March 1, 2026
<BackAuthor: Joe Nguyen,Senior Strategic Advisor, H+
Category:InsightOut
Let’s be real for amoment. If you asked any CMO in Southeast Asia back in 2023 where the future of commerce was headed, they would have pointed you to a spreadsheet of GMV targets and ad spend efficiency.
Fast forward to today, late 2025. The spreadsheet is still there, but the battlefield has shifted entirely. We aren’t just looking at transactions anymore; we are looking at a fundamental split in the human psyche.
The numbers are staggering, of course. TikTok Shop is projecting a global GMV north of $66 billion this year1, with Southeast Asia serving as its undisputed engine. On the other side, we have Google—specifically YouTube Shopping—which has quietly but forcefully carved out a massive niche, with video commerce now accounting for nearly 20% of the region’s GMV2. (1Source: Momentum Works / MarketMaze (August 2025)) (2Source: Google / Temasek / Baine-Conomy SEA 2025 Report and Tech in Asia)
But at H+, we don’t look at consumers as data points. We look at them through a sei-katsu-sha lens—holistic living people with heartbeats, anxieties, and conflicting desires. And when you view this "Google vs. TikTok" war through the sei-katsu-sha perspective, it stops being a technology battle and starts being a psychological one.
To understand what’s happening in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam right now, you have to look atthe mode the user is in.
TikTok is the Dopamine Engine. It owns Discovery. Nobody opens TikTok with a shopping list. They open it to be entertained, to dissociate, to feel something. Then—boom—a creator they like is wearing a jacket, and three seconds later, it’s in their cart. It isthe monetization of impulse. It is "Shoppertainment" in its purestform. Or Home Shopping Network on steroids.
YouTube is the TrustEngine. Thisis the counter-strike. With its partnership with Shopee and the explosion ofaffiliate marketing in 2025, YouTube has cornered Intent. When a YouTubeviewer wants to know if that $500 skincare device actually works, they don’t go to a 15-second dance video. They go to a 10-minute deep-dive review on YouTube. They are seeking validation.
Sei-katsu-sha Insight: "The same person who impulse-buys a lipstick on TikTok at 11 PM is the same person who spends three days watching YouTube reviews before buying a laptop. The user hasn't changed; their mindset has."
Here is the thing that perks up my sei-katshu-sha interest: As social commerce matures, we are seeing a "Trust Deficit" emerge. The wild west of live selling brought speed, but it also brought fatigue. Returns are up. Quality complaints are up.
This is where Google’s strategy is fascinating. By leaning into the "trust" metrics of their creators—data shows users in SEA are 98% more likely to trust a recommendation from a YouTube creator than other platforms3—they are positioning themselves not as the fastest place to buy, but the safest. ( 3Source: Ipsos Survey (commissioned by Google 2024/2025))
Meanwhile, TikTok is trying to race up the value chain, moving beyond low-ticket impulse items to electronics and luxury. But can you sell a high-consideration item in adopamine loop? That is the billion-dollar question for 2026.
So, you’re a brand in Southeast Asia. Do you bet on the spark (TikTok) or the fuel (YouTube)?
The answer, derived from our InsightOut methodology, is that you cannot choose one. You must map your content ecosystem to the sei-katsu-sha emotional journey.
1. Use TikTok for Ignition. Create content that stops the scroll. Focus on the "wow" factor. This is for top-of-funnel awareness and low-barrier conversions.
2. Use YouTube for Validation. This is your closer. Partner with creators who have deep authority. Create long-form content that answers the "why" and "how."
3. Respect the Mode. Don't try to force a hard sell in a "trust" environment, and don't bore an "impulse" audience with specs.
"Technology waits for no man. But if you forget the human sitting on the other side of the screen, the technology is useless."
The evolution of live social commerce in Southeast Asia isn't about which platform wins. It's about which brands can seamlessly weave themselves into the fragmented, messy, beautiful lives of their customers.
The "Buy Button" is everywhere now. The brands that win won't just be the ones that make it easy to click. They'll be the ones that make it feel right to click.
About the Author:
Joe Nguyen is an industry veteran and strategic advisor at H+ (Hakuhodo DY ONE), helping clients navigate the intersection of technology and human behavior across APAC. He is a frequent speaker on digital transformation and the Sei-katsu-sha philosophy.
All inquiries will be forwarded to and responded to by the administrator of this website or our nearest representatives from the H+ offices listed above.