Sea Connect

In this episode of SEA CONNECT - Leadership Talks, featuring a discussion between Lars Voedisch and Tran Duy Ninh, a growth marketer with 14 years of experience in the healthcare and finance industries. The discussion focuses on the importance of data privacy and compliance for marketers, especially in highly regulated sectors.

Soundbites

Tran Duy Ninh-"Data privacy and compliance is not nice to have. It's a must have."

• Recycling Costs: Recycling is currently more expensive than using virgin materials, which poses a challenge for businesses and consumers.
• Government Regulations: Vietnam's new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) decree mandates that producers take responsibility for packaging waste, incentivising recycling.
• Transparency and Greenwashing: The speakers emphasise the importance of transparent communication and setting clear targets to avoid accusations of greenwashing.

Le Anh - "So the bottle come to the pellets and get blow up to the bottle again, so it's called the 'bottle to bottle' technology."

• Consumer-Centricity is Key: Hiep emphasises that brands must prioritise understanding and catering to consumer needs in order to foster engagement and loyalty.
• Leveraging Data and Technology: Hiep highlights the importance of utilising data signals and technology, including AI and machine learning.
• The Unreasonable Power of Creativity: Creativity remains a vital and irreplaceable element in achieving business results and building brand love.

Hoanh Dao Hiep - "At the end of the day, it is the unreasonable power of creativity. It's something that AI can never replace."

• Multi-faceted, Integrated Marketing: Businesses need to adopt a comprehensive approach that leverages various channels to reach and engage consumers effectively.
• Consistent Core Messaging: Maintaining a consistent brand message across all platforms is essential for a cohesive customer experience.
• Clear KPIs and Objectives: Defining and measuring against clear KPIs and objectives is crucial for evaluating marketing success.
• Data-Driven, But Customer-Centric: While data collection and analysis are vital for optimisation, businesses must prioritize customer privacy and avoid intrusiveness.
• Adaptability in a Dynamic Market: In a rapidly evolving market like Vietnam, businesses must be adaptable and leverage technology and data-driven insights.

Kim Nguyen - "In the digital era, businesses need to adapt and leverage technology and data-driven insights to stay ahead of the curve."

• CP Group is a major player in Vietnam's agro-industry, with a diverse portfolio encompassing animal feed, farming, food production, and related sectors.
• The company's core business philosophy is guided by the "Three-benefit Principle," ensuring that their operations benefit the nation, the consumers, and the company itself.

• Vietnam's relatively recent economic liberalisation has led to a rapid evolution of consumer behaviour.
• Consumers are increasingly self-focused, have greater choices and disposable income, and are more connected to global events and trends.
• This heightened connectivity has resulted in both increased anxiety and a tendency towards boredom due to constant exposure to information and options.

• To maintain relevance in this dynamic market, CP Group emphasises understanding and anticipating future consumer preferences.
• They leverage their core strengths and execute strategies effectively, fostering a corporate culture of innovation and openness to new technologies.

• The "Love Like a Mom" campaign exemplifies CP Group's successful alignment with Vietnamese cultural values, particularly strong family bonds.
• However, the company has also experienced setbacks, such as unsuccessful restaurant ventures, highlighting the importance of understanding market nuances.

• Navigating a rapidly changing and often confusing landscape requires a combination of discipline and imagination.
• CP Group prioritises transparency and consumer interests, actively involving them in sustainability initiatives like tree-planting campaigns.

• When collaborating with influencers, CP Group emphasises authenticity and alignment with their brand values, ensuring that partnerships genuinely resonate with their target audience.

• Khun Than anticipates that future trends will be even more complex and fast-paced.
• Brands will need to be increasingly accountable and prioritise consumer well-being, particularly in areas like sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) considerations.

Khun Than - "In Vietnam the family value is super strong it's a fundamental bedrock of a lot of things which is admirable so we build on that" "Nothing is done in isolation even in your company you work with farmers you have many stakeholders how do you navigate this landscape where the consumer wants that and some parts of that chain say why do we have to change" "The part that changes is the final touch when you interact with them. The way you talk, how you present yourself, what colour, what celebrity, what cause you want to fight for, what cause you want to stand for, this is how you change over the time. It's the same product but how you create new connections"

1. Unique Linguistic Landscape: The exclusive use of the Vietnamese language within Vietnam creates a distinct media environment, posing challenges for international brands but offering significant opportunities for those who can adapt their content and messaging effectively.
2. Shifting Consumption Patterns: Vietnamese media consumption is rapidly evolving, with a notable surge in short-form video content, the increasing influence of content creators, and a corresponding decline in the reach and impact of traditional media outlets.
3. Attractive Market for Advertisers: Despite its smaller size compared to other regional markets, Vietnam remains an appealing destination for media advertisers due to its expanding middle class with rising disposable incomes and a strong appetite for quality content, coupled with high levels of digital engagement and internet penetration.
4. Vietcetera's Growth Strategy: Vietcetera has achieved revenue growth by focusing on delivering high-quality, specialised content within niche areas, catering to specific audience segments with unique interests. This approach, combined with partnerships with innovative and standard-setting brands, has strengthened their market position.
5. Successful Brand Collaboration: Brands that have successfully partnered with Vietcetera demonstrate a willingness to innovate and push boundaries within their respective categories, aligning with Vietcetera's commitment to quality and thought leadership.
6. Content Creators as a Double-Edged Sword: The rise of content creators presents both opportunities and challenges for media companies and brands. While offering new avenues for collaboration and audience reach, it also necessitates careful navigation and strategic partnerships to maintain brand integrity and achieve desired outcomes.
7. Importance of Quality and Integration: In Vietnam's dynamic and evolving media landscape, a focus on producing and delivering high-quality content, coupled with seamless and effective brand integration, is crucial for maximising commercial returns and achieving long-term success.

Hao Tran - "In Vietnam, we have a very vibrant media landscape, and it's constantly evolving. One of the biggest trends that we're seeing is the rise of short-form video content." "We're also seeing a growing number of content creators who are using the Vietnamese language to reach a wider audience." "The global economic situation is having a significant impact on media spending in Vietnam. However, I believe that brands that focus on quality content and brand integration will still be successful in this market."

1. Identify Market Gaps and Leverage Existing Strengths: Hanh recognized a need for high-quality, affordable children's clothing in Vietnam and leveraged her family's manufacturing expertise to create Rabity Kids. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the market and utilizing available resources.
2. Prioritize Product Quality and Cost Management: Rabity Kids focuses on providing comfortable, high-quality clothing at affordable prices. This is achieved through efficient cost management strategies, including restructuring and optimizing their retail approach.
3. Value Teamwork and Customer Insights: Hanh emphasizes the importance of teamwork and a strong corporate culture, where employees at all levels have a voice. Gathering customer insights through market research and direct feedback from sales staff is crucial for understanding customer needs and preferences.

Hong Hanh - "The reason why we survived the pandemic when a lot of key players in the field failed and closed their business forever is because we have a strong belief in the values that we can bring to the consumers and the values we can bring to our employees."

1. Bridging startups and B2B enterprises, and how startups can win pilots with corporates
2. Working with local players in the ecosystem and enabling digital transformation
3. Ecosystem success stories

Janise Tan - "The earlier you are, the bigger village you need"

Keziah Quek - "It's like alchemy, you're looking for the right person, chemistry, KPI, matching of place and time"

• The shift to B2B Super Apps – BukuKas is an app for merchants digitising their bookkeeping and is a gateway to electronic financial services, BukuWarung is arguably in a similar space. Moka purchased by GoJek gave them an enlarged presence into merchants and Fave has a tie-up with Grab and a strategic investment from the largest Indian non-bank merchant network Pine Labs
• Size of the “Merchant Enterprise segment” – MSMEs make up the bulk of the economy, not the major conglomerates
• Economics around merchants – Are revenue models different, better even? What is the path to profitability?

Nigel Lee - "If it's a B2B model, I get to go and play golf with people."

Joel Neoh - "Financials: How big, how long, how fast and strategic do we compete or cooperate "

• The unicorn DNA – What technology, talent, economic and legislative tailwinds have created the current unicorns
• What factors will create the next wave and is there a shift in the nature of unicorns to come e.g. more B2B, more fintech, more logistics?
• To what extent do the US, China, and India unicorns provide models for SEA unicorns, or do they not?
• Do unicorns “suck up” all of the capital?
• How will the unicorns exit

Shaun Chong - "People only see the success stories, they don’t know the hardships."

• Understand why the threat of cyberattacks is greater than ever post-COVID
• Get familiar with basic terms such as Malware, DDoS, Firewall, Phishing, White hat and Black hat
• Get familiar with the type of attacks occurring right now and how cybersecurity startups are arriving at new solutions to these attacks

Paul Hadjy - "Cybersecurity is like crime, you can't completely eradicate it."

Kuo-Yi Lim - "Artificial is squarely important."

• Impact Investing vs ESG Investing – clarifying the definitions and differences
• Challenges & Opportunities of Impact investing in Southeast Asia
• Outlook for continued positive societal change in SEA

Shuyin Tang - "A lot of impact investing capital is with traditional funds, a lot of investment don't fit the ten year life span"

Paul Meyers - "We need to look at different investment vehicles."

• How communities and influencers are making us change our purchasing behaviour
• Social Commerce – From nowhere to everywhere. We explore the economics of this sector and the growth appeal to investors
• What the social commerce winners in the region are doing differently

Helen Wong - "Early investments into China, then combine how the story develops today."

Sachin Bhanot - "Paranoia is a great trait of founders when founders say we sleep well at night, we are not able to sleep"

• There are 42 global HealthTech unicorns valued at a total of 100 billion. Will SEA, thanks to the support of Govt and VCs catch up?
• 2019 was a record year for SEA HealthTech investments, at $270 mn. Will 2020 break that record with 140 mn already invested?
• What are specific HealthTech startups doing in response to COVID-19

• Has the ‘smart city’ concept finally evolved from buzzword to reality?
• What defines a smart city, and how does a city become smart?
• What is the role and applications of Big Data, IoT and other Smart City Technologies?

Stanimira Koleva - "Location really does move the world forward."

Charles Reed Anderson - "Singapore doesn't need another accelerator, it needs a new type of accelerator, connects bring the supply and demand side of smart eco-system together."

• Could the lack of the right education for the economy of tomorrow derail the Southeast Asian economic and social miracle?
• How are the education design, delivery, engagement, and payment models adapting and why is it working?
• The success factors behind the education unicorns of China and India and could Southeast Asia produce its own?

Jan Lambrechts - "I don't know the degree of every single employee."

Raj Shastri - "Democratise the education, desire is core."

• Understand why investors are looking at Enterprise SaaS

• Discover what one of the largest SaaS AI company in the region is doing

• Learn about one of the highest growth yet robust business models in 2020

Anvesh Ramineni - "People can definitely survive without the US market."

Sinuhe Arroyo - "Good technology with bad marketing, doesn't go anywhere."

• What Is The Next Normal - Discover the implications for how businesses should reinvent and stay relevant

• Where Are The New Opportunities - Understand the trends that businesses can ride to become stronger

• Fundraising In The Current Situation - Companies now may not have enough cash runway as they think

• How To Communicate - Guidelines to increase your communication with all stakeholders

Nicolas Du Cray - "Please don't pitch me, give me reassurance."

Andrew Mawikere - "Be fast, be relevant, be monetise."