What Is The State of Creator Commerce in Asia?
The influencer marketing industry has exploded in Asia in recent years, with expectations to reach $24 billion USD globally in valuation by the end of 2024. Targeted audience and relatability are helping brands connect with more consumers over traditional marketing methods, and creators play a key role in that messaging.
Part of this massive growth can be attributed to markets in Asia. The number of influencer accounts across key Asian countries grew 45% year-over-year to reach over 11 million in 2023 – and is now worth $13.8 billion, crowning the region as a leader in the global creator economy.
Asia's young, highly connected demographic is driving this growth, seeking content that resonates with their lifestyles and values. The ubiquity of smartphones and affordable mobile data plans has also enabled anyone to produce and distribute content from anywhere at any time. Social media usage in the region remains high. 7 out of 10 of the world's most engaged countries on social media are in Asia.
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YouTube and TikTok have become launch pads for creator stardom and commercial success. Top Asian creators can make millions from brand sponsorships, affiliate marketing, paid content, and their own product lines. Malaysia's Jianhao Tan earned $1.8 million in 2021, while Singapore's Preetipls netted around $237,000 a month at her peak popularity. Unlike transient viral moments, these creators are building personal brands and flourishing economic opportunities.
Another major trend of the 2023 summer was the "Grimace Shake" moment – a TikTok trend originating from a birthday-themed marketing campaign by McDonald's to celebrate the brand’s character Grimace's 52nd birthday. This campaign introduced the Grimace Milkshake, a berry-flavored beverage. It quickly gained traction on social media for its unique twist: people pretending to die in bizarre ways after drinking the shake, referencing Grimace's villainous origin story. The campaign's success is evident in the numbers: videos tagged with #grimaceshake have accumulated over 1.7 billion views, while those with #grimace reached 1.9 billion views on TikTok.
For brands, this presents lucrative partnerships for those quick to embrace creator-centered commerce. As creators engage specialised niche audiences, brands can enhance reach and resonance with key consumer segments. More than ever, creators have their fingers on the pulse of evolving consumer preferences. Their direct community feedback offers valuable first-hand insight to guide brands’ marketing and product decisions.
Creators Are Playing an Expanding Role in Brand Strategies
Love them or hate them, creators now sit firmly at the heart of Asia's dynamic digital ecosystem. Asia’s new breed of creators is quickly integrating into traditional brand building, far surpassing the transactional expectations of one-off sponsored Instagram posts.
Content Campaigns Tied to Localised Holidays
As a multicultural region, Asian creators offer hyper-localised and culturally relevant content that resonates deeply with specific consumer segments. Brands leverage this expertise to tap into niche markets and authentically connect with diverse audiences. Here's how major brands are embracing this approach:
- The Rise of Modest Fashion: Global sportswear giants like Nike and Adidas now offer dedicated hijab and modest activewear lines. This caters to the preferences of Muslim consumers in India, Indonesia, and beyond, demonstrating an understanding of religious and cultural attire choices.
- Ayurvedic Beauty: Major brands like Himalaya and Forest Essentials, along with emerging players, are seeing huge success by incorporating traditional Indian Ayurvedic knowledge into their skincare and personal care lines. This taps into the desire for natural ingredients and a connection to heritage.
- Festival-Focused Campaigns: From Diwali-themed clothing collections to Holi-inspired makeup lines, brands are crafting campaigns that align with major holidays and festivals. TikTok Thailand harnessed the power of interactive film to deepen brand affinity and cultural relevance among Thai people with their "Songkran Stranger" campaign – achieving over 94 million views and significant increases in brand likability and app downloads (all on a budget of less than 100K USD.)
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Leveraging Regional Platforms and Languages:
Not all platforms are built alike – and what may work in the US or Europe via X or Instagram doesn’t meet the same success elsewhere in the world. Brands are discovering that meeting consumers where they are living online is key when working with creators.
- Livestream Commerce on TikTok – Brands like Kelaya Hair Treatment have grown substantially using social media – attributing 70% of sales to live streaming alone – with conversion rates for these sessions being three times higher than traditional e-commerce platforms.
- Microblogging Within Region-Specific Platforms – While Twitter dominates the West, China relies heavily on Weibo, and South Korea uses KakaoTalk, both offering localised features and content. Ryan and Choonsik, animal-like emoji characters featured on KakaoTalk, have achieved significant popularity as "K-pop influencers." The "Ra Choon" duo posted a cover of NCT 127's "2 Baddies" on YouTube, gaining 130,000 views within days.
Brands are Building Localised Communities and Collaborations
Creator commerce thrives on authenticity and localised engagement – and the most successful creators are those who promote products and services within a carefully curated and localised community. Brands recognise the importance of this and are increasingly turning to creators who have a strong presence in specific regions or countries.
- Hyperlocal Food & Travel Vlogs – Creators like to focus on hyperlocal content, exploring specific regions and hidden gems within their countries, catering to domestic and international audiences seeking off-the-beaten-path experiences. Singaporean influencer Yik Keat teamed up with American Express and Millennium Hotels to promote Amex's staycation deals.
- Regional Influencer Collectives – In Indonesia, groups like KOL Indonesia gather creators across various niches, facilitating brand collaborations and joint marketing campaigns tailored to the Indonesian market. Influencer Ria Ricis, for example, partners with Emilia Sprei to promote products in front of nearly 43 million followers.
The point is to help your brand gain greater appeal via a genuine, authentic connection. Creators offer brands a humanising effect that cold corporate messaging cannot – and their voices craft authentic storytelling that resonates with Asia's diverse cultures.
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Even fun trends like the Stanley Cup have become a way for brands to connect with consumers. the viral sensation of the Stanley Tumbler generated over one billion views under the hashtag #StanleyTumbler, seeing a 275% year-over-year increase in Quencher sales. The success emphasizes the importance of targeting specific market segments, leveraging data to stay relevant, and engaging with customers to foster loyalty without compromising the brand's core values, even as it expands its appeal to new demographics.
"How to get campaigns or brands humanised – going down to the ground level – the key influencers who will be holding the future of retail. A lot of brands going through rebranding processes where they change the way operate to look more human and personalise to look more human to cater to Gen Z as the way they consume and advocate is different." - Jeremiah, Chief Marketing Officer, Superminted
Why Invest in Creator Commerce?
Partnering with creators offers brands cost-effective marketing opportunities to humanise their brand and reach wider audiences. But successful influencer collaborations require planning tailored to a company's specific goals and resources.
