SINGAPORE — Spikes Asia has announced its first speakers confirmed to take to the stage this March. The 2024 event will see a bespoke program of talent and experts from across the spectrum of creativity including brands such as Diageo, Haleon, L’Oréal, and McDonald’s. Among the agencies and networks represented are Accenture Song, BBDO, FCB, Publicis, S4 Capital, and UltraSuperNew.
Jaime Ng, Festival Director at Spikes Asia, said, “The 38th edition of Spikes Asia will feature some of the most inspiring speakers and talent from across the region to address the most pressing issues that creatives and marketers across APAC are facing. The program will focus on creative effectiveness, as well as looking at the cultural shifts taking place across APAC and the impact of new technology, ensuring that our community leaves with the tools and evidence they need to demonstrate that creativity drives progress for business, people, and society.”
Creative effectiveness
The role of creativity in driving brand growth and business value will be a core theme throughout the program. The program will feature sessions from BBDO’s Andrew Robertson discussing why brands across APAC need to marry humor and purpose, Tanya Malhotra, Brand and Reputation Lead at Uber, on how brands can tap into different cultures and audiences successfully, and Lex Bradshaw-Zanger, Chief Marketing and Digital Office at L’Oréal SAPMENA, on how short-form videos have become the language of expression and connection of the moment.
Cultural shifts: What’s changing?
The cultural landscape has rapidly evolved across APAC, and 2024’s program will provide delegates with practical tools they can apply to connect with their audiences. Rica Facundo, APAC Editor at WARC, will showcase WARC’s first APAC-led global guide that reveals why culture is so important to effective work and how marketers can achieve cross-cultural effectiveness. Ada Lazaro, Regional Marketing Director at McDonald’s Asia Business Unit, will explore how to build scalable relationships with Gen Z across diverse Asian markets.
Ada commented, “We can’t wait to share our insights into how McDonald’s is building relationships with consumers in Asia by helping them feel connected to the culture they care about. McDonald’s campaigns don’t feel like marketing, they entertain in playful ways to give people ‘a little bubble of happy.’” One of Southeast Asia’s most popular TikTok creators, Ming Wei Ng, CEO of Boom Digital Media, explores the rise of the creator economy and how brands in Asia Pacific could leverage the influence of the creator economy to be more connected to culture.
The impact of technology
Speakers will explore how creativity and technology can come together to solve business problems and facilitate change. Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, will share his insights on a spectrum of converging mega-trends, including the power of AI and technology and the importance of the APAC region to the future of global growth. Dhiren Amin, Chief Customer Officer at NTUC Income, will explore how to unlock creativity through technology and data to revolutionize marketing strategies.
Josephine Tan, VP of APAC Digital Hub for Diageo, will explore the rise of technology in Asia. She commented, “I am looking forward to the exchange on the impact of creativity in Asia, especially what the constant evolution of technology brings to the table and how it changes the game. Very exciting, never a dull moment.”
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS, said, “We’re delighted to announce the first set of speakers for Spikes Asia 2024 and bring together an exceptional line-up of talent, as we return to a physical event this year. Bringing the APAC community together to inspire, learn, and problem-solve is an important part of Spikes Asia, and we look forward to the discussions that will take place this March.”
adobo magazine is an official media partner of Spikes Asia 2024.
