In an exclusive sit-down with Campaign Asia, the incoming leadership makes the case for independent creativity in a holdco-dominated market and explains why the AI era is wind in their sails.
TODAY'S EDITION
05/12/2026
Latest
Apple hires marketing communications director for Greater China
Greater China is Apple’s largest market outside the US, contributing to a fifth of the company’s global sales.
Dentsu ANZ folds Merkle, sells Salesforce arm
The move comes a week after Dentsu combined Carat and iProspect as part of a broader simplification of its media business in the market.
The jet fuel crisis is testing how travel brands adapt campaigns under pressure
Geopolitical disruptions have been a fixture for travel marketers in Asia. The fuel cost crisis is now the latest test as consumer trust becomes harder to retain.
WPP Media names new Malaysia CEO
Winnie Chen-Head crosses over to rival WPP Media less than a year after being named CEO of Omnicom Media Malaysia.
Avalere Health expands into Japan
EXCLUSIVE: The global healthcare consultancy launches in Tokyo, led by Junji Yokokawa, with integrated advisory, medical and marketing services.
The Information
WPP wins vote on CEO pay hike despite 25% opposition
WPP consulted with shareholders and dropped an initial plan to increase executive pay by a higher quantum.
Indonesia prepares to extend its under 16-digital ban to e-commerce platforms
Indonesia’s communications and digital minister signaled plans to extend the nation’s under‑16 digital ban to online shopping platforms.
Thierry Henry can't stop watching himself in new Samsung spot
With the World Cup six weeks out, Samsung and BBH Singapore deploy Thierry Henry and a television.
Inside Yiwu, the world’s unofficial World Cup commerce factory
Little-known Yiwu in eastern China is a clear indicator of football-driven consumer demand, it produces an estimated 70% of World Cup merchandise globally.
McCann Singapore names Gonzalo Olivera CEO as Paul Soon exits
Olivera takes the helm five months after the McCann and MullenLowe Singapore merger following Omnicom's takeover of IPG.
Cathay marks 80 years with a 10-minute love letter to Hong Kong
In an exclusive conversation with Campaign Asia, Cathay’s Edward Bell discusses the airline’s ambitious anniversary film, Hong Kong nostalgia and the enduring power of long-form, human storytelling.
Arthur Sadoun to earn potential $11.3 million package after 20% salary hike
Salary rise follows Publicis’ finding that its chairman and CEO was lowest paid among rivals WPP and Omnicom.
'Advertising agencies are not banks': Malaysia's 4As calls out 120-day payments
The industry body warns that extended settlement windows squeeze agency cash flow, delay salaries and erode talent base.
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Effectiveness at the Highest Level: Eos and Mischief @ No Fixed Address win back-to-back Iridium Effies
Setting a new benchmark for marketing effectiveness, the "Women’s Shave" campaign defies category norms to claim the industry’s top honour for the second year running.
OPINIONS
Livestreaming commerce is booming, but who's watching the claims?
It's become a performance goldmine, but live commerce is also a compliance minefield. As the channel scales and regulation catches up, who actually owns compliance risk?
AI is abundant now but judgment is such a luxury
After a Chinese court ruled that AI-driven layoffs and pay cuts are unlawful and tech adoption is a choice. Ramakrishnan Raja says the responsibility for that choice sits squarely with the CMO.
3 marketing lessons from the Coachella 2026 post-mortem
Why ‘method branding’ and fan service defined the festival’s most-searched year yet.
Can culture be decoded, or does it have to be felt?
Publicis’ Rish Gopal has spent eight years in Japan watching brands get culture wrong. He says the problem isn’t data but a lack of patience, and that the long game is the only one that works.
If you want your campaign to go to market quickly, the best thing you can do is slow down
Rushing the brief doesn’t save time; it just moves it to the most expensive part of the process, says Pieter-Paul von Weiler, co-founder of BetterBriefs.
The Publicis-Microsoft partnership and the rise of a closed-loop economy
In a closed-loop economy, the stakes are higher and the margin for error thinner. Microsoft’s choice of Publicis challenges the idea that tech will make agencies obsolete.
Culture isn’t a campaign anymore and brands can’t just be guests
Audiences aren’t waiting to be told stories; they’re busy reshaping them. Brands now need to give them something to do, writes Virtue's Huiwen Tow.
The Information
Everyone needs partners in era of tech hyperscalers
Coming age of agentic AI is forcing more collaboration between “frenemies” across the advertising and tech ecosystem.