Five consumer & economic trends shaping Asia in 2018

This article outlines five key consumer and economic trends brands should watch for in Asia in 2018, including the rise of India and Indonesia, premiumization, segmentation and the ongoing China slowdown.

A prolonged China slowdown and sluggish growth in many Asian markets has seen a number of companies in the region enter a holding pattern, slashing marketing budgets and wary of large-scale investment in a difficult economic climate. This hesitancy has occurred at the time when South East Asian markets in particular have seen enormous middle-class expansion and purchase power is on the rise and more consumers have internet connectivity than ever.

But does the macro-outlook look positive enough in 2018 for brands to invest heavily in emerging markets? Or will they continue to wait-and-see?

According to Alexander van Kemenade, the...

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