“Put lipstick on a pig, and it’s still a pig,” says de Oude. In a wide-ranging interview, the founder-CEO reflects on the withdrawal crisis that shook the fintech in 2025, the lessons he took from it, and why Hong Kong expansion is the first stop on a very long road.
Latest
Wardah redesigns smarter hearing aid for women in hijab
Conventional hearing aids are not designed for hijab-wearing women. Wardah and Dentsu Indonesia are changing that for millions around the world.
Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo appoints new CCO and president: 'This is the moment for independent creative companies'
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.
PHD China names Cynthia Zhang as new CEO
The promotion fills the gap left by Joey Zhao's elevation to group level.
Elmwood: Your packaging is talking. But is it saying the right things?
With unboxing culture and AI-powered shopping on the rise, packaging speaks before brands do—and increasingly, it’s the only pitch that matters, per an Elmwood report.
The brands consumers noticed most in April: YouGov
According to YouGov BrandIndex, a handful of brands emerged as April’s biggest advertising movers.
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.
Revealed: which agencies won Heineken brands?
Heineken consolidated its global creative account with three holding companies following a review.
Peroni reviews global creative account as 'agency landscape has evolved'
Four agencies have been shortlisted for the account.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Arthur Sadoun to earn potential $11.3 million package after 20% salary hike
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Campaign’s Over 50 list returns to spotlight APAC’s most seasoned changemakers
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Agency Performance Review 2026: We graded 22 agency networks
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‘If the world only remembers we sponsored the World Cup, we've failed’: Lenovo’s FIFA play
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Cathay marks 80 years with a 10-minute love letter to Hong Kong
SEE ALL NEWS
The Work
Telstra turns up the volume on e-waste
In a world producing 7kg of e-waste per person, Telstra promises to give every second device a second life by 2030.
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Content Hub
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
To all the men in advertising: please start showing up
You can’t be a male ally if you’re not in the room.
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.