Orchan Consulting | Asia Sdn Bhd

Let’s be blunt: a two-paragraph blurb in the back pages of a trade journal isn’t going to change how decision-makers in Southeast Asia buy. B2B PR has outgrown the era where media relations was the holy grail. The game now is relationship-building; and that means meeting executives where they actually discover, evaluate , and trust new ideas. The shift is happening fast. And the companies still measuring success in “number of press clippings” are quietly losing ground to those shaping conversations directly, in the right places, with the right credibility. The New Reality of B2B Decision-Making Here’s what’s changed: Executives buy through peers, not press. In industries from fintech in Singapore to manufacturing tech in Vietnam, decisions are being influenced in WhatsApp groups, closed-door peer forums, and LinkedIn comment threads -- not glossy magazines. A CFO is more likely to act on what another CFO posts on LinkedIn than on a half-page feature in a trade weekly. Though...

Strategic communications isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore. In Malaysia, it has become a core business function i.e., shaping reputation, steering conversations, and helping organisations navigate a world where trust is currency. And here’s the reality: the brands that still treat PR as decoration will lose ground fast. The ones that view communications as capital will win. At Orchan, we’ve seen both sides of that equation -- startups that built credibility from day one and corporates that paid the price for silence when it mattered most. So, what’s next for strategic communications in Malaysia? Here’s what 2025 (and beyond) is bringing our way, and why it matters to your business. 1. Trust Will Be the Ultimate Differentiator Malaysians have always valued relationships but now trust sits at the heart of survival. Communities aren’t shy about holding brands accountable; one misstep can spiral across WhatsApp groups and TikTok in hours. The cost? Lost customers, shaken investor confi...