Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Microsoft has launched new digital sustainability guidelines alongside the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to accelerate education and awareness amongst businesses and developers, as they build sustainable applications by design. Through this, the tech giant aims to position Singapore as a premiere innovation hub in the Southeast Asian region.

The digital sustainability guidelines provide educational information and actionable insights for businesses and developers committed to reducing carbon emissions through their work and creating long-term sustainable impact at scale.

The guidelines also clarify the relationships between hardware and software sustainability principles and measurements. It provides straightforward guidance on integrating energy efficiency, carbon awareness and hardware efficiency into software engineering and development processes. 

Moreover, it also provides tools and solutions to help businesses and developers track, report and reduce carbon emissions or greenhouse gases (GHG) created during the creation, running and maintenance of any application or solution, reducing the embodied carbon, GHG and carbon emissions in their lifespan.

Jeth Lee, chief legal officer at Microsoft Singapore, said, “Nurturing the foundations of a resilient, digitally inclusive future is a shared responsibility. These guidelines represent a collective drive to create a positive impact on the environment, by equipping developers with principles and tools to build applications that are inherently more sustainable.”

He added, “Providing developers with practical means of tracking and reporting emissions ensures that we are not simply embracing sustainability as an aspiration but actively working towards our net-zero targets.”

Meanwhile, Chee Wei Nga, director of emerging technology office for BizTech Group at IMDA, commented, “The launch of these guidelines will help advance Singapore’s efforts in becoming a leading digital sustainability hub in this region. Greening the ICT sector is important to IMDA and we will continue to work closely with partners such as Microsoft, Green Software Foundation to enable developers and businesses the ability to understand energy efficiency, carbon awareness and green software development. We will continue to drive a positive change to our environment, in Singapore and beyond our shores.”

Singapore  – FCB SHOUT recently made important strategic hires and promotions in its operations, creative, and brand management divisions, which took effect in September 2023.

Jonathan Chan, James Voon, and Suah Boon Chuan have been promoted from associate creative directors to creative directors, taking on expanded roles that involve managing essential client relationships and leading new business endeavours in the creative department.

Along with these internal promotions, Anndrea Lye and Tan Lai Kuen have been appointed senior copywriters and senior designers. FCB SHOUT has also grown its team by adding Choong Eu Jin and Raphael Castellano as senior copywriters.

Jin brings a wealth of experience from network agencies across the region, while Castellano, recruited from the Philippines, brings a distinctive perspective to the agency’s creative endeavours.

Melanie Mustapha has been promoted to brand director in the division of brand management. In her role, she will be tasked to improve the agency’s brand management abilities. 

FCB SHOUT also welcomed Mandy Chock back as a creative strategist. Chock will work closely with the brand management team to provide FCB SHOUT’s clients with efficient solutions.

Furthermore, Adrienna Ooi has been elevated to the role of operations manager.

Speaking about the promotions and appointments, Tjer, head of creative at FCB SHOUT, commented, “We are delighted to announce these key promotions and the addition of new talents to the creative team. They are the cornerstone of all that we do in the agency, and being able to bolster our pool of creative talents will enable us to continue navigating an increasingly challenging landscape; I strongly believe that these future leaders are pivotal in ensuring the agency’s growth in the years to come.” 

Meanwhile, Syahriza Badron, general manager and Jamie Tan, head of operations of FCB SHOUT said, “These strategic moves mark a significant step in strengthening our team. We are confident that these promotions and new hires will enable us to continue delivering exceptional results for our clients and driving our agency’s growth.”

Shaun Tay, co-owner and chief executive officer of FCB SHOUT, remarked, ”Our enduring dedication to excellence continually compels us to implement strategic enhancements within our team. These transformative changes solidify our steadfast commitment to delivering outstanding results to our clients and further cementing our agency’s reputation as the #1 Malaysian agency.” 

Singapore – Advertising agency Meetsocial announced the expansion of its digital marketing solutions expertise in Southeast Asia with the opening of its first international full-service office in Singapore.

Meetsocial’s expansion and new office come as part of the agency’s move to increase investment and personnel to support its current clients who market in Southeast Asia and offer its services to new clients based in the region.

The new Singapore office’s focus will be delivering core competencies such as advanced data analytics, comprehensive social media marketing, efficient search engine optimisation (SEO), and result-oriented content marketing.

Meetsocial will also employ regional talent, adapt products and services to international markets, build strategic partnerships with regional businesses, and tailor pricing and payment options to suit regional conditions.This approach will address the challenges of localization and cultural sensitivities while also enhancing Meetsocial’s competitiveness in the Southeast Asian market and driving its growth.

Additionally, the ad agency will harness its expertise in personalisation, artificial intelligence integration, and multichannel marketing strategies to ensure adaptability and seize new opportunities in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Earlier this year, Meetsocial started assembling its regional team and has established a partnership with Singapore-based digital design company Verz Design to enhance their full-funnel service. The collaboration will enable Meetsocial to engage with clients across the entire spectrum of business needs, particularly when entering new markets.

Commenting on the expansion, Charles Shen, CEO and founder at Meetsocial, said, “Unveiling our international office in Singapore is a significant milestone for Meetsocial. Having achieved considerable success in developing effective digital marketing strategies worldwide, we are excited to bring our expertise to the dynamic Asian market. Singapore’s exceptional infrastructure and business environment will enhance our ability to deliver impactful, trend-responsive campaigns for our clients.”

Manila, Philippines – The Walt Disney Company has officially closed its remaining linear TV channels in Southeast Asia which included National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Star World, Star Movies, Star Chinese Channel, Star Chinese Films, and BabyTV.

This officially took effect on October 1, as the company aims to move into direct-to-consumer streaming endeavours.

In the Philippines, cable television provider SKYcable is offering its users to alternatively watch from the channels ZooMoo, Cartoonito, History Channel, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Love Nature, CCM, CGTN, CGTN Documentary, CCTV 4, and KIX.

The Walt Disney Company had already decided on the channel closures back in June this year, as it aims to retain a streamlined television portfolio with channels in Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand for the time being.

The multinational entertainment company has made similar moves back in 2020 and 2021. Some of its closed channels include Fox, Fox Crime, Fox Life, FX, and Channel V, as well as ox Action Movies, Fox Family Movies, Fox Movies and Star Movies China. Other channels that are being closed include Fox Sports, Fox Sports 2, Fox Sports 3, Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Nat Geo People and SCM Legend.

Singapore – Nativex has been appointed as Baidu’s marketing agency. The partnership aims to create growth and development for companies who work with Nativex. 

With Nativex’s integration, Baidu’s advertising platform will have access to a higher level of innovation from a global marketing authority. Nativex is in a good position to take full advantage of its progress in global localization.

Nativex is offering assistance by leveraging their capabilities in conjunction with Baidu’s extensive traffic coverage. This will be used for international companies and developers aiming to achieve sustainable growth in the Chinese market.

Cheryl Huang, senior vice president of Nativex, remarked, “We take immense pride in becoming an official certified agency within the Baidu marketing ecosystem. We are confident that by blending Nativex’s global perspective with Baidu’s industry-leading position, we are poised to deliver exceptional services to our global clients, facilitating business growth.” 

Meanwhile, Yan Fei, director of overseas channels at Baidu, said, “The addition of Nativex to the Baidu Advertising ecosystem is a source of honor for us. As a renowned figure in the marketing industry, we believe Nativex will infuse our advertising platform with innovation and vitality. We eagerly anticipate close collaboration with Nativex, as together we drive advancements within the digital marketing domain, crafting additional growth value for brands and developers.” 

Singapore – Global cross-border payment network Thunes has announced the expansion of its acceptance payment network to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand to enable global merchants to accept payments via local payment brands.

The network expansion will enable European and international merchants to receive and settle payments from SEA consumers in their currency of choice.

Thunes’ expansion aims to solve the problem of differences in payment methods, with US and European consumers using credit cards as the main transaction method while SEA consumers use alternative payment systems like mobile wallets, ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’, and ‘Real-Time Payment’ schemes.

With the expanded acceptance network, global businesses can now accept payment from local payment brands in Indonesia (Alfamart, DANA, OVO, QRIS, and ShopeePay), Malaysia (DuitNow, Boost, GrabPay, Maybank QR, ShopeePay, and Touch ’n Go), and the Philippines ( Cebuana Lhuillier, GCash, GrabPay, InstaPay, Maya, PESONet, ShopeePay). 

Furthermore, its acceptance payment network also extends to Singapore (Atome, GrabPay, PayLater by Grab), and Thailand (Bangkok Bank, Bank of Ayudhya – Krungsri, KBank, Krungthai Bank, SCB, PromptPay, Rabbit LINE Pay). 

Andrew Stewart, executive vice president of Account Management and Network at Thunes, said, “While Southeast Asia’s rapid growth offers a remarkable and enticing opportunity, the speed of change in this region can pose a daunting challenge for merchants. In order to keep up with ever-evolving consumer preferences, businesses must be agile and provide a range of local payment options.”

“At Thunes, we’ve hand-picked the most relevant payment brands in Southeast Asia to help merchants in gaming, eCommerce, and marketplace platforms enter new markets and expand their footprint. Through our extensive acceptance network comprising 300 payment methods in 90 countries, businesses can easily tap into the vast digital-first consumer market, creating instant connections with millions of potential clients,” he added. 

Singapore – Around 74% of marketers in Indonesia cited advanced machine learning technology as the most important factor when selecting mobile app performance marketing solutions, according to data from Moloco. 

The new global study found that marketers are adopting data-driven solutions and prioritising performance marketing over traditional brand marketing. 

Globally, 63.2% of companies surveyed saw a year-on-year boost in their mobile app performance marketing budgets compared to the revenue from brand marketing. This shows that mobile app performance marketing has a clear and resounding power to drive revenue, user acquisition, and profit, especially during times of economic uncertainty.

In Southeast Asia, the use of advanced machine learning (ML) came out as the number one factor when selecting a mobile app performance marketing solution.

Especially in Indonesia, a staggering 74% of marketers consider advanced ML to be the most important factor for precise targeting in mobile app performance, followed by Vietnam (60.4%) and Japan (52%). Meanwhile, only 22.6% of marketers in Korea and 22.3% in Singapore prioritise advanced ML when selecting a mobile app performance marketing solution.

Indonesia, with 61%, also takes the lead when choosing APRU (average revenue per unit) as the preferred KPI, which is higher than the rest of the markets in SEA and globally.

In terms of budget allocation for mobile app marketing, companies in every country surveyed allocated more than half their marketing budgets to mobile ads, with Indonesia ranking the highest at 81.8% while Singapore and Vietnam allocated 59.2% and 58%, respectively.

It is worth noting that performance mobile app marketing continues to grow consistently across all industries, with 64.7% of surveyed companies increasing their mobile ad marketing budget in 2023 compared to the previous year.

Daisuke Yokokawa, vice president of global marketing at Moloco, said, “The global shift in marketing from reach to results continues to gain momentum across different countries and various industries.” 

He added, “Many mobile app marketers are aware that the secret of big tech’s success in advertising is advanced ML technology and the performance marketing solutions that they provide. This global trend is due to the clear and resounding power that mobile app performance marketing has to drive revenue, user acquisition, and profit, especially during times of economic uncertainty.”

Meanwhile, Jennifer Ha, project leader and partner at Ipsos Strategy3, said, “Performance marketing is on trend, regardless of the country.Marketers are typically loath to share their best kept secrets, but thanks to this anonymized research study, we now have detailed insights about their strategic marketing decisions and investments. Ultimately, having consistent results such as measurable and impactful ROAS underpins the success of many global performance marketing budgets.”

Philippines – The Philippines-based Asia United Bank (AUB), a publicly traded universal bank, is stepping up its efforts to help more local merchants accept cross-border digital payments from Malaysia, South Korea, and Hong Kong SAR. It does this by utilising AUB PayMate and Alipay+.

Tourists can now use their home country’s e-wallets to pay for a variety of purchases connected to tourism, retail, food and beverage (F&B), entertainment, and attractions within the Philippines as the market grows. This includes Alipay (Chinese mainland), Kakao Pay (South Korea), Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), and AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR), in addition to Alipay (Chinese mainland), which Filipino retailers have been accepting since 2017.

At the moment, AUB PayMate has made it possible for more than 5,000 businesses in Manila and Cebu, two travel destinations in the Philippines, to accept Alipay+. As AUB’s all-inclusive digital payment acceptance solution, AUB PayMate enables merchants of all kinds to accept digital payments from their customers, including local and international e-wallets, bank transfers, and card payments.

SSP Mactan, a company that manages restaurants and bars at tourist hotspots around the world, is one of the first organizations in the Philippines to accept Alipay+. One of the busiest travel hubs in the nation, Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), has adopted it in all of its businesses there. Visitors arriving at MCIA from mid-September to mid-November will be greeted warmly by AUB, SSP Mactan Cebu, and Alipay+, providing them with a more convenient payment experience and special deals at Alipay+-enabled vendors inside the airport.

Mags V. Surtida, senior vice president and cards & acquiring group head of AUB, said, “We see a resurgence of inbound personal travels this year so our partnership with Alipay+, the first in the Philippine banking industry, will give a much-needed boost to merchants serving the tourism sector. Expect more foreign wallets to be added under this unified QR code.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Cherry Huang, general manager of Alipay+ offline merchant services at Ant Group, said, “We are strengthening our partnership with AUB, our pioneering bank partner in the Philippines, to enhance the travel experience for tourists as they return to visit. Digital payments have become more important than ever, particularly for international visitors who have become so used to using their e-wallets and bank apps for day-to-day purchases.”

She added, “Through our local partners, we aim to help more businesses integrate Alipay+, creating a positive digital ecosystem, driving more opportunities for partners, and merchants, while making it more convenient and seamless for travellers.”

Singapore – A staggering 98% of B2B marketers in Southeast Asia are already utilising influencer marketing, yet 60% are still not experiencing improved lead generation from B2B marketing activity, a new Ogilvy study shows. 

The research shows that B2B influence is among the fastest-growing marketing priorities in SEA.

In an interview with 550 chief marketing officers (CMOs) across 11 markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, from brands including LinkedIn, Dell, EY, IBM, and Samsung, it was shown that 75% of B2B marketers are now utilising B2B influencer marketing. Additionally, 93% of those are already planning to increase influencer activity.

Furthermore, the survey, which polled marketing leaders from across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the USA, showed that C-suite leaders are already recognising the potential of B2B influence activity in building a credible brand and supporting lead generation.

Half of 49% believe influencers can help their brands be more credible and trusted, while 40% experienced improved leads or sales because of influencer marketing strategies.

In Asia specifically, industry adoption is soaring, with almost 94% of businesses in the region already integrating B2B influencer marketing into their strategies, and among them, 77% have expressed their intention to further increase their investments in this area. With this number, it is expected that those who haven’t formulated a B2B influencer marketing strategy may find themselves falling behind their competitors.

When it comes to influence effectiveness, 66% of businesses found that B2B influencers deliver more significant impact when compared to traditional brand-only marketing approaches. Further adding to this, almost all of the industry executives in Asia consider B2B influencers on social media as vital tools for staying updated and engaging with their respective industries (98%). This surpasses the global average of 90%.

Meanwhile, the study also showed that more than half of industry executives in Asia incorporate insights gleaned from B2B influencers into their presentations. Similarly, over 50% of these executives actively share relevant content with their network.

However, despite these impressive numbers and high usage, the survey also showed a worrying percentage of B2B influencer marketing potential that is still not realised or utilised properly.

The findings of the survey suggested that no teams are utilising after-sales influence to its full potential, despite 47% agreeing there is an opportunity for B2B influencers to have the biggest impact during after-sales when executed correctly. With 60% not yet experiencing improved lead generation from B2B marketing activity, there is also a large opportunity to immediately realise more value from influencer marketing.

In addition, the global research pointed out some missed opportunities for ROI, considering there is a symbiotic relationship between employees and influencers that few CMOs have spotted, with limited numbers identifying that employees can be influencers themselves. 

With this, the global report has pointed out three key imperatives that CMOs can use to improve their B2B influencer marketing strategies.

First, peer-to-peer 2.0, which is a widely recognised marketing channel to reassure prospective buyers and revolutionise digital relationships and professional communication. Second, the holistic growth approach recognises the importance of including influencers in the entire business operation and integrating them into the post-sales experience. Lastly, CEOs and CMOs must recognise their employees as valuable assets in promoting their brand, with each having a network of connections outside the company.

Commenting on the study, Emily Poon, President of PR and influence in Asia at Ogilvy, said, “With 66% of CMOs in Asia saying they find B2B influencers more impactful than their usual marketing activities, a B2B influencer marketing strategy has become a must-have for brands and businesses. Our global research— the first-of-its-kind—with local insights from senior marketers in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines provides actionable steps for CMOs, communications, and business leaders in the region to turn influencers into the most versatile full-funnel tool in their B2B marketing communications armoury.”

Ashutosh Gupta, country manager and head of online sales for LinkedIn APAC, also added, “B2B companies are increasingly choosing creative ways to connect with their target audience in a more authentic and engaging way. A big reason behind this trend is the trust and credibility that these experts offer. On LinkedIn, we have seen industry leaders carve a niche for themselves as thought leaders in their space, where their opinions hold significance within their network. Thought leaders often provide a more genuine connection than brand advertising thanks to the fundamental trust that is already fostered between them and their network over time.”

Singapore – Around 56% of Southeast Asians follow influencers on social media, but 55% remain to have a neutral impression towards them, according to a survey by Milieu Insight. 

The survey aims to unveil follower trends and consumer sentiments on influencer marketing as a major advertising tactic. 

Based on the data collected, more than 1 out of 2 Southeast Asians follow influencers on social media. This means that 56% of respondents in the Southeast Asian region follow influencers. 

A large number of respondents in the Philippines and Vietnam are following influencers at 68% and 71%, respectively, and Thailand takes the middle with 50%. However, on the other end of the spectrum, there is limited interest shown in Singapore, with only 39% of respondents shown to be following influencers.

Looking at the social media platform preference to follow influencers, the top three with the highest votes were Youtube with 72%, and Instagram and Facebook both with 60%.

Gen Z preferred Instagram (64%) and TikTok (58%) to follow influencers, whereas Facebook is more popular among Millennials (69%) and Gen X (74%).

Youtube drew the most interest for respondents in Thailand and the Philippines, while Instagram took the spot in Indonesia and Singapore. Meanwhile, Facebook ranked first in Vietnam.

When it comes to the content that influencers post, the top 5 topics that respondents were most interested in were: lifestyle (54%), entertainment and/or comedy (52%), food (48%), fashion (41%), and travel (40%).

However, gender impacts the preferred content, with men primarily following influencers with content about entertainment or comedy (52%), lifestyle (46%), and technology and gadgets (41%). While women also predominantly favour entertainment and comedy (61%), their other main interests are food (55%), and beauty (53%).

When it comes to influencer impact on consumer purchase, beauty products emerged as the top selling category, driven by influencer content across the region, with the data particularly skewing towards females at 56% and Gen Zs at 46%.

Interestingly, for Baby Boomers or those above 59 years of age, 4 in 10 are swayed by influencer content when it comes to food and beverages. Meanwhile, 32% of the Gen X demographic, or those ranging from ages 43 to 58, indicated they made purchases as a result of following influencer content on technology and gadgets.

However, the survey also revealed that consumers in the region appear to be less susceptible to influencer content that is fitness-related, travel-related products, or purchases of items for children and pets, suggesting a nuanced landscape where influencers wield varying degrees of impact across different product categories.

And with the widespread following of influencers in the region, the survey also dug into the data to unveil the trust factor among SEA consumers. From there, it reveals that user reviews and review sites carry more weight than influencer shout-outs.

Overall, neutrality (51%) is the prevailing sentiment on how much respondents in Southeast Asia trust, if at all, sponsored content from influencers in Southeast Asia. However, there is an exception to this data, with Vietnam showing a positive impression at 60%.

Across age groups, only 5% of Baby Boomers trust influencers a lot, as compared to the average of 7% for Gen Z and Gen X and 8% for Gen Y.

Furthermore, 3 out of 10 Southeast Asians find influencers’ sponsored content informative, and 1 out of 5 credit influencer tactics for introducing them to new brands and products.

With influencers, a following count also matters when it comes to measuring their reach.

The influencers followed by Southeast Asians generally have more than a million followers (36%). This data is consistent across the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. However, the rest of the population is generally impartial to the number of followers an influencer has.

Interestingly enough, there is an even spread among the number of micro, macro, and mega influencers that Southeast Asians follow.

Still, not everyone can be considered an influencer. According to the survey, Southeast Asians consider authenticity (51%), sense of humour (49%), and expertise in a specific area (42%) to be important attributes for an influencer. 

Notably, in Indonesia, consistency of recommendations is their top-valued attribute. It is also shown that more Vietnamese value engagement with followers.

Aside from the following, an influencer’s impact also differs depending on the age groups of the respondents or targets. Approximately one-third of the participants stated that influencers have expanded their knowledge about brands and products.

Among those who have bought something based on influencers’ content, the top 3 areas of purchase are beauty (41%), fashion (38%), and food and beverage (37%). For males, this is a slightly different case, with tech/gadgets (41%), food and beverages (36%), and fashion (30%) as their most common products purchased.

While 38% of Baby Boomers in Southeast Asia find that sponsored content from influencers helps them get to know more about a product or brand, they are not looking for new brands, as only 17% feel that the content helps them discover new products or brands.

Meanwhile, Gen Z finds promotion offers to be attractive, with 15% following influencer content because they offer good promotions.

In response to criticism about influencers’ role in consumerism, deinfluencers are now also making a new wave in social media.

Deinfluencers are individuals that challenge consumerist tendencies by offering alternative perspectives on products and trends. Instead of promoting the newest products, they advocate for mindful consumption. 

Looking at the data, the majority of Southeast Asians are impartial to both influencer culture and deinfluencers, despite the growing influencer landscape. Surprisingly, 40% claim to have never made a purchase based on influencer content, and 20% of Gen Z state their last influencer-based purchase was over half a year ago. As for awareness of deinfluencers, Vietnam is ahead of the game, where an astonishing 62% have heard of the term.

Despite the neutral impression of influencer content, Milieu Insight reiterates that influencers have some kind of effect on consumers. Through their content, influencers can provide valuable insights, personal experiences, and relatable narratives that resonate with their followers. They have also become trusted sources of information and recommendations for consumers across various niches that can impact consumer purchase decisions.