The Turning Point: Lessons for every reader of this magazine.

The annual Malaysian Media Conference (MMC) held its 20th edition last month at the Eastin Hotel. It highlighted that we are at the crossroads of a transformation – The Turning Point.

The event explored the future of marketing in a world dominated by AI, influencer marketing, organizational unity, and the quest for trust.

The glittering stage, adorned with digital displays showcasing cutting-edge visuals, set the tone for a high-octane experience for delegates.

Adaptability is not an advantage; it’s a survival skill.

Opening keynote speaker Claudian Navin Stanislaus, President of the Malaysian Advertisers Association added some ‘Teh Tarik Chemistry’ to his address.

He elaborated that the sheer volume of disruption, especially the rise of AI, social commerce, and new forms of consumer engagement, can feel overwhelming.

His message was clear: resilience and adaptability are key.

Who’s in the Spotlight?

Thereafter, the popular Spotlight Sessions took centre stage featuring industry leaders ‘put on the spot’ to face rapid fire questions about today’s marketing hurdles.

This year Darren Yuen – CEO of Initiative Malaysia; Nizwani Shahar – CEO of Havas Malaysia; Raja Jastina Raja Arshad – VP, Head of Astro Shaw & Malay Nusantara Business and Nisha Devina Roy – Managing Director of M&C Saatchi Malaysia took to the stage.

As always, the exchanges had the audience on the edge of their seats.

Time to redefine Out-of-Home (OOH) in Malaysia

Sailendra Kanagasundram of Visual Retale followed, delivering a State of OOH in Malaysia address. He shared that OOH advertising now reaches 90% of Malaysian audiences.

Explaining how it has evolved into a dynamic medium, he showcased campaigns like Bask Bear’s visually striking OOH strategy, which leveraged “big ideas in big spaces” to achieve an astounding 275% surge in burger sales.

Sai hammered home a compelling statistic: combining OOH with digital marketing increases reach by 303%, compared to digital alone.

He also teased the audience with Visual Retale’s cutting-edge digital dashboard PLAYDOOH that matches mobile data with DOOH locations.

Conversation is the new UX

Next, Sue-Anne Lim CEO of Universal McCann Malaysia, spoke about “Beyond the Algorithm: The Rise of AI-Driven Empathy”.

Her call to action was clear: Trust is the currency of the future. She cited research from IPG Mediabrands that demonstrated a 1-point increase in trust can lead to a 33% boost in consumer purchases.

“The future of marketing is emotional,” Sue-Anne declared. “AI has the power to understand and engage with consumers on a deeply emotional level.”

However, she explained that AI must go beyond merely predicting consumer behaviour – it must also understand the intent and emotion behind them.

Where are we headed tomorrow?

Eileen Ooi, CEO of PHD Asia-Pacific and President of the Malaysia Digital Association, shared some truths about digital.

Her keynote presentation revealed that smartphone penetration is expected to reach 94% by 2030 and digital ad spend hitting RM2.379 billion in 2024.

She emphasised that the media’s future is shaped by key trends like Connected TV (CTV), Retail Media Networks (RMNs), and the Creator Economy.

Eileen said that CTV boosts ad conversions, RMNs redefine consumer journeys, and authenticity drives the Creator Economy.

Podcasts and privacy-first movements also star in this sprawling landscape, with ethical AI-enhanced solutions gaining traction.

Pitch Play 1: Social Commerce, the new frontier of influence

Shereen Wong, Chief Growth Officer Xamble, focused on the rise of social commerce.

She said that Malaysia’s eCommerce market is expected to grow from $4.3 billion in 2020 to $5.9 billion by 2024. However, the true driver is not just the expansion of online shopping – it’s the increasing influence of social media.

“75% of Malaysians rely on influencers for product recommendations.”

The shift from traditional advertising to influencer marketing has been swift and profound and her case studies from brands like Tanamera and Dutch Lady illustrated this.

Pitch Play 2: Disruptions in OOH

Narayan Murthy – Head of Adtech Business (INSEA) for Moving Walls Group gave a powerful overview of five key disruptions transforming the industry.

These were pricing accessibility, precise targeting, accurate measurement, enhanced engagement, and integrated media planning.

Narayan shared that Malaysia’s OOH sector is projected to expand by 10.38% in 2024.

Advanced technologies like audience measurement, geolocation data, and real-time bidding are making possible highly targeted campaigns based on demographics, interests, and behaviours.

He also forecasted that trends like commerce-enabled screens, programmatic advertising will be the norm with increased interactivity and driven by sustainability imperatives.

You can buy reach but you can’t buy attention.

Maaz Khan – GM & Team Lead (Nestlé MY) for Mindshare Group, shocked the audience with the realisation that for all the reach, we might not have earned attention.

In his presentation, “The Future of Advertising is AttentionFirst”, he captured the urgency of modern marketing: where consumers spend more time with media than ever with their attention splintered across platforms.

He introduced the term “Enshittification,” describing how online products and services decline in quality; a sobering description of how platforms erode user experience in the pursuit of profit.

Maaz spoke about nonskippable YouTube ads, which commanded 5,888 attentive seconds per 1,000 impressions, and that other formats paled in comparison.

Best of the Best

An exclusive screening of Malaysia’s top campaigns from The APPIES 2024 Awards helped serve as a reminder to delegates of what defines excellence in the industry.

No Silo, No Solo, No Bozo.

Concluding the day on a high note was seasoned media giant Ranganathan Somanathan, the CEO & Advisor for MY & SG – International at Publicis Media. In a thought-provoking “rockstar with shades “session, he tackled one of the most pressing issues facing today’s organizations: the rise of working in silos.

Ranga outlined the detrimental effects of siloed operations: inefficiency, lack of innovation and poor collaboration.

He cited two research reports- 86% of employees work in silos, and silos lead to a 25% reduction in productivity.

He explained that, in an era of talent scarcity, organizations need to focus on fostering teamwork and mutual support, rather than relying on individual heroics.

Ranga’s rallying cry to eliminate “bozos” resonated strongly with the audience.