Cheryl Goh, Group VP Marketing, Grab Akira Mitsumasu, VP Marketing & Strategy, Asia & Oceania Region, Japan Airlines

1. CMO Asia Summit 2017
25 - 26 May 2017
executive perspectives
speakers from the CMO Asia Summit 2017 discuss...
What innovative measures would help
brands maintain a competitive edge?
Cheryl Goh, Group VP Marketing, Grab
As a Southeast Asian business, a region of huge diversity, it is important to adopt a
hyperlocal mindset towards innovation. Being local means having our employees reflect the
people we serve. We have local teams in every country, Grab in Vietnam is run by
Vietnamese and Grab in Malaysia is run by Malaysians. This is critical to doing business the
right way and providing the best possible service for our customers.
For example, we knew cash is king in Southeast Asia, so we launched with cash payments
on day one. We knew bikes were more desirable than cars in Indonesia and Vietnam, so we
introduced bikes. We know some roads don’t allow bikes and our mapping technology
knows this and routes accordingly.
Beyond our own business, we are working in cities where infrastructure can still be
influenced; where with the use of our data and mapping technology we can play a role in
shaping what cities will look like 10 – 20 years down the road. That’s pretty exciting.
Payments and logistics are also just beginning and those are other real life problems
waiting to be solved.
In order to be hyperlocal, operationally it means investing in a nimble, decentralised
approach toward innovation by hiring strong country teams who are masters of the local
landscape and establishing a network of on-ground research capabilities to gather data and
engineer bespoke solutions. At Grab we adopt a more “glocal” organisational structure –
balancing between consistent global frameworks, while giving local teams the trust and
space to execute solutions.
Akira Mitsumasu, VP Marketing & Strategy, Asia & Oceania Region, Japan Airlines
To help a brand maintain its competitive edge I would focus on aligning the brand offering
to the purpose of its customers. Customers all have their unique purposes and a brand is
most relevant when it serves to co-create value, or in other words when it fits that
purpose. This is ever more true in today’s digitalised world where customers with access to
information can effortlessly compare and cherry pick offerings that enable them to
personalise their own value ecosystem. Today's customers also actively participate in co-
producing value by giving out information on their preferences and behaviour.
To be innovative, a brand has to zoom out of its narrow definition of what it is, and think of
how it can better serve its customers’ purpose. Seen in this light, an airline is not just
a mode of transportation that brings someone from point A to point B, but more of a value
co-producing and co-creating enhancer that helps the customer fulfil his or her journey
purpose. If for example arriving in better shape to deliver an important address at a
conference is the purpose, the question I should be asking is what can I do to help this
speaker secure a good rest onboard our aircraft? Adopting such a mindset will prompt a
brand to consider the capabilities that are required and also how to develop or source
them.
Consistent with our brand statement “Fly into Tomorrow”, we at Japan Airlines endeavour
to serve the unique purpose of our customers by continuously focusing on innovating a
better customer experience.

2. About the CMO Asia Summit 2017
The CMO Asia Summit is the premium forum bringing elite buyers and sellers
together. The Summit offers top marketing professionals, agencies and consultants
an intimate environment for a focused discussion on the key drivers of marketing
effectiveness. Taking place at the Conrad Macao, Cotai Central, Macao, May 25-26,
the Summit includes presentations on deciphering consumer data into actionable
insight, achieving sophistication in the digital and data-driven marketing transition,
assessing metrics and evaluating the true value of social media marketing.
www.cmoasiasummit.com
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