Trinette D\u2019lima, general manager, product at Proximus Global <\/strong>hosted a keynote presentation explaining why messaging apps like WhatsApp Business are becoming the preferred channel for customer brands in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as spotlighting the rise of one-to-one, personalised communication at scale.<\/p>\nIn her presentation, she noted how the APAC region leads in WhatsApp Business adoption, remarking that Indonesia alone has more than 112M users. Moreover, SMS usage is declining; with OTT messaging apps (like WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram) dominating brand-consumer interactions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shift isn\u2019t just about convenience; it\u2019s about creating experiences that feel personal, immediate, and conversational \u2014 all through the channels people already love using,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n
With that growth in mind, platforms are recognising that there should be a transition for their messaging platforms that not only bring value to brands but also effectively connect with customers. For instance, Meta introduced Marketing Light (MM Light)\u2014now renamed Marketing Messages API\u2014to reduce spam and enhance engagement. Meta\u2019s goal for this introduction is to transition WhatsApp from a \u201cmarketing channel\u201d to a utility and conversational commerce platform.<\/p>\n
Moreover, WhatsApp also introduced voice calling within chat for businesses in July 2024, and was powered by Meta\u2019s WebRTC, not telecom operators\u2014low latency, high quality. As part of said launch, it was then integrated into Proximus Global\u2019s SIP and Live Agent systems for real-time interactions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re entering a phase where WhatsApp isn\u2019t just a messaging channel anymore; it\u2019s evolving into a complete customer journey hub. From the moment a user discovers a brand through a Click-to-WhatsApp Ad, to making a purchase, to post-sale engagement \u2014 the entire lifecycle can now happen within one platform. That\u2019s what makes WhatsApp Business so powerful: it unites discovery, communication, and conversion in one seamless thread,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the future of customer engagement, Trinette noted that WhatsApp isn\u2019t just another channel anymore \u2014 it\u2019s the channel\u2013and is where discovery, engagement, payment, and support can all happen within one continuous experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea is to bring every step \u2014 from awareness to loyalty \u2014 into a single, cohesive journey. When brands adopt that mindset, they stop thinking in campaigns and start thinking in conversations. That\u2019s where the magic really happens,\u201d she remarked.<\/p>\n
How to create effective messaging that builds real customer relationships<\/strong><\/p>\nNext up on the webinar was a panel discussion featuring industry leaders Ivy Leong, regional marketing director (APAC) at Faber-Castell<\/strong>; Rosebel Garcia, head of marketing and commercial at Hertz Philippines<\/strong>; Shalini Seneviratne, marketing director \u2013 Baby and Child Care at Kimberly-Clark<\/strong>; and Trinette D\u2019lima, general manager, product at Proximus Global <\/strong>as they discuss conversations that convert\u2014and how messaging builds real customer relationships.<\/p>\nDuring the webinar, Faber-Castell\u2019s Ivy Leong shared how AI-driven personalisation can build trust when it provides real, relevant, and non-promotional advice \u2014 a parallel to how brands should engage customers conversationally.<\/p>\n
When asked how Faber-Castell maintains its premium image while adapting to changing markets, Ivy structured her answer around four dimensions of consistency \u2014 message, personality, visual identity, and trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always stay true to our heritage by grounding our message in product quality, craftsmanship, and trust. We avoid overclaiming and exaggeration. Our tone is authentic, factual, and respectful to consumer intelligence,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ivy added, \u201cAll our communications share a unified visual identity \u2014 standard media formats, local placement, ending with our tagline, brand mark, typography, and photographic style. We want consumers to instantly feel, \u2018Hey, this is Faber-Castell.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Hertz\u2019s Rosebel focused on the main theme centered around \u201cconnection through care\u201d \u2014 how human empathy and attentive service turn digital conversations into meaningful, long-term relationships.<\/p>\n
When asked about how messaging and customer communication shape their brand voice, Rosebel emphasised genuine human tone over corporate polish. \u201cPeople can tell if you\u2019re reading from a script. They know if your \u2018thank you\u2019 is genuine. That\u2019s why our brand voice is always warm, personal, and sincere \u2014 even on chat, she stated.<\/p>\n
She also acknowledged the role of technology (AI, chatbots, automation) \u2014 but with a crucial caveat.<\/p>\n
\u201cTechnology helps us respond faster, but the heart of service will always be human. When technology and empathy come together, that\u2019s when the magic happens.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lastly, Kimberly-Clark\u2019s Shalini explained how their brand Huggies aims to move beyond superficial personalisation, and how they use AI chatbots and data platforms to deliver contextual care.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want our chatbots to act like companions \u2014 not salespeople. When a mom uploads a photo of her baby, we can recommend the perfect diaper size or product, not through guessing but through smart, visual understanding,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
Shalini also gave a thoughtful response to a question about how Huggies sustains loyalty when its consumer life cycle is naturally short. \u201cFor us, it\u2019s a short relationship \u2014 about three years \u2014 but we want that relationship to be meaningful and memorable.\u201d<\/p>\n
She outlined their ecosystem approach, stating, \u201cWe have communities like Huggies Moms Club and MomQ Korea, where moms share stories, ask questions, and feel supported. Even when they move on, they remember how we made them feel. Loyalty for us doesn\u2019t mean retention forever \u2014 it means leaving a lasting positive memory.\u201d<\/p>\n
The webinar was attended by 103 delegates from brands such as 2GO Group Inc., ABS-CBN, Allianz PNB Life, Bank Mayapada, BPI, CHG Global Inc. First Standard Finance Corporation, Frasers Property Singapore, Hikvision, Jollibee Group, Kim Hin Joo (M) Berhad, MetroMart Technologies Inc., NutriAsia, Inc., PBCOM, PJ Lhuillier Corporation, Telekom Malaysia, Unilever, and World Vision Malaysia.<\/p>\n
If you missed attending it, you can catch the on-demand access to the webinar, where brands explore strategies to boost customer engagement and loyalty. Register HERE<\/a> for free.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As consumer expectations continue to evolve across Asia-Pacific, one shift is becoming impossible for marketers to ignore: messaging…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224976,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[74],"tags":[10852,18,120914,120915,19,17,94694,22546,120916,82,120917],"class_list":{"0":"post-224975","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-asia-pacific","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-faber-castell","11":"tag-hertz-philippines","12":"tag-ie","13":"tag-ireland","14":"tag-kimberly-clark","15":"tag-messaging","16":"tag-proximus-global","17":"tag-technology","18":"tag-telesign"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115693517789601547","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=224975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/224975\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=224975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=224975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=224975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}