In APAC, localization is no longer a differentiator—it’s the baseline. Brands have mastered adapting campaigns, languages, and visuals to local markets. But as growth pressures mount and customer expectations evolve, the question is no longer whether to localize—it’s how to scale it without diluting brand equity.

Today’s landscape is being reshaped by rapid digitalization, AI-driven personalization, and increasingly discerning consumers who can see through superficial tweaks. Streamlined organizational structures add speed but create tension between agility and governance. The new challenge: finding a localization model that is dynamic, authentic, and globally consistent.

We spoke to four senior brand leaders to understand how they are navigating this next phase of localization:

• Andrea De Vincentiis, MD, Global Head of Brand Partnerships & Regional Brand Director, HSBC
• John Toomey, Chief Commercial Officer, Marriott International – Asia Pacific (excluding China)
• Rebecca Marino, Assistant Vice President, Senior Brand Strategist, FM and Maria Shopova, Sr. Marketing Strategic Partner, FM

1. From Customer-Centricity to Customer Obsession

Prophet’s recent research revealed that customer obsession is a key driver of Uncommon Growth for companies that achieved growth of 2x industry average over the past five years. Being customer obsessed is not just a table stake, it’s a moving target. Traditional research methods cannot keep pace with how customers discover, engage, and judge brands today. Real-time, multi-faceted listening has become essential.

“For us, localization is about being truly customer centric. It’s how we create emotional connections—it’s not just about visuals or language, but how the whole experience feels.”

Andrea De Vincentiis, HSBC

Brands are rethinking how they gather and distribute insights. Marriott has a two-way feedback system between local markets, regional teams, and headquarters, as well as a guest experience feedback platform Guest Voice to capture real-time insights.

“This cycle of listening, learning, and evolving ensures that our regional strategies don’t just align with global standards—they’re also deeply relevant in the context of local cultures, which is where we see the greatest long-term impact.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

FM’s market pulse surveys to track regional progress after launching its new brand.

“Local relevance isn’t a one-time check – it’s an ongoing dialogue. Especially in B2B, where interactions are deeply personal and nuanced, we need to continuously validate that our strategies resonate with local teams and markets.”

Maria Shopova, FM

Beyond listening, brands must also stay close to how today’s consumers discover them. With the rise of generative AI, it is no longer enough to communicate in traditional channels—brands need an AI Engine Optimisation (AEO) strategy to ensure they appear authentic and relevant not only in global LLMs like OpenAI and Claude, but also in regional platforms such as China’s DeepSeek, Alibaba’s Qwen, and emerging players like South Korea’s Exaone and Southeast Asia’s Sailor2.

2. From Static Guidelines to Living Brand Systems

As businesses scale across diverse markets, rigid brand guidelines can stifle resonance. Leaders are now creating living brand systems that define the non-negotiables yet leave room for flexibility in local adaptations.

FM partnered with Prophet to refresh its brand and unify its strategy. The new brand, supported by extensive guidelines and a Brand Center, became a central tool for internal alignment and external execution.

“When working with agency partners for the implementation of our marketing plans, we make sure that they are living and breathing the brand guidelines by introducing the Brand Center as part of the onboarding process, which has helped tremendously.”

Rebecca Marino, FM

Marriott International has a portfolio of over 30 hotel brands. For each brand, a robust brand house framework was carefully mapped out to ensure both alignment and flexibility across all hotels worldwide.

“We balance our global brand purpose with local cultural interpretations by adhering to a unified brand house and guidelines. Our global purpose for each brand remains non-negotiable. However, we empower local teams to adapt expressions of this purpose to align with cultural expectations.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

By using a signature visual construct (“A-hex-B”), HSBC’s recent global campaign highlighted how well-defined brand systems allow flexibility.

“We use this “A-hex-B” construct that visually ties everything back to our signature hexagon—it’s instantly recognizable. Markets can plug in their own headlines that reflect what’s most relevant locally, but the overall look and message remain consistent. And with this year being HSBC’s 160th anniversary, we also developed a special mark that each market can adapt to celebrate their own local milestones. It’s a nice way to keep things connected but still individual.”

Andrea De Vincentiis, HSBC

3. From Local Adaptation to Global Innovation Hubs

Localization is moving beyond adaptation—it’s becoming a source of global innovation. In APAC, where local champions are agile, bold, and culturally fluent, global brands can’t win by simply adapting campaigns or repackaging global products. They must innovate to stay competitive and meet the rising expectations of increasingly discerning consumers. With APAC markets as a testing ground, these successful innovations are now going global. 

Marriott’s M Passport, first launched in APAC, became the blueprint for the global Marriott Family Program.

“Local markets are vital sources of innovation that keep Marriott’s global brand strategy dynamic and relevant. By fostering a culture of openness and collaboration, we integrate local innovations into our global framework, keeping our brands forward-thinking and adaptable.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

Likewise, Shiseido launched INRYU (ingestible beauty) and RQ PYOLOGY (medical beauty) in China, both of which informed its global innovation strategy.

4. From Operational Alignment to Cultural Ownership

Streamlined organizational structures can drive operational efficiency and speed—both critical in fast-moving APAC markets. But true localization requires more than just lean processes; it thrives when governance and culture work hand in hand. 

Brands that excel embed localization into their organization, creating clear processes and empowering employees to interpret and activate the brand meaningfully in their markets.

“These days, a brand isn’t just something owned and controlled from the top—it’s shaped by the people who interact with it every day: customers, employees, communities. It’s evolved into something more dynamic, and it definitely goes beyond just geography.”

Andrea De Vincentiis, HSBC

FM used its brand launch to drive cultural engagement: employees now ask more questions, show greater curiosity, and feel responsible for living the brand.

“The launch of our new brand helped bring along brand understanding to a higher level. More employees are asking brand questions than ever, not just because it’s new, but also because they care more and want to do the right thing.”

Rebecca Marino, FM

And as John Toomey notes, governance must be designed to empower, not constrain:

“To scale localization effectively without losing the brand’s core, CMOs should establish clear brand guidelines that define the aspects and boundaries of localization while empowering local teams to innovate.”

John Toomey, Marriott International

The New Playbook: From Localized to Locally Led

In APAC, localization has matured from a tactical checkbox to a strategic growth lever. The new rules require:

• Anticipating cultural shifts with data, not just reacting. 
• Flexible frameworks, not static rulebooks. 
• Innovation that flows both ways, with APAC as a global incubator. 
• Cultural ownership, so localization lives beyond marketing teams. 

For brands that master this, localization will not just make them relevant—it will make them leaders. 

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Disclaimer: This article includes statements and quotations from various companies and individuals for informational purposes only. The inclusion of these quotes does not imply endorsement, affiliation, or agreement among the entities mentioned. All views expressed are those of the respective sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or other participants. 

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Tourism in Asia is going through an identity crisis. By the numbers, it all looks good, with experts predicting a complete recovery, surpassing the pre-pandemic highs. However, the typical 2025 traveler bears little resemblance to those in 2019.  

Travelers in Asia now have different expectations. They have new ideas about how to enjoy life, find entertainment and spend money. They want to protect the planet. They combine work and leisure travel in new ways and crave authentic experiences over standardized hotel chains. Those changes have pushed the hospitality sector to a pivotal moment of reinvention and adaptation.  

As tourism numbers rise, the opportunities are expanding fast. Tourism brands must shift their strategy to succeed, addressing four powerful trends. They’ll need to redefine all formats for richer personalization. Thinking beyond the hotel’s physical location, brands must offer diversified experiences from retail, cultural activities to entertainment which stand true to the hotel’s brand purpose. They’ll have to find new ways to use tech, becoming more human. And they’ll need to address eco-wary travelers’ rapidly evolving sustainability expectations. 

A Look into Asia’s Travel Boom 

Asia’s impressive tourism recovery is, in large part, driven by the reopening of China post-COVID. While domestic travel expenditure has slowed since the May holiday surge (28% growth over 2019), international travel was rebounding in full force during the golden week holiday. According to Alipay, the number of transactions made by its users in overseas markets during the first four days of the holiday (October 1-4) increased by over 60% compared to the same period in 2023. Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore emerged as the fastest-growing destinations for Chinese tourists. 

Major hotel chains saw positive financial results globally, but a decrease in their China revenue. In part, that’s due to the oversaturation of the market, with chains focusing on price, and the softening of business travel. However, it’s also due to Chinese travelers’ evolving preferences that make the hostel and B&B sector more appealing. 

India is also driving the rebound, with travel industry sources reporting that outbound travelers from India spent a record $17 billion in overseas travel, a 25% jump from the prior year. In Southeast Asia, Laos and Malaysia are up 20 percent and 17 percent, respectively, in year-over-year international travel spending.  

As outbound excursions increase, countries are sharpening their offers. Japan, where visits are already well over 2019 levels, is gearing up to attract affluent tourists to lesser-known destinations, offering opportunities for an authentic experience of culture, craftsmanship and nature as a record number of foreign travelers come to the country. 

Are you Ready for the Traveler of 2025? 

Modern guests increasingly seek more purposeful, authentic and personalized experiences, prioritizing four key areas. They want: 

Diverse and Richer Formats With Personalized Experiences  

Experiential travel and cultural immersion have eclipsed the trend of checking off destinations in record time. Asian travelers are now taking their time, seeking wellness, spas, yoga activities and retreats, valuing health and relaxation in their travel experiences.  

That has also given rise to a keen interest in hyper-localized boutiques or specialized resorts, whether focused on families, skiing, or spiritual offers.  

Songtsam has tapped into this trend, with premium hotels designed to offer culturally immersive tours along the Yunnan-Tibet route. The Chinese hotel group brings together nature, outdoor adventure, meditation, village life and local countryside customs to form two “circuits” — geographically connected groups of properties that create a foundation for a multi-location trip. Over 90% of Songtsam’s employees are from local villages, guaranteeing a customer experience that reflects the area’s unique personality. 

The growing trend of traveling for concerts and festivals fits neatly into this category. Analysts estimate Taylor Swift’s recent concerts in Singapore – six shows and the only appearances in Southeast Asia – likely brought in $370 million in tourism receipts in one week. 

Cruising is also growing fast, allowing tourists to take their time and savor different regions. By 2025, cruise revenue in Asia is expected to reach $3.77 billion and grow at an annual rate of 6.17% through 2029. 

Differentiated Hotel Experiences That Connect to Retail and Entertainment Platforms 

Modern travelers don’t just come to stay – they want to do. And increasingly, retail and entertainment are part of that experience. While some inherent challenges exist for hoteliers working in mixed-use properties, when done well, guest-centric experiences create a value exchange that provides meaningful differentiation. 

Aranya Resorts has become a trendy destination for aspiring young travelers precisely because it knows how to combine commerce, culture, wellness and food with hotels and residential. It offers Instagrammable views, a concert hall, a library, diverse restaurants, luxury hotels, and retail stores that sell hip lifestyle brands. 

Even without developing properties explicitly for these connections, hotel brands can create their recipe for differentiation by partnering and collaborating across the tourism ecosystem. That may include working with transportation, credit cards, retail and experience providers. Marina Bay Sands, a luxury resort in Singapore, for example, has tie-ins with MasterCard, Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Tourism Board. These connections allow the brand to offer collaborations like fly-and-stay deals, built around culinary festivals and a Lunar New Year dragon drone show. 

Such partnerships make it easy for even mainstream properties to develop distinctive packages with less common destinations.  

Human Experiences, with Seamlessly Integrated Technology  

Travelers demand digital excellence when traveling. It’s how they prefer to book and pay for their trips.  

Forward-thinking hotels are responding by accelerating their adoption of new technologies to tailor experiences and differentiate themselves. Ji Hotel, a mid-range hotel brand by H World International, incorporates customizable lighting, sound, temperature and IoT solutions, as well as room service and delivery robots. Digital control panels are voice-enabled and connect everything to the group’s H Rewards loyalty program app. 

Since travelers are increasingly open to using GenAI to plan their travel, hoteliers such as Marriott and IHG are beginning to incorporate GenAI technology in membership programs to suggest travel itineraries, dining options and shopping spots.  

However, many IoT and AI capabilities can come off as impersonable, especially to the more socially conscious Gen Z. 

They want digital conveniences but are also in search of human connection. The trick is using advanced tech to make customer experiences feel more human. 

Regenerative Travel That Prioritizes People, Planet, and Progress

Travelers, especially younger and more affluent, are increasingly aware of tourism’s heavy impact on the local community, culture and environment. They want to travel more sustainably and are willing to pay extra for sustainable options. They want to stay in properties committed to reducing waste, shifting away from single-use plastics, preserving cultures, and giving back to communities. 

Built on a secluded peninsula on a private island, Nam Nghi is a boutique hotel catering to diverse audiences, with pristine beaches surrounded by lush jungles. Prophet designed a new positioning for the Vietnamese destination, helping it appeal to affluent nature-conscious guests. Their guests want authentic experiences that have minimal environmental impact. Centered around the positioning “Nurtured by Nature,” we delivered designs and ideas for touchpoints ranging from in-room amenities, food and beverage, and wellness options to digital apps to link them all. 

CX Management is the Top Agenda for Hospitality C-Levels

The theme in all four of these trends, of course, is the importance of customer experience. From the smallest boutique to the largest hotel chains, it’s important to obsessively measure how well changing audiences are reacting. That requires making CX a key function, not just a supporting role, and establishing a clear guiding principle – an experience North Star – to ensure consistent, relevant and unique customer experiences. The goal is no longer customer satisfaction but customer delight. 

• CX management is not to be treated as a supporting function, but as a core function anchored in the business and brand strategy. 
• It needs a positioning and value framework that can and must be derived from the brand.  
• When strongly intertwined with the R&D of travel & hospitality, CX management is decisive for identifying and driving innovations.  
• The measurement of CX urgently needs a strong development push beyond the classic satisfaction and recommendation KPIs. 

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In 2023, businesses in Asia faced significant challenges, including rising costs, economic uncertainties, and persistent inflation. In 2024, C-suite leaders are confronted with the responsibility of driving growth amid tight marketing budgets and increasing cost pressures. 

With a cautiously optimistic outlook for 2024, what should be the top priorities for CEOs and CMOs in Asia to enhance customer relevance and foster business growth? There are four crucial levers to unlock uncommon growth in the coming year: 

1. Optimize your investment allocation across the brand funnel with a focus on generating demand to continually drive conversion and loyalty.
2. Be hyper-focused on your customers – leaders need to shift from a product-centric mindset towards a customer experience-led proposition to capture a larger total addressable market size and customer share of wallet, and shape perception as a market leader. 
3. Adopt a unified marketing operating model to foster effective collaboration and integrated decision-making across business units. This will not only drive synergies but also uncover untapped areas of growth. 
4. Harness the power of AI to supercharge your growth – from uncovering customer insights for strategic investment decisions, to enabling personalised and engaging experiences for customers. 

In this article, we delve into these strategic priorities, helping leaders navigate the evolving market. 

1. Stepping up Demand Generation as the Catalyst to Ignite Growth 

In the post-pandemic era, consumer behaviors have become more intricate and diverse, challenging the traditional way of capturing the dynamic nature of the customer journey. C-suite leaders in 2024 must shift toward an agile growth strategy, with a strong emphasis on demand generation. 

It is now crucial for C-suite leaders to concentrate on demand-driven strategies for engagement, leads, and conversions throughout the entire customer journey. This involves creating an efficient channel mix using an agile approach for data strategies and crafting unique experiences to promote loyalty, advocacy, and repeat purchases. Most importantly, this requires a human-centric growth strategy rooted in consumer insights. 

For instance, AB InBev Korea collaborated with Prophet to gain a comprehensive understanding of the Korean beverage market, aligning with consumer needs to identify growth opportunities. This insight-driven approach guided targeted investments in channels and brand activations, stimulating growth within their portfolio. Similarly, a multinational athletic apparel retailer partnered with Prophet to tailor a marketing effectiveness model for APAC. This data-driven strategy enabled informed decision-making, optimizing their marketing mix across the brand funnel and driving demand in a fiercely competitive landscape, ultimately leading to accelerated growth. 

2024 Priority: Leaders must strategically allocate resources to strengthen demand generation, steering growth strategies based on iterative consumer and market insights throughout the customer journey. This shift will enable marketing efforts to be more effectively aligned to generate demand and propel conversion and loyalty. 

2. Strengthening Full-Funnel Customer Experience to Accelerate Conversion  

Amid economic uncertainties, 68% of leaders in APAC prioritize business resilience by emphasizing customer service. The Asian Banker reported that 77% of satisfied customers actively advocate for the brand, underscoring the pivotal role of customer satisfaction in retaining the existing customer base and fostering sustainable growth. 

As CMOs now assume a more influential role in strategic decision-making, a unique opportunity arises to integrate customer experience (CX) into the organization’s DNA, shifting from a product-centric to an experience-led strategy. At the core of this transformative shift, three key principles should be considered: 

A compelling example of how an experience-led transformation can drive tangible growth is Singapore Airlines’ Kris+. Launched in 2020, Kris+ was conceived as a lifestyle rewards program aimed at engaging users beyond their air travel experiences. Going beyond traditional mileage rewards, Kris+ consolidates a diverse array of rewards, privileges and payment options into a single app. This innovative approach not only provides users with additional opportunities to enhance their shopping experiences both during flights and on the ground but also adds substantial value. Singapore Airlines’ potential customer base has expanded, and Kris+ currently stands as a significant revenue driver for the airline, boasting over 2.1 million downloads globally since inception. 

2024 Priority: An experience-led growth strategy extends beyond the realm of bolstering engagement and loyalty. When executed adeptly, it serves as a catalyst for broadening the total addressable market, augmenting customer share of the wallet, and solidifying the brand’s standing as a market leader.  

3. Achieving More With Less Through a Collaborative Operational Model  

The role of CMOs has undergone rapid evolution, with an escalating demand for them to demonstrate Return on Investment (ROI) and contribute significantly to overall revenue. Consequently, CMOs are now more intricately involved in decision-making processes that span various facets of business strategy, including CX, product, sales, and, in some instances, directly managing these areas. 

For CEOs, establishing robust connections between diverse channels, disciplines, and departments within their organizations is paramount. This not only fosters effective collaboration but also ensures seamless decision-making across different business functions. 

Prophet’s Collaboration Flywheel 

Our research suggests that a progressive understanding of collaboration takes place over three phases. Read more. 

In 2022, Prophet played a pivotal role in supporting Cisco Secure’s transformation of its marketing operating model. The primary objective behind this strategic move was to enhance efficiency and collaboration across different functions. The result was a more defined structure among business functions, both regionally and locally, underscoring the effectiveness of strategic alignment in achieving organizational goals. 

Another noteworthy case is Luckin Coffee, one of the fastest-growing retail coffee chains in Asia. The brand, once on the brink of bankruptcy, was committed to optimizing its operational efficiency and quickly turned itself around within just two years, reporting a 7.2 billion RMB revenue in Q3 2023 and an 84.9% YoY growth. One of the key shifts Luckin took was to evolve CMO Fei Yang’s role to CGO, Chief Growth Officer, to oversee revenue growth, demand generation and customer experience on top of marketing. By integrating user operations and brand marketing, Luckin was able to increase its agility in identifying customer needs, innovating products, launching marketing campaigns and accelerating demand. 

2024 Priority: This strategic approach lies in not only the optimization of resource utilization but also the revelation of untapped avenues for growth across the entire business. By breaking down silos and fostering collaboration among different functions, businesses can achieve a holistic and streamlined approach to decision-making, ultimately contributing to business success and resilience. 

4. Harnessing the Power of AI as a Transformative Force

Generative AI (GenAI) technology has swiftly emerged as a transformative force on a global scale, particularly within the APAC region. An IDC study reveals that 70% of C-suite leaders in the APAC region are actively exploring or have already invested in GenAI. In our recent article, we also highlighted how the capabilities of GenAI can be harnessed for marketing effectiveness. However, the stewardship of human insights and brand strategy remains key.  

While many AI technologies are still in their early stages, capitalizing on this momentum requires cultivating a culture of innovation. This involves not only upskilling teams to adeptly harness AI but also addressing prevailing apprehensions and skepticism surrounding its integration. 

Beyond utilizing GenAI for productivity, equipping the workforce with essential AI skills positions them to unlock its potential, extracting valuable insights from extensive customer and market data. C-suite leaders, in particular, are encouraged to strategically implement AI to enhance customer experiences and customize offerings based on the dynamic and evolving needs and behaviors of their customers. 

An example of embracing AI integration is 7-Eleven Japan’s plan to leverage AI in 2024 to generate text and visual content for new products. Grounded in the analysis of store sales data and consumer feedback via social media, this approach is expected to significantly reduce the time needed for product planning and align product distribution with emerging trends. 

Similarly, Disney has been a trailblazer in incorporating technology, utilizing data from wristbands, IoT sensors, and strategically placed cameras around its resorts. This data-driven approach empowers Disney World operators to identify and address overcrowded areas, offering personalized promotions to encourage customers to move to less congested spaces based on their preferences. Looking ahead, the prospect of Disney using GenAI to enhance personalization, such as anticipating customers’ dietary needs before they enter restaurants, adds an exciting dimension to its growth trajectory. 

2024 Priority: As AI technologies continue to advance, it is imperative for organizations to possess a comprehensive understanding of AI, supported by clear guidelines and policies. This ensures the quality and reliability of AI-driven insights, thereby facilitating informed decision-making in an increasingly dynamic business landscape. 

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The integration of Generative AI (GenAI) tools into modern marketing and communication workflows has sparked a content creation revolution. Businesses across industries are recognizing the potential of AI-assisted writing to streamline content generation, enhance efficiency and improve collaboration. A recent Gartner survey revealed that nearly half of marketing leaders have already integrated GenAI tools into their workflows, with another 43% planning to follow suit. 

The advent of GenAI, combined with a robust verbal branding strategy, offers a remarkable opportunity for businesses to elevate their marketing effectiveness to new heights. By harnessing the capabilities of technology alongside human experience, a powerful synergy can be achieved, captivating audiences and forging authentic connections. While AI undoubtedly streamlines content creation, it is the human-centric strategy that truly breathes life into words, allowing brands to leave an indelible mark on their customers. 

Driving Impactful Brand Communications Through Verbal Strategy, not Words 

At Prophet, our approach to branding is deeply human-centric, driven by the understanding of businesses’ overarching vision and objectives. Regardless of whether the goal is to stimulate demand, ignite transformation, or nurture customer loyalty, brand strategies must be strategically aligned with these pivotal business imperatives. 

In a landscape filled with the allure of advertising and captivating social campaigns, visuals and imagery often command the spotlight. However, a vital strategic element tends to be overlooked – verbal branding. Verbal branding extends far beyond catchy slogans and memorable jingles. It encompasses the strategic use of language across diverse touch points, including voice, messaging, content strategy, and copywriting, all aimed at conveying a brand’s essence and forging emotional connections with the audience. 

A successful verbal strategy ensures a consistent and distinctive presence across all consumer touchpoints – encompassing social media, digital marketing, and product interfaces. By meticulously defining a verbal branding strategy, businesses can carve out a unique space for themselves within a competitive marketplace, striking a resounding chord with their intended audience. 

Harnessing the Power of GenAI in Verbal Branding 

Despite having a well-defined verbal strategy, businesses often encounter numerous challenges during execution. From managing content volume and cadence, investing in talents and suppliers, creating iterations and personalization, to ensuring effective collaboration across departments and accurately measuring return on investment (ROI), the path to successful verbal branding is rarely straightforward. 

AI, when strategically applied under the guidance of human experts, can prove to be a game-changer for businesses looking to overcome these hurdles. GenAI can play a vital role in content generation, coordination, and data analysis, leading to increased efficiency, cost reduction, and an overall improvement in the effectiveness of branding efforts. 

1. Generate formulated copy for digital marketing.

For digital marketing, marketers often need to generate precise yet personalized messages at scale – a task that’s highly time-consuming, technical and repetitive. GenAI-powered platforms like ChatGPT are transforming digital marketing by enabling rapid content generation and producing various copy variations, given the appropriate guidance. Emergent platforms like Lokalise have also allowed for content localization, especially across different languages, and are much more efficient. Additionally, through metadata and machine learning technologies, AI tools can also improve content personalization. For example, CopyAI is a tool that specializes in personalized sales copy and dynamic social media content. The interactive AI interface allows marketers to experiment with different angles and variations, leading to more effective and compelling messaging. 

However, verbal strategy and language refinement remain indispensable in this process. While GenAI can churn out content quickly, human experts are needed to define the brand’s tone of voice, verbal strategy and personalization tactics, while curating and elevating AI-generated copy. In this process, human expertise remains crucial to edit, refine, build, and take the content to the next level. Only through the experienced guidance of human experts, can businesses create impactful and authentic content that resonates with their target audience. 
 

2. Provide insights and baselines for content marketing.

AI excels in synthesizing data and thus can help writers generate topic ideas by identifying trending topics, competitive keywords, and popular content formats. Platforms like Jasper and Content at Scale can do just that. Such assistance can save marketers valuable time in brainstorming ideas for content that’s relevant and engaging at a high cadence. Moreover, GenAI-powered tools can be used to identify grammatical errors and enhance the overall readability of content. 

Despite these remarkable strides in AI capabilities, the skillset of experienced writers and verbal experts are irreplaceable in content marketing. Developing content calendars based on brand strategy demands a deep understanding of the brand’s marketing priorities, target audience and business objectives. Additionally, human creativity and expertise play a crucial role in crafting high-quality content that is literarily masterful while seamlessly aligning with the brand’s vision to resonate with the audience on a more fundamental level. 

3. Optimize the conversational experience of chatbots.

Customer service is a critical touchpoint for brands, and providing seamless support is essential for building customer loyalty. Chatbots and digital assistants have emerged as powerful tools to enhance business resilience in this aspect. By offering immediate support, reducing operational expenses and capturing valuable customer insights, these AI tools are reshaping the customer service landscape. Although they primarily rely on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies, companies are now integrating GenAI into Chatbots to make the experiences richer and more seamless. 

However, ensuring a comprehensive brand strategy is in place is vital for creating outstanding conversational experiences. Brand strategy, on the one hand, plays a pivotal role in defining the role of the chatbot in the brand portfolio. On the other hand, it is equally important for creating and implementing detailed verbal guidelines for AI-driven interactions. By designing chatbots’ identities through branded personas, businesses can deliver immersive experiences to their customers that are not only authentic but also instrumental to their brand strategies. For example, we partnered with AXA to create a humanized user interface, the “Empathetic Navigator” Emma, to help transform the insurer from payer to partner. In doing so, Emma became AXA’s signature experience to offer a more human approach to being a partner and connecting with its customers. 

Key Considerations When Applying GenAI Solutions 

Despite its exciting potential, using GenAI to activate marketing strategies requires careful consideration of several factors.  

1. Data security and authenticity should be prioritized.

As AI tools and practices are currently an emerging area with limited oversight, it’s crucial for businesses to validate that the information provided is accurate and non-proprietary. Keeping confidential and proprietary data out of AI training process is also essential.  

At Prophet, we developed AI guidelines that serve as a valuable compass for our work. We use the guidelines to omit confidential information and proprietary data from external AI processes, rigorously verify outputs and continuously promote knowledge sharing for collective improvement. As AI technologies evolve and fresh ethical challenges arise, organizations must remain poised to adapt and revise their strategies to ensure alignment with the latest security standards and considerations. 
 

2. Understanding regional nuances is crucial when deploying GenAI for verbal branding across different markets and languages.

Different AI tools may have varying strengths and weaknesses based on the cultural context they were trained. For example, in China, Baidu WenxinYiyan, Tencent’s Hunyuan and iFlyTek’s SparkDesk have arisen as admirable contenders. Additionally, policies and regulations as they start to emerge may differ across regions. Just recently, China became the first country to launch official regulations around GenAI, while the EU is also in the process of evaluating its AI Act. Therefore, businesses should consider using AI models trained specifically for each target market to ensure better relevance and compliance. 
 

3. Going a step further.

Customization is key to leveraging AI effectively for branding objectives. Tailoring the AI solutions to the business’s unique needs, persona, tone of voice and style can create a more authentic and relatable verbal branding experience for the audience. Continuously verifying and adapting the outputs generated by AI is essential to maintain consistency with the brand’s identity and messaging. Businesses should learn from the AI-generated content and customer feedback to improve the system over time, making it more accurate and reflective of the brand’s values and objectives. 

Harmonizing GenAI and Human Expertise: The Path Forward in Verbal Branding 

Undoubtedly, the integration of GenAI in content marketing and brand communications workflows has brought about a transformative shift in content creation. The efficiency and scale at which AI operates are truly remarkable, allowing businesses to achieve more than ever before. However, it is crucial to recognize that the real magic happens when AI collaborates with human expertise, creating a symbiotic relationship that propels branding efforts to new heights. 

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In 2022, companies faced rising costs, continued supply chain challenges, and lasting COVID repercussions, especially with Asia’s more cautious reopening. Despite these challenges, brands found novel ways to adapt to rising trends; creating new products and experiences to surprise and delight their consumers. They reimagined offline experiences, ventured into the Metaverse, and redefined standards for ESG.  

Looking ahead to 2023, we foresee continued pressure for businesses and marketers to perform in the face of sustained uncertainties. But we also see more opportunities for brands to rethink their offerings, double down on customer centricity, and build relevance that lasts – for customers and employees alike. 

Below, we share our thoughts on five trends for marketers to keep in mind as we head into 2023. 

1. Expanding the Scope of the CMO 

The role of the CMO and their team will continue to shift as marketing evolves from a predominantly creative function to an increasingly data-driven one. Effective marketing now requires an increased focus on data-driven decision-making, using analytics and insights to understand customer needs and preferences to develop targeted campaigns that reach the right audience at the right time.  

The proliferation of new technologies has opened up a wide range of opportunities and challenges for marketers. However, to gain the lead, marketers must hone their skill sets and strengthen their analytical wheelhouse as their MarTech stack is growing ever larger and more complex.  

With this expanded remit also comes the need for even closer collaboration between marketing and other departments within the organization. For Matt Che, CMO of Budweiser APAC, a close partnership with the commercial team has been critical to the company’s success in Asia: “It’s important to align across marketing and sales teams on what long-term success looks like as well as what challenges might arise in the short term. Collaborating with sales allows us to better identify commercial realities such as pricing, competition, and potential cannibalization within our portfolio.”  

As brands continue pushing for customer-centricity, marketing can continue to elevate the voice of the customer across all areas of the business to drive uncommon growth. 

2. Building Purpose-Led Brands 

Across all industries, a commitment to ESG is becoming expected, if not demanded, by stakeholders. Consumers, employees, and investors are coming from all angles to hold companies to higher standards, expecting not simply a verbal commitment to ESG but tangible policies and practices that reflect these values. Consumers are increasingly choosing companies that take a stand on issues they care about, with 86% expecting CEOs to speak out on societal issues, according to Edelman. Internally, employees are seeking employers who align with their values, and investors are putting record-breaking amounts of capital behind companies prioritizing ESG. More than ever, marketers must strive to build purpose-led brands that translate aspirational visions into pragmatic strategies that contribute to a more sustainable future. 

As an early adopter of sustainable product design and supply chain management, consumer electronics leader ASUS has long been a champion of ESG principles. To further solidify its leadership in this area, the company had been exploring how to make ESG not just an initiative, but a central pillar of future strategic growth. Prophet was tasked with turning ASUS’s ESG strategy into a narrative that could be communicated to both internal and external stakeholders. Our team delivered a comprehensive ESG brand strategy that included a messaging framework, activation ideas, and creative assets to bring the ESG strategy to life, allowing the brand to socialize its core principles effectively and ensure cohesion with the overall brand strategy across both internal and external stakeholders. This ESG strategy was officially launched in the recent ASUS CES 2023 launch event. 

3. Deepening Post-Purchase Experiences 

As marketers are well aware, the customer journey does not end when a purchase is made. To adapt a true customer-centric mindset, brands must not only convince consumers to choose them, but also pay attention to how their customers use their product or service. As customer acquisition costs continue to rise and channel fragmentation intensifies, customer retainment has become an increasingly important growth driver for brands. Holistic customer experience, particularly when it comes to post-purchase engagement, must not be overlooked. In Southeast Asia, nearly 90% of consumers were more enticed to shop somewhere with a loyalty program. In China, we’ve seen an opportunity gap for marketers to focus more on customer lifetime value to find more sustainable and long-term growth, based on findings from Prophet’s latest research “Brand and Demand Marketing: A Love Story.”  

Many leading brands have started taking steps. Outdoor apparel company, The North Face, wanted to redefine how to deliver its XPLR Pass loyalty program in Greater China to drive higher engagement with Chinese members. The company saw an opportunity to expand the types of benefits provided, going beyond solely monetary rewards to better reflect the brand DNA and further differentiate itself from competitors. As part of the Greater China loyalty program revamp, Prophet developed a unique positioning for XPLR Pass and defined key strategic metrics, data strategy and engagement tactics. This work sets the foundation for the revamped loyalty program to be a key pillar of future growth for the brand in that market. 

4. Meeting Customer Needs Through Demand Landscape Mapping 

Consumers today have access to more information at their fingertips than ever before, making them increasingly sophisticated and discerning shoppers across all categories. As a result, customer segments are becoming more diverse and complex as well, with more variance in mindsets and behaviors. For instance, Asia consumers tend not to be pure luxury shoppers, with 82% of Korean respondents and 72% of Chinese respondents stating that they like to mix and match across premium and mass brands. To develop a brand and product portfolio to meet the nuanced needs of their target audience, brands can leverage demand landscape mapping to understand both where to play and how to win. 

Prophet worked with a leading beverage company to develop its China portfolio strategy based on demand landscape. The company had several local and global brands in the market but wanted to more clearly define the roles of key brands and their anchored demand spaces. By combining quantitative data analysis with strategic insights, Prophet mapped its existing brands to high-value demand opportunities – i.e., specific consumer segment, occasion and drinking needs, as well as identifying key whitespace opportunities for innovation. We further developed clear portraits of priority consumer segments, including holistic understanding of their social context, personal motivations, and lifestyle, enabling the company to better activate the portfolio and brand strategies.  

5. Driving Growth From Within Through Cultural Transformation  

As mentioned previously, workers are increasingly making it a priority to choose an employer that aligns with their values. Organizations know the importance of developing internal branding and communications that are consistent with the external brand, but there’s more work to be done. By taking steps to actively understand and address the needs of their workforce, companies can drive cultural transformation from within. Engaged employees are more likely to be productive, innovative, and collaborative: Within the same organization, highly engaged business units can result in a 23% difference in profitability. In East Asia especially, only 17% of employees report feeling engaged at work (compared with 21% globally) highlighting an opportunity for firms to look inward and close the gap. Whether it’s revamping the company’s values, investing in employee learning and development or driving better collaboration, an engaged workforce is the fuel for a brand’s growth engine. 

Polestar, an electric performance car brand, had aggressive global growth aspirations, with plans to add 50 new spaces and over 700 new employees. With this rapid expansion in mind, ensuring that customer-facing staff were equipped to deliver a consistent customer experience was key. Polestar tasked Prophet with developing a clear customer experience strategy that covered recruitment, training, service, and operations. Prophet created a training curriculum, including eLearning modules, live training events, and self-study exercises, which covered how to tell the brand story, how to respond to customer scenarios, and role-specific guidelines. Prophet’s successful training program resulted in high participation and engagement rates, equipping and enabling customer-facing teams at Polestar to deliver a consistent and differentiated customer experience. 

This article was originally published on MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. 

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