The WARC Podcast

Magnus Ekbom, co-founder of Lazada and Group CEO of SEI, shares his rich insights on the evolution of e-commerce in Asia. He highlights the dual influences of China and the West on regional consumer behavior and the pitfalls of a promotion-led marketing ecosystem. Magnus argues that over-reliance on discounts is 'lazy marketing' that can't drive long-term growth. He emphasizes the importance of building brands and sustaining trust while remaining relevant amid market fragmentation, expressing hope for the rise of homegrown brands in the coming years.

Edward Bell, General Manager of Brand, Insight and Marketing Communications at Cathay Pacific, shares insights into the evolving landscape of airline marketing. He highlights how emotion influences half of airline choices and the importance of creating meaningful journeys. Bell discusses the impact of AI, emphasizing the need for brands to adopt a more human approach. He also explores the K-shaped economy's effects on consumer behavior and suggests balancing brand love with product-level marketing to enhance customer connections.

S. Subramanyeswar, Group CEO/CSO APAC at Mullen Lowe Lintas, dives deep into how digital fatigue is reshaping consumer behavior, shifting phones from companions to mere utilities. Rica Facundo, WARC's managing editor in Asia Pacific, connects escapism trends—like nostalgia-driven hobbies and the La Bu Bu phenomenon—to this digital exhaustion. The duo argues for marketers to focus on immersive real-life experiences and emotional connections, ensuring brand stories resonate in a world overwhelmed by algorithms.

Joe Crust, Strategy Director at Leo UK, reveals the innovative approach behind the award-winning Skoda Octavia campaign. He discusses how the brand confronted its practicality-focused image, tapping into the candid conversations on Reddit, particularly the CarTalkUK community. Joe shares lessons learned from previous missteps on the platform, emphasizing the importance of community respect. He highlights the campaign's impressive sales uplift and reflects on how to engage authentically with online communities, offering key takeaways for future brand strategies.

Adi Kishore, Inside Director at WARC, shares data-driven insights on the economic challenges shaping consumer trends for 2026. Cathy Taylor, WARC's US commissioning editor, explains how millennials and Gen Z are redefining life milestones amid uncertainty. Cecelia Parrish of Rival discusses the shift towards emotional motivations over traditional milestones, emphasizing the significance of microcultures. Together, they examine the 'vanishing middle' phenomenon, highlighting strategies for brands to adapt, from premiumization to catering to intentional spending.

Join Rica Facundo, Managing Editor of WARC Asia Pacific and CX strategy expert, as she dives into the critical customer experience gap. Rica reveals that a staggering $3.7 trillion is at stake, with over half of customers ditching brands after a single bad experience. She emphasizes the need for marketers to treat CX as key to brand building, breaking down silos with shared metrics. Discover why emotion should remain in customer interactions, and how innovative approaches can transform brand journeys, particularly in today’s AI-driven landscape.

Caroline Giegerich, VP of AI & Marketing Innovation at IAB, and Jillian Ryan, Senior Manager at Intuit Mailchimp, unpack the AI landscape for mid-market brands. They discuss the importance of AI as a force multiplier, enabling smaller teams to thrive with enhanced capabilities. Challenges like hiring and skill gaps emerge as key hurdles. Both guests emphasize the need for clean data, leadership support, and a culture of experimentation in AI adoption, encouraging marketers to start small and iterate.

Vaniele Casimir, Editor at WARC and co-author of the What's Working In report on employee engagement, reveals how engaged employees can transform a brand's success. She discusses defining employee engagement, its impact on customer experience, and how it drives profitability. Vaniele highlights innovative case studies, including McDonald's creative campaigns for Gen Z. She emphasizes the importance of involving employees in campaigns and treating them as internal stakeholders, ultimately positioning them as brand ambassadors for greater loyalty and retention.

Shane O'Leary, Marketing Director at Zoetis, and Gemma Spence, CEO of Marketplaces at VML, dive into the transformative world of generative engine optimization. They define GEO's nuances compared to SEO and discuss the changing landscape of content citation influenced by LLMs. With insights on the importance of earning trust through PR and authentic mentions, they also explore how platforms like Reddit play a pivotal role. Listeners will learn about new KPIs for success and the evolving marketing funnel in an AI-driven ecosystem.

In this discussion, Henry Innis, Co-founder and CEO of Mutinex, shares insights on the dynamic landscape of marketing measurement. He emphasizes the importance of fast, governed marketing mix modeling (MMM) and how it can drive growth. Henry explores the intersection of MMM, digital attribution, and experimentation. He argues for a unified approach to brand and performance objectives, critiques standard ROI measures, and discusses the potential of AI in revolutionizing measurement strategies. His insights shed light on the future of marketing analytics.