Welcome to Campaign‘s special edition, featuring the top performers at the Agency of the Year awards. Now in its 23rd year, this is the region’s most prestigious awards celebration, offering a unique insight into the best-performing companies and talent in key Asian markets, and the only agency awards programme with results compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers for transparency. We’re proud to have taken the Agency of the Year events to Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore and, for the first time, Tokyo, to celebrate the industry’s successes with nearly 1,500 people.

Importantly, these awards are not just about scale: agencies both big and small compete within their local markets and have the opportunity to shine on the regional stage. 

The winners highlight an industry in transformation as it gears for the future and battles the challenges of 2016 — from tightening client spend in many markets, over-billing scandals and measurement controversies, leadership changes at the top of many agencies and calls for greater transparency. Last year may have bruised us, but it has also forced us to set our goals higher, and to work harder and smarter. 

—Atifa Silk, brand director, Campaign Asia-Pacific

CONTENTS

04 Voices
Clear ideas lead to success

06 Need to know
The latest news from around the industry

10 Innovation
The AI revolution is almost upon us

14 Insights
Social spend proving its worth many times over

18 Intelligence
Asian female consumers demand to be heard

22 Influence
Corruption scandals rock Korea’s chaebol monopolies

26 Marketer Profile
TripAdvisor’s Cindy Tan lets go of the message

30 Outlook 2017
After a tumultuous year, a shell-shocked industry looks ahead to what may follow

40 Agency of the year
The winning networks and outstanding individuals from a challenging year

60 Events
China Innovation in Beijing; Marketing Innovation in Singapore; Financial Services Marketing forum in Hong Kong; Data Marketing Analytics conference in Shanghai

76 Private view
Tony Chang and Caspar Schlickum raise their critical eyebrows at recent creative offerings

78 Best places to work
WPP’s Shanghai campus and Geometry Global Japan