Interrupting the Scroll: Attention as Brand Currency in Southeast Asia
For a long time the working assumption in marketing communications felt solid. Build something credible, explain its value clearly, and people would eventually respond. That assumption is under real pressure now. The idea that attention itself, not information, is the scarce resource isn't new or unique to this region -- it's been true globally since before social media existed. What's specific to Southeast Asia is the mechanics: which platforms actually carry that scarcity, which cultural codes reward or punish participation, and how fast the constraint is tightening here relative to more mature digital markets. Short-form video, livestreams, creator content and brand messages fight continuously for the same limited moments of focus. The job has shifted. It is less about simply communicating, and more about earning a pause. The platforms that dominate digital behaviour in the region tend to reward content that interrupts the scroll: something that sparks curiosity, i...
