Reaching Southeast Asia’s new digital audience

Digital penetration during the pandemic has increased by 15% or more across Southeast Asian markets, thus adding a whole new audience to an already fragmented landscape.

Why it matters

While the detail varies in each market, ad budgets are increasingly allocated to digital channels such as search, social and video, and, says Nielsen, influencers are a fast-growing touchpoint. 

Key stats

• Philippines: internet usage stands at 87% (Q2 2021) up from 70% (Q2 2019), smart TV usage at 17%, up from 7%, video on demand viewing at 27%, up from 6%. 
• Thailand: internet penetration increased 15% during the pandemic, with increased uptake among the rural population and older consumers. 
• Instagram claims two thirds of the total number of influencers within the region; within that figure, Indonesia has the highest number of influencers with over 7 million personality profiles. 

Key quote

“Where influencers are really fitting in is how they are able to deliver and reach the specific audiences they are engaged with. Brand recall for influencer content is 4x up versus traditional digital content” – Nicholas Bruce, Head of Consulting and Research for Asia at Nielsen.

Sourced from Nielsen