How retailtainment, real-time messaging are driving sales, ROI for brands
From influencer-led livestreams to TikTok product reviews and WhatsApp shopping updates, consumers now discover, decide, and transact within the same moment – and often, within the same screen.
This evolution, widely known as retailtainment, is more than just marketing jargon.
It's become a strategic pillar for brands trying to stand out in mobile-first markets like Malaysia, where mobile connections outnumber the population and digital attention spans are fleeting.
But for all the excitement around viral content, many brands are still struggling with the most important part: conversion.
'Today's brands are great at going viral. They partner with creators, ride trends, and spark curiosity,' said Debby Lam (pic), head of banking and retail, Asia at Infobip.
'But the real challenge comes after that first spark.
'If a customer can't ask a question, get instant answers, or check out in the same moment, you've lost them.
'That's the conversion gap we help brands close.'
Messaging has become the default interface. Infobip's internal analysis reported that nearly 80% of customer service interactions in Asia-Pacific now happen over chat, which clearly signals that consumers expect instant, channel-native support.
This is where conversational commerce steps in.
Enabled by artificial intelligence (AI)-powered messaging platforms, conversational commerce allows brands to guide customers from interest to action in real time.
Instead of static ads and broken journeys, consumers get personalised, interactive experiences – all within the channels they already use, like WhatsApp, Instagram, or in-app chat.
Behind the scenes, platforms like Infobip are powering this shift.
With support for over 30 global channels and deep expertise in conversational AI, Infobip helps businesses create unified, end-to-end journeys that blend entertainment, engagement, and transaction.
Whether it's real-time shopping support via chatbots, product recommendations triggered by in-store QR codes, or personalised offers delivered via push notifications, the goal is the same: reduce friction and convert attention into measurable results.
In Malaysia, where WhatsApp remains the most used messaging app, brands are increasingly using it to showcase product carousels, drop new launches, and facilitate checkouts – all within a single chat.
Through tools like Infobip's AI chatbot builder, these experiences can even include mini-games, product quizzes, or 24/7 virtual shopping assistants that replicate the helpfulness of in-store staff.
'The impact goes far beyond engagement. When brands use AI-powered chat to meet customers in real time, we see faster conversions, bigger baskets, and happier customers.
'But the real value is in sustained dialogue and staying connected even after the sale,' Lam added.
What makes retailtainment especially effective isn't just its ability to entertain. It's the infrastructure that connects every touchpoint, from TikTok videos to customer data platforms, from live events to automated chat flows.
This orchestration is what turns moments of attention into continuous brand relationships.
And yet, despite growing investments in digital experience, with Asia-Pacific's customer experience market projected to hit US$43.8mil by 2027, many businesses still operate on systems built for reach, not responsiveness.
According to Gartner, over 60% of marketing leaders struggle to deliver personalisation that actually impacts performance.
This gap is where agile platforms like Infobip can make a difference.
By integrating messaging, automation, data, and AI into a single solution, they help brands scale what retailtainment was always meant to be: an interactive, real-time dialogue that delivers both delight and return of investments.
In the end, Retailtainment 2.0 isn't about going viral.
It's about being ready. Ready to respond. Ready to convert. And ready to build brand relationships that last beyond a moment of attention.
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