The ShanghaiZhan Riff-Off: Brand, Creators, AI and the Future of Agencies- Gordan Domlija

AI may be accelerating change in advertising, but the bigger story is what happens to the industry itself. Strategic advisor Ivan Fernandes joins Bryce and Ali to debate the future of agencies. Ivan works with agency groups, marketing services businesses, technology companies, founders and investors, and writes extensively on the changing economics of advertising, agency operating models, AI, consolidation and private equity. We explore the growing power of platforms and clients, holding-company consolidation, the rise of independents, and whether brands should own their own marketing technology and data. So what does the agency of the future actually look like — and who will be running it?

Tea looks simple: leaves, hot water, drink. But behind Chinese tea sits a world of ancient trees, remote mountains, craftsmanship, collectors, and extraordinary prices. Eugene Chew, founder of Tea Urchin, joins ShanghaiZhan to explain how a chance encounter with pu’er in Shanghai became a decade-long obsession that took him deep into Yunnan. We explore what separates cheap tea from expensive tea, why old-tree pu’er commands such high prices, how terroir and aging shape flavor, and whether beginners can really taste the difference. Eugene also shares what tea taught him about rural China, mindfulness, and developing a palate.

The world isn't getting better. But strangely, we're not giving up. Welcome to “dysoptimism": the tension between a world that feels increasingly dystopian and our determination to remain optimistic about our own lives. Emma Chiu, Global Director of VML Intelligence and one of the minds behind The Future 100, joins Shanghai brand strategist Stephen Drummond to explore what this means for consumers, culture and brands. As economic pressure, AI anxiety and algorithm fatigue collide, people are finding optimism in smaller pleasures, real-world communities and experiences that bring back surprise and discovery. We explore our increasingly complicated relationship with technology, the growing desire for more human experiences, and why China continues to be a powerful engine for global trends.

Dean Sciole loves Chinese EVs, and thinks you will too. Dean has spent decades building brands for some of the world's biggest automakers, including Cadillac in China and premium EV brand Avatar. After witnessing China's automotive transformation firsthand, he believes the world's most exciting innovations in mobility are no longer coming from Detroit or Germany—they're coming from Shenzhen, Shanghai and Chongqing. In this episode, we explore how China leapfrogged the West, why Tesla became the unexpected catalyst for China's EV boom, and what happens when cars become software platforms instead of machines. We also tackle the biggest challenge ahead: can Chinese automakers build brands people love—not just products people admire? Whether you're an automotive enthusiast, marketer, or simply curious about where innovation is heading next, this conversation offers a glimpse into the future of transportation—and why it may arrive sooner than most people think.

Carol Zhou returns to ShanghaiZhan nearly 100 episodes after her first appearance to explore how China's beauty industry has transformed from an emerging trend into a global innovation powerhouse. As Senior Vice President of Business Innovation & Investments at Shiseido China, Carol shares why the future of beauty is no longer about products alone—but about ecosystems, consumer obsession, AI, and the next generation of global brands.

China has over 50,000 brands going global: which ones will survive? China has more overseas enterprises than ever before, but volume alone does not build a brand. Jan Harling has spent 15 years inside that expansion, holding senior roles at Huawei and OPPO before founding VirtusAsia, a boutique marketing and media consultancy based in Hong Kong. He joins Bryce and Ali to break down what separates the Chinese brands that are making a lasting global mark from the ones that are burning budget to stand still.

Is there a balance in the creation of advertising and the use of AI? Many are signaling a massive transformation of the industry. With cutting-edge AI video creation tools, China is at the forefront of this paradox. We spoke to Arthur Ma, co-founder of Red Horse Productions, one of China's leading advertising and commercial production houses, with 16 years of experience in building international campaigns for brands such as L'Oréal and OPPO. He joins Bryce and Ali to map out exactly where AI fits in modern ad production, and where it hits a wall, requiring a human creative leap to close the gap. Key takeaways: AI now touches roughly 30-40% of his projects, but mostly for early-stage creative (storyboards and concept visualization), not final footage Premium and celebrity-driven campaigns (L'Oréal, top athletes) still demand real shoots; AI is reserved for motion-fill or budget-constrained work One Viagra campaign went heavily AI-generated to hit a 3-week deadline and a fraction of the budget a traditional feature-style shoot would require Chinese consumers show far higher comfort with AI in advertising than US audiences (85% vs. 16% approval), though Arthur argues authenticity still drives emotional impact The real differentiator isn't the tool. It's communication skills, creative judgment, and the ability to make the creative leap AI can't generate on its own

Would you consider yourself a "slogger" or a "kisser?" We've all been told that there are only two ways to the top. You either go the slogger route, grind yourself to a fine powder, give up your weekends and social life to get ahead, or you master the dark arts of office politics as a kisser. Joining us are Bhasker Jaiswal and Anupam Mukerji, authors of The Zen Hustle Code. They’re here to pitch a third archetype: the Zen Hustler. It’s a career operating system that replaces mindless hustle with deliberate leverage—and they've got the sporting anecdotes and 'real-world' scars to prove it actually works.

For Shanghai Zhan’s “100th episode month,” Bryce and Ali welcome back Gordan Domlija for a fast-moving riff on the biggest themes from the show’s history: the collapse of the old brand/commerce divide, platform overload, creators as media channels, AI’s impact on agency value, and why cultural fluency is becoming a commercial advantage.

Is the old China-first Asia marketing playbook breaking down? In our 100th episode, Julien Lapka joins Shanghai Zhan to discuss how China, Japan, and Korea are becoming a more connected cultural triangle. The conversation explores how travel, social media, beauty, retail, hospitality, craft, food culture, and algorithm fatigue are reshaping consumer expectations across Northeast Asia — and why brands may need to think less in terms of isolated markets and more in terms of regional cultural influence.