Zendesk just released its Customer Experience Trends Report 2020, analyzing how businesses can drive customer loyalty, what matters most to people when they engage with businesses, and what differentiates leading companies from their competitors. The annual report is based on global survey results and the Zendesk Benchmark, an index of product usage data from more than 45,000 global companies using Zendesk and the gold standard of data on how companies use their customer experience solutions.

For years we have heard that in terms of flexibility, the online shop can hardly be beaten and for many reasons there is no alternative. But now an increasing share of the trading volume worldwide comes from platforms such as eBay, Amazon Marketplace and Co. In fact, there are not only situations in the beginning of the business in which your own web shop is only the second-best alternative. Platforms simply bring additional trading volume and reach.

Worldwide spending on augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) is forecasted to be $18.8 billion in 2020, an increase of 78.5% over the $10.5 billion International Data Corporation (IDC) expects will be spent in 2019.

The latest update to IDC's Worldwide Augmented and Virtual Reality Spending Guide also shows that worldwide spending on AR/VR products and services will continue this strong growth throughout the 2019-2023 forecast period, achieving a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 77.0%.

The integrated communications consulting firm Ruder Finn Asia just announced new leadership appointments in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia and senior-level appointments in the regional Luxury, Automotive and Integrated Marketing practices, strengthening the firm’s capabilities and expertise across Asia-Pacific.

In Hong Kong, Winnie Lai joins as Vice President and General Manager, Ruder Finn Hong Kong. She brings 20 years’ experience in providing award-winning communications counsel to clients in Greater China and Asia-Pacific including Microsoft, GE Healthcare and Jebsen. Most recently VP, Greater China at Waggoner Edstrom, she strengthened revenues and profits, grew the team to 50 executives and established the firm as one of the largest communications consultancies in Hong Kong. Prior to WE, she was Senior Reporter at ComputerWorld and Senior Consultant at Hill & Knowlton.

In Singapore, Brian Witte has been promoted to Deputy General Manager, Ruder Finn Singapore. He is leading the firm’s corporate and technology practice since 2014, representing clients including Visa and DBS. With 15 years’ experience, Witte has been responsible for providing clients with strategic counsel across Asia-Pacific, from integrated strategy and stakeholder engagement to reputation management and internal communications. Prior to Ruder Finn, he held senior positions at Porter Novelli and Burson-Marsteller China.


In Malaysia, Elya Eusoff joins as General Manager, Ruder Finn Malaysia. Eusoff brings more than a decade of experience representing corporate, consumer and technology clients, including Cetaphil, Suntory and Lenovo. In his most recent role as Director of Digital PR at Bonsey Jaden, he focused on designing and implementing tailored, end-to-end, integrated branding campaigns for both local and regional clients. He also led activation work across Malaysia, Asia-Pacific and the United States.


Within Ruder Finn, Gao Ming has been named Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Luxury Practice, Ruder Finn Greater China. This new role will see him expanding the firm’s China luxury stronghold to additional markets. Having led Ruder Finn’s National Luxury Practice in China since 2015, Gao Ming has been instrumental in developing a network of industry-leading clients, including Chaumet, Hermes, Mont Blanc, Longines, Hennessy and Cartier. Before joining Ruder Finn in 2005, he was founder and partner at West Village Agency, a boutique Shanghai-based communications firm.


Long Xi has been promoted to Leader, Integrated Marketing Practice, Ruder Finn Greater China, growing the firm’s focus in consumer digital marketing communications after launching the new practice in China in 2017. Representing clients including Almond Board of California, MHD, and 3M, she has since led the data-driven business unit through a period of double-digit growth, ensuring Ruder Finn delivers a complete arc of strategy, web, digital, online, media, social media and advertising capabilities for clients. Prior to Ruder Finn, Xi previously held senior positions in Michael Kors, Edelman and Giorgio Armani Group.


Completing the appointments and promotions at Ruder Finn Asia, Will Yuan joins as Leader, Automotive Practice, Ruder Finn China. Yuan has 15 years’ industry experience and was previously General Manager at Genedigi Group and Deputy General Manager at HighTeam Marketing Communications. He will lead market growth strategies for the firm, overseeing clients including Audi, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen Group China, Lamborghini, and other automotive clients.

The South China Morning Post announced the appointment of Adrian Lee as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Events, who will lead its growth strategies to build SCMP’s global brand.

With SCMP’s exponential international readership growth at over 25 million monthly active users, Lee’s appointment bolsters its focus on market and audience development across Asia and broader global markets. Lee’s responsibilities include raising brand awareness, increasing traffic to SCMP’s digital platforms, overseeing product and digital marketing, as well as driving SCMP’s event’s business.

With a passion for combining data, technology and cultural insights to revolutionize company marketing strategies, Lee has transformed some of the world’s most influential brands for the digital economy. He has worked in executive leadership roles in London and across Asia and was previously Head of Digital Client Solutions at global media agency Wavemaker where he helped lead the Hong Kong agency's direction, growth, profitability and people development as well as directing global marketing campaigns for clients. Prior to that Lee was the Global Digital Strategy and Innovation Director for Vizeum in London, leading innovation across a global network for clients including Burberry and Honda.

Lee also directed digital growth and marketing for multinational companies at MediaCom in Hong Kong.

Lee’s appointment is effective from 2 December 2019 and he will be based at SCMP’s global headquarters in Hong Kong.

LG Electronics Inc. appointed PHD as its Global Media Agency of Record following a competitive market review that included Dentsu, Horizon and Carat. The appointment will see the Omnicom Media Group owned network manage the media planning and buying duties for the full portfolio of LG products in over 50 international markets.

Effective from January 2020, PHD will be tasked with supporting LG’s global growth through media, strategy, technology and data expertise. The assignment will see a global team of strategy leads based in key markets, in addition to a central team managing the business from a global hub in Seoul.

The appointment spans all regions, with Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, UK, USA and Vietnam being amongst the 50+ markets. LG will continue to use Korean agency HS Ad for local activations.

Aqilliz, a blockchain for marketing solutions provider, announced the appointment of Prateek Dayal as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO).

Prior to joining Aqilliz, Prateek held the role of APAC Innovation SVP at HSBC, one of the largest banking and financial services institutions in the world. With over 15 years of wide-ranging international exposure, Prateek previously served as Head of Strategy at Royal Bank of Scotland; VP of Mobile and Digital at Barclays Bank; and McKinsey & Company. Across these roles, Prateek led cross-functional teams to build new, innovative, and commercially viable business lines across payments, mobile and digital.

With a wealth of experience across the financial services sector, Prateek will lead the Aqilliz team in driving the adoption of blockchain and emerging technologies within the marketing sector. Led by Gowthaman Ragothaman, former Global Client Lead at WPP, Aqilliz addresses sector-specific challenges in the field of digital marketing and actively collaborate with various partners in the advertising, data, marketing, technology, and analytics industries.

A breakthrough in the development of quantum-enhanced optical systems could pave the way for advances in encryption, communication and measurement, scientists say.

In a new paper published in the journal Science Advances, a group of researchers, led by Matteo Clerici at the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering and colleagues from the UK, Japan and Germany, demonstrates a new method of generating and detecting quantum-entangled photons at a wavelength of 2.1 micrometers.

While most traders are still busy with multichannel, others are steps ahead, testing and experimenting with Mixed, Augmented and Virtual Reality.

Mixed Reality (MR) ) isn’t clearly defined till now but mostly used as a generic term for the merging of reality and virtuality - with countless gradual differences of which the augmented reality covers a spectrum.

Besides product and brand image, customer service has as well a significant impact on a company's reputation. That’s why the customer service department plays a central role in every customer-oriented company and bears great responsibility for creating satisfied and loyal customers.

Since most consumers want to be recognized as individuals today, who generally expect personalization in marketing campaigns, Artificial Intelligence (AI) gets amazingly to work amazingly by ensuring the delivery of an effective brand experience.

The interaction between organizations and consumers is set to become revolutionized with all-new Rich Communications Services (RCS), the latest development in the evolution of mobile messaging.

The next generation of SMS is set to surge in 2020 – with predictions that it will create a market worth more than US $74 billion by next year, according to GSMA.

GroupM, WPP’s media investment management group, recently rolled out its influencer marketing solution called INCA in India. Leveraging GroupM’s unmatched scale, INCA connects brands to trusted publishers and influencers.  It creates and promotes content in social channels and beyond to drive brand engagement across digital platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and TikTok.

Artificial intelligence (AI) trained in language processing is getting better and better at analyzing patterns in texts and creating corresponding messages. Just last year new, particularly powerful AI models for speech such as GPT-2 from Open or Megatron from Nvidia appeared. These and similar text AIs, for example, create simple, fact-based sports or financial reports for news sites on the Internet. And if you believe the developers of such software, the proportion of AI-generated messages will increase in the next few years.

Although all AR headsets currently on the market are well-suited for trading and market data analysis, the financial community is waiting for new developments that are closer to normal eyewear in terms of design and comfort, allowing longer time of gestation.

Every day, thousands of IP addresses are being reported for abuse. Not to mention that  spam, hacking, scams, and similar malicious online activity cause huge losses to businesses. Vicious online activity affects millions of internet users and IP address abuse is one of the severe issues that both enterprises and IP suppliers need to tackle.

How brands can create relevant and authentic content in no time

Brands can - and must - get in touch with their target groups through a wide variety of channels. In addition to the traditional advertising and communication options, marketing managers need constantly new, relevant content for social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to perform well. It goes without saying that customers expect interesting storytelling across all different channels. Hence, each communication channel should always be filled with tailored content, raising production needs immensely.