Top brands hold fast, but disruptors rise

Campaign Asia’s Top 1000 Brands report has become an industry benchmark of performance, recognising both global and local brands that have outperformed competitors and identifying those that haven’t. In this special issue, we feature unique insights into the factors that power brands. This report celebrates the success and achievements of brands in an increasingly complex world, where disruptor brands are driving a rethink of business strategies and local stars are making steady gains to outshine global names in their home markets.

This project, now in its 13th year and developed in partnership with global information and insights provider Nielsen, is the most comprehensive ranking of brands on a regional, country and sector level. This year, it shows the top contenders holding tight, with Samsung once again on pole position as Apple snaps at its heels having take over Sony for second place. Facebook, Instagram and Line all climb the rankings. Despite the economic slowdown affecting sales, particularly in markets such as China and Hong Kong, Asia’s love affair with luxury brands doesn’t appear to be waning, at least in terms of aspiration and brand perception

Unsettling this year’s rankings are, of course, the disruptor brands. The likes of Uber, Airbnb, Netflix and Grab are fast gaining traction in Asia on the back of sophisticated technologies that deliver simple brand experiences. 

This month, it’s also time for Asia to be judged on the global stage as the world’s advertising and marketing industry gathers at the Cannes Lions festival to exchange ideas, be inspired and discuss how brands are creating meaningful experiences to truly engage consumers. So, how will the region’s performance stack up this year? Asia is instinctively vibrant and becoming increasingly self-confident and creative as some of the work, which brings to life local nuances and humour, showcased in this Top 1000 issue shows. You can get full coverage of the Cannes Lions festival (from June 18 to 25) at www.campaignasia.com. Finally, we give our Japanese readers a peek at some of the content now available on campaignjapan.com, with a feature focusing on Japanese creativity.

Atifa Silk is brand director, Campaign Asia-Pacific
 

CONTENTS

4 Inbox

• Why you should be careful when playing the field with agencies 

6 The Month

• The latest news roundup

12 The Big Picture

• A report by PwC Experience Centre on China’s tech startup boom 

14 Insight/Advertising

• Bespoke teams replace big agency brands?
• Valerie Madon on the creative mind
• Craig Davis on ideas

18 Insight/Marketing

• Prosperity and pain of SEA ecommerce 
• Japan’s online-gaming scene
• Maxis is losing a battle to Digi
• The ‘nationality’ factor in brand building
• James Thompson on insight

24 Insight/Media

• Digital OOH stands strong in Singapore
• Chris Stibbs on The Economist’s transition
• Marketers’ role in a machine-learning era 
• Why Hypebeast excels ahead of BuzzFeed
• Marcel Fenez on media

32 Insight/PR

• Public affairs in the spotlight in APAC
• Chris Graves on influence

34 Technology should serve marketing

• Roundtable with Google in Shanghai

36 The Face Behind the Brand

• Adrian Chai on Under Armour’s rise from underdog status to pack leader

38 Campaign Japan

• A special Japanese feature on the nation’s firms looking to grow globally

43 Asia’s Top 1000 Brands

• Which brands have kept their place? Which have risen and which have fallen?

88 Mediaworks

• Career-building and inspirational

90 10 things CMOs worry about

• Roundtable discussion on marketing at scale with Williams Lea Tag

94 The Work

• The latest ads reviewed

96 Improve Your Career

• Jeremy Bullmore, and Ogilvy’s John Koay 

100 Offline

• Gossip, pictures & workplace of the month