JAKARTADAILY.ID – The Strategic Asia Marketing Alliance (SAMA) has reached a major milestone in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) creative industry with the launch of its Malaysia and Singapore branches at Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) Mid Valley. The event was attended by key representatives from SAMA Indonesia, including Arianto Bigman, CEO of IDEOWORKS; Raymond Buana, CEO of Omeoo; and teams from Ivosights, Krona, GLO, and Naikkreatif.
Following its success in Indonesia, this expansion reaffirms SAMA’s dedication to hyperlocalisation—a vital strategy for brands seeking to connect with APAC’s culturally diverse markets. This growth comes as global corporate investment in branding continues to climb, with advertising spend across formats projected to hit USD 1 trillion by 2026. Companies are increasingly acknowledging the importance of culturally tailored branding in gaining a competitive edge and fostering stronger customer relationships.
With over 600 million consumers across 11 countries, APAC offers immense growth potential. According to the World Economic Forum, the region’s creative industries currently contribute around 5% of its GDP, a figure expected to grow as more companies focus on locally tailored marketing strategies. By leveraging its expertise and deep local insights, SAMA Alliance positions itself as a key partner for brands aiming to achieve long-term impact in APAC’s complex and varied markets.
Uniting top marketing agencies across APAC, SAMA Alliance delivers a wide array of services, including branding, public relations, search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), social media management, content marketing, influencer marketing, and digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. Its data-driven, hyperlocalised approach enables brands to effectively engage with APAC’s evolving consumer base.
“APAC presents both exciting opportunities and significant challenges for brands, where understanding cultural nuances is often the difference between success and stagnation,” said Teng Chan Leong, Founder of SAMA Alliance and CEO of Skribble.
“Our mission is to empower brands to authentically connect with consumers through tailored and culturally relevant strategies. With 88% of companies in the region identifying brand perception as critical to their business strategy—and many attributing market growth to brand trust and cultural alignment—hyperlocalisation is the key to unlocking sustainable success,” he added.
Hyperlocalisation: Unlocking APAC’s Potential
Consumer behavior in APAC is shaped by unique cultural, linguistic, and value-driven factors, making hyperlocalisation crucial for brand success. As regional and multinational corporations increase investment in personalised campaigns to engage local markets, SAMA Alliance provides unparalleled expertise in navigating APAC’s cultural diversity, helping brands foster trust and resonance.
Wan Murdani Wan Mohamad, Head of Digital Industry Acceleration at MDEC, emphasized MDEC’s commitment to SAMA’s vision of driving hyperlocalisation across Malaysia and the broader APAC region. He stressed the importance of adopting a “local-first” approach for brands to succeed in Southeast Asia’s digital economy, which is projected to reach a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of USD 263 billion by 2024.
“With nearly 70% of APAC consumers preferring culturally aligned brands, developing local digital talent and facilitating technology transfer are essential,” said Wan Murdani. “This focus aligns with Malaysia Digital’s objectives to drive national economic growth through innovation, upskilling, and initiatives that reflect both local and regional priorities.”
Advancing Innovation Through Thought Leadership
The launch event featured a thought leadership panel discussing the future of hyperlocalised marketing. Industry leaders from iWISERS, Superminted, GSC Cinemas, Asia Pop Culture Con, Beutea, and others shared their perspectives on branding, talent development in digital industries, and the role of technology transfer in advancing hyperlocalisation. SAMA Alliance is committed to setting new benchmarks for branding success across APAC.
Strengthening a Resilient APAC Network
With a growing network that now includes new members from Malaysia—Skribble, Battle Mind Creative, BLWN, iWisers, Suppagood, Visual Retale, Jiggee Asia, and Ironwoods—and Singapore, including Foundries, Superminted, Grow PR, and Moving Bits, SAMA Alliance enhances its ability to provide localised expertise and insights to brands.
Supported by major brands and partners such as GSC, Nestle, Faber Castell, Etika, Colgate-Palmolive, Ajinomoto, FMT, Marketing Magazine, Captain Oat, and Mahsuri Food, the Alliance underscores its commitment to fostering impactful brand connections across APAC and beyond.
Read more on SAMA’s Launch in Malaysia on JakartaDaily.
