Agencies and brands must get their digital advertising technology houses in order took take advantage of the huge opportunity that is Southeast Asia, said The Trade Desk's Southeast Asia general manager Henry Shelley.
In an interview with Yean Cheong at this year's Campaign360 conference in Singapore, Cadreon's APAC head, Shelley outlined the value proposition of the region: 659 million people, with 200 million more people set to join the middle classes over the next decade. "That's the equivalent of a country the size of Brazil just rocking up, with a population all with disposable income," he said.
To take advantage of this upwardly mobile consumer group, digital technology will be vital. Cheong said having technology partners is necessary for agencies to help drive their clients' marketing strategies quickly and efficiently.
"For IPG Mediabrands, we're all about working with partners," she said. "We don't believe we're in the business to develop some tech. We're in the business to invest in tech that allows us to consolidate... to give a unified view," to a client.
Shelley added that agencies "have a vital role to play" but that role isn't building its own technology. Similarly, platform providers such as The Trade Desk need to provide tailored solutions to agencies that they can iterate on and build to their needs.
"That's of most importance in a region such as Southeast Asia, that is perhaps the most fragmented market in the world," Shelley said.
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