UPDATE: We have changed the date of the event to March 20, 2013!

I'm excited to announce that the theme for our inagural APAC Marketing & Strategy Summit, to be held on March 20, 2013 at the Le Royal Méridien Hotel in Shanghai, China, is "Winning The Dynamic Digital Consumer In China."

Explosive population growth, the rapid adoption of digital technologies, and increasing levels of disposable income make Asia Pacific the most exciting and lucrative market for global firms today. By 2014, Asia will include almost half of the world's online population; and China specifically will represent 34% of the world’s total population and 42% of all online users. However, the sheer pace of change in these markets creates tremendous business risk; make a bad decision in a world of instantaneous digital communications and your brand’s opportunities in the region will evaporate.

To win the dynamic digital consumer in China, marketing & strategy professionals must focus their efforts on understanding, delighting, connecting with, and serving their customers. And in China, this is arguably more challenging than in any other developing market; consumer behavior and motivations, social platforms, business culture, government relationships, and marketing and commerce execution (to name but a few) are all unique in The Middle Kingdom.

Welcome to the “age of the customer,” where the one true, defensible competitive advantage regardless of targeted market is to become customer-obsessed. To succeed in China, you must first develop a fundamental understanding of your targeted customers’ technology adoption, social and mobile behavior, and attitudes. Only then can you effectively engage them across the range of digital touchpoints they employ in their daily lives, deliver a single and personal brand experience that matches their needs and values, and drive digital sales and service.

As the host of the event, I'm working with a great team to establish a fantastic lineup of speakers, sponsors, and networking opportunities. Our objective at the summit is to empower you, the marketing and strategy professional, with the data, knowledge, and skills to address the challenges inherent in winning customers in China.  

For more information and to register, please visit the homepage for the event here. We hope you'll join us, and please stay tuned for more information including details on keynote speakers, Forrester participants, and other exciting opportunities. You can track the event by following the event hashtag #MSSC13, or by following me on Twitter @apstockwell or on Sina Weibo @apstockwell. If you have any questions, suggestions, or if you want to speak or sponsor the event, please also email me at astockwell@forrester.com. 

We hope to see you in Shanghai in March! Zài jiàn!