Back to digital basics with WFA

Asia Pacific is a key driver of global growth, contributing about two-thirds of global growth last year and projected to be the fastest-growing region of the world economy in 2024. This rapid growth and the speed at which things happen in the region can sometimes lead to brands overlooking the importance of building strong foundations.

While there are some excellent resources, many are out of date and lack insights that are directly applicable to today's dynamic environment in the region. Traditional marketing frameworks, for instance, would not recommend investments in platforms like TikTok, which didn't exist when those models were created.

To address this learning gap, the WFA, in collaboration with handpicked partners, is launching a series of Knowledge Spotlights aimed at providing foundational understanding and practical insights in key areas of digital marketing, for Asia Pacific, a digital first region.

These 101-level educational sessions will explain what various digital tools and channels are and how they work. The goal is not to replace existing training programs but to complement them by focusing on some of the most relevant areas for WFA in Asia Pacific.

Although primarily designed for our members based in the region, the initiative will be accessible to all WFA members globally. Asia Pacific serves as a region from which the rest of the world can learn, as it is the bedrock of many emerging marketing trends that influence and shape global marketing.

In a nutshell

• Why: to help our members understand and leverage digital marketing effectively. The Spotlights will dive into the specific challenges and opportunities driven by the Asia Pacific region.
• How: sessions will be hosted live on Zoom to allow real-time Q&As with subject matter experts. They will also be available for playback on our website.
• Who: the program is designed for junior to mid-level marketers (emerging leaders) and more senior practitioners seeking a refresher. They are also open to brand members of our national association members, extending the opportunity to help improve our industry and nurture emerging talent.

We can only do this with the help of our partners, so I would like to say a huge thank you to our founding partners, including Aira, APR, Ebiquity, FirmDecisions, Google, Kantar, Media Sense, Meta, The Liberty Guild, Lumency, The Observatory International and R3.

It is only thanks to experts like these, people who are willing to give back to our industry, that we can build the foundations for better marketing. This initiative involves no financial transactions, partners are not being remunerated and our members do not have to subscribe additional services to access these sessions.

If you are an agency or a consultancy and would like to join our initiative, you can reach out to Laura or Joel.

Calendar

Creativity, trends, and innovation:

• 4^th of September. Supercharging creativity
• 6^th of September. 2024 Media trends in Asia Pacific
• 25^th of September. 2024 Production trends in Asia Pacific
• 2^nd of October. AI-augmented skills

Models, operations, and tools:

• 10th of October. Sponsorship operations 101
• 15^th of October. In-housing 101
• 24th of October. Sponsorship measurement 101
• 30^th of October. MarTech infrastructure 101
• 7th of November. Sponsorship strategy 101
• 14^th of November. Media measurement 101

Channels:

• 26^th of July. Advanced/connected TV
• 20^th of August. Influencers and KOLs
• 22^nd of August. Social commerce

Agency relations:

• 25^th of July. Agency briefing
• 3^rd of October. Effective pitch
• 18^th of October. Media agency contract

Past events

• 7^th of June. How to turn content into revenue (Creativity, trends, and innovation)
• 13^th of June. Agency remuneration (Agency relations)
• 20^th of June. Agency roster modelling (Agency relations)
• 27^th of June. Agency performance measurement (Agency relations)
• 28^th of June. Content production 101 (Creativity, trends, and innovation)
• 3^rd of July. Creative mindset 101 (Creativity, trends, and innovation)
  
• 10^th of July. Rooting creativity in culture (Creativity, trends, and innovation)
• 11^th of July. Creating persona-driven content (Creativity, trends, and innovation)
• 19^th of July. Inventory or proprietary media (Models, operations, and tools)