2026: Finally, the Year of Brand Revival?
Let’s not beat around the bush, ‘brand’ hasn’t gone anywhere. Many companies are working hard to ensure every customer touchpoint tells a compelling part of their brand’s story. It is how it should be. Sure, the same companies are also spending on ads, but the balance is right, and they recognise that brand and response […]
Navigating the Nexus: AI’s Impact on Marketing
I’m a bit late to the party here. In my defence, I did start writing this back in May. It was a lot longer, but even in the last month and a half, a lot of it was out of date. So I was looking at ‘search psychology’ from a broader perspective, now I wanted […]
95:5 Why Brand Building Matters?
I’ve been thinking a lot about measurement in marketing again (when aren’t I?!) Specifically the relationship between spend and results. In the race for growth, many companies pour budget into performance marketing—buying digital ads for quick wins – only to hit a plateau. It got me thinking: Is an ads-only strategy sustainable in the long […]
Collective
David beat Goliath My background is in agencies, mostly. Not huge ones, up-and-coming ones who punch above their weight. I always felt we did the ‘right’ work for clients. Often telling them ‘no’ or pushing them to try new things rather than just propping up the status quo. It’s always stuck with me. The further […]
Navigating Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia unlocked: a short(ish) guide to thriving in the region. I originally moved to Malaysia about 6 years ago. My first job was working for a company owned by a person from the UK. I didn’t last long there. I was told, ‘I’d never make it working for a local company’. So, once I […]
Southeast Asia (SEA) is more than a growing market.
It’s fast becoming the strategic gateway to the wider Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. With a population of over 660 million people and a combined GDP surpassing USD 3 trillion, SEA has consistently ranked among the world’s fastest-growing economic blocs. Unsurprisingly, businesses of all sizes are eager to explore its potential for expansion and outsourcing. But what […]
Chinese New Year – Why the coming year of the Snake could be the time to shine in SEA
A somewhat potted overview of CNY (from a Westerner!) This coming Chinese New Year (or CNY, Lunar New Year, or just New Year, as it’s known around various parts of Asia) brings us to the year of the Yin Wood Snake. The Snake is one of the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals and is considered a […]
Why Web3 Isn’t Everything It Claims To Be?
We’ve been told now that Web3 will revolutionise the internet. Why hasn’t it happened? I see a lot of chatter about decentralisation, direct connections to creators, and better data ownership. Blah, blah, blah. Big Tech Bad The core basis of Web3 is supposed to be based on the principle that big tech is terrible, and […]
The Christmas Ad… What Happened?
I get to November and head straight to The Drum to check out this year’s new crop of Christmas ads. As someone in marketing, it’s THE time of year. The Christmas ad is sometimes filmed as early as June/July, and the planning for the next one begins almost as soon as we’re in the new […]