There’s no question that in a digital world, staying relevant is more important – and more challenging – than ever before. As drivers of change, advertising agencies have to ensure their clients’ brands resonate with consumers – not easy in an age where culture is the biggest competitor of all. M&C Saatchi Abel strategist Keke Mahlelebe recently attended RISE, the largest tech conference in Asia. “Currently, the technologies receiving the most attention are AI [artificial intelligence], voice and blockchain. Not only are they evolving at lightning speed, they’re also disrupting industries across the board,” he says, adding that these three technologies could be called the RISE trinity of 2018. Mahlelebe says that in this landscape, agencies are holding themselves back with cumbersome processes and a failure to adapt quickly enough, whereas start-ups in the industry know exactly what it takes to thrive: collaboration and agility. Today’s relevant brands have struck a balance between ...

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