When a Ukrainian brand asks for a campaign launch that’s “like TikTok, but faster,” chances are they’re subconsciously looking to Asia. That’s where most of today’s innovative formats are being tested — the same ones that become standard in the West a year or two later. To understand why Asian advertising is catching the world’s eye, you just need to look at a few real stories.
In 2024, total advertising investments in Asia surpassed $330 billion — the second-highest figure after North America. But here’s the kicker: the region is growing 2.5 times faster. Half of that volume comes from China alone, with over $190 billion.
What sets Asian consumers apart is that they’ve long lived in a mobile-first ecosystem. Platforms like WeChat in China, LINE in Japan, and KakaoTalk in Korea combine messaging, social media, banking, and marketplaces all in one. Two taps is all it takes to go from chatting with a friend to buying sneakers. For brands, this means a nearly seamless “watch → buy” journey. Just look at Volvo C40 — in November 2024, the Swedish EV sold out in 27 minutes during a livestream on JD.com.
In Europe, livestream shopping is still in testing mode. In China, it generated over $35 billion in just one day during the 11.11 sales festival. Local “Lipstick King” Li Jiaqi can sell 15,000 tubes in five seconds — viewers hit “Buy” without ever leaving the stream. And it’s not just beauty anymore: kitchen appliances and even luxury cars now rack up hundreds of thousands of real-time orders.
When Korean brand Innisfree launched a 12-second VR-style “Green Tea Spine” video on Douyin (China’s TikTok), sales of the featured line jumped 480% in just one week. These short vertical videos drive awareness and sales — making them a full-funnel powerhouse. Meanwhile, in megacities like Shanghai and Tokyo, giant 3D billboards are turning outdoor ads into urban spectacles. A Nike Air Max display in Shibuya popped out of the screen so realistically that a passerby’s phone video went viral with 40 million views — all without a dollar of official media spend.
While European teams are still fine-tuning their storyboards, Xiaomi in China is already editing a Redmi Note 14 ad using Midjourney and Sora. From concept to final render? Four days instead of the usual three weeks. This shortened time-to-market lets brands test hundreds of variations and keep only the ones that convert right now.
