Orchan Consulting | Asia Sdn Bhd

What if the conversations shaping your brand never appear on your dashboard? In 2026, the most influential discussions about brands are no longer happening on public platforms. They are unfolding quietly inside WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, Discord servers, and closed communities you cannot see, scrape, or track in real time. This is dark social. And in Asia, it is not a fringe behaviour. It is the default. For PR leaders, this changes the job fundamentally. Visibility is no longer the main challenge. Relevance is. If your strategy is optimised only for public platforms, you are managing optics, not reality. Many organisations still confuse activity with influence. Why Dark Social Now Dark social has existed for years. What’s changed is its weight. More than 70 percent of online sharing now happens through private channels. Across Asia, platforms like WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat, and Telegram dominate daily communication. Gen Z and Millennials, in particular, prefer private spaces for...

Your audience discovers your brand, engages with it, and even buys something all without leaving a single app. That’s super apps. By 2026, they’ll reshape how PR and marketing work across Asia. However, when you play inside someone else’s ecosystem, are you winning? Or are you just giving them control over your brand? Platforms like WeChat, Grab, TikTok, and Instagram are becoming all-in-one ecosystems: social, commerce, entertainment, messaging. For brands, this is a massive opportunity and a trap if you’re not careful. Being present isn’t enough. You need to play smart. Why Super Apps Matter for PR and Marketing Super apps aren’t just convenient; they’re controlling the entire customer journey. In China, South Korea, and parts of SEA, apps like WeChat and KakaoTalk already run the show. Soon, most Asian consumers will experience brands primarily through these apps. The benefit: reach, speed, engagement. The cost: ownership, visibility, and control. Key Features You Can...

For years, the influencer playbook in Southeast Asia was simple: hire the biggest name you could afford, sit back, and watch the likes roll in. But the rules have changed. Today, audiences are savvier, regulators are catching up, and the real influence is shifting from the red-carpet “mega” stars to the smaller, hungrier, more authentic voices shaping communities online. If you’re still chasing follower counts as your north star, you’re not just behind the curve; you’re burning budget. The Shift: From Mega to Micro (and Nano) In markets like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, consumers are starting to tune out big-ticket endorsements. Why? Because they smell scripted, staged, and bought. Enter micro- and nano-influencers: creators with 1,000 to 50,000 followers, often laser-focused on niche communities e.g., parenting groups, gaming circles, sustainable living advocates, you name it. They may not have the lure or gloss of a celebrity, but their engagement rates are often higher...

Some brands fade with time. Fanbo isn’t one of them. From Hong Kong to Indonesia to Malaysia The Fanbo story goes way back:  1903 in Hong Kong , when Hoitong Powder became a staple for upper-class Chinese women. Fast forward to 1968 , the brand took root in Indonesia, launching cult classics like the Rose 68 Pancake and Gloria 5K Parfum . The name itself? Fanbo comes from Fanbao , meaning “precious powder.” Poetic, right? Malaysia, Meet Fanbo By the time Fanbo reached Malaysia, its powders had already won fans in Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan. The compact range quickly became a go-to for young, cosmopolitan women looking for quality without the sticker shock. In Q3 2019 , Fanbo officially entered the Malaysian market - this time backed by a clear vision: empower women to bring out their natural beauty with accessible, everyday cosmetics. From make-up staples to skincare, even specialist products for pros, Fanbo has proven why it’s still one of Indonesia’s most-loved beauty br...