this is an important part of their brand. The number is especially high in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific (46%).

Still, there seems to be a huge gap in how marketers perceive their audience in relation to demands for sustainability. The report revealed that only 30 percent of the respondents feel that their customers expect them to address sustainability.

On the flipside, the report finds that almost 73% of consumers actually expect companies to take environmentally responsible actions. One factor might be that companies tend to see sustainability as a corporate initiative rather than a marketing one, to which at least 24% of global marketers agree, especially among North American companies.

Overall, marketers need to keep in mind that any engagement with the environment and the climate must be authentic and long-term to be credible for consumers.

Gonzalo Garcia Villanueva, CMO at NielsenIQ/GfK, shared, “In recent years, market disruptions have shown us just how quickly buyer behaviour can pivot, highlighting the need for real-time predictive data. The businesses that thrive in this environment will be those that can anticipate what’s coming next.”

He added, “It is notable that marketing leaders across regions who say that their company has grown in the last three years and are optimistic get their insights faster than others. This indicates that successful companies are more digitalized and prioritise real-time insights for marketing.”

Singapore – Around 23% of market share in 2022 will be accounted for by insurgent disruptors as Southeast Asian consumers’ find ways to satisfy their unmet needs and evolving preferences, a report by Meta, Bain & Company, and DSG Consumer Partners revealed.

The report reveals that there is an emerging new hierarchy of wants and needs for consumers in Southeast Asia.

Almost 39% of consumers indicated a reduction in their average spend in the past year, citing top concerns around economic stability (63%), and cost of living (58%). Alcohol and electronics experienced the largest drop in spending, while food, personal care, and wellness categories remained resilient.

However, despite the reduced spending, the report observed a reprioritization of what is perceived as needs versus wants for consumers. What consumers previously considered luxuries like eating out every week, branded apparel, and the latest gadgets have moved into what is now seen as new ‘needs’. Social media was also cited as the top essential category and streaming as the rising essential category across income levels.

With some wants slowly transitioning into new needs, the report also unveiled some interesting data emerging in the Southeast Asian workforce.

According to the report, Gen Zs and solo entrepreneurs are becoming important cohorts to engage with as SEA’s working population is set to increase by 24 million people by 2030.

The rising incomes and growing middle and upper middle classes are causing the region to move closer to a consumption inflection point, which will accelerate the trajectory of consumption growth. And Gen Zs and single households are two particular consumer segments driving this growth.

Around 23% of Gen Zs comprise the total Southeast Asian population, while the solo economy, made up of single households, is growing, driven by three key demographic groups: older singles, young professionals, and young urban migrants.

The shifts in household sizes are expected to be most pronounced in the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, which are expected to see a 20% increase in single households by 2030.

Additionally, the report revealed that Gen Zs value individuality, authenticity, and identity more than other generations. They are not just digital-centric but highly engaged in the digital community, messaging businesses an average of eight times a month, and 82% of them said they are part of an online community.

However, older generations are also quickly catching up in terms of experimenting with new technology. Data from the survey reports reveals that AI is powering personalisation across generations.

With all generations in the region spending more time online and experimenting with new technologies such as AI, VR, and healthtech, businesses in SEA should have an idea of how they can successfully engage with their consumers.

The report showed that businesses in Southeast Asia are beginning to use AI for marketing purposes and to address region-specific issues. Almost 73% of business leaders surveyed recognised the opportunities from AI. However, they also admitted that they were not prepared to seize them.

Nevertheless, once businesses can focus on personalised marketing and invest in AI-powered and AI-enabled tools to facilitate personalisation on a large scale, they will be able to effectively reach Southeast Asian consumers and drive a strong ROI.

However, the most interesting data the report captured is the emergence of insurgent disruptors or brands that are new to the market but are growing five times quicker in revenue versus their category growth rate.

These insurgent disruptors are now responsible for US$52b in revenue in Southeast Asia alone and accounted for 23% of the market share in 2022. Among the top categories where insurgent disruptors have successfully gained market share are beauty, personal care, and packaged food.

Praneeth Yendamuri, partner at Bain & Company, said, “Southeast Asia as a region has demonstrated resilience amidst the global slowdown and consumer sentiment is rebounding in most markets. This is a great opportunity for businesses to address the needs of approximately 700 million consumers in a USD $4T economy that is forecasted to grow at 4.6% to 2030 (vs. 2.7% globally).”

He added, “SEA has repeatedly shown its importance as part of investors’ portfolios with significant global valuation and profit and loss impact. To take the region to its full potential, bold moves are required: relooking at your SEA ambitions by prioritising, sequencing, and, most importantly, funding them. Companies should also form an obsession with local consumers and evolve operating models to be locally responsive, balancing the incumbent scale advantage with the disruptive insurgent mindset.”

Speaking on the report, Benjamin Joe, vice president for Southeast Asia and emerging markets at Meta, also commented, “AI is powering better experiences for people, and it’s powering better outcomes for businesses. At Meta, we’re combining our AI-powered discovery engine with the social connection that has always been the core of our platforms to deliver more relevant, entertaining, and locally attuned experiences. With new tools capable of big impact, it’s no surprise that marketers across Southeast Asia are already starting to lean into AI to drive more impactful engagement and performance.”

“Embracing AI is now more crucial than ever for businesses aiming to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape of Southeast Asia,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sameer Mehta, head of Southeast Asia at DSG Consumer Partners, also shared, “Insurgent disruptors are new brands less than 10 years old that have demonstrated strong market share growth. With ‘wants’ transitioning into ‘needs’ and dissatisfaction with what the incumbent brands provide, it is no surprise that Southeast Asian consumers are choosing insurgent disruptors to satisfy their unmet needs and evolving expectations.”

Singapore – With almost 63% of marketers already using it, generative AI is expected to shape the industry in the coming months, a report from dentsu revealed. 

According to the new dentsu report, generative AI, together with monetization and integrity economics, are among the rising trends set to transform the media industry in 2024 and beyond. 

Around 63% of marketers have said they’ve already started engaging with generative AI in their company. With this, the report predicts that technology will take centre stage, covering areas such as creativity, media planning, and production.

The report showed three trends in generative AI. These trends are the rise of generative search, the augmentation of human creativity in fields like content and image development, and generative optimisations, where generative AI simplifies advertising production, targeting, and effectiveness.

The dentsu report also revealed key predictions pointing to the race to monetisation between tech platforms. These tech platforms are expected to double down on becoming more protective of their data, understanding their users, and stepping up their advertising offerings as they continue to monetize their services. 

This megatrend incorporates trends like a world of lookalike apps where platforms become progressively similar. Also part of these trends are the platforms having a more defensive stance on their data, doubling down on people intelligence, and expanding advertising to new areas for most platforms.

Lastly, the latest report also showed trends leaning towards integrity economics, where the focus is on brands and their sustainable contributions to society. Brands that can build more carbon-efficient, diverse, and safe online spaces for people and other brands may achieve more success.

According to the report, this trend is highlighted by media consumption becoming increasingly diverse and personal, new developments in brand assurance that create safer environments for both people and brands, and brands implementing carbon media efficiency strategies. 

The latest report highlights the key trends within each of these three areas of interest and provides suggestions on how brands can capitalise on them in the short and long term. 

Peter Huijboom, global CEO for media international markets at dentsu, said, “Our own client research has shown that more than 60% of marketers have said they’ve already started engaging with generative AI in their company. So, in our dentsu 2024 Media Trends report, it was important for us to identify and introduce the additive advantages, trends, and technologies to help them progress in this space.” 

Huijboom continued, “When we bring our experts together from our media agencies and from all around the world to create these predictions, it is essential that we showcase the most pressing topics and the best opportunities for the future. This report does exactly that, in a convenient and easily accessible way.”

Speaking on the report, Anita Kotwani, CEO of media for South Asia at dentsu, also said,  “Artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a buzzword, but a game-changer for the media industry. It has the power to automate, optimise, and personalise various aspects of media planning, buying, and execution. It can also unleash the creative potential of media professionals by enabling them to generate new and engaging content, formats, and experiences for their audiences. This is what we call generative AI, and it is the focus of our 14th edition of the Media Trends Report.”

“At dentsu, we take pride in our insightful expertise that keeps us ahead of the competitive curve. We are always exploring new ways to leverage AI for our clients, partners, and employees. The Media Trends Report deep-dives into one of the most disruptive technologies, AI, taking us through the many trends that serve generative AI on a platter. It aims to enable readers to reshape their work dynamics, tapping into the untapped potential through its many facets,” Kotwani added. 

Singapore – The Southeast Asian markets Malaysia and the Philippines are seen to have its retail sector thrive with 63% and 45% in retail growth, while Singapore reports a -2% decline, new data from foundit has revealed

In terms of job demands, Malaysia demonstrated a relatively consistent result over the past three months, signifying a stable market. Malaysia has shown a positive resurgence with 1% month-over-month (MoM) growth and a robust 7% year-over-year (YoY) growth across various industries.

In contrast to this, Singapore is facing challenges with a decline of -1% MoM and a significant -14% YoY in hiring demand. Additionally, the tracker showed a 4% decrease in job demands over the last three months. These numbers signal a sign of vulnerability in the job market and a reduced pace of hiring.

Similar to Singapore, the Philippines has also witnessed volatility in its job market, with a 5% decrease in job demand over the same three-month period and negative 9% YoY trends. However, despite the decline, the country’s small MoM increase of 3% suggests a reviving job market and a potential recovery in the future.

Meanwhile, Malaysia experienced an extraordinary YoY growth of 88% in the hospitality sector, while Singapore and the Philippines reported more modest figures of 8% and 0%, respectively. The high numbers can be attributed to strategic government initiatives, including substantial investments in overseas promotions and digital content on international television channels.

In the retail sector, Malaysia (63%) and the Philippines (45%) both witness remarkable growth, with the latter undergoing a robust double-digit month-on-month increase. Luxury e-commerce and the expansion of retail outlets contributed to this surge. On the flipside, however, Singapore’s retail sector reported a -2% decline for August 2023, but an optimistic outlook prevails for the upcoming quarter in the industry.

Additionally, the logistics sector also saw increased demands in Malaysia (25%) due to significant e-commerce growth, but Singapore (-4%) and the Philippines (-35%) continue to face challenges in the same sector.

Also worth noting, however, is that despite Malaysia showing growth in other sectors, it is showing a decline when it comes to IT, telecom/ISP, and BPO/ITES, like Singapore and the Philippines. The unpredictable global landscape impacted these sectors, with the Philippines showcasing a unique pattern of IT, telecom (-22%), and BPO/ITES (0%).

But even so, data from the report showed Malaysia demonstrating growth and resilience in the tech sector, with a 3% YoY growth in software, hardware, and telecom roles. This growth reflects the ongoing digitization efforts across industries, demanding professionals with technology expertise to drive innovation and efficiency.

The country’s sales and business development roles show the same impressive 34% YoY growth, signifying a proactive approach by businesses to expand their market presence and seize emerging opportunities.

In the customer service sector, Malaysia witnessed a substantial -44% YoY decline due to evolving dynamics and automation’s increasing role.This is in contrast with the Philippines experiencing growth in the domain with a 6% YoY trend, which is in line with its position as a hub for customer service outsourcing activities within the BPO sector.

Based on the report, Singapore and the Philippines also share a -18% and -23% YoY contraction in the marketing and communications roles, possibly reflecting adjustments in marketing strategies amidst evolving market dynamics.

Regarding hospitality and travel roles, Malaysia continues to see a remarkable surge of 133% YoY growth, contrasting that of Singapore and the Philippines, with more conservative figures of 8% and 0% YoY growth for the same roles, respectively.

Meanwhile, the purchase, logistics, or supply chain professionals face diverse challenges, with Malaysia showing a slight 2% YoY increase, while Singapore (-9%) and the Philippines (-24%) report declines.

Commenting on the report, Sekhar Garisa, CEO at foundit, said, “Skill enhancement is crucial to navigating the ever-changing job market in this digital age successfully, and it is imperative that we remain flexible and well-prepared to embrace these changes. Malaysia is currently experiencing a favourable hiring environment, but there is an increasing demand for new skills across various sectors.”

He added, “On the other hand, Singapore has a moderated economic outlook, which provides a valuable opportunity for job seekers to enhance their skills and plan for the future proactively. Meanwhile, the Philippines exhibits a recovering job market, underscoring the continuous need for learning and growth in alignment with changing hiring trends. Across these three diverse markets, the constant remains re-skilling and upskilling. The common thread connects job seekers and employers on their journey to success and progress in this rapidly evolving landscape.”

Singapore – According to recent Adobe research, Singaporean brands are attempting to improve operational efficiency through the implementation of technology solutions, with 70% focusing on improving workflow efficiency and 59% implementing generative AI. This is despite the fact that there has been an evident lag of firms adopting it not just in Singapore but also in the region.

In Southeast Asia (SEA), only 64% of brands prioritise technologies that improve workflows, and 56% incorporate generative AI into their operations in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. However, the research shows that Singaporean brands’ formal integration of generative AI into their business processes lags behind both consumer demand and employee utilisation.

Consumers in Singapore are positive about how generative AI can improve products and services (33%), as well as improve the customer experience (37%). Notably, 39% of Singaporean consumers believe that adopting generative AI is critical for businesses to remain competitive, outpacing the 35% figure in the rest of Southeast Asia (SEA).

In work settings, 94% of Singaporean employees have already used generative AI in marketing and customer experience campaigns, while only 31% report that their employers are currently using generative AI tools. Text-to-image generators are used by 58% of these employees to create promotional brand materials and content, and 55% use them to develop campaign concepts and mock-ups. Furthermore, half of the workforce (50%) uses conversational AI for tasks like copy generation, research, and insight gathering.

In Southeast Asia (SEA), 95% of employees use generative AI tools for marketing campaigns, while only 42% of SEA respondents say their companies are currently implementing generative AI tools.

Simon Dale, vice president and managing director, Southeast Asia & Korea, Adobe, said, “A large majority of employees across SEA are incorporating generative AI tools at work, underscoring an urgent need for organisations to get ahead of the curve in AI usage regulations and policies. As generative AI technologies continue to evolve, an absence of a set of strong guardrails and AI ethics principles can pose risks to the organisation and even erode consumer trust.” 

Singapore – Around 61.8% of platform workers enjoy platform work, but a staggering 81.4% of them agree that they should be treated with more respect, a survey by DPIA revealed.

The survey provides a deeper look into the platform workers’ motivations, intentions, and experiences doing platform work in Singapore.

Based on the data collected, people engaged in platform work come from a diverse background and are categorised into four groups: the opportunists, who use platform work to earn alongside their existing careers; the switchovers, who prefer platform work over their regular jobs; the hustlers, who perceive platform work as a means to secure their dreams; and the explorers, who are not very committed to their platform work and are still looking for something they truly enjoy.

But even with varying motivations and reasons, the majority of the workers actually see platform work as more than a means to an end, with 92.2% stating they are amenable to platform work and 61.8% enjoying the nature of platform work in and of itself.

Some of the key motivators for platform workers, as revealed through the survey, are the platform work being vital in their career (53%), the work flexibility it offers (52.3%), and it being an important source of supplementary and temporary income (35.9%).

However, despite the majority feeling fulfilled with platform work, the workers’s day-to-day operational challenges and lack of respect received from society are among their major pain points.

Around 60% of platform workers raise concerns about compulsory CPF contributions and 55.9% of work injury compensation. They also shared that the public attitude towards them tends to lack consideration, and their choice to engage in platform work is disregarded.

Platform workers noted the difficult treatment they receive from drunk and rowdy passengers, disrespect from family members, as well as inconsiderate consumers and merchants who make their working environment unnecessarily uncomfortable.

All these concerns reflect on the survey data, with 25% of platform workers feeling that they were not sufficiently respected in their line of work and 81.4% agreeing that they should be treated with more respect.

With these concerns raised in the survey, platform companies continue to be the go-to option for assistance for the majority of platform workers (72%) during disputes. However, 18.7% reported disagreements with platforms’ handling of issues.