MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The media landscape is perpetually in motion, but WPP Media is setting the compass for the industry’s trajectory with the launch of its WPP Media Summit: Now & Next.
Held at Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City on Friday, November 21, the event brought together the industry’s brightest minds, offering a comprehensive roadmap for navigating “the shifts in our industry” and charting a course toward “the limitless future of media.”
The summit also solidified WPP Media’s role as the guide for modern brand growth, emphasizing that, moving forward, it requires embracing current market realities and preparing for the next frontier of media practice.
“The theme for this [event] is ‘Now & Next,’ but I added the word ‘New’ to the definition because I think that the future is all going to be around new things, [and] new opportunities; and with new things and new opportunities, it means we have to start thinking differently. It means we have to work in different ways, and we have to be brave about what we can do differently in this new, exciting world,” WPP Media Southeast Asia Chief Executive Officer Helen McRae said in an exclusive interview with adobo Magazine.
Helen also highlighted Southeast Asia’s leading role in social commerce and technology, suggesting the region could set global best practices.
“I find it really interesting that, particularly in Southeast Asia, the media ecosystem is amazing because it’s where I believe the future of marketing will come from. If you think about areas like social commerce, KOLs, and the adoption of technology, this region is leading the world,” Helen shared.
She added, “So I think we have the opportunity to write the global rulebook on best practices in media and tech from this region.”
Synergy, success, and the customer journey
Following Helen’s opening remarks, the event immediately zeroed in on client strategy. WPP Media Client President Reena Francisco set the tone in her talk, “The Now & Next of Media,” by detailing the crucial changes shaping the landscape.
Similarly, one of the highlights of the summit was the “Success & Synergy in Media” roundtable, which brought together perspectives from some of the Philippines’ biggest brands, including Jollibee Group Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Katrina Yu, Cebu Pacific Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer Candice Iyog, and Mondelez International Marketing Director Adrian Manlapig. They shared insights on building stronger campaigns through “the power of connection,” which was moderated by WPP Media Client President Carlo de Leon.
During a conversation with adobo Magazine, Adrian stated that the Philippines is becoming more digital, with technology transforming media into a more effective and efficient process. He also highlighted the media’s ability nowadays to target specific audiences with campaigns, which he believes is a great way to deliver the right messages to the right consumers.
“In the Philippines, media is becoming more and more digital. Technology is transforming the way media is done, making it more effective and efficient. Right now, you can have campaigns targeted to specific personal audiences, and I believe that’s a great way to ensure we send the right messages to the right consumers,” he noted.
Attention then turned to fostering deeper consumer bonds, as TikTok Manager for Marketing Science at SEA Nikhil Bhardwaj explored the journey “From ‘I Do’ to ‘I Love’,” focusing on transforming passive consumers into active brand lovers through emotional engagement.
New media currency: Retail, E-commerce, and attention
The mid-day sessions provided deep dives into the transactional and behavioral shifts in the market.
One of the key highlights was another roundtable discussion featuring ABS-CBN Head of Digital Jamie Lopez, Manila Broadcasting Company Vice President for Sales Santi M. Elizalde, and United Neon Deputy Chief Operating Officer Bernie Lim.
Moderated by WPP Media Philippines Head of Investments and Solutions Mathieu Cuny, they explored the evolving media landscape, offering insights into the current state and future direction of video and audio platforms. Their conversation shed light on shifting audience behaviors, emerging technologies, and the opportunities shaping the next wave of media innovation.
For Mathieu, to reshape media production — whether in video or audio — marketers and advertisers should blend AI capabilities and human creativity to create more impactful content and maintain brand consistency.
“It’s not going to be about who can press the render button for video material the best, but about how we combine AI with our own knowledge and ensure it still resonates with the brand identity. That’s what will reshape production,” he told adobo Magazine.
GCash Vice President and Group Head of New Businesses Winsley Bangit, on the other hand, led a pivotal discussion on navigating the rapidly evolving world of retail media. He unpacked how consumer behavior, digital ecosystems, and data-driven strategies are reshaping the way brands connect with shoppers, offering a forward-looking perspective on where the retail media landscape is headed — just like how they did in GCash.
“Well, retail media is quite important, especially in delivering not just awareness but attribution and conversion. What we’re seeing is that there are certain buying spots, especially since around 90% of transactions and conversions still happen offline. So I think there’s an opportunity to collaborate on data, particularly on privacy-driven enablement, so that consumer signals can be attributed and measured for the benefit of both the clients and the consumers,” Winsley explained to adobo Magazine.
Meanwhile, WPP Media Head of Choreograph Laurent Goirand discussed the “New Science of Media,” shedding light on how data intelligence, advanced measurement, and precision planning are redefining the way brands understand and engage audiences. He emphasized the growing importance of integrating technology, insights, and creativity to build smarter, more impactful media strategies in an increasingly complex landscape.
For him, the new science of media in a world driven by data, AI, and precision measurement will define a brand’s success.
“If a brand doesn’t pay attention to that, I’m sure the brand will not last. We have to pay attention to AI and data. AI will help us make sense of data. Data will be so massive in the future that without AI to help us mine it, we won’t be able to do anything with it. So we need to make sense of it now — testing and trying — so that in the future, we’ll be properly equipped to deliver on it,” Laurent underscored in a conversation with adobo Magazine.
Furthermore, the concept of engagement was redefined in the talk by Viu Philippines Head of Revenue and Partnerships Torto Canga, who discussed how attention is now the new currency in a content-saturated world and offered strategies for capturing it across traditional and social platforms.
GrabAds & Grab for Business Head of Country Partnerships and Business Development Eiji Macasaet, meanwhile, highlighted the evolving landscape of e-commerce, exploring how media must maximize its potential in this fast-changing, tech-savvy world.
Data, global insights, and local impact
The summit went on with the “Now & Next: Platforms” roundtable which offered a high-level debate on the vast digital ecosystem. In an unprecedented and rare panel discussion, WPP Media was able to put together representatives from the key digital platforms – Meta Head of Industry for the Consumer Packaged Goods (FMCG) Laurie Lee; The Trade Desk GM Retail & Data Partnerships for South East Asia Rohit Kumar; Spotify Automation Lead Nick Ng; Google Philippines Head of Agency Andre Visenio and TikTok Philippines Head of Channel Partnerships Chay Saputil. The discussion was moderated by WPP Media VP-MMD Julia Vergara.
This was followed by a featured talk on branding, led by Summit Media Chief Operating Officer Howard Go, who offered fresh perspectives on how brands can stay relevant and resonate in an increasingly competitive, fast-evolving market. He highlighted the importance of authenticity, audience insight, and strategic storytelling in shaping stronger, more enduring brand identities.
Connecting with consumers on a personal level was reinforced through discussions on locality and influence. The “Now & Next: Hyperlocal” roundtable featured Kantar Managing Director Jay Bautista; RGC Chief Executive Officer Bryan Yap; GMA Regional TV Vice President Ann Marie Tan, and RMN EVP and COO Erika Sanchez. Moderated by WPP Media Principal Partner JP Salustiano, the panelists underscored that locality still holds immense value and highlighted opportunities across the region.
Likewise, the power of influence was addressed through another set of roundtable discussions that illuminated how creators and communities are collectively shaping the future of media. Panelists included Brand Power Business Development Manager Bianca Louise Evangelista; Anymind Philippines Live Ecommerce Manager Billy Cheung; Ogilvy Managing Director; Public Relations & Influence Leah Huang, and celebrity and influencer Dimples Romana. The panel, likewise moderated by WPP Media Head of Goat KB Ignacio.
Finally, the summit provided global insights with “How Humans Decide,” featuring a thought-provoking presentation on human decision-making via Zoom with WPP Media EVP Comms Strategy, Global Client Solutions Stuart Sullivan-Martin, and WPP Media Global Growth Strategy Lead James Boardman. This session was moderated by WPP Media Vice President for Strategy Marck Rimorin.
The insightful event drew to a close with final remarks from WPP Media Philippines CEO Crisela Cervantes, who reflected on the day’s key learnings and emphasized the collective commitment to shaping a stronger, more future-ready media industry.
“It’s the end of Now & Next, but it’s more of a catalyst. If there’s any takeaway today, it’s that there is a lot of technological innovation, and the changes in media are very exciting because they present many opportunities. But the key takeaway is the collaboration that needs to happen, because none of this will work if we don’t come together,” Crisela shared.
She added, “This is our commitment as WPP Media — to make sure we all come together, and this is just the start. There should be smaller versions of this, like in client meetings or other sessions where we can co-create these limitless opportunities. Let’s create this new future together.”
All-in-all, WPP Media Partners Summit: Now & Next showcased how rapidly the media landscape is transforming and how brands must evolve alongside it. Across discussions on AI, retail media, ecommerce, attention, and data intelligence, one message was consistent: the future belongs to those who combine technology with human insight.
From emotional engagement on platforms like TikTok to the precision and scale offered by new measurement tools, the summit emphasized the importance of balancing innovation with authenticity to stay relevant in an increasingly complex environment.
Ultimately, the event underscored Southeast Asia’s growing influence in shaping global media practices, with the Philippines positioned as a vibrant hub for creativity, commerce, and technological adoption. By convening top leaders, platforms, and experts under one roof, WPP Media reaffirmed its commitment to guiding brands through the shifts happening now and preparing them for what comes next. The summit concluded not just with insights, but with a collective call for bravery, experimentation, and a forward-looking approach to modern media.
adobo Magazine is the official creative partner of the WPP Media Summit.
