Orchan Consulting | Asia Sdn Bhd

We recently came across a brilliant ET BrandEquity piece that stopped us mid-scroll. Amid all the noise about micro-moments and 8-second attention spans, the author dropped one perfect analogy: the humble travel neck pillow. Yes, really. In a world drowning in flashy gadgets and “disruptive” tech, the neck pillow category is quietly exploding not because it went viral on TikTok, but because it solves one tiny, universal pain point. You’re tired, your neck hurts on a red-eye flight, and this ridiculous U-shaped cushion just… works. No hype required. But travel isn’t the only friction point. The same dynamic shows up in daily life across Malaysia and the region e.g., the shop that tapes your takeaway drinks tightly, so they don’t spill in the car; the café that puts a charging station at every table; the courier who drops you a WhatsApp before arriving. Different setting, same principle: small, thoughtful friction removers build disproportionate goodwill. And that got us thinking: th...

AI is rewriting the PR playbook across Asia . From chatbots fielding customer queries to generative tools drafting copy in seconds, the efficiency is intoxicating. But speed without ethics? That’s a reputational landmine; and in Southeast Asia , where cultural trust is everything, the blowback can be brutal. This isn’t just about “using AI responsibly.” It’s about whether your brand earns or loses trust every time you hit publish. AI Ethics: PR’s Next Crisis Waiting to Happen The warning signs are already here: Singapore : A retail chain faced backlash when AI-personalised ads misused purchase data without consent. Malaysia : A telco’s chatbot accidentally leaked sensitive customer info, triggering investigations. Thailand : A travel brand went viral for the wrong reason after an AI campaign used culturally tone-deaf imagery. These weren’t just “tech glitches.” They were trust failures, magnified by APAC’s hyper-connected, mobile-first audiences. Compliance Won...