The jury is still out whether Asia has effectively harnessed the
internet to build one-to-one relationships between a brand and consumers
that the digital medium promised. Some brands - Unilever's Pond's and
Body Shop - have clearly found the happy medium between sales promotion
and relationship building, while others - like San Miguel's Philippines
- have a long way to go. Now the next wave in the digital tsunami is
threatening to hit - mobile communications. In a region where mobile
penetration is significant, it will probably sweep in a little too
quickly for comfort for marketers largely unprepared for another
communications revolution.
