Mahek Shah on The Air Asia Media Playbook – Integrating Travel Experiences

Integrated Travel Experiences with First-party Data

AirAsia’s “Super App” vision is to provide a seamless end-to-end integrated travel experience, from booking flights and hotels to local transportation.The Super App ecosystem allows AirAsia to monetize its assets through retail media and partnerships with endemic (travel-related) and non-endemic brands. First-party data and ad tech solutions enable AirAsia to target audiences on and off its platforms for better conversions.

Insourcing For Faster Integration of  Experiences

Brands like AirAsia are insourcing marketing tasks like media buying and content creation for faster turnaround times, better brand custodianship, and cost savings. Thus it is vital that agencies redefine their value proposition, moving from execution to strategic consultative partnerships that solve business problems.

About Mahek  

Mahek Shah is the Global Head of Media at Airasia (AirAsia Media & Airasia Ads).

Mahek is an integrated marketing and communications professional with rich digital marketing and product development experience. She started her career in advertising with successful stints at Ogilvy, IPG Mediabrands, Lion & Lion and Wavemaker before AirAsia.

About Swami  

Key Takeaways from the Conversation

1. Marketing has evolved significantly, shifting from traditional offline methods to a digital landscape that’s constantly changing.
2. Modern marketers need to be multifaceted, integrating data, digital, and technology skills to deliver cohesive customer experiences.
3. Brands are insourcing marketing tasks like media buying and content creation for faster turnaround times, better brand custodianship, and cost savings.
4. Agencies must redefine their value proposition, moving from execution to strategic consultative partnerships that solve business problems.
5. AirAsia’s “Super App” vision is to provide a seamless end-to-end integrated travel experiences, from booking flights and hotels to local transportation.
6. The Super App ecosystem allows AirAsia to monetize its assets through retail media and partnerships with endemic (travel-related) and non-endemic brands.
7. Integrated Travel Experiences & First-party data driven ad tech solutions enable AirAsia to target audiences on and off its platforms for better conversions.
8. Integrating multiple technology platforms is the future of media, enabling seamless customer experiences across channels.
9. Mahek admires Amazon for its progressive business model and aspires to build a similar media ecosystem.
10. Philip Kotler’s work and cultural literature have influenced Mahek’s marketing approach.
11. A recent 7 million seat sale campaign leveraged programmatic digital out-of-home advertising for dynamic, real-time targeting.
12. Mahek advises aspiring marketers to understand data, derive actionable insights, and focus on connecting with consumers.
13. Campaigns like Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” and Dove’s diversity campaign have inspired Mahek.
14. A professor who taught her the strategic role of media in marketing has been a significant influence.
15. Addressing business problems, understanding consumer insights, and delivering integrated experiences are key for modern marketers.

This episode was made possible by the great folks at MovingWalls.

Moving Walls is a Singapore-headquartered media technology group that provides enterprise software for all Out-Of-Home (OOH) media stakeholders. This includes planning, buying, selling, and measurement software which supports both traditional direct as well as Programmatic DOOH models. The group has a global physical presence with offices across Southeast Asia and India. They also work with clients and partners in the fastest-growing OOH media regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, North Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.