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As AI cuts production costs and multiplies the output of small agency teams, a new model is emerging in Singapore: revenue-sharing, where the agency earns only when the client sells.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 14 September 2026 – For decades, the marketing agency business model has rested on one assumption: producing campaigns is expensive, so clients must pay fixed monthly retainers regardless of results. Artificial intelligence is dismantling that assumption from two directions at once — cutting what it costs an agency to operate, while multiplying what a small team can produce.

The savings start in places clients never see. Administrative work that once consumed billable hours — invoicing and quotations, client reporting, campaign documentation, scheduling and follow-ups — can now run largely on AI systems, stripping overhead out of every account an agency manages.

The bigger shift is in production itself. In video, AI now handles the foundation of the edit — assembling rough cuts, syncing footage, generating captions and preparing ad-ready variations — before a human editor applies the judgment, pacing and finishing that machines can’t. What once took an editor days takes hours. The same applies to design and ad creatives. The result: a small team’s production capacity multiplies while its cost per campaign falls.

That double effect — lower cost, higher capacity — changes what an agency can afford to offer. When servicing an account no longer carries heavy fixed costs, those economics can be passed on to the customer: instead of a large retainer that pays for activity, the agency can charge a minimal base fee and earn its real income as a share of the sales its campaigns generate.

Singapore agency touchmkt has built its business on this model, charging SME clients a low base retainer that roughly covers production, then earning 5–9% of the revenue attributed to its campaigns — tracked through conversion tools that tie each sale back to the ads that produced it.

“The economics simply didn’t work before,” said Charlie Tan, founder of touchmkt. “If every account carries thousands of dollars in production and admin costs, you have to charge for it whether the campaigns perform or not. When AI takes out the cost and multiplies the output, you can afford to be paid on outcomes. For the first time, the agency’s goals and the client’s goals are actually aligned — we only do well when they sell.”

The model does demand discipline: rigorous attribution, and the agency absorbing the risk of campaigns that underperform. But for small businesses long wary of paying retainers for activity rather than results, the direction is clear — AI hasn’t just changed how marketing is made; it’s beginning to change how it’s paid for.

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Touchmarket LLP

touchmkt (TouchMarket LLP) is a Singapore-based growth agency for small and medium businesses, combining on-site videography and photography with AI-assisted content production and performance advertising. The agency builds websites, produces short-form video and branded social content, and manages Meta and Google ad campaigns with full conversion tracking — operating on a performance-based model in which its fees are tied to the sales revenue its campaigns generate. touchmkt works with clients across F&B and catering, education, beauty and skincare, renovation and home services, and professional services in Singapore. Learn more at touchmkt.com or contact [email protected].

By R Suryamurthy The 2026 New Delhi Declaration arrives at a revealing moment for BRICS: two decades after the grouping emerged as a shorthand for the rising economic weight of the Global South, it is no longer merely demanding a larger seat at the table of global governance, but is beginning to construct the institutional […]

The article BRICS is not building a new order, but a hedge against the old one appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The revised Beijing Unmanned Aircraft Management Regulations, approved by the municipal legislature this month, designate the entire municipality as controlled airspace and prohibit individuals and organisations from keeping drones or key components unless they fall within specified exemptions. Transporting or carrying such equipment into Beijing will also be barred.

The rules mark a significant escalation from restrictions introduced on May 1, when Beijing prohibited drone sales and rentals, required real-name registration and made all outdoor flights subject to approval. Existing owners were previously allowed to retain registered aircraft, but that arrangement will end when the amended regulations take effect.

Authorities have opened several channels for residents to dispose of devices before the deadline. Owners may sell drones at government-approved buyback points, surrender them for recycling, send them outside Beijing by post or carry them out of the municipality themselves. Subsidies are available to individuals whose drones had completed the required police information verification.

For buybacks completed between September 12 and October 31, the subsidy is set at 30 per cent of the transaction price, capped at 3,000 yuan per drone. The rate falls to 15 per cent, with a 1,500-yuan ceiling, for transactions from November 1 to November 14. Scrapping payments are 200 yuan per drone before November and 100 yuan during the first two weeks of November, while eligible postal transfers outside Beijing are free.

The regulations retain exemptions for activities judged necessary for counter-terrorism, emergency rescue, major events, teaching, scientific research, industrial production, agriculture and certain sporting purposes. Such users must undergo security assessment and operate under designated safeguards, while authorised flights remain subject to national aviation requirements.

Beijing’s move follows the June 26 crash of a two-seat Sunward SA 60L Aurora light sport aircraft into Citic Tower, also known as China Zun, in the capital’s central business district. The aircraft struck the 528-metre tower shortly before 6pm after departing from an airfield roughly 50 kilometres east of central Beijing.

The pilot, the only person aboard, was killed and 13 people were injured. Chaoyang district authorities later said the aircraft had left its approved flying area during a solo flight and lost contact with the airport before hitting the skyscraper.

Investigators described the episode as a public-safety incident caused by personal factors involving the pilot. Authorities said he had suffered long-term insomnia and anxiety and that writings recovered during the investigation contained references to ending his life. The finding drew attention to how a light aircraft was able to enter tightly controlled airspace over the capital.

Citic Tower, headquarters of state-owned Citic Group, stands in Beijing’s Chaoyang district near the East Third Ring Road. The impact damaged the building’s glass facade, triggered an evacuation and scattered debris around the surrounding business area.

Beijing had already classified its full administrative territory as controlled airspace for unmanned aircraft. Under the May rules, outdoor drone flights required prior approval from air-traffic authorities, while sales, rentals and the establishment of new storage sites were restricted. Police also introduced information-verification requirements for existing owners, a process that ended on July 31.

The amended framework removes the general option for ordinary residents to keep registered drones inside the municipality. Once the November rules take effect, police will be authorised to inspect storage arrangements, confiscate unlawfully held equipment and impose penalties on individuals and organisations that breach the controls.

The leaders met on Sunday as Egypt pressed for faster progress on a trade goal first set during El-Sisi’s state visit to New Delhi in January 2023. Egypt’s presidency said the discussions covered measures to strengthen the strategic partnership, increase commerce and encourage more investment from India in sectors including manufacturing, technology, clean energy and the automotive industry.

El-Sisi stressed the importance of translating the economic relationship into projects and commercial flows capable of taking trade to the $12 billion target. The two sides also reviewed opportunities for companies from India to expand their presence in Egypt, which Cairo has promoted as a production and export base serving markets in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Bilateral merchandise trade stood at about $6.5 billion in the 2025-26 financial year, according to figures cited by India’s embassy in Cairo. That leaves the two countries seeking almost to double the current level if they are to reach the objective discussed by their leaders.

Investment formed a central part of the meeting. Egypt highlighted manufacturing, information technology, renewable and clean energy, and vehicle production as areas where it wants to attract additional capital. Cairo has also sought greater participation by overseas companies in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and other industrial centres as it works to raise exports and secure more foreign currency.

Modi and El-Sisi reviewed the broader strategic partnership and discussed cooperation in economic and commercial fields, along with regional and international developments. Their meeting came as New Delhi hosted the September 12-13 BRICS summit under the theme of resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.

Egypt joined BRICS at the start of 2024 and has since used the grouping to widen economic links with major emerging economies. The New Delhi summit brought together an expanded bloc whose agenda included trade, finance, technology, energy, climate issues and greater use of national currencies in cross-border transactions.

The trade push also builds on institutional contacts between Cairo and New Delhi. Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said during BRICS ministerial meetings in May that the two countries wanted to raise bilateral trade to $12 billion over five years and strengthen cooperation in investment, technology and other economic sectors.

El-Sisi and Modi upgraded relations to a strategic partnership in 2023, creating a framework for closer coordination across trade, investment, defence, energy and political consultation. The latest talks focused more narrowly on turning the economic component of that partnership into measurable gains, particularly through private-sector investment and expanded market access.

Egypt has been courting manufacturers as it seeks to increase domestic production and exports, while companies from India already operate in industries including chemicals, textiles, food processing and manufacturing. Cairo’s investment campaign has emphasised projects that can supply the domestic market while using Egypt’s trade agreements and transport links to reach neighbouring regions.

The two leaders also discussed international and regional issues, according to Egypt’s presidency, without announcing a separate bilateral agreement during the meeting. Their talks were among a series of leader-level engagements held around the BRICS gathering as member states sought to advance economic cooperation alongside the summit’s wider diplomatic agenda.

For Egypt, the $12 billion goal provides a benchmark for a relationship that has expanded beyond traditional merchandise trade into investment-led cooperation. For India, stronger commercial ties with Egypt offer access to a major Arab and African market and to production locations close to the Suez Canal, one of the world’s principal shipping routes.

Some local branches of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange have urged lenders to encourage businesses to increase hedging, extending a campaign that has pushed corporate derivatives use to record levels. The guidance targets companies with sizeable foreign-currency receipts or payments as the yuan trades near three-year highs.

The push reflects Beijing’s preference for companies to manage exchange-rate risk through forwards, swaps and options. SAFE has repeatedly promoted what it calls an exchange-rate risk-neutral approach, arguing that companies should focus on their underlying business and use hedging tools to reduce the effect of currency movements on earnings.

Corporate hedging has risen sharply this year. SAFE said enterprises used foreign-exchange derivatives covering 35.3 per cent of their currency transactions in the first half of 2026, up 5.3 percentage points from the full-year level in 2025. The contracted value of derivatives used for exchange-rate risk management reached nearly $1.4 trillion, an increase of about 40 per cent from a year earlier.

The regulator has also broadened access to hedging services. About 130 major domestic and foreign-funded banks can provide foreign-exchange derivatives to companies, while a SAFE database shared with lenders covers about 290,000 foreign-trade enterprises. Authorities have encouraged banks to expand online dealing channels and improve credit and margin arrangements for smaller businesses.

The effort also seeks more balanced corporate behaviour. The latest local instructions add to earlier informal guidance from the central bank and SAFE asking some lenders to lift corporate hedging ratios. Such measures are part of a wider effort to prevent companies from building large unprotected positions after periods when many exporters assumed the yuan would remain weak or move gradually.

That behaviour became more costly as the currency strengthened. The yuan has appreciated this year against the dollar and was trading near a three-and-a-half-year high last week, while global currency markets have been unsettled by changing interest-rate expectations, higher energy prices and geopolitical tensions. Exporters receiving dollars can suffer valuation losses when the yuan rises unless they hedge future receipts.

Beijing has simultaneously tried to avoid an excessive or disorderly rise in the currency. The People’s Bank of China removed a 20 per cent foreign-exchange risk reserve requirement on forward dollar purchases from March 2, lowering the cost of buying dollars forward after a strong yuan rally. The move gave companies and banks more flexibility while signalling that policymakers wanted to discourage one-sided appreciation expectations.

SAFE data show that China’s foreign-exchange market remains supported by large trade and capital flows. Banks recorded a $271.2 billion surplus in foreign-exchange settlement and sales in the first half. The regulator said the ratio measuring companies’ willingness to convert foreign-currency earnings into yuan stood at 65 per cent, while the ratio reflecting demand to purchase foreign currency was 61 per cent.

Foreign-exchange reserves rose to $3.438 trillion at the end of August from $3.419 trillion a month earlier. The yuan gained 0.49 per cent against the dollar during August, while the dollar weakened against a basket of major currencies, contributing to valuation changes in China’s reserve holdings.

Officials have stressed that greater hedging is intended to strengthen corporate resilience rather than direct the yuan toward a particular level. SAFE has said exchange rates are determined by market supply and demand and are difficult to predict, making risk management more important as two-way fluctuations become more common.

The regulator has reduced some transaction costs for smaller companies and encouraged financial institutions to simplify documentation for derivatives. Banks have been asked to use enterprise data to identify firms with foreign-currency exposure and offer products suited to their cash flows rather than promote speculative positions.

This latest season takes viewers beyond the city‘s famous landmarks and into the countryside, where international travelers get their hands in the soil, learn traditional crafts and share everyday meals with local residents. Through these experiences, they discover a different side of rural China and the people who are helping shape its future.

Mountain pulse: A year-round outdoor playground

The mountains of Chongli in Zhangjiakou are more than the backdrop for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Once best known for their snow-covered slopes, they are increasingly becoming a year-round destination for outdoor activities.

“Winter is for skiing, but summer opens up a whole new world,” said a local outdoor guide.

Since the Winter Olympics, residents have been steadily unlocking the hills’ year-round potential: from mountain biking and trail running to hiking and camping. The mountains no longer fall dormant when the snow melts.

Julian and Juan pedal along forest trails, surrounded by mountain air and the scent of damp earth. At the Chongli 168 Ultra-Trail Race, they stand at the starting line as thousands of runners surge forward – a river of energy that sweeps up everyone watching.

For Juan, the scene strikes a familiar chord. “Mountains don’t have borders,” he said. “The urge to run and challenge yourself in the wild is something we share, whether in Latin America or here.”

Field-rooted well-being: Yoga that grew from the soil

Surrounded by farmland and an open sky, Yugouliang Village sits on a high plateau in northern Zhangjiakou. The village has gained attention for a distinctive form of outdoor yoga practiced among its fields. Unlike the wellness trends often associated with urban gyms and resorts, yoga here has grown naturally out of village life.

“Our yoga comes from farm work,” one villager explained. “It is part of how we live.” Between planting and harvesting, they stretch and breathe, finding stillness in the middle of open fields.

Julian and Juan first experienced another part of village life by making youmian, a local staple made from oats. They kneaded the dough and shaped it by hand, then headed into the fields, where they spread their mats on the earth and practiced yoga alongside local residents.

“This feels familiar,” Juan reflected. “No matter where we are, people want the same things – health, peace, security and a life that feels full.”

Yugouliang offers a different picture of rural China: not a place frozen in the past, but a community that has found its own rhythm and a new sense of well-being amid the fields.

Living heritage remains part of daily life

Located in the southern part of Zhangjiakou, Yuxian is known for its historic settlements, traditional architecture and folk arts. Its ancient buildings have also reached new audiences through popular culture. Some of its architecture has inspired locations in Black Myth: Wukong, the hit Chinese action role-playing game.

Yuxian paper-cutting is one of its best-known folk traditions. “Paper-cutting came from everyday people,” said a master of the craft. “It used to decorate farmhouse windows. Now it reaches the wider world.”

With that spirit in mind, Julian and Juan tried their hand at paper-cutting, fumbling with scissors to produce something far from perfect – but they feel, briefly, what it means to make art out of ordinary life. Here, heritage isn’t sealed behind glass. It’s passed from hand to hand, cut into paper and woven into the fabric of daily existence.

Where clean energy meets modern farming

If Yuxian’s ancient villages preserve the memories of the past, Desheng Village shows how rural communities are looking toward the future. Located in the highland farming region of northern Zhangjiakou, Desheng has embraced modern agriculture and solar power as part of its rural development.

Rows of solar panels stretch across the land, capturing sunlight that once only fed crops. Beneath them, modern greenhouses hum with temperature-controlled precision. It’s agriculture reimagined – and the benefits are tangible.

“We used to depend heavily on the weather,” one villager said “Now technology and sunlight give us new hope.”

Julian and Juan stepped into the greenhouses, picking ripe tomatoes and crisp cucumbers, tasting the sweetness of a harvest that no longer depends on luck. They saw how clean energy revenue flows back into the community – funding schools, roads and public spaces.

As night fell, they joined a bonfire gathering in the village square. Music, laughter and conversation filled the evening air. Around the fire, the visitors saw another side of rural development: a village changing with the times while maintaining the close-knit community spirit that has long defined local life.

More than a journey: Stories shaped by the land

For a new generation of travelers, immersive experiences are offering a more complete picture of rural China. In Zhangjiakou, the countryside is not defined by a single landscape or a single way of life. Chongli’s mountains pulse with year-round energy; Yugouliang’s fields offer a slower rhythm of life; Yuxian’s ancient villages keep traditional architecture and folk crafts alive; and Desheng shows how clean energy and modern agriculture can create new opportunities for rural communities.

Here, tradition and innovation coexist in the same villages, where ancient skills can find new audiences and modern technology can take root in centuries-old communities.

Every village has its own story. From mountain trails and open farmland to historic villages and modern greenhouses, Zhangjiakou reveals a northern Chinese countryside that is more diverse, dynamic and full of possibility than any single image can capture.

Visitors may come for the scenery. But by stepping into village life, they leave with something more lasting: a closer understanding of the people who live on this land, the traditions they carry forward and the future they are building together.

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