Ä¢¹½AV

Japan-based agency holding company Dentsu is considering selling its international business, ending its goal to compete against rivals Publicis and WPP. Selling its international business could allow Dentsu to reposition itself as a specialized player in its core market rather than stretching itself thin internationally where it can’t match competitors. The change could make the company more sustainable in the long run, but even if it focuses solely on Japan, rapid adoption of emerging technologies in the ad sector will still necessitate innovation.

Ten years after its establishment, Amazon Business is expanding its seller network and product selection to serve an 8 million global organization customer base, which has grown 33% from 6 million in 2023. Many of the capabilities that individual shoppers enjoy on Amazon’s B2C platform—broad selection, cost savings, and advanced technology—are being applied to its B2B marketplace to help organizations work smarter and more efficiently. As Amazon Business continues to innovate, it is poised to compete for more sales from companies seeking to save time and resources.

Consumers in Japan have been slow to embrace digital technology, but they are gradually warming to it. Recent data shows consumers are changing their online shopping and media consumption behavior.

Digital’s rapid adoption in recent years has made it the dominant medium with which people spend time in China, Japan, and South Korea, with consumption booming in India.

The news: The Nintendo Switch 2 shattered hardware sales records despite a $150 price hike over its predecessor and higher game and subscription prices. US sales hit 1.6  million units in June—the best console launch month ever—surpassing the PlayStation 4’s November 2013 record of 1.1 million. Our take: Nintendo’s end-to-end control over hardware, software, services, and first-party games sets it apart in a gaming industry chasing endless content and fragmented subscription models. By owning the full experience, Nintendo delivers consistency others can’t. To ride the wave, brands can partner with Nintendo for themed consoles, accessories or in-game downloads. Or, they could seek out third-party developers for subtle, story driven placements in games.

The news: Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard has dropped its bid to buy Japan’s Seven & i Holdings, casting doubt on whether the 7-Eleven operator’s planned US IPO will proceed, Bloomberg reported. Our take: As 7-Eleven continues efforts to strengthen its core business, the failed takeover bid offers lessons for retailers and brands. Decisions involving globally recognized brands should be strategic, not reactive. Retailers must maintain flexibility to revisit IPO or spin-off plans as business circumstances change.

Social network user growth will be slow on a worldwide level, but 2025’s meager 2.9% increase will still equate to more than 115 million new users. Facebook remains in the lead in most countries and regions, even though its share of internet users is declining.

Despite high penetration of social networks among internet users in Asia-Pacific, population-wide adoption lags. As such, we expect 209.6 million new social media users in the region between 2025 and 2029.