Media in 2027: How Malaysia’s agencies plan to stay ahead

Malaysia’s media agencies are heading into 2027 facing a shift in how brands compete for consumer attention, as AI-led discovery, changing media investments and growing demands for measurable results reshape the marketing landscape.

The change is already visible in consumer behaviour. A study by AI-native consultancy Entermind found that 43% of surveyed Malaysian AI users turn to AI assistants before search engines, while 41% had made a purchase or financial decision primarily based on AI-generated information or recommendations.

For agencies, the challenge is translating these shifts into effective brand strategies, while balancing technology with human creativity, cultural relevance and real-world experiences. Against this backdrop, A+M asked agency leaders in Malaysia what they expect to shape the year ahead, from the changing role of AI and the future of media investment to the need for brands to earn attention rather than simply buy it.

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Sandeep Joseph, CEO of Ampersand Advisory 

AI is now a constant underlying theme, infiltrating everything. So its usage isn’t the shift. The shift will be towards AI-first thinking. 

AI-first thinking creates the need for integration, smart optimisation and the ability to take bold, calculated risks that help differentiate your brand. Reach, frequency and outputs should become less important, impact is the main metric for 2027. 

Audiences are time-starved, information-rich, sleep-deprived, health-conscious, untethered by old norms or what their parents did. Gen Z and Y are now growing in financial clout as cohorts, and their own habits and preferences will be what advertisers and marketers will try to influence. 

That's why we see the return of retro design, the growth of some media formats such as outdoor, and the growing importance of events and activation. The madness around Formula 1, the continued passion for running, cycling, padel and pilates shows that Malaysians have diverse interests, seek excitement and are weaving health and entertainment into their packed schedules. 

Brands must adapt and not over-invest in pure digital: the real world matters too.

2027 will reward integration, not specialisation operating in isolation.

My larger prediction is that the distinction between media, creative, PR, commerce, data and technology will continue to dissolve. The agency model built around separate disciplines and disconnected departments will become increasingly difficult to justify.

Nizwani Shahar, CEO of Havas Malaysia 

In 2027, the marketing landscape will be defined by a crucial evolution: the intelligent amplification of human creativity. 

While AI becomes an indispensable operating system for efficiency and insights, its true power lies in empowering us to build more desirable brands. Audiences will demand deeper, more authentic connections, gravitating towards personalised, value-driven experiences that resonate culturally. 

Brands must transition from paid disruption to earning attention, integrating seamlessly into consumers' lives with meaningful content. Consequently, investment will surge in data-driven precision and platforms fostering genuine engagement. 

I anticipate a future where human insight, cultural understanding, and strategic creativity, powerfully enabled by technology, forge truly enduring desirable brands. 

This fusion is essential for navigating fragmentation and delivering impactful, relevant experiences that drive growth.

Anwer Khan, managing director, OMD Malaysia

The biggest shift in 2027 will be discovery moving decisively from search to AI recommendation. Being visible to algorithms and agents has become the new battleground, and AI responses matter just as much as share of shelf.

Two consumers will collide: the AI-native and the value-first. Brands must earn algorithmic trust and everyday relevance, not just awareness.

Budgets will tilt towards retail media, CTV/DOOH, creator commerce and AI-led performance, as untargeted reach and legacy display decline. Metrics will shift from cost-per-impression to impact-per-investment. Agentic AI, retail media networks and creator-led commerce will gain the most traction, moving brands from persuasion to participation.

Winnie Chen-Head, CEO, Malaysia of WPP Media

The next era of marketing won’t be won by those who capture the most attention, but by those who earn the most trust and deliver the clearest business outcomes.

AI is becoming the infrastructure where content, commerce and community converge; consumers discover through creators, decide through content and increasingly let AI agents help them buy.

With generative search ad revenue set to triple in 2027, brands must be visible to algorithms as well as to people. Advantage won’t come from the most data or the cheapest reach, but from connecting data, creativity and commerce to influence consumers at scale.

Investment will flow to commerce media, AI-powered discovery, streaming TV and creators, and away from linear TV and print.

For Malaysia, the challenge isn’t keeping up with technology. It’s keeping up with consumers, whose expectations are evolving faster than most organisations can.

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