KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer behaviour is changing, and the shift is clear: trust is no longer anchored in faceless brands but increasingly placed in individuals, relationships, and communities.
Commerce.Asia executive chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah said this change is fuelling the rise of a new category of creator- and influencer-led brands.
“Unlike traditional businesses built on advertising spend and distribution reach, these brands are built on credibility, direct engagement, and a loyal community.
“Creators are not guessing what the market wants. They already live inside their audience’s world. They understand what their communities value, what problems they face, and what drives their buying decisions—often with a level of insight large corporates struggle to match,” he said at the launch of Numinara, a beauty brand introduced by actress and singer-songwriter Diana Danielle.
He said while it has become easier than ever to build and launch a brand, scaling one remains a fundamentally different challenge.
“Today, a product can be introduced quickly, and demand can emerge almost overnight. However, sustainable growth requires far more than market attention.
“It demands operational discipline, supply chain control, reliable fulfilment, structured capital planning, and the ability to scale without compromising product quality or eroding brand trust,” he said.
He said the core challenge creators face is scaling, where many struggle most.
“When a product launched on a platform like TikTok Shop gains traction, sales can surge within days, but what looks like success on the surface often creates intense operational pressure behind the scenes, where demand is no longer the issue and execution becomes the real test,” he said.
Ganesh said scaling a brand also requires investment discipline and operational expertise, with decisions on pricing, promotions, logistics, and capital allocation made with consistency and control.
“Without experience, it is easy to overextend, underinvest, or lose visibility over costs, and without the right foundation, rapid growth can quickly become a liability rather than an advantage.
“This is the gap Commerce.Asia was built to solve, by providing creators with the infrastructure, discipline, and execution required to convert momentum into sustainable, long-term growth,” he said.
The launch of Numira serves as a successful case study of how creator-driven demand can be converted into sustainable commercial scale.
Numinara is a Malaysian vegan personal care brand inspired by traditional Asian beauty wisdom, positioned around cruelty-free, vegan principles and recyclable packaging, reflecting a broader emphasis on ethical production and environmental responsibility.
Numinara crossed RM1 million in sales in under six months, underscoring the growing viability of creator-led brands when supported by disciplined execution, operational infrastructure and end-to-end e-commerce capabilities.
Numinara, launched by Diana, follows her personal journey toward gentler, more honest personal care. The brand reflects growing consumer demand for products aligned with trust, transparency and community-driven recommendations.
Under the partnership model, Diana contributes the brand values and community trust, while Commerce.Asia delivers end-to-end execution across marketplace operations, fulfilment, logistics, performance optimisation, and operational discipline.
This will enable a content-to-commerce approach that converts creator-driven demand into scalable, repeatable growth without compromising brand integrity.
Looking ahead, Ganesh said Numinara is the first of several creator-led brands Commerce.Asia plans to support across multiple sectors, with a clear focus on long-term product-market fit, measured expansion, and sustainable brand building.
