Why Do Brands Underperform in Asia?

A practical examination of where global strategies meet friction in Asian markets.

Download The White Paper

Insights drawn from cross-market execution across Greater China and APAC.

 

Overview

Many brands enter Asia with strong global strategies, clear positioning,
and proven success elsewhere.

Yet performance often tells a different story.

Campaigns land softly.
Messaging feels technically correct, but emotionally distant.
Results underperform expectations without an obvious failure point.

This white paper explores the less visible reasons behind that gap.

 

WHAT THIS PAPER EXAMINES .

WHAT THIS PAPER EXAMINES .

Rather than offering quick fixes, this report looks at the underlying dynamics that influence brand performance in Asia.

Inside, we explore:

  • Where global brand intent becomes diluted in regional execution

  • How decision-making structures affect speed, relevance, and clarity

  • Why “localisation” alone rarely delivers meaningful impact

  • How platform behaviour and media context subtly reshape message effectiveness

  • The signals that indicate underperformance early — before results decline

The aim is not to prescribe, but to help teams ask better questions

Who may find this useful .

Who may find this useful .

This white paper is intended for professionals responsible for:

  • Regional or global brand strategy

  • APAC or Greater China marketing performance

  • Cross-market consistency and local relevance

  • Agency–client collaboration across regions

If you’re navigating the tension between global alignment and local effectiveness, this report should be relevant.

OUR PERSPECTIVE .

OUR PERSPECTIVE .

Comms8 works with brands operating across Eastern and Western markets.

Our role often sits between:

  • Global direction and local execution

  • Centralised strategy and regional realities

  • Brand intent and audience interpretation

The insights in this paper reflect patterns we encounter repeatedly — across sectors, markets, and maturity levels.