Most Read of 2025: Asia’s Biggest Stories
Asia’s most read this year is made up of powerful causes and deep cultural insights, with a bit of lighthearted fun thrown in.
From hard-hitting real-life horror and smart support for Parkinson’s patients, to incredible explosions, a revival of an illegal item, and the ultimate fan experience for Xtraordinary Girls lovers, find our collection of the top stories from Asia below.
The App that Taps the Power of Prayer to Fight Parkinson’s
In top spot we have a behind-the-scenes look at a life-changing campaign from Dentsu Creative Thailand and Vajira Hospital. Noting that many Thai Parkinson’s patients engage in daily prayer, the team leveraged this ritual to design ‘Praykinson’– a voice therapy app to manage voice degeneration.
Traditionally, singing is a recommended therapy option for Parkinson’s patients, however, since many elderly Thai patients are unfamiliar with singing as part of their daily routine, ‘Praykinson’ became a more comfortable way to manage symptoms through guided daily prayer.
Trees Dictate Art Direction for Sustainability-Driven OOH Campaign ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’
Next up we have an OOH campaign for Britannia that celebrated the environment it was in. By selecting billboard space that was obstructed by nature, each billboard design was led by the surrounding trees’ natural growth patterns, and included information about the brand’s continued commitment to sustainable practices.
The team at Talented Agency told LBB they auditioned 73 trees in the making of this biodegradable billboard campaign.
TBWA\Singapore and MDDI Unveil Hard-Hitting Anti-Vape Campaign Using Real Stories
A dark Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) campaign from TBWA\Singapore came disguised as a horror film trailer that slowly revealed itself to be based on real-life accounts from Singaporeans whose lives have been deeply affected by vaping.
The film was accompanied by a series of ‘film posters’ that, on closer inspection, revealed the tragic reality of the campaign's real-life stories.
Taiga Nakano and His Time Travelling Granddaughter Save TV Drama in Apple's Epic Film
Now for a beautiful ‘Shot on iPhone’ film by TBWA\ Media Arts Lab, Tokyo, featuring Japanese actors Taiga Nakano (as an up and coming TV screenwriter) and Momoko Fukuchi (as his time-traveling granddaughter).
Showcasing the phone’s cinematic mode, action mode, 4K 120 fps slow motion feature in Dolby Vision, and 5x Telephoto camera, the film explores the dilemma of a man trying to prevent the extinction of TV dramas, but in doing so, may erase the existence of his granddaughter.
“Spam Has Essentially Migrated from Email Into the Feed"
In an exploration of AI’s evolution, Chris Bower, managing director of dentsu business transformation APAC shares how brands in the region aren’t weighed down by legacy systems, giving them a structural advantage in adopting new technologies.
Chris discusses what the most future-fit brands look like in this diverse market, why brands must prioritise clarity and a strong creative point of view, and makes the important point that “while AI can help us go faster, it still matters where you're going”.
Meet the Journalist Who Covered Khmer Rouge Leader Pol Pot’s Final Interview
As part of a series for The CREATV Company, journalist Marc Laban reflects on his incredible career navigating political unrest across Southeast Asia (including interviewing the infamous Pol Pot) and how he became a pioneer in the region.
Inside Asia: “India Isn’t Waiting to Be Saved”
Asia is known for its highly unique regions and hyper-local campaigns that resonate deeply within its diverse cultures. With work so attuned to its market, it can often cause Asian creative to go under the radar on a more global scale. To help Asian regions be understood more widely, this LBB series deep dives into some of Asia’s key regions – starting with India.
In this first instalment, experts share what advertising gets wrong about India, its highly complex demographics made up of unique cultures and languages, and what the biggest brand opportunities are. As BDDO India’s Josy Paul says, “Some of our best work doesn’t live on Cannes reels – it lives on WhatsApp, in street murals, in folk songs.”
Why Flipkart Blew up Belongings like Fireworks for Diwali
What started as an off-the-cuff idea turned into “something beautiful” in this Flipkart campaign by FCB Kinnect. To celebrate the brand’s Big Bang Diwali Sale, old belongings were blown up like fireworks, capturing the drama and excitement of the festival.
“But as well as the festive feel,” CCO Neville Shah told LBB, “we wanted to tie in the emotional mix of frustration and satisfaction that comes with letting go of old things” – a nod to the fact that Diwali is as much about starting fresh as it is about celebration.
This Chewing Gum Sidesteps Singapore's Gum Ban
To mark Singapore’s 60th birthday, BBH Singapore invented 'Unthinkables', the country’s first legal ‘chewing gum’. Co-created with Irene Chan, sugarcrafter and founder of Oni Cupcakes, the team tried over 60 combinations of exotic flavours and chewiness-enhancing ingredients to arrive at the final product.
McDonald's Japan and Xtraordinary Girls Give Gen Z the Ultimate Fan Experience
Taking the final spot, we have ‘Fandom Feast: McDonald’s Live Party’ in collaboration with TBWA\HAKUHODO which leveraged Japan’s thriving fandom culture to give fans of the internationally acclaimed all-Japanese girl group, XG (Xtraordinary Girls), the ultimate experience.
The record-breaking campaign brought fans together with their favourite artists, in real time - both virtually and in person, all while enjoying the very same McDonald's meals their idols love.
