Why Southeast Asia’s Retail Media Boom is Just Getting Started

Have you ever wondered how retail media is transforming Southeast Asia’s advertising landscape? Join me on this episode of Trillion Dollar Ads as I chat with JJ Eastwood, the Managing Director of Carousell Media. JJ shares his journey from eBay to Carousell Media, highlighting his early involvement in retail media and the evolution of the industry. We’ll explore how he’s spearheaded innovative advertising strategies at Carousel, the challenges faced, and the promising future of retail media in the region. Tune in for an insightful conversation on navigating the dynamic world of digital advertising!

Discussion Topics: Why Southeast Asia’s Retail Media Boom is Just Getting Started

• How did JJ Eastwood enter the advertising industry? 
• What are the key differences between the U.S. and APAC retail media markets? 
• How are companies in Southeast Asia investing in retail media? 
• Why are traditional marketing budgets shifting to retail media in Southeast Asia? 
• How can non-endemic brands succeed on retail media platforms? 
• What strategic decisions helped build Carousell Media? 
• How does Carousell Media use data to benefit advertisers? 
• Are clean rooms becoming more common in retail media?
• What is the future of retail media in Southeast Asia? 
• What advice does JJ Eastwood have for ad tech players entering Southeast Asia?

Your Host: Jayesh Easwaramony

APAC Digital Advertising & Martech Specialist | Founder, Spectra Global

Jayesh is a leading expert in APAC’s digital advertising and martech landscape and founder of Spectra Global, a consulting firm that helps media, telcos, and retailers accelerate adtech transformation and monetize data through cost-efficient platforms, growth marketing automation, and personalized CX strategies. Previously, he scaled InMobi across APAC, positioning it as a bold alternative to Big Tech by securing deals with top advertisers, agencies, and publishers, while executing over $400M in ad campaigns. He also led the award-winning Capstone team, which won over 60 awards for pioneering advancements in AR, chatbot, and location-based ads, blending data and creativity.

Our Guest: JJ Eastwood

SVP at Carousell Group | Managing Director at Carousell Media Group

JJ is the founding Managing Director of Carousell Media Group, where he integrated Carousell, Mudah, and Chotot into a unified ad platform and built a strong regional advertising team, driving key innovations such as Carousell Connect and Carousell Shopping Ads. JJ has pioneered digital advertising and retail media across APAC’s top marketplaces. He launched eBay Australia’s advertising business, built Australia’s largest programmatic private marketplace, and led Rakuten’s growth in Asia-Pacific.