6 Key Takeaways from Ad Asia 2023 in Seoul
Ad Asia 2023, hosted in Seoul, showcased the dynamic transformation of advertising and marketing in the digital age. The theme, “The Digital Race – Ready, Set, Transform” underscored the critical importance of connecting with consumers in this evolving landscape.
As a representative from Nepal in this inspiring event, I would like to share six key takeaways on the future of advertising and marketing.
Role of AI in Marketing
A keynote session by Google’s VP marketing for Asia Pacific, highlights the pivotal role of AI in the future of marketing. With evolving consumer journeys, AI emerges as a key driver for both performance and content marketing, revolutionizing how brands engage with their audiences.
The question is, are we in Nepal prepared to adopt AI in our marketing strategies?
Digital Out of Home Advertising
Programmatic digital out of home advertising, a strategy that unites digital screen owners and advertisers to deliver ads to the right audiences in real time. This approach promised to increase the efficiency by leveraging impressions and real time data.
Is Nepal ready for these advertising methods when we have not yet fully implemented similar measurement concepts for regular media touchpoints?
Local Culture and Authenticity
Kentaro Kimura form Hakuhodo Japan stressed the importance of respecting local culture values to establish meaningful consumer connections. He emphasized that brands can create custom tailored experience that resonate deeply with the local audiences to foster authenticity.
The question to consider, are we prioritizing “Nepalisation” enough in our marketing efforts?
The Science of Storytelling
Bharat Avalani shared a powerful message – “Digitize to Humanize”. He emphasized that storytelling is the key to giving facts a meaningful context.
In Nepal, the question is, are we effectively using our age-old storytelling skills to narrate our brand stories?
Power of Awards
Kevin Swanepoel, CEO of The One Club for Creativity, shared the significance of awards as it helps to enhance agency reputation, attract talents, foster business growth and inspire the industry.
In Nepal, the question is, are we actively participating in global advertising awards to inspire our creative ecosystem and recognize each other for excellent works?
Uniqueness as a Competitive Advantage
Prof Samuel from Penn State University emphasized the significance of embracing the unique culture specific to a country or region. He stressed that the key to success is not replication but rather presenting the very best of what makes you different.
In Nepal, the question is, how well are we using our unique culture to tell our brand stories and stand out?
These six takeaways from Ad Asia 2023 offer valuable insights for Nepali creative industry and marketers alike. They encourage introspection about our readiness to learn, share and transform in preparation for the digital race. Embracing AI, respecting local culture, utilizing programmatic advertising, celebrating creativity through awards, leveraging storytelling and showcasing our unique culture in brand narratives can help us navigate the evolving marketing landscape.
Ad Asia has a rich legacy since it first held in Tokyo, Japan in 1958. It is a biennial event that travels to different Asian cities. Ad Asia 2023 in Seoul is the third time it has been hosted in Korea. The next Ad Asia 2025 will take place in Macau. This year, event was held at Coex in Seoul from October 24th to 27th, representing the presence of 27 countries and hosted by the Asian Federation of Advertising Association (AFAA) and the Korean Federation of Advertising Associations (KFAA). About 2400 individuals from the advertising, digital marketing and content industries attended the event to explore the latest trends and insights in the rapidly changing advertising and marketing landscape. It is also a great opportunity for professionals from across Asia to meet, share knowledge, renew friendship and explore the future of advertising. The digital race in marketing is clearly underway, focusing on creative intelligence, expanding media reach and integrating AI to reshape culture and enhance the consumer journey. We all are uncomfortably excited about the future of advertising.
Mr. Ujaya Shakya is founder of Outreach Nepal and author of Brandsutra
