LinkedIn Senior Marketing Strategist and Consultant Olivia Cain and TP Vice President of APAC Go-to-Market Strategy RaaS Dr. Anubha Upadhyay explore how APAC businesses can connect, engage, and win the region’s expanding market.
For too long, Asia’s next billion consumers have been treated like a mysterious goldmine just waiting to be unlocked. But this simplistic view overlooks the reality that this market isn’t just massive; it’s unpredictable and constantly evolving. Trends can appear overnight, brand loyalty is fluid, and what works today might be irrelevant tomorrow.
Indeed, businesses can no longer take known trends or strategies for certain. Take, for instance, how flip phones are reemerging in a digital-dominated world. Or how limited-edition drops still sell out in seconds in emerging markets thought to be ruled by price sensitivity. What’s certain is this: Today’s consumers in Asia are rewriting the playbook, and brands that want to win need to adapt fast.
So how can your brand tap into this sizable opportunity and build lasting engagement with a consumer base that already accounts for roughly 30% of global consumer spending? Let’s explore who these next billion consumers are, how they behave, and key strategies to win them over.
The Big Shift: Asia’s New Wave of Consumers
Asia’s consumer base is set to grow by another billion in the next decade, fueled by the surge in mobile internet usage. By 2030, mobile internet users in the region are projected to reach 1.8 billion, driving a digital economy forecasted to exceed $1 trillion.
This is influencing how consumers in Asia access information, engage with content, and conduct transactions. They’re increasingly mobile-first – those in Southeast Asia, for example, far exceed the global average when it comes to time spent using the internet on mobiles. They turn to their smartphones to socialize, shop, and everything in between. According to VML’s Future Shopper 2024 Report, 62% of APAC consumers say mobile is their preferred device for shopping online. And the region’s app economy is booming, with install rates more than doubling the global average.
At the heart of this transformation is the emergence of a young, digitally astute population: Generation Z. These digital natives will account for a quarter of Asia’s consumer base by 2025, driving new trends and reshaping the region’s digital landscape. Brands that successfully decode Gen Z’s preferences and adapt to these shifts will gain a competitive edge.
Generation Z: Video-driven, Peer-influenced, and AI-powered
An increasing demand for quick, engaging content is driving the rise of short-form video in Asia, and Gen Z is one of its most voracious consumers. Asia’s Gen Zs are highly immersed in short-form, social video, viewing significantly more video media on platforms such as YouTube or TikTok than other cohorts do.
As influential as Gen Z is, they are also heavily influenced. A 2023 Accenture study on consumers from eight countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, found that 76% are influenced by numerous “likes” or “good comments” on social media when deciding whether to buy something online. And about 68% of Gen Zs in Singapore rely on authentic peer reviews and genuine recommendations before making purchases, according to NielsenIQ and World Data Lab’s Spend Z: A Global Report.
What’s also crucial to note is that Gen Zs are constantly expanding their platforms of choice, and discovering new ways to engage and influence. Gen Z is the fastest growing demographic on LinkedIn, and the cohort’s engagement on the platform is rising 71% higher year-over-year.[1]
As digital natives, Gen Z is also adept at using new technologies to supplement their lives. Compared to the rest of APAC, Gen Z are 49% more likely to use AI platforms to find information. Beyond research, they also leverage AI to customize their shopping experiences. A recent study by Visa found that 43% of Singaporean Gen Zs have already used AI-powered tools for online shopping, and express interest in using an AI personal shopper for personalized recommendations and price comparisons.
[1] LinkedIn Internal Data 2023-2024. Target Audience United States, Gen Z (born since 1997)
At the 'Navigating Asia's Future' event in Bali, Anubha Upadhyay, TP's Vice President of GTM Strategy RaaS, discussed 'Asia's Untapped Markets: Breaking into the Next Billion Consumers' alongside Olivia Cain from LinkedIn Marketing Solutions.
3 Strategies to Win Asia’s Next Billion Consumers
With the evolution of Asia’s consumer base, it’s clear that brands can no longer rely on previously depended-upon marketing methods to stay ahead. To tap into this huge emerging market, your brand must embrace new ways of connecting, engaging, and building trust in this fast-moving landscape. Given the dynamic nature of Asia’s consumers, you’ll need to adopt a test-and-learn mindset in order to truly unlock a connection with them.
1. The Video Revolution
Content is now an engine for commerce, with short-form videos acting as a channel for consumers to discover new brands and products. Moreover, live commerce is reshaping purchasing decisions by blending entertainment and shopping seamlessly. Indeed, VML’s Future Shopper 2024 report found that 82% of APAC shoppers have made a live stream purchase.
To maximize engagement, your brand can consider co-creating content with influencers and everyday users to foster stronger credibility and authenticity. Take Korea’s Samyang Foods for example. The food label saw massive success after partnering with popular K-pop group (G)I-dle, a strategy which tapped into a thriving community eager for interaction and co-creation.
2. Peer Power in Decision-making
In today’s interconnected world, brand trust is no longer built solely between a business and its customer. Peer reviews, social influencers, and community experiences play a significant role in influencing people’s purchase decisions. At the same time, AI is enhancing these peer-driven interactions by curating personalized recommendations, refining search results, and streamlining shopping experiences.
Consumers are increasingly relying on AI-driven insights to validate peer recommendations, whether through AI-generated product comparisons, chatbot-assisted shopping, or predictive search features. According to GWI, 54% of the region’s Gen Z consider using an AI chatbot when shopping online for price comparison, 42% for product-related inquiries, and 36% for budgeting assistance.
The key takeaway? Brands need to integrate AI-powered tools with peer-led marketing strategies to create a seamless, trusted, and interactive shopping experience. It’s why brands like Lazada are leveraging AI to enhance customer experiences, such as by harnessing product reviews to optimize the shopper research process.
3. Full-funnel, End-to-End Growth Strategy
Winning in Asia requires an end-to-end sales and marketing approach that spans the entire customer journey—from demand generation and conversion to post-sales engagement. As Asia’s next billion consumers reshape the market, businesses need scalable solutions to acquire, engage, and retain customers effectively. By leveraging AI-powered insights and supplementing them with genuine human expertise, brands can personalize outreach, optimize sales engagement, and drive revenue growth at scale.
One way to achieve this is by leveraging targeted, trusted platforms such as LinkedIn. You can also partner with sales and marketing outsourcing leaders like TP. Whether it’s localizing go-to-market strategies, driving conversions through omnichannel engagement, or accelerating pipeline growth, outsourcing helps businesses adapt to Asia’s fast-moving landscape with agility and impact.
With deep regional expertise, AI-driven sales intelligence, and a full suite of Revenue-as-a-service (RaaS) capabilities —including inbound and outbound sales, digital and social selling, and on-the-ground feet-on-street teams —TP empowers brands to expand into new markets quickly while delivering high-performance sales execution at scale.
Asia’s next billion consumers aren’t just on the way–they’re already here, marking one of the most exciting opportunities for brands in the coming decade. Their mobile-first habits, video-centric engagement, and reliance on peer and AI-driven influences are redefining traditional go-to-marketing approaches. Brands that embrace these trends will be best positioned to win in this evolving market.
The race for Asia’s next billion consumers has already begun. Will your brand be ready to lead?
Learn more about the authors: Anubha Upadhyay and Olivia Cain
LinkedIn Senior Marketing Strategist and Consultant Olivia Cain and TP Vice President of APAC Go-to-Market Strategy RaaS Dr. Anubha Upadhyay explore how APAC businesses can connect, engage, and win the region’s expanding market.
For too long, Asia’s next billion consumers have been treated like a mysterious goldmine just waiting to be unlocked. But this simplistic view overlooks the reality that this market isn’t just massive; it’s unpredictable and constantly evolving. Trends can appear overnight, brand loyalty is fluid, and what works today might be irrelevant tomorrow.
Indeed, businesses can no longer take known trends or strategies for certain. Take, for instance, how flip phones are reemerging in a digital-dominated world. Or how limited-edition drops still sell out in seconds in emerging markets thought to be ruled by price sensitivity. What’s certain is this: Today’s consumers in Asia are rewriting the playbook, and brands that want to win need to adapt fast.
So how can your brand tap into this sizable opportunity and build lasting engagement with a consumer base that already accounts for roughly 30% of global consumer spending? Let’s explore who these next billion consumers are, how they behave, and key strategies to win them over.
The Big Shift: Asia’s New Wave of Consumers
Asia’s consumer base is set to grow by another billion in the next decade, fueled by the surge in mobile internet usage. By 2030, mobile internet users in the region are projected to reach 1.8 billion, driving a digital economy forecasted to exceed $1 trillion.
This is influencing how consumers in Asia access information, engage with content, and conduct transactions. They’re increasingly mobile-first – those in Southeast Asia, for example, far exceed the global average when it comes to time spent using the internet on mobiles. They turn to their smartphones to socialize, shop, and everything in between. According to VML’s Future Shopper 2024 Report, 62% of APAC consumers say mobile is their preferred device for shopping online. And the region’s app economy is booming, with install rates more than doubling the global average.
At the heart of this transformation is the emergence of a young, digitally astute population: Generation Z. These digital natives will account for a quarter of Asia’s consumer base by 2025, driving new trends and reshaping the region’s digital landscape. Brands that successfully decode Gen Z’s preferences and adapt to these shifts will gain a competitive edge.
Generation Z: Video-driven, Peer-influenced, and AI-powered
An increasing demand for quick, engaging content is driving the rise of short-form video in Asia, and Gen Z is one of its most voracious consumers. Asia’s Gen Zs are highly immersed in short-form, social video, viewing significantly more video media on platforms such as YouTube or TikTok than other cohorts do.
As influential as Gen Z is, they are also heavily influenced. A 2023 Accenture study on consumers from eight countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines, found that 76% are influenced by numerous “likes” or “good comments” on social media when deciding whether to buy something online. And about 68% of Gen Zs in Singapore rely on authentic peer reviews and genuine recommendations before making purchases, according to NielsenIQ and World Data Lab’s Spend Z: A Global Report.
What’s also crucial to note is that Gen Zs are constantly expanding their platforms of choice, and discovering new ways to engage and influence. Gen Z is the fastest growing demographic on LinkedIn, and the cohort’s engagement on the platform is rising 71% higher year-over-year.[1]
As digital natives, Gen Z is also adept at using new technologies to supplement their lives. Compared to the rest of APAC, Gen Z are 49% more likely to use AI platforms to find information. Beyond research, they also leverage AI to customize their shopping experiences. A recent study by Visa found that 43% of Singaporean Gen Zs have already used AI-powered tools for online shopping, and express interest in using an AI personal shopper for personalized recommendations and price comparisons.
[1] LinkedIn Internal Data 2023-2024. Target Audience United States, Gen Z (born since 1997)
At the 'Navigating Asia's Future' event in Bali, Anubha Upadhyay, TP's Vice President of GTM Strategy RaaS, discussed 'Asia's Untapped Markets: Breaking into the Next Billion Consumers' alongside Olivia Cain from LinkedIn Marketing Solutions.
3 Strategies to Win Asia’s Next Billion Consumers
With the evolution of Asia’s consumer base, it’s clear that brands can no longer rely on previously depended-upon marketing methods to stay ahead. To tap into this huge emerging market, your brand must embrace new ways of connecting, engaging, and building trust in this fast-moving landscape. Given the dynamic nature of Asia’s consumers, you’ll need to adopt a test-and-learn mindset in order to truly unlock a connection with them.
1. The Video Revolution
Content is now an engine for commerce, with short-form videos acting as a channel for consumers to discover new brands and products. Moreover, live commerce is reshaping purchasing decisions by blending entertainment and shopping seamlessly. Indeed, VML’s Future Shopper 2024 report found that 82% of APAC shoppers have made a live stream purchase.
To maximize engagement, your brand can consider co-creating content with influencers and everyday users to foster stronger credibility and authenticity. Take Korea’s Samyang Foods for example. The food label saw massive success after partnering with popular K-pop group (G)I-dle, a strategy which tapped into a thriving community eager for interaction and co-creation.
2. Peer Power in Decision-making
In today’s interconnected world, brand trust is no longer built solely between a business and its customer. Peer reviews, social influencers, and community experiences play a significant role in influencing people’s purchase decisions. At the same time, AI is enhancing these peer-driven interactions by curating personalized recommendations, refining search results, and streamlining shopping experiences.
Consumers are increasingly relying on AI-driven insights to validate peer recommendations, whether through AI-generated product comparisons, chatbot-assisted shopping, or predictive search features. According to GWI, 54% of the region’s Gen Z consider using an AI chatbot when shopping online for price comparison, 42% for product-related inquiries, and 36% for budgeting assistance.
The key takeaway? Brands need to integrate AI-powered tools with peer-led marketing strategies to create a seamless, trusted, and interactive shopping experience. It’s why brands like Lazada are leveraging AI to enhance customer experiences, such as by harnessing product reviews to optimize the shopper research process.
3. Full-funnel, End-to-End Growth Strategy
Winning in Asia requires an end-to-end sales and marketing approach that spans the entire customer journey—from demand generation and conversion to post-sales engagement. As Asia’s next billion consumers reshape the market, businesses need scalable solutions to acquire, engage, and retain customers effectively. By leveraging AI-powered insights and supplementing them with genuine human expertise, brands can personalize outreach, optimize sales engagement, and drive revenue growth at scale.
One way to achieve this is by leveraging targeted, trusted platforms such as LinkedIn. You can also partner with sales and marketing outsourcing leaders like TP. Whether it’s localizing go-to-market strategies, driving conversions through omnichannel engagement, or accelerating pipeline growth, outsourcing helps businesses adapt to Asia’s fast-moving landscape with agility and impact.
With deep regional expertise, AI-driven sales intelligence, and a full suite of Revenue-as-a-service (RaaS) capabilities —including inbound and outbound sales, digital and social selling, and on-the-ground feet-on-street teams —TP empowers brands to expand into new markets quickly while delivering high-performance sales execution at scale.
Asia’s next billion consumers aren’t just on the way–they’re already here, marking one of the most exciting opportunities for brands in the coming decade. Their mobile-first habits, video-centric engagement, and reliance on peer and AI-driven influences are redefining traditional go-to-marketing approaches. Brands that embrace these trends will be best positioned to win in this evolving market.
The race for Asia’s next billion consumers has already begun. Will your brand be ready to lead?
Learn more about the authors: Anubha Upadhyay and Olivia Cain
