China has grown into a technology powerhouse and is home to some of the world’s largest digital companies, including Tencent and its mega social networking app WeChat, one of the country’s most valuable tech firms.

In our annual deep dive into China Innovation, we explore the country’s evolution as an innovator in areas such as mobile, ecommerce, social, entertainment, and advertising. And as China marks its annual ‘Singles’ day’ on 11 November—a massive online spending spree on global and domestic brands which this year mushrooms from lasting 24 hours to a full 24 days—our report analyses the innovations winning consumers.

Also this month, we also speak with GroupM’s chief Mark Patterson as the WPP business prepares to mark its 10-year anniversary and undergoes the most comprehensive internal review in its history.

—Atifa Silk is brand director, Campaign Asia-Pacific

CONTENTS

Voices
‘Crazy’ overtime sparks heated debate

Need to know
The latest news from around the industry

Innovation
Creative programmatic marks a leap ahead for the personalisation of online ads

Insights
Scandals turn up the volume on calls for more media transparency and accountability

Transparency beckons
Nick Manning: time to address issues of clarity

Cheap isn’t always best
John Perella: media cost isn’t a zero-sum game

Intelligence
Marketing to Japan’s insecure younger generation of ‘accessibility natives’

Influence
Unbranded content is making waves across Asia, but are all brands up for anonymity?

Marketer’s Profile
Fonterra’s Anindya Dasgupta celebrates the importance of broad experience

The Atifa Silk Interview
GroupM’s Mark Patterson plans to face an unpredictable future

China Innovation
From virtual reality to startups, social influencers to data management: marketers in China are straining to stay ahead

Private view
Kitty Lun and Paolo Arevalo get critical about some of adland’s latest efforts

Workplaces of the month
PHD Sydney and OMG Indonesia