The new retail rush: How black friday & cyber monday are redefining shopping across APAC

Every November, India and Southeast Asia light up with digital deals, cross-channel ads, and consumer frenzy that rivals any festive season. What was once seen as a Western shopping concept has now become one of the most strategic periods for marketers across APAC — a week that blurs the boundaries between online, offline, and on-screen retail.
In 2024, Global Cyber Week sales soared to US $314.9 billion, marking a 6% year-on-year jump, with nearly 70% of all purchases made on mobile devices (Salesforce). India too witnessed record growth — order volumes surged by 17–18%, and gross merchandise value (GMV) rose nearly 24% year-on-year (Economic Times).

The new powerhouses of cyber week

Across APAC, the momentum is shifting eastward. At the top ranges of expected CAGR from 2024 to 2029 are India, 22.1%, powered by a young, tech-savvy population and a rapidly expanding online share; Indonesia, 21.9%, driven by mobile-first adoption and thriving marketplace activity; the Philippines, 21.6%, benefiting from rising e-commerce penetration and strong holiday shopping engagement; and Thailand, 21.3%, with high online adoption — all well above the global average of 8.1%. Following closely are Vietnam, 16.5%, with growing cross-border sales and increasing platform consolidation, and Malaysia, 10.6%, showing steady adoption in urban centers. Together, these markets highlight APAC’s exciting potential and dynamic growth in e-commerce across the region(ECDB).
During the 2024 Cyber Monday event, India’s Computers & Electronics category alone accounted for 34.6% of total value, growing 7.8% over the previous year (NielsenIQ). 
Rapid e-commerce growth in these markets opens up fresh opportunities in APAC’s Cyber Week landscape.

Ad spend acceleration: The rise of CTV and DOOH

As purchase paths grow more complex, brands are redistributing budgets toward channels that blend awareness with engagement. Connected TV (CTV) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) have emerged as the most dynamic media investments during Cyber Week, where attention is fragmented but intent is high.
In India, CTV ad-spend more than tripled — from roughly ₹450 crore in 2022 to ₹1,500 crore in 2024 — now accounting for 1.5% of total digital ad spend (Storyboard18). This surge reflects how brands are treating the living-room screen as a premium storytelling space.

Meanwhile, across Southeast Asia, CTV and DOOH are capturing growing advertiser attention. In the Philippines, the digital‑video ad market is expected to reach USD 2.1 billion in 2025 (IMARC Group). In Malaysia, the Out‑of‑Home and Digital Out‑of‑Home market is estimated at USD 209.87 million in 2025, with DOOH specifically forecasted to grow at an 11.2 % CAGR to 2030 (Mordor Intelligence). Meanwhile in Thailand, recent data show 64 % of CTV viewers regularly use a second device—underlining the multi‑screen context for growth (avia.org). These figures highlight the increasing role of both CTV and DOOH in bridging online and offline engagement during high‑intent shopping periods like Cyber Week.
Interactive screens, QR-enabled creatives, and real-time offers are extending Cyber Week campaigns into physical environments — bridging discovery on screen with immediate digital action.

Online vs offline: The blended retail boom

Cyber Week is no longer just an online spike; it’s a blended retail revolution. Consumers in India and Southeast Asia are moving fluidly between discovery, decision, and delivery — across devices, platforms, and store aisles.
In India, e-commerce currently represents about 8% of total retail trade, expected to reach 13–15% by 2028 (Economic Times). During Black Friday 2023, order volumes surged 23%, with Tier-III cities leading the charge at 43% YoY growth (Business Standard).
In Southeast Asia, where digital infrastructure and logistics are more mature, omnichannel has become the baseline — customers discover products on CTV, explore and compare on mobile, and complete their purchases either offline or through quick commerce platforms.
The result is a seamless ecosystem where online drives offline, and vice versa.

The omnichannel edge: mediasmart’s Full-Funnel advantage

Black Friday and Cyber Monday demand connected storytelling—because shoppers don’t just browse on one screen, they move fluidly across them. With mediasmart, brands can reach and re-engage audiences across CTV, DOOH, and mobile, ensuring every touchpoint builds towards measurable outcomes.
On Connected TV (CTV), marketers can reach audiences based on screen attributes and geographic location, ensuring large-screen environments and key regions receive the most impactful brand messaging. It’s the awareness layer that drives attention where it matters most—on the biggest screen in the home.
From there, mobile helps continue the journey—converting awareness into engagement. Using Household Sync, audiences exposed to CTV campaigns can be reached on their personal devices with time-sensitive offers or product reminders, helping bridge upper-funnel awareness with lower-funnel action.
DOOH adds another powerful layer by connecting with audiences in real-world contexts—shopping zones, transit hubs, and retail corridors. Through location intelligence and proximity signals, marketers can engage consumers where buying intent is naturally higher.
Audiences exposed to DOOH screens can then be retargeted on mobile or CTV, reinforcing brand recall and prompting action across touchpoints.
With every screen connected through location, device, and proximity intelligence, mediasmart empowers marketers to measure exposure, optimize performance, and deliver cohesive brand stories across the entire funnel.

This is omnichannel storytelling built for a season where every impression—and every moment—matters.

The new shape of shopping

Cyber Week in India and Southeast Asia is no longer about deep discounts; it’s about deep engagement. The intersection of CTV, DOOH, and mobile advertising has redefined how consumers discover, decide, and buy.
For enterprise marketers, the message is clear: Cyber Week is not just a sale — it’s a strategy.
With the right omnichannel orchestration, every screen becomes shoppable, every impression measurable, and every campaign a full-funnel success story.

Redefine Your Cyber Week Campaigns Across APAC.

Reach audiences seamlessly across CTV, mobile, and DOOH to drive measurable engagement and conversions. Write to us at sales@mediasmart.io to craft campaigns that turn every screen into a shopping opportunity.