Tag: Research

Jakarta, Indonesia – Despite improvements from the previous year, only 46% of MSMEs have fully separated their business and personal finances, which could impact cash flow and business sustainability. This is according to the latest data from PT Bank OCBC NISP Tbk (OCBC) and NielsenIQ (NIQ) Indonesia’s Business Fitness Index (BFI).

The data showed that MSMEs registered as business entities tend to have a better understanding of financial management systems and business risk planning. This results in a healthier financial score of 60.2, compared to those without an entity, who score 47.4. 

This is attributed to having clearer and measurable business plans, targeted business strategies, and proper, regular, and orderly financial recording, which can serve as an accurate basis and benchmark for business continuity.

Moreover, with separate business accounts, financial record-keeping can become more organised and well-documented. The good news is, the awareness amongst MSMEs in Indonesia regarding meticulous financial record-keeping has increased, evidenced by 77% of MSME operators who have already conducted financial accounting or bookkeeping. However, of those who have done financial record-keeping, 77% still perform it manually.

The report also showed MSMEs in Indonesia are improving in financial management as seen from the increase in scores for maintaining cash reserves, influenced by higher income compared to expenditure. Hence, generally, this year the financial health score of MSMEs has increased to 48 compared to last year’s 43.8. Although there has been an increase, this score is still in the ‘caution’ category and far from the ideal score of 75.

MSMEs have also begun to harness digitalization in their marketing efforts. Up to 81% of MSMEs already have social media accounts, yet only 35% understand and maximize its features. Regarding the intensity of usage, 46% of MSMEs with social media accounts are not active enough in their use. 

The utilisation of e-commerce/online platforms is also not optimal, with only 17% of MSMEs using this platform. This means MSMEs must be more proactive in exploring digital platforms that can connect them with customers and potentially expand their business scope.

Sari Kartika, SME proposition division head at OCBC, said, “Separating business and personal income is an essential first step for MSMEs to advance to the next level, especially by utilizing a business entity identity. However, many entrepreneurs face challenges in opening business accounts, mostly related to processing time and documentation requirements.”

Lastly, the research shows that currently, both female and male entrepreneurs are increasingly optimistic about their business capabilities. Interestingly, 23% of male entrepreneurs agree that female entrepreneurs are better at managing business finances and securing business capital, compared to 10% who stated males are better. Meanwhile, male entrepreneurs are considered more capable in critical aspects, such as making business decisions, facing business challenges, and allocating more time for business.

Inggit Primadevi, director of consumer insights at NIQ Indonesia, commented, “Research results show that 80% of MSMEs are not registered as business entities, and only 3% of Indonesian MSMEs are registered as single shareholder limited companies. Among those registered, small enterprises are the majority, while micro enterprises are significantly lower. These results indicate a need for improvement to elevate MSMEs to the next level.”

Singapore – In-game mobile advertisements are leading gamers in the Asia Pacific (APAC) area to stop gaming, according to a new research by Omnicom Media Group (OMG) APAC. The poll included 12,204 people who were asked to rate their attitudes toward advertisements while playing mobile games.

Most of the participants report that commercials often cause them to stop playing games. Respondent preferences include wanting in-game advertisements to rotate within a gaming environment or to be seasonal. Some claim that these advertisements don’t inspire people to make in-person purchases, while others say they remember a brand for future transactions.

It is worth noting that engaging in-game encounters are crucial for drawing in players, and by bringing these encounters outside of the virtual world, businesses can make a bigger impression. When playing games, APAC players indicate a desire for material rewards from the real world, especially when it comes to mobile game advertisements.

Moreover, brands can create their own games, host gaming events, and offer in-game and real-world incentives linked to in-game successes as ways to entice and please mobile gamers. Aware of the potentially large expenses associated with developing original content, companies may decide to take advantage of the released titles like Fortnite and look into ways to create new worlds or distinctive experiences within those well-known gaming environments.

Furthermore, value is a major motivator for over half (47%) of APAC gamers, who want to get the most out of their gaming experiences at the lowest possible cost. This group is more likely to make in-game purchases or microtransactions during sales events (47%) or when they need power-ups (37%). Furthermore, a sizable portion confines their purchasing to limited-edition releases (30%) or sees such purchases as gifts for particular occasions (32%).

Speaking about the research, Nina Fedorczuk, OMG APAC’s chief enablement officer, said, “The gaming universe is an incredibly exciting one and there are numerous opportunities for brands and marketers. We need to understand the different nuances within the gaming ecosystem, including the types of moments gamers experience. For example, they can connect with friends via gaming over the weekends and be fully immersed in the experience but also play a quick puzzle game during a weekday commute.” 

She added, “It is no longer enough to treat gamers as a niche audience because almost everyone is a gamer. Brands need to find the sweet spots for this audience, and think hard about how they can add value to the gaming experience, instead of blatantly interrupting it.”

Global – Dentsu Creative’s 2024 Trends Report digs into the impact of optimism in an unpredictable future by combining the research and viewpoints of strategists, futurists, and innovators across its global network.

In an era of increased uncertainty about the future, “The Futures Less Traveled” urges brands and enterprises to use the opportunity to craft, innovate, and actively pursue the vision of the future they want to see. 

In addition to a number of sub-trends for more research, the paper explains five macro trends for 2024 and beyond. Every trend brings to light unexpected possibilities, such as the role that happiness plays in reducing worry, the power of narrative to effect change, and the capacity of profound local insights to promote linkages between disparate communities throughout the world.

Speaking about the report, Yasuharu Sasaki, global chief creative officer of Dentsu, said, “Against the backdrop of this uncertain world our report turns to hope as a deliberate choice, to empower us to take control and design our own futures. Through creativity, armed with the powers of technology and storytelling, we hold potential to pave ways for many exciting ‘Futures Less Traveled’, borne of core principles of optimism and ambition.” 

Meanwhile, Pats Mcdonald, chief strategy officer, EMEA, Dentsu Creative, said, “Hope is not a strategy but it is a choice. At a time of exponential change, no one can predict with certainty what the future will bring. But we can design for the future we want to see. We see consumers around the world taking control of a chaotic world through small but powerful acts of connection and self-care.”

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 64% of respondents in the Asia-Pacific region are willing to engage with brands collecting data directly, with 57% of respondents open to sharing demographics data. This is according to the latest data from customer engagement platform Twilio.

According to the data, respondents appreciate the benefits of personalised experiences, with 65% acknowledging that personal data usage enhances their interaction with brand websites. Over 57% are comfortable or indifferent to social media platforms sharing their personal data with other brands or businesses.

Moreover, 60% of respondents expect clear and comprehensible information about data usage, emphasising the importance of transparency in building consumer confidence. 

However, only 15% were comfortable with all their data being shared with another brand. This figure has more than doubled to 34% amongst those who were generally aware how their data is being used, rising to 46% for those who had full knowledge of how organisations use their data.

The data also showed that 76% of respondents either accept all cookies or allow selected cookies, reflecting a willingness to engage in data sharing. This widespread acceptance appears to be mainly due to pragmatism, not ignorance, however. Most survey respondents understand that cookies are widely used to provide personalised experiences on a website or app. But they also say they would prefer that they are not used.

In fact, 72% of respondents believe consumers should avoid websites that collect cookies, indicating caution towards cookie practices. An overwhelming 90% agree that site owners must disclose their use of cookies and provide the option to opt out, or risk losing consumer trust. These findings underscore the need for brands to balance personalised experiences and consumer privacy, maintaining trust while offering tailored engagements.

Nicholas Kontopoulos, vice president of marketing for Asia Pacific & Japan at Twilio said, “Today, consumers expect brands to protect their data and be upfront about how their data is being used. The combination of scepticism towards third-party data and the willingness to share data with trusted brands is fueling new opportunities and forging the pathway to a healthy and sustainable data-sharing ecosystem across the region.”

Indonesia – As Indonesian consumers observed their ramadan plans, a latest research from market research company YouGov reveals that Jakarta-based Traveloka is the most preferred online travel company for bookings in the said season, with 42% of these travellers purchased their mudik transport tickets from the said company.

Meanwhile, 35% of mudik travellers used tiket.com for their bookings whilst 11% preferred booking.com.

The research also showed the most popular mudik travel period, with 45% of the respondents said that they prefer to do it 2-6 days before Eid al-Fitr/Idul Fitri. 14% preferred the dates during the time of Eid and 13% prefers to travel 2-6 days after Eid.

Moreover, it was revealed that 45% of the consumers who observe Ramadan plan to perform mudik travel back to their hometowns this year. 33% do not plan to travel back, while 22% are undecided during the time of polling.

The said study was conducted online on 2-6 March, with 2,067 respondents in Indonesia aged 18 and above, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov.

Australia – The In-House Agency Council (IHAC) has released its first Australian-centric research into the in-house media industry. The research is made in partnership with IHAC members and transformation consultancy -lution.

The report revealed key facts around businesses that have chosen to bring some or all of their media in-house, the specific capabilities and tools required in managing media in-house, the size and scope of such teams, and the benefits and challenges to the model.

Some of the findings unveiled include data that 75% of in-house teams saw growth in the past 12 months, with 75% expecting to further that trajectory this year. In the report, it also revealed that teams earmark media budgets ranging from AU$1m to over AU$100m per annum, averaging AU$35m.

Other data found indicate that around 87% of brands are running a hybrid model, partnering with external agencies. On average, 61% of the total media budget is being managed in-house, with the remainder being managed by an external agency partner.

In terms of which channels in-house teams prioritise, digital channels are the most likely to be managed in-house, with social being the most common with 96% of respondents managing it in-house, according to the report. This is then followed by digital video, search, and digital display at all around 80%. Furthermore, 20% to 40% of respondents are also managing traditional channels in-house, including TV, OOH, radio and print.

Chris Maxwell, founder and chairman at IHAC, said they found that the benefits to brands bringing media in-house are many and varied, and while there are some challenges, consensus is that the benefits far outweigh the challenges.

Singapore – Top game developers Ubisoft and Riot Games have recently announced ‘Zero Harm in Comms’, a technological partnership that aims to enhance the reach of their artificial intelligence-based solutions in order to prevent harmful player interactions. The project aims to develop a cross-industry shared database and labelling ecosystem for in-game data that will improve the training of AI-based preemptive moderation tools for detecting and mitigating disruptive behaviour.

The ‘Zero Harm in Comms’ research project will allow both companies to explore how to lay the technological foundations for future industry collaboration and create the framework that guarantees the ethics and the privacy of this initiative. It is expected that the resulting database should cover every type of player and in-game behaviour with their competitive games and diverse portfolio, in order to better train Riot Games’ and Ubisoft’s AI systems.

According to the active members of the Fair Play Alliance, Ubisoft, and Riot Games, the creation of safe and meaningful online experiences in games can only come from collective action and knowledge sharing. As such, this initiative builds on both companies’ larger journey of developing gaming structures that foster more rewarding social experiences while avoiding harmful interactions.

Yves Jacquier, executive director of Ubisoft La Forge, observed that, “Disruptive player behaviours is an issue that we take very seriously but also one that is very difficult to solve.”

Wesley Kerr, head of technology research at Riot Games, also mentioned, “Disruptive behaviour isn’t a problem that is unique to games – every company that has an online social platform is working to address this challenging space. That is why we’re committed to working with industry partners like Ubisoft who believe in creating safe communities and fostering positive experiences in online spaces.”

Jacquire added, “At Ubisoft, we have been working on concrete measures to ensure safe and enjoyable experiences, but we believe that, by coming together as an industry, we will be able to tackle this issue more effectively. Through this technological partnership with Riot Games, we are exploring how to better prevent in-game toxicity as designers of these environments with a direct link to our communities.”

The ‘Zero Harm in Comms’ research project, which is still in its early stages, is the first step in an ambitious cross-industry project that aims to benefit the entire player community in the future. As part of the first research exploration, Ubisoft and Riot have committed to sharing the initial phase of the experiment’s learnings with the entire industry next year, regardless of the outcome.

Kerr said, “This project is just an example of the wider commitment and work that we’re doing across Riot to develop systems that create healthy, safe, and inclusive interactions with our games.” 

Australia – Research company Ipsos has announced the appointment of its long-time global executive Hamish Munro as the new CEO for APAC, and current CEO for SEA Suresh Ramalingam as the new chief client officer for APAC. 

Munro moves into his new remit after three years as Ipsos’ global head of interactive devices. Since joining the company in 2013, he has also had stints as CEO of Australia and New Zealand (2013 – 2015), CEO of SEA (2016 – 2017), and CEO of APAC operations (2017 – 2019). 

In his new role, Munro is set to bring broad international operational and research management experience, along with more than two decades of diverse market research and leadership. He will also be replacing current Ipsos APAC CEO, Christophe Cambournac, who will move into a global role with the business. 

Meanwhile, Ramalingam moves into his new role after four years as CEO for Ipsos’ SEA markets. Prior to joining Ipsos, he spent more than 20 years at Nielsen, working across its emerging markets in various leadership roles, and the most recent one as managing director of consumer insights across LATAM, EMEA and South-East Asia, based in Dubai. 

In his new remit, Ramalingam will be leading the client organisation for Ipsos’ APAC region and will be based in Kuala Lumpur. 

Commenting on his new role, Munro said “I am excited to collaborate with my colleagues across Asia Pacific and continue to build on our strong client partnerships, building and strengthening our talent and deploying many of our new services to help our clients grow.”

Meanwhile, Ramalingam also said, “Our strong client organisation teams help drive engagement with our key clients in Asia Pacific collaborating across our services to provide the best possible research outcomes catering to their business needs. I am very excited to continue to focus on building client relationships across Asia Pacific.” 

Ben Page, Ipsos’ CEO, said that Munro and Ramalingam were set to bring a wealth of industry experience and corporate knowledge to their new roles. 

He further shared, “Hamish has been an integral part of the global Ipsos team since 2013, sharing his 25-plus years [of] experience in market research, marketing, communications and account management roles.”

“Suresh has already shown his ability to grow and manage client relationships across Southeast Asia, delivering on our long-term growth plans for the region. In his new role, I’m confident that his client and people-focused leadership style coupled with his extensive research and management experience will help in leading the client organisation successfully in our APAC region,” added Page.

Manila, Philippines – The term ‘cancel culture’ or the term for boycotting public figures that are found to be problematic–is becoming more prevalent within the younger generations in the Philippines. Cancel culture remains linked to the call for accountability, and Milieu Insight has conducted a recent survey to learn more about the factors and perspectives that shape cancel culture locally.

According to the data, around 1 in 5 Filipinos have joined in a ‘cancel’ movement, with 66% saying they joined because they did not agree with the actions/opinions of the person or group, and 54% said they joined because he person or group is or was involved in a controversy.

Locally, cancel culture skews towards cancelling public figures due to cultural issues such as cultural appropriation (50%) and political stance (48%). Within the Southeast Asian region, respondents’ withdrawal of support tended to be racism (54%), sexual assault (50%) and physical violence (48%).

Meanwhile, around 31% of Southeast Asians said a person/group that was ‘cancelled’ can always or often be forgiven or given the opportunity to make a public appearance. This sentiment is shared by more Filipinos, with 41% being more agreeable to giving a cancelled entity a second chance – the highest rate among the different Southeast Asian countries.

Most local respondents describe cancel culture to be cruel (45%) and aggressive (35%) but those who have been part of a cancel movement tended to view it as normal (30% vs 17% overall), helpful (22% vs 8% overall), and progressive (16% vs 11% overall). This reflects their belief that cancelling is a useful tool to demand responsibility from public figures. In addition, the majority of Filipinos agreed that cancel movements are a fair punishment (76%) for wrongdoers to be held responsible, and 78% see them as effective in doing so.

Around 51% of Filipinos also say that cancel culture happens too often, significantly higher than those who say it happens just as often as it should (42%).

In the recent Philippines’ national elections, people cancelled not only public figures but also their friends and family due to different political beliefs. It is no surprise then that the majority of Filipinos act cautiously both online (92%) and offline (91%) because they are worried about being cancelled themselves.