Facts and Figures – The Sleeping Giant

The Wake Up Call

The SEA region is x 2 bigger than the US in terms of population size!

• 54 Million of the population of SEA live in large cities – some of which are up to x 67 bigger than San Franscisco!
• 67% of the population are under 35 years old – especially in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam!
• 4 million Internet users come online each month across the region!

Southeast Asia’s Internet economy reached $72 Billion in 2018 and is on track to exceed $240 Billion by 2025, $40 Billion higher than previously estimated.

Google and Temasek’s e-Conomy SEA 2018 Southeast Asia’s internet economy hits an inflection point Report

The numbers above reveal how the South East Asian economies of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam represent the future growth of the internet economy. Whilst the US, UK, Europe are markets characterized by mature and saturated markets, these new, growing economies are greenfield and ready to see exponential growth.

Fraught with challenges

But, don’t be fooled. A cut and paste approach to these markets just won’t cut it. The South East Asian economies are completely different and diverse from each other. Language, culture, different population spreads all make these economies challenging to penetrate.

Here are some of our best practice recommendations:

• Understand the ‘subcultures’ – think of tribes, of fans, rather than focus only on nationality. Cut-through the traditional marketing jargon of segments and focus on ‘buyer personas’. Create your proposition for those personas and then localize further.
• Appreciate the power of language – the younger population is likely to be proficient in English, but don’t take that for granted. The ability to connect and engage with consumers in local language will go a long way
• Hire local, develop local talent: The best way for any business to understand the local zeitgeist is to hire talented local employees. They know a lot, and are the best way to create Brand Ambassadors from day 1.