Potluck

Scott & Drago
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MARKETING

The podcast that stirs up a unique flavour of people, culture and brands in Asia. Presented by Scott Percival and Drago Djourov, two independent market researchers based in Singapore.

  1. In the Business of People, with Ci En Lee

    4D AGO

    In the Business of People, with Ci En Lee

    We kick off 2026 with Ci En Lee, Senior Media Strategist at Publicis Media Singapore, children's book author ("Short of Nothing" 📖), trends aficionado 📈, and Rising Star Award winner 🏆 at both the Singapore Media Marketing Awards and Marketing-Interactive's Agency of the Year Awards. Ci En is a passionate voice for inclusivity in advertising—dedicated to showing the world that it's okay to be different, and to dare to pursue your dreams no matter how unconventional. That optimism and ambition comes through in this wide-ranging conversation. From viral campaigns to aging audiences, AI to representation, we explore what it really means to put people at the heart of strategy. We'll learn: 🎯 Why we're in the business of people, not advertising—and what that means for strategy 🦀 The story behind Subway's viral "Full of Crab" campaign and creating a first-of-its-kind audience segment 👴 How older adults have become the fastest-growing digital audience in Singapore, yet remain overlooked by brands 📺 Why audiences are drawn to content, not platforms—and what that means for media planning 🔄 How older adults are driving word-of-mouth through the "forward economy" 🤖 Why AI is a partner, not a replacement: "Intelligence is knowing the right answer. Wisdom is asking the right question" ✊ Why representation matters: "If our ads do not shift, our society does not shift" ...and more. Follow Ci En: 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/theleecien 🐦 X: x.com/theleecien 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lee-ci-en www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    41 min
  2. Finding Purpose: The New Contract meets The Third Age

    09/15/2025

    Finding Purpose: The New Contract meets The Third Age

    We continue our conversations with leaders in the space of the experience of the older adult in Asia, and this time, our guest is Anna Mori.  Anna is an executive officer at TDS, a strategic design company based in Tokyo, and Learning Design Director at digital creative business school Hyper Island Japan. She is a trained graphic designer and has worked with global brands on a variety of projects involving branding and design solutions. She recently published a book called Transformative Reskilling and the Third Age (Nikkei Business Publications). Anna is taking us on a journey and we're accompanied by a modern centaur. AI's helping, too, of course.  We'll learn: - Why The Third Age is the new Golden Age of one's life - Why Japanese companies have traditionally struggled with how to think of older employees - What AI's got to do with it and what 'lived experience' does to enhance its benefits - How to think of the future employee as a modern centaur - Why you should focus on developing your metaskills above all - What repurposing means for corporations and brands  ...and more. Join us as we uncover the opportunities hidden in Asia's aging revolution. www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    36 min
  3. Retirement: The New Contract meets The New Workplace

    07/07/2025

    Retirement: The New Contract meets The New Workplace

    We continue our exploration of the retirement experience in Asia, and this time, our guide is QiNi Lee.  QiNi brings a unique perspective as Sodexo's Corporate Responsibility and DEI lead for Malaysia and Singapore, combining her academic background in gerontology with government, NGO and corporate experience. She helps us shed light on how businesses can tap into the opportunity the retirement experience and this lifestage represents. QiNi is busting myths... She challenges the pervasive myth that aging means inevitable decline, sharing insight from her work with multi-generational workforces and her research into age-inclusive workplace practices.  ...suggesting ideas for addressing this age group's evolving needs... QiNi is also referring to Potluck's groundbreaking "New Contract of Retirement" research. Her insights particularly resonate with our "brands revalued" dimension, as she explains how customer retention strategies become essential when serving aging populations who represent both economic opportunity and evolving needs. ..and also offering practical advice for a successful age-positive business... The conversation also explores practical strategies for creating age-inclusive workplaces, the surprising benefits of intergenerational teams, and Qi Ni's own framework for businesses looking to tap into this growing demographic.  Join us as we uncover the opportunities hidden in Asia's aging revolution. www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    38 min
  4. The New Contract meets The New Life Builder

    06/24/2025

    The New Contract meets The New Life Builder

    We sit down with Dave McCaughan as we continue exploring "The New Contract of Retirement" across Asia.  Dave has coined, championed, and now serves as the epitome of "The New Life Builder" . But what is this "New Life" actually built on, and why should brands look to be part of its foundations? With four decades of advertising experience with McCann across Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo, Dave spotted the implications of this emerging demographic shift far earlier than most. Where his focus groups among older adults kept revealing a mindset of 'what's next?'....rather than what's been. Even since, Dave's passion has been to rethink what is happening within the region's fast-aging population. And in particular understand and debunk the myths which underpin marketers' common reluctance to target the over 60's.  From Japanese electric guitar booms and the rituals of "Macca's Mondays", to rediscovering the wonders of Disneyland and intergenerational travel, Dave brings to life inspirational anecdotes that dismantle marketing myths about the older demographic, one after another, including: "They don't buy stuff" (Reality: 50%+ of value sales across most categories)"They don't try new brands" (Reality: they've been switching for 40+ years)"They can't use technology" (Reality: your research problem, not theirs)"We don't need older employees" (Reality: you can't target what you don't understand)Dave's Reality Check: "60 is the new 60" - stop trying to make them look 25, start serving them as confident 60-year-olds who know what they want and have money to spend on it. www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    45 min
  5. The New Contract meets The Silver Backpacker

    06/16/2025

    The New Contract meets The Silver Backpacker

    As we're continuing our journey into the world of retirement, our guide today is Dr. Shiori Shakuto, author of "After Work: Japanese Silver Backpackers in Malaysia." In this episode, Shiori is helping Drago and Scott explore the evolving perceptions of retirement across Asia. Dr. Shakuto's groundbreaking anthropological research reveals how Japanese retirees are rejecting traditional expectations and embracing hypermobility, self-discovery, and new forms of community. What We Discuss: Debunking Retirement Myths Is retirement a time of immobility or hypermobility?How do 20-30 years of healthy post-work life create opportunities for self-discovery?How is the old social contract being renegotiated?The Gender Divide in Aging How are men and women's expectations of post-retirement marriage experience different?What are the different ways in which men and women choose to create and maintain networks and what does yogurt have to do with it?What is the nureochiba - i.e. men as wet fallen leaves - phenomenon about?Transnational Retirement Migration Why is Malaysia attractive to Japanese "silver backpackers"?What does their perception of Malaysia say about the way they view present-day Japan?Redefining Contribution What does the retiree's desire to be 'useful' look like and how is it manifested?How are domestic and neighborhood contributions evaluated in comparison to public volunteering?About Our Guest: Dr. Shiori Shakuto is a lecturer in anthropology at the University of Sydney and a feminist anthropologist specialising in gender and household dynamics in Japan. Her book "After Work: Japanese Silver Backpackers in Malaysia" explores how Japanese retirees are redefining post-work life through transnational migration and community building. Resources: "After Work: Japanese Silver Backpackers in Malaysia" by Dr. Shiori Shakutowww.potluckpodcast.asia/

    47 min
  6. Retirement: The New Contract

    06/09/2025

    Retirement: The New Contract

    Scott and Drago return, introducing their new research: Retirement: The New Contract. Silvers, Seniors, Boomers...labels that dismiss older adults as a homogeneous audience. Yet, across developed Asia, the older demographic is growing not only in size, but also in its diversity, influence and spending power. So, why are they so often ignored or misrepresented by brands? With the nature of work rapidly changing and the official retirement age rising, we wanted to shine a light on one of life's key inflection points: retirement. Our proprietary research among 55–75-year-old Singaporeans and Japanese, alongside academic experts, revealed how diverse and complex this life-stage can be. And crucially, how the old contract of retirement is no longer fit for purpose. In this episode, we introduce the 6 dimensions that define modern retirement, each representing an opportunity space for brands. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing episodes covering perspectives from experts reimagining what retirement, and in turn aging, means in Asia today. Want to learn more? Get in touch to request a bespoke presentation of our findings, and their implications. www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    23 min
  7. Justin Peyton, Wunderman Thompson & BRAND N3XT

    10/14/2022

    Justin Peyton, Wunderman Thompson & BRAND N3XT

    Objects: things we covet, collect, display, share and utilise. But what do they mean as ‘stuff’ increasingly integrates with our digital lives, or even morphs into virtual worlds? Who better to ask than Justin Peyton from Wunderman Thompson, whose BRAND N3XT platform explores the people and ideas that are working to make Web3 and Metaverse a positive force for people, business and society. In Potluck’s latest episode, hear Justin’s thoughts on… ·       How he defines the Metaverse amidst all the babble ·       Why ‘identity brands’ lead the way in this space, but take note of ‘experience brands’ as the fast-followers ·       The increasingly blended interface between the physical and the digital, including concepts like digital twins and tokenised memberships ·       Opportunities for elevating both brand experiences and communities ·       And how the real experimentation - and application - is only just beginning… Check out Justin's BRAND N3XT content via: https://brandn3xt.substack.com/ www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    57 min

  8. 06/01/2022

    Chris Arning, Creative Semiotics

    This time, it's Chris Arning who's come to stir the pot with Drago and Scott. Chris runs boutique consultancy Creative Semiotics, teaches an online course titled How to Do Semiotics in Seven Weeks and is the co-founder of Semiofest, and more... What did we get up to stirring up: - We start off with that perennial question of what is Semiotics. - Chris shares some examples from applying Semiotics to work in Asia; Chris is an unashamed Japanophile, so of course he mixes in Japan examples, too - Then we talk about the raison d'etre of an online course on Semiotics: Chris shares the trials and triumphs of his journey setting it up and running it; and he offers some generous advice on how one could share their knowledge and experience with others--and turn it into a product - Finally, in the run-up to our miniseries on The Meaning of Objects (working title!), Chris helps us wrap our head around how Semiotics approaches 'things' with some examples from his and his colleagues' work. Important to note that Chris is wearing a baseball cap throughout the interview.  https://www.creativesemiotics.co.uk/ https://www.semiofest.com/ www.potluckpodcast.asia/

    39 min
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About

The podcast that stirs up a unique flavour of people, culture and brands in Asia. Presented by Scott Percival and Drago Djourov, two independent market researchers based in Singapore.

Information

  • Creator
    Scott & Drago
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Potluck
  • Show Website
    Potluck