ADA recently launched the region’s first integrated eCommerce practice through a merger with Awake Asia, a regional eCommerce enabler operating in six countries in Southeast Asia.

The exercise fully integrates Awake Asia’s operations under the ADA brand, where both parties come together to champion and fulfill the needs of brands moving towards online channels across 10 markets in South and Southeast Asia – Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Cambodia, South Korea, and Vietnam.

The integrated eCommerce practice brings together Awake Asia’s deep eCommerce expertise with ADA’s media, creative, and analytics solutions to drive online sales for brands through:

Digital marketing deeply linked to eCommerce revenue generation: Digital media execution integrated with eCommerce operations; customer-centric strategies and activations; performance linking external media spend to online sales.

Consumer data and analytics leveraged to uplift eCommerce sales: Utilize client’s customer data and third-party data sets to derive shopper insights, personalize content and to cross and upsell via eCommerce channels.

Reaching vast audiences in super apps and marketplaces: Optimize customer touchpoints across super apps and owned apps and websites; deploy Marketing Technology solutions like customer data platforms (CDP); attribution tools to track and optimize conversion funnel.

Srinivas Gattamneni, Chief Executive Officer of ADA, said: “At ADA, our belief is that eCommerce should not be a siloed execution but needs to be deeply integrated into the brand’s analytics, media, creative, and marketing technology investments – only then can we achieve superior performance. The merger brings together an integrated approach for brands to reach and convert digital consumers.”

Leading the division is Simon Paterson, who joins ADA as Chief of eCommerce Enablement and the former CEO of Awake Asia. Commenting on his new appointment, he said, “Over the past five years, Awake Asia has built a formidable eCommerce enablement business in Southeast Asia. We are excited to embark on this new phase of growth with integrated analytics, media, and creative to boost eCommerce operations for all brands in the region.”

The merger opens a new market for ADA in Vietnam with over 150 eCommerce specialists currently serving more than 120 brands, driving eCommerce growth for clients such as P&G, Unilever, BMW, and Wyeth; and eCommerce partners including Shopee, Tokopedia, and Lazada, among others.

As more brands are forced to adapt to capture the “great migration” of consumers from offline to online, business owners are still in the dark on navigating the challenges to maximize return on investment. This opportunity is expected to surge to USD 100 billion in Southeast Asia, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) expected to rise by 24.6% (2017 – 2025).