Prompt, a creative marketing agency which is part of global full-service digital partner Lizard Global, has recently made its way to Malaysia in a bid to service new clients in the country. Prompt is founded by Gabb Agapito as chief executive officer, Halina Santiago as chief creative officer, and Rocio Abanes as chief client officer.
Agapito brings over 15 years of experience spanning diverse categories from consumer care and pharma to fintech, telco, and sports; working with brands such as McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Nestle. Meanwhile, Santiago has more than 20 years of experience in the field of advertising and design. Lastly, Abanes boasts more than a decade of experience in strategic account management along with a profound understanding of the media and marketing landscape.
For Prompt, their objective as an agency is to help businesses implement, strengthen and refresh their digital marketing channels in their pursuit of growth.
In an exclusive interview with MARKETECH APAC, Agapito shares his insights on what makes Prompt’s offering unique across other budding agencies in Southeast Asia, as well as his outlook on the future of creative marketing in the region.
“To start and initiate” at the core of Prompt’s DNA
To begin with, Prompt–by its very basic definition–means to start or initiate an action. And for those at the Prompt agency, actions for creative marketing solutions is at the core of their DNA.
Agapito explains that what sets them apart from the typical agency is that they stand to integrate content and commerce strategies in driving the growth of their partner clients.
“We leverage creativity as the currency to ensure that our clients not only stand out but also thrive, and while utilising the power of various commerce strategies to drive business growth,” he stated.
Of course, part of that growth is utilising artificial intelligence (AI), which according to Agapito, has seen increased adoption especially in Southeast Asia due to factors such as having a young and digitally-savvy population, government support, and business engagement. Moreover, AI-related queries have reportedly increased 11 times and about one-third of businesses in the region have already adopted AI principles–higher compared to more developed countries.
“As an agency established recently, Prompt has an ambitious vision to embrace this technology, strengthening our clients’ digital marketing channels and pushing the boundaries of creative marketing,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of Prompt being co-founded by Lizard Global, whose expertise lies in developing custom applications and software, e-commerce infrastructure, and digital experiences for leading brands over the past 12 years.
“With Lizard Global, we have direct access to highly talented developers who could build AI systems and enhance commerce strategies of our clients. There are not many marketing agencies in the region who have in-house to software engineers, and we want to take the lead here–positioning Prompt to leverage this competitive advantage effectively,” he added.
Using AI and content strategies to push creative ideas forward
Going back to the discussion on AI, Agapito notes that while AI is such a buzzword in the industry, adoption amongst creative agencies in Southeast Asia has increased significantly, especially in Singapore where 89% claimed to use generative AI for creating content. He has stressed that although AI will never replace human creativity, he believes it is a powerful tool to enhance innovation and elevate marketing campaigns.
“We have already adopted AI for creative and media purposes, and the results have been positive. With the right prompts, this technology is something we should continue to embrace,” he stated.
Agapito also added that content will remain king in the region, specifically high-quality, relevant, and engaging content–which is crucial for driving success in marketing. He also added that crafting content that resonates with the target audience can aid in effectively communicating the brand’s message. Given how consumers are swamped with information nowadays, standing out with exceptional content is more important than ever.
“Within the space of content, we have seen how the approaches to video have evolved—from thematic, to bumpers, to shorts, to creator reels, to livestream shopping, and many more. Video is here to stay. I have seen how my past clients grew their ROI by 3 to 5 times with video over the years. And now in Southeast Asia, we see the impressive growth of video being an integral part of the consumer shopping journey,” he stated.
Adapt quickly and deliver customised solutions
Agapito is no stranger to marketing, as he was most recently the business director for OMD Malaysia for four years, and had also served as client lead for GroupM Malaysia as well. Looking back, he says that working in large agencies is definitely a privilege, offering opportunities to collaborate with different industries, brands, and teams across the globe.
Moreover, he stated that his recent experiences provided him with the space and tools to test and learn various strategies and innovations.
“It’s a vast playground for exploring different frameworks, marketing principles, and ways of working, which I consider valuable as I move forward in this new venture,” he said.
He also recognised that working with large agencies also comes with its own challenges, including being ready to wear different hats and adapt to different work cultures, as well as efficiency and effectiveness always being expected from your end. Nonetheless, he believes that all of these skills he learned will be able to be implemented to Prompt’s clients.
“My plan is definitely to bring what makes these large companies effective to our clients at Prompt, without the premium cost of a large organisation. As a small agency, we have the advantage of being nimble and less bureaucratic, allowing us to adapt quickly and deliver customised solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs,” he said.
One of Prompt’s recent local work was with Malaysia’s first padel and social club, ASCARO alongside with the co-creation of REDLINE, Malaysia’s newest gamified functional fitness event. Outside the region, Prompt has also rebranded TNS, a leading chain of clinics in Cyprus, and has helped launch a conscious beauty platform in Qatar.
Balancing use of technology and humanised content
When asked on challenges faced by marketers in SEA in terms of creative and commerce marketing, he stated that it involves between authenticity and quality of work. He stated that while AI offers opportunities to increase efficiency and enhance decision-making, it also blurs the line between what is authentic and what is not in terms of creative output.
“I guess the challenges here would be the readiness of some to adopt the technology, striking a balance with humanised content, and measuring effectiveness of the creative output,” he said.
He also added how AI is transforming the pricing structures of software-related products. For example, instead of a traditional seat-based model, some products now charge based on results delivered, which can be expensive as the volume increases. Moreover, some marketers can be stuck on what matters commercially in the short and long term.
Lastly, he says investing in experience and training, such as design education, is essential and must not be overlooked. For him, while it is tempting to join the trend of using AI due to its appeal and the belief that anyone can produce the output, creative expertise is still necessary.
“An eye for creativity and a level of maturity are needed to craft the right prompts for desired outcomes. Educating clients about this necessity and justifying creative headcount can be challenging at times,” he added.
Using videos as a tool of showcasing creativity
Agapito emphasises the importance of videos in enhancing the customer journey, highlighting their role in building awareness, interest, loyalty, and advocacy.
“We are seekers and creators of experience, and there is no better way to showcase this than through videos. Seeing how it fuels different stages of customer journey, videos will continue to thrive—from the initial stage of generating awareness and interest, to fostering long-term loyalty and advocacy. We envision ourselves helping brands produce compelling content to contribute to their success,” he explained.
His perspective also suggests that marketing through engineering is set to gain prominence, particularly in the AI era. By leveraging AI, businesses can offer substantial value early in the customer journey, such as through intelligent digital tools that aid in crafting brand briefs or engaging potential clients emotionally via gamification.
“Additionally, as more consumers adopt virtual assistants for purchasing decisions, there is increased importance in developing effective APIs that can communicate with AI to provide relevant information to potential and current customers. Through our partnership with Lizard Global, we have access to highly talented developers in this field who can create robust APIs and build engineering-driven marketing methodologies for our clients,” he concluded.
