Feel the pulse: Yahoo DSP study reveals insights into the minds of Singapore marketers
The Yahoo Singapore Digital Marketers Pulse study, conducted in collaboration with global market research company Milieu Insight, revealed today compelling insights into the challenges, opportunities, and motivators shaping Singapore’s marketing landscape now and through 2025. Commissioned by Yahoo DSP (Demand-Side Platform), the study captures the priorities of over 180 marketing and advertising professionals in Singapore, focusing on the shifting dynamics that will define the year ahead.
Unveiled at Yahoo’s annual Newfront 2025 event in Singapore, where Yahoo DSP showcased its latest digital advertising innovations, the study highlights marketers’ attitudes toward emerging technologies and evolving data practices. By addressing key industry topics such as AI integration, data-driven marketing, and the performance-versus-branding debate, the findings reveal where marketers are setting their sights—and where gaps remain—for 2025.
“As we look toward 2025, the study underscores the pressing need for innovation amidst growing complexity in the marketing landscape,” said Kenneth Koh, Head of Commercial Sales, Southeast Asia, Yahoo DSP. “Marketers are increasingly focused on performance-driven strategies and cost-efficiency, which necessitates reliable and transparent partnerships. The solutions and features we showcased today are designed to empower marketers with cutting-edge technology that addresses the industry’s evolving landscape. Together, we can navigate this new era and unlock meaningful growth in an ever-changing digital environment.”
Key Insights Shaping 2025 Marketing Strategies
Data Ambitions vs. Reality
Data privacy, signal loss, and identity remain top-of-mind for marketers, with 85% calling for more data-driven marketing and 73% concerned about data privacy, identity constraints and signal loss in the near future. Yet, the study reveals gaps in data use: only 21% fully utilise online first-party customer data and a mere 11% use offline customer data to its full potential. Furthermore, many marketers admitted to limited data application, with 70% only somewhat using online first-party customer data and 72% only somewhat using offline customer data for omnichannel efforts.
“While marketers in Singapore have recognised that data is a valuable tool to understanding and connecting with consumers, many are still grappling with unlocking its full potential. Amid a constantly changing landscape with limited resources and domain expertise, marketers should seek out and utilise like-minded technology and partners to activate first-party data efficiently for enhanced targeting and omnichannel strategies,” shared Dan Richardson, Director of Data and Insights, AUSEA, Yahoo DSP. “At Yahoo, we’ve developed the Data Maturity Pulse programme aimed at helping marketers navigate their way through the complex data wilderness. From data culture through to strategy, activation and measurement, the programme evaluates an organisation’s data practices and offers actionable steps to enhance their data capabilities and readiness.”
AI and Machine Learning Lead the Way
With 75% of Singaporean marketers eager to harness AI and machine-learning solutions, and 45% identifying AI as a priority for 2025, predictive analysis (53%) and campaign optimisation (53%) top their intended applications.
The Omnichannel Imperative
When it comes to media planning and buying, 42% of marketers would like to adopt omnichannel campaigns, with mobile leading as the preferred channel (39%). For 46% of marketers the availability of omnichannel or cross-channel capabilities were important when selecting ad platforms.
The study also highlights an increasing appreciation for open web platforms, with 34% of advertisers upping their spend on open web compared to 27% for walled gardens. Notably, 20% of marketers allocated no budget to walled gardens, while only 12% avoided open web platforms.
Performance Marketing Outpaces Branding
This year, 61% of marketers prioritised performance marketing over brand-building, with only 30% intending to focus on brand marketing in 2025.
Performance considerations are central when selecting ad platforms, with cost-effectiveness and transparency (73%) and reporting and performance measurement (64%) the top priorities. In fact, 65% of marketers are zeroing in on campaign performance and efficiency in 2025.
However, a large majority (76%) indicated campaign performance and efficiency as their top industry challenge, underscoring the struggle to deliver results amid budgetary pressures.
Plagued by industry fragmentation, marketers also face difficulty measuring ROI due to the difficulty of tracking cross-channel performance & attribution (72%) and integrating data from different sources (56%). A sizable minority indicated they lacked resources to measure ROI – tools & solutions (38%), expertise (34%), and time (29%)
Optimism for 2025
Marketers in Singapore are relatively optimistic about 2025 with 41% expecting an increase next year and 39% expecting budgets to remain flat. Against this backdrop, almost half of marketers will be looking to explore new frontiers, be it new and emerging channels (45%) or new technologies (46%).
“In today’s hyperconnected world, marketers need to invest in omnichannel campaigns that seamlessly connect with consumers across touchpoints, efficiently. This shift presents a golden opportunity for marketers to harness the power of AI and its tools to enhance targeting and performance, and deliver maximum impact,” said John McNerney, Managing Director AUSEA, Yahoo DSP. “Marketers should turn their focus to cohesive, performance-based, omnichannel strategies, combined with transparent and interoperable ad solutions, to maximise reach, drive engagement and deliver value.”
New Tools to Meet Marketers’ Goals
Yahoo DSP’s latest solution enhancements reflect a deep understanding of marketers’ needs for efficiency, precision, and robust data strategies in today’s digital landscape:
• Yahoo Blueprint – Yahoo’s AI suite now offers advanced predictive capabilities, processing 10x more data to sharpen decision-making and boost campaign performance. The newly optimised performance model delivers 30% improved results, channelling cost savings directly into campaigns to maximise return.
• Yahoo Creative – This dynamic creative suite allows seamless omnichannel personalisation, enabling brands to tailor messages and assets across platforms for consistent, personalised engagement.
• Data Maturity Pulse – Responding to the rise in regulatory and data security challenges, Yahoo introduced the Data Maturity Pulse programme that helps brands evaluate and enhance their data sophistication. Additionally, key findings from the Data Maturity Pop Quiz – a quicker tool to assess and improve data fluency that hundreds of marketers have utilised throughout AUSEA – will be released soon, providing insight into the region’s data maturity levels.
“Navigating the digital landscape requires adaptable, forward-thinking solutions. Yahoo DSP remains deeply committed to guiding our partners in Singapore through this ‘digital wilderness,’ ensuring they are equipped to meet evolving consumer and market demands,” added McNerney. “Our focus is on listening to marketers’ needs and delivering tools that enable them to thrive, build lasting connections, and unlock meaningful growth.”
Methodology
The Yahoo Digital Marketers Pulse was conducted in October 2024 to understand the attitudes and outlook of digital marketing and advertising professionals in Singapore. The quantitative survey was administered to 181 respondents who work in the marketing and advertising sector in Singapore.