After a global stint in New York with McCann and Mediabrands, Amit Sutha returned to Malaysia to take the helm at Publicis Groupe, steering its next chapter of integration. Known for breaking down silos and embedding creativity across commerce, data, and media, Amit has cemented his belief that creativity isn’t just a department — it’s a way of thinking.
At the 21st Malaysian Media Conference on November 4, Amit will be closing the day with a unique task: synthesising insights from all the tribes and exploring how Malaysia’s media ecosystem can remain relevant in an era defined by passions, cultural codes, and collective identities.
How do you see “tribes” reshaping the way agencies like Publicis think about integration and client work?
Tribes remind us that people connect through passions, not neat demographic or category boxes. In the same way, our industry’s solutions won’t reach their potential if we keep working in our own boxes; media, creative, digital, PR. Marketing ideas have to live at the cusp of commerce, culture, creativity and platforms, because that’s where tribes actually form and brands become meaningful.
Integration is not about stitching services together, it’s about creating connected experiences that meet people where their passions live, whether that’s faith, family, sport, or sustainability.
You’ve said creativity is a mindset, not a department. How does that philosophy apply when trying to connect with fragmented, passion-driven communities?
When I say creativity is a mindset, I mean it isn’t a sword welded by a few. The DNA of innovation applies whether we’re building media plans, designing CRM journeys, unlocking addressability, shaping influencer strategies. Passion-driven communities don’t just want clever ads, they want ideas that show up in every touchpoint with the same imagination and empathy.
Integration is a buzzword until it meets execution. What’s the hardest challenge you’ve faced in unifying data, media and culture into a single playbook?
The hardest part is unlearning. Data people need to think beyond dashboards, media people beyond placements, and creatives beyond storytelling. Integration happens when everyone gives up their “department-first” lens and rallies behind impact for the client.
From your global experience, what’s one ‘tribe insight’ that international brands often miss about Malaysia?
That we are not a single market, but a mosaic. A Ramadan shopper, a badminton fan, a K-pop devotee, and a green-conscious millennial may all be the same person. Advertisers and advertising agencies often underestimate how fluidly consumers navigate multiple tribes at once. And we as an industry miss creating what I’ve loving appropriated ‘connected experiences’.
If you could spark a new kind of ‘tribe’ within Malaysia’s media industry itself, among clients, agencies, and creators, what would it stand for?
I’d start a tribe of “Un-siloed Thinkers.” People who don’t care about job titles or expertise, but care about solving problems together. It would stand for curiosity, collaboration, and a bias for action.
Looking ahead, what cultural or media shift do you believe will catch brands off guard if they don’t act now?
The danger isn’t missing a trend… it’s failing to connect them. Our ecosystem is richer than ever. Commerce spans third-party marketplaces, owned e-commerce, as well as physical retail. Audience understanding now demands clean rooms that stitch together zero, first, second, and third-party data. Influence is shifting to earned-first where creators drive discovery. And underpinning it all is creativity in how we express and connect.
What will catch brands off guard is if we don’t stitch these four forces together but treat them as separate plays. Because success isn’t just about mastering one… it’s about orchestrating all of them in unison.
On November 4th, the 21st Malaysian Marketing Conference brings together media strategists, brand leaders, storytellers, and cultural observers to share case studies, fresh data, and lived experiences from the frontlines of tribe-driven marketing. Learn more: https://marketingmagazine.com.my/mmc/2025/
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