Independent agencies don’t often dominate the biggest stages in Asia-Pacific marketing. When they do, it usually signals something bigger than a strong year of campaigns.

That’s the context behind CREATIP’s latest recognition. The Korea-based digital marketing agency has won Gold in the Independent Agency of the Year category and Silver for Performance Marketing Agency of the Year at the 2025 Agency of the Year (AOY) Awards, hosted by Campaign.

Among APAC agencies, Independent Agency of the Year—Gold is widely considered one of the most competitive honors, judging not just creative output or short-term performance, but the fundamentals that sustain long-term growth: financial health, strategic rigor, innovation, culture, leadership, and regional expansion.

CREATIP didn’t just place well—it stood out.

Why the AOY Gold Matters

The AOY Awards are designed to look beyond headline campaigns. Agencies are evaluated across a broad set of criteria, including:

• Business and revenue growth

• Strategic excellence and innovation

• Creative consistency

• Organizational culture and leadership

• Regional and global expansion

For independent agencies, the bar is especially high. Without the backing of global holding companies, winners are expected to demonstrate operational resilience, financial stability, and a clear competitive advantage.

CREATIP’s Gold win signals that it has moved beyond being a strong local player and into the ranks of independently run agencies shaping the APAC marketing landscape.

Performance Marketing, Backed by Data and AI

In addition to its top honor, CREATIP earned Silver in the Performance Marketing Agency of the Year category, reinforcing its reputation as a data-first growth partner for brands entering or expanding across Asia.

Judges highlighted the agency’s strengths in:

• Data-driven media planning and execution

• ROI-focused performance strategies

• AI-powered optimization models

• Consistent results across Korea, Japan, and broader APAC markets

This recognition reflects a broader shift in brand expectations. Performance marketing in Asia—particularly in markets like Korea and Japan—demands local platform expertise, advanced analytics, and cultural fluency. CREATIP’s ability to combine all three has become a defining differentiator.

A Track Record of Consistent Recognition

The 2025 wins are not a one-off moment for CREATIP. Since 2020, the agency has been recognized every year at the AOY Awards, with previous honors spanning Influencer Marketing and Social Media Marketing.

That consistency matters. In an industry where agency performance can fluctuate year to year, sustained recognition suggests disciplined execution rather than isolated success.

In 2025, CREATIP further strengthened its market position after being officially appointed as a NAVER Certified Agency—a critical milestone in Korea’s digital ecosystem.

NAVER Certification: A Strategic Advantage in Korea

For brands entering Korea, NAVER is not optional—it is foundational. Unlike Western markets dominated by Google, Korea’s search, content, and advertising environment is deeply shaped by NAVER’s platforms.

CREATIP’s certification expanded its capabilities across:

• NAVER search and display advertising

• Platform-specific data analysis

• AI-enhanced bid and performance optimization

• Integrated NAVER marketing strategies aligned with local consumer behavior

This expertise has become particularly valuable for global brands unfamiliar with Korea’s digital nuances, where imported strategies often fail without deep local adaptation.

Expanding Beyond Korea: Japan and Taipei, China

CREATIP’s AOY recognition also reflects its growing regional footprint.

After launching its Japan office in 2023, the agency began supporting brands navigating one of Asia’s most complex and high-expectation markets. Japan’s digital ecosystem requires a balance of performance rigor, brand trust, and culturally specific creative execution—an area where many global agencies struggle.

Now, CREATIP is preparing its next expansion phase. The company has confirmed plans to open a Taipei, China office in January 2026, creating a three-market operational network across Korea, Japan, and Taipei, China.

This regional structure is designed to deliver:

• Localized creative and messaging

• Influencer and social strategies tailored by market

• Performance marketing optimized for regional platforms

• Closer collaboration with publishers and ecosystem partners

Rather than offering one-size-fits-all APAC solutions, CREATIP is positioning itself as a network of locally embedded teams operating under a unified strategy.

Building an APAC Growth Platform for Global Brands

CREATIP’s integrated model spans influencer marketing, social content, brand strategy, and performance-driven growth—an increasingly important combination as brand and demand objectives converge.

Global brands entering Asia often face three challenges simultaneously:

1. Understanding fragmented digital ecosystems

2. Localizing creative without diluting brand identity

3. Proving ROI quickly in unfamiliar markets

CREATIP’s approach aims to address all three, using performance data to inform creative decisions and localized storytelling to support conversion.

“Our Gold recognition as Independent Agency of the Year confirms that CREATIP has become a truly global marketing agency with strong influence across the Asian market,” said Deukil (Daniel) Kong, Founder and CEO of CREATIP.

“With our expansion from Japan to Taipei, China, we aim to become the most effective and reliable partner for global brands entering the Korean, Japanese, and broader APAC markets.”

What This Signals for the APAC Agency Landscape

CREATIP’s rise reflects a broader trend across Asia-Pacific marketing: independent agencies with deep local expertise are increasingly outcompeting global networks in performance-driven work.

As platforms, consumer behavior, and regulations diverge by market, brands are prioritizing partners that understand local dynamics—and can execute without layers of bureaucracy.

Winning Gold at AOY places CREATIP firmly in that category. It signals not just creative or performance excellence, but the operational maturity required to scale independently across borders.

For global brands looking to expand in Korea, Japan, or across APAC, CREATIP’s latest recognition reinforces what its clients are already betting on: local intelligence, data-driven execution, and a clear focus on measurable growth.

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