Campaign Asia

What do you do if you're Dentsu?

As a growing divergence in financial performance between Japan and the rest of the world emerges, Ian Whittaker explores if it's time for Dentsu to evaluate whether or not to keep its international assets.

If agencies want to see higher share prices, they should be pushing the case for creative

INVESTOR VIEW: Creativity is often perceived as a 'low growth, 'low margin' business, a 'necessary evil'. It's a perception at odds with its value and one that's ripe for change.

Can Asia up its voice at Cannes?

Ian Whittaker unpacks the underwhelming Asian presence at Cannes this year, and why greater representation might be the key to a better learning experience for all.

Q1 agency metrics: A closer look at financial patterns and APAC performance

In examining Q1 earnings closely, analyst Ian Whittaker finds common denominators: the resounding success that India boasts and the persistent challenges that China poses—both are shaping agency-holding companies’ performance in the region.

Will 2024 in China be much the same as 2023?

Where companies could once rely on China to be the "engine room for growth" when it comes to regional revenues, recent economic pressures and consumer spend data are now indicating otherwise. Ian Whittaker opines.

Why cutting brand spend is the corporate equivalent of cutting defence budgets

Just as Europe is relearning that security cannot be bought on the fly, Ian Whittaker argues that slashing brand spend isn't fiscal discipline, it's corporate disarmament.

Buckle up for the ride as agency world will look significantly different in two years

A change of CEO at WPP and a potential sale of Dentsu’s international business are just two signs that major change is coming to the global agency sector.

Hammers and nails: The problems with WPP’s new strategy

Cindy Rose has steadied WPP in the short term, observes Ian Whittaker, but has the tech-heavy strategy overlooked the strengths that once made it great?

Warner Bros. Discovery is up for sale. Who will buy it?

WBD’s announcement to explore strategic alternatives sent the stock price up 10%. The suitors are circling, but how many are really ready to bite?

What the upcoming results season is likely to bring for agency holdcos in Asia Pacific

Q2 reporting kicks off next week with Omnicom.

As US slams door, can the rest of the world offer Chinese ecommerce a lifeline?

Or is this just another dead end? The party seems to be over, writes Ian Whittaker, as Chinese ecommerce giants scramble amid the US crackdown.

Asian advertising braces for a trade war that may never come

No trade war? That's the good news. The bad news? China's economic struggles could still stifle Asian advertising growth, impacting sectors like luxury goods and automobiles, says analyst Ian Whittaker.

Omnicom’s Interpublic ambition: A deal that could redraw advertising’s power map

"This is more about cost synergies than revenue growth," argues Campaign columnist Ian Whittaker. As Omnicom targets Interpublic, is this deal a revolution or a recalibration?

How Trump's presidency will reshape the global tech order

The US is not an island. Trump's policies will have far-reaching consequences for the global tech ecosystem, with Asia-Pacific feeling the impact acutely, writes Ian Whittaker.

What to do about China? The question facing many Western advertisers

As China’s economic outlook dims and consumer confidence falters, global advertisers face a tough decision: Keep waiting for a rebound or shift focus to more reliable markets?

It's a year of shake-ups in APAC adland

As full-year results roll in, some agencies are gaining momentum while others face headwinds. And with China’s downturn forcing a rethink, where will the next wave of growth come from? Ian Whittaker pens down his thoughts.

The politics of trade and its impact on advertising

The US-China trade spat is shaking up industries worldwide. With billions at stake, what does it mean for major online platforms in APAC?

Macroeconomic issues or a fall from grace? Explaining WPP's weakness in China

With WPP's 24% revenue drop in China among a revised guidance issued for the group, is the decline purely driven by macroeconomic factors or could wider issues be at play? Ian Whittaker explores.

Adland can no longer rely on ‘tech factor’ to boost spend

Our Investor View columnist warns the slowdown in spend by tech clients is unlikely to bounce back in full.

India's advertising market soars, but can it elevate the global agency groups?

As the eighth-largest advertising market, India's importance in volume, revenue, and innovation cannot be ignored. Ian Whittaker analyses if current contributions to global agency groups fall short of expectations.

The politics behind the US TikTok ban is not what you think

Ian Whittaker's monthly take is an analysis of the bipartisan politics behind the TikTok ban before the US presidential election and the potential impact on its competitors and relevant stakeholders.

Why advertisers should be wary of pinning their hopes on AI

OpEd: The billions of dollars of tech investments has made the ad world very good at producing bad average or good average content; a dangerous game for an industry paid to be brilliant and stand out.

‘Chexit’: Is there a scenario where the agency groups leave China?

In light of the recent WPP raids in Shanghai, Ian Whittaker raises the question: Will pressure from investors eventually force agency groups to consider exiting the Chinese market?

The growing chasm: What is causing the widening gap between the performance of the agency groups?

While it's easy to characterise the main agency holding groups as the same, this year's variance in their individual performance results points to factors that go well beyond the cyclical norm, unpacks Ian Whittaker.

Exporting to the West: The growing presence of Asia-Pacific ad spend worldwide

The implication is clear: Advertisers in the region are aggressively advertising outside their home continents. So, where is this ad spend coming from, and how will it shape the future of not just APAC, but companies worldwide? Ian Whittaker explores.

A return to normal or the new normal: Where now for the Chinese tech giants?

Even with a cautiously optimistic growth picture driven by hopeful fund managers and analysts, tech giants in China are still working to establish a new market status quo, opines Ian Whittaker.

The question for Dentsu—to keep or to divest its global operations?

Amid Dentsu's structural changes, management churn and dwindling business performance, analyst Ian Whittaker ponders if it's reasonable, even logical, for the advertising behemoth to consolidate or exit its international operations.

When it comes to AI it's best to keep your head, not lose it

The best thing to do for now is to ignore the market reactions and take on board Napoleon’s comment: 'Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in.'

Inflation vs. advertising: The battle for companies' bottom lines

Rising prices threaten profitability, but in lean times, you wouldn't pause building a factory; why is brand-spend any different? Ian Whittaker reminds advertisers looking for long-term gains to not give in to the ‘penny wise, pound foolish’ savings siren.

Investor view: Reasons to be optimistic about advertising in 2023