We had the pleasure of speaking with Tara Kapur, Market Head at Duolingo, as part of our Inside the Jury Room series, where we hear directly from our Festival of Media APAC judges.
Our conversation explored the biggest opportunities for media across the Asia Pacific region, how the role of media has evolved from driving awareness to shaping real consumer decisions, and the smarter ways brands are using AI to create work that delivers meaningful impact.
What do you see as the biggest opportunity for media in the Asia Pacific region over the next 12 months?
The biggest opportunity is using media to unlock access at scale while staying deeply relevant locally. APAC is home to millions of ambitious learners who are mobile-first, price-conscious, and increasingly outcome-driven. For the Duolingo English Test, this has meant using digital-first media to reach students beyond metro cities, speaking to them in the moments where education, aspiration, and opportunity intersect. Additionally we have been using influencers as a media tool, to meaningfully reach out to students who want to study abroad. Media that combines precision targeting, local language insight, and measurable outcomes can meaningfully expand access across diverse markets.
How has the role of media evolved in shaping consumer behaviour in recent years?
Media has moved from simply driving awareness to actively shaping decisions and confidence. Consumers today often discover, evaluate, and convert within the same media ecosystem. For the Duolingo English Test, media plays a critical role in building trust in a new category of English proficiency testing. Through consistent education-led messaging across search, social, and video, we have seen media not only influence consideration but also remove barriers around credibility, acceptance, and ease of use.
How are brands leveraging AI in smarter ways to create more impactful campaigns?
A few years ago, Cadbury’s work in India using AI to empower kirana stores is a strong example of how brands can set new benchmarks by solving real-world problems at scale. By using AI to help small retailers create personalised, hyperlocal digital ads in their own language, Cadbury moved beyond traditional brand communication and into genuine ecosystem enablement. What made the campaign stand out was not just the technology, but how seamlessly it was integrated into local culture and commerce. It respected the realities of small businesses, removed barriers to participation, and turned media into a growth tool rather than just a messaging channel. That combination of technology, inclusivity, and measurable impact is increasingly defining best-in-class media work in APAC.
Which campaigns or brands do you think have set new benchmarks recently in the APAC media industry?
CRED’s campaign in India featuring Rahul Dravid is a strong example of how brands can rethink celebrity, media, and distribution in a more culturally intelligent way. By casting Dravid in an unexpected role and then using figures like Virat Kohli as a distribution force rather than a traditional endorser, CRED flipped familiar tropes on their head. What truly set the campaign apart was how it extended far beyond a single film. The idea travelled seamlessly across social platforms, creator ecosystems, memes, and earned media, turning cultural conversation into scale. It showed how sharp insight, casting against type, and smart use of distribution can create disproportionate impact, and how media today is as much about how ideas spread as it is about where they appear.
What excites you most about this year’s Festival of Media APAC Awards entries?
What is most exciting is the breadth of work coming out of the region. APAC is not one story, and this year’s entries reflect that diversity across markets, platforms, and consumer needs. There is strong work emerging from both mature and fast-growing markets, spanning categories like commerce, education, fintech, and creator-led brands. The variety of problem statements, cultural contexts, and media solutions makes the awards a true reflection of how dynamic and innovative the APAC media landscape has become.
What advice would you give to entrants of the Festival of Media APAC Awards who want to impress the jury this year?
Strong entries start with a clear problem and a sharp insight rooted in real, local behaviour. The best applications show a direct line between strategy, media choices, and outcomes. Judges look for work that is culturally grounded, well executed, and backed by solid evidence of impact. Simplicity matters. A focused idea, clearly told, is far more compelling than a complex story filled with jargon.
