Campaign Asia-Pacific is proud to present the most detailed overview on agency performance. The Agency Report Card, now in its 14th year, is compiled after months of work that includes reviewing submissions from 40 of the region’s top agency networks, new business analysis, awards wins from major festivals around the world, and the opinions and analysis of our senior editors. Agency CEOs have the opportunity to present their year in a Q&A session with Campaign. We believe this ensures the fairest, most quantitative approach to review agency performance over 2016.

The year was generally characterised by positive performance, with 10 agencies moving up in the scorecard. In a year marked by challenges, business transformations and acquisitions, we congratulate those that came through the year with a positive position. Across the creative, media and digital reports, we decided to drop the scores of nine other agencies. These decisions, and the methodology behind the report card, are detailed from page 37.

Inside, you’ll also find the latest Asia-Pacific Agency Family Tree. The holding company revenue table, compiled with R3, will be available online at campaignasia.com shortly.

Atifa Silk is brand director, Campaign Asia-Pacific

CONTENTS

04 Voices
‘Millennipreneurs’ and the role of metrics

06 Need to know
The latest news from around the industry

12 Innovation
Japan’s esports explosion: a golden opportunity

15 Opinion: John Morgan
Japan’s CEOs steel their nerve to face scandals

16 Insights
Brands raise the stakes in fighting China fakes

19 Opinion: Caroline So
Avoiding marketing clichés at Lunar New Year

22 Intelligence
Changing attitudes shape Asia’s diaper market

25 Opinion: James Thompson
Speed is key to success for ‘culture warriors’

26 Influence
A rising tide of nationalist protectionism is impacting how brands connect with consumers

29 Opinion: Depraj Tripathy
Learning lessons from India’s cash crash

30 Marketer profile
Angela Hunter redefines her role at Prudential

32 The Atifa Silk Interview
Fitch’s Simon Bolton and Tim Greenhalgh delve into the details of great consumer experience

37 Agency Report Card
The tests are marked and the results have been tallied; how did the industry fare in 2016?

56 Private View
Joe Peng and Phil Teeman analyse the ads

58 Best places to work
PHD Shanghai and Mindshare Malaysia