Rakuten’s Affordable AI Strategy Offers a Lesson for Asia’s CMOs

As Big Tech chases scale, Rakuten focuses on efficiency. Here’s what Asian marketers can learn from its AI playbook.

APAC Labels Assess Brand Risk as AI Music Clones Spread

Unauthorized AI-generated music is appearing on verified artist profiles, exposing brands, labels, and streaming platforms in APAC to new risks.

What Australia’s Most Complained-About Ad Tells Us About Brand Safety in APAC

Australia cleared Kia’s most-complained-about ad on technical grounds, revealing a critical gap between regulatory compliance and real brand risk for marketers.

Sony’s 49% Stake in YeaH1 Label Signals a New Way to Scale in Vietnam

Sony uses a minority-stake partnership to scale in Vietnam while keeping local creators and narratives in control.

Why VinFast’s Indonesia Plant Matters for Its Regional Brand Positioning

The EV maker's Indonesia expansion doubles as a communications signal of long-term commitment to Southeast Asia.

Publicis Taps Former Edelman APAC Strategist to Lead Vietnam Growth

Publicis names Huw Gildon as CSO in Vietnam, signaling the market’s growing importance for integrated agency strategies.

How SpaceX Builds Investor Confidence Before Going Public

SpaceX’s pre-IPO playbook shows how Asian companies can do a better job at bolstering valuation through smart investor comms and signaling.

The Influencer Gap Costing Asia's Brands Billions

CMOs have handed storytelling to creators without understanding why consumers trust them in the first place, creating costly stumbles and perverse incentives.

Jollibee’s Brand Sweep Shows the Power of Portfolio Architecture in Asia

Jollibee’s portfolio proves regional dominance is built on distinct brands powered by shared operational efficiencies, not scale alone.

Coda Unveils New Global Leadership Team After Completing Recharge Acquisition

The merged Coda–Recharge entity posted US$1.75B in 2024 sales, combining Codapay, Codashop, and Europe’s Recharge.com and Startselect into a single global platform.

McCann Singapore Absorbs MullenLowe in Strategic Post-Acquisition Merge

Paul Soon and Gonzalo Olivera will lead the merged firm as co-presidents, with current CEO Brandon Cheung supporting the transition through 2026.

Havas Media China Bets on Joanne Zhou To Win Asia’s AI-Powered Market

Joanne Zhou will lead Havas Media China’s growth while deploying the Converged AI framework, adapting tools like Vermeer and Persona Live for Tencent and Alibaba.