Cue

What Cue does

CUE Group is a Singapore-headquartered digital technology and marketing company founded in January 2018, operating across 14 offices in 9+ countries including China, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, South Korea, and Australia. The firm combines proprietary AI, big data, and visual analytics technologies with end-to-end digital marketing services, serving 2,500+ clients that include Nestle, Microsoft, Starbucks, Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Mondelez, Lamborghini, Burberry, Galderma, Mediacorp, and selected Chinese consumer brands such as QOKA and HuaMao (Moutai).

Its technology stack is built on computer vision that uses video cameras as the primary sensor for offline space digitisation, paired with spatial interaction identification and human behaviour recognition algorithms, edge-cloud computing, and predictive analytics for retail demand forecasting. Core product lines include Smart Retail, Smart City, Smart Manufacturing, Smart Healthcare, and Data Visualisation, supplemented by a Smart All-in-One Detector hardware product and Virtual Digital Humans. AI capabilities are concentrated in a CTO-led engineering function with prior experience at IBM and Qunar.

CUE monetises through a mix of subscription/recurring technology solutions, professional digital services (brand consulting, go-to-market strategy, integrated campaigns), managed services under its Smart Commerce vertical (including exclusive brand distribution partnerships), data-driven media and analytics subscriptions, and IP digitalisation licensing. The company sells primarily through enterprise field sales supported by regional offices and two majority- or wholly-owned subsidiaries (Bonsey Jaden Group for Southeast Asia digital services and CUE Korea for the Korean market). Pricing is bespoke and not publicly disclosed. Strategic positioning emphasises being a 'business growth partner' that combines technology, distribution, and creative services under one roof for brands expanding across Asia Pacific.

Name

Cue

Legal name

CUE Group

Website

https://cue.group

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CUE Group is a Singapore-headquartered AI and digital marketing company that builds proprietary computer vision, big data, and visual analytics products (Smart Retail, Smart City, Smart Manufacturing) while delivering enterprise digital services to 2,500+ global and Asian brands across 14 Asia-Pacific offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing & Data-Driven Brand Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181), Media Buying Agencies (541830)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative & Brand Campaign Development (BPAFAAAB), Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Big data analytics
• Visual analytics AI
• Smart retail solutions
• Brand consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Technology Solutions: Digital technology solutions including offline space digitisation, edge cloud computing, and enterprise digital transformation
2. Digital Services: Brand consulting, business modeling, go-to-market strategy, integrated campaign creation and management
3. Smart Commerce: Vertical integration with brands to streamline operations and enable international growth through distribution and brand positioning
4. Media and Data Services: Data-driven growth solutions enabling businesses to make strategic decisions based on data analysis and interpretation
5. Content and IP: IP digitalisation ecosystem covering incubation, commercialisation, distribution, and operations management

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CUE Group operates as a one-stop digital technology and marketing partner delivering AI and Big Data–powered technology solutions (Smart Retail, Smart City, Smart Manufacturing, Smart Healthcare, Data Visualisation) alongside digital services including brand consulting, go-to-market strategy, integrated campaign creation and management, media and data strategy, smart commerce distribution, and content/IP commercialisation. The offering is unified by proprietary visual analytics, computer vision, and big data capabilities that translate video and behavioural data into business decisions for enterprise clients across Asia Pacific.

Product overview

CUE Group is a global digital company offering a comprehensive suite of technology-led and data-driven solutions. The company operates multiple integrated product lines: (1) Core Digital Technology products including Smart Retail (AI-powered demand prediction), Smart City (urban digitisation), and Data Visualisation platforms; (2) Industry Solutions including Smart Manufacturing and Smart Healthcare; (3) Marketing & Commerce Services covering Digital Services, Media and Data, Smart Commerce, and Content and IP. The portfolio is unified by proprietary AI and Big Data capabilities including visual analytics, spatial interaction identification, and human behavior recognition. Founded in 2018, the company expanded through strategic product launches including Smart AI Pandemic Control (2020), CUE Smart Retail Application (2020), and international operations in Korea and Southeast Asia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• QOKA: A pioneer in the alcohol soda category, dedicated to bringing consumers an enjoyable drinking experience. Founded in 2020.

Products and services

• Smart Retail AI-powered retail analytics that analyses retailers' internal data to deliver granular predictions of customer demand across product categories, products, and brands in every store, eliminating manual intervention.
• Smart City Urban digitisation solution that combines offline space digitisation with edge cloud computing to serve enterprises across diverse city infrastructure scenarios.
• Data Visualisation End-to-end analytical data platform that translates video, behaviour, and operational signals into visualisations for enterprise decision-making.
• Smart Manufacturing Visual inspection capability for manufacturers that improves production yield, lowers waste, increases customer satisfaction, reduces warranty claims, and detects unpredictable faults.
• Smart Healthcare Healthcare capacity-optimisation solution combining historical data, internal resources, and external factors such as weather to optimise patient flow and staffing at health institutions.
• Smart AI Pandemic Control AI-powered pandemic-control solution developed for health and safety monitoring of people and spaces.
• Smart All-in-One Detector Hardware device for multi-purpose detection capabilities deployed in conjunction with CUE's AI platform.
• CUE Smart Retail Application Mobile and web smart-retail application delivering AI-driven retail functionality to end users.
• Virtual Digital Humans Trendy virtual digital humans created with advanced AI technology to provide companies and brands with young, vibrant AI-powered digital assets.
• Digital Services One-stop-shop digital marketing services including brand consulting, business modelling, go-to-market strategy, integrated campaign creation and management, content and partnership development.
• Smart Commerce Combines commercialisation experience and marketing capabilities to establish deep partnerships with brands and grow them internationally through product distribution, brand positioning, and promotion.
• Media and Data Data-driven growth enablement through an integrated data strategy covering media strategy, optimisation, analytics, social analytics, brand analytics, and integrated data visualisation.
• Content and IP Complete IP-digitalisation ecosystem covering incubation, commercialisation, distribution, and operations management for digital content and brands.
• Technology Solutions Offline space digitisation combined with edge cloud computing to serve enterprises with diverse digital transformation scenarios across multiple industries.

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• China Advertising AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2021Became a board member of the China Advertising Association in May 2021, establishing significant industry influence and network within China's advertising and marketing sector.
• DWG KiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Strategic partnership signed in April 2021 with DWG Kia, demonstrating CUE Group's capability to secure partnerships with major automotive brands for digital transformation services.
• Bonsey Jaden GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Investment made in December 2020 in Bonsey Jaden Group, which leads the Digital Services offering in Southeast Asia. Bonsey Jaden provides brand building services under one roof with proven track record of growing domestic and international brands.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hakuhodo: One of Japan's largest advertising agencies with deep APAC presence and growing digital/data capabilities. Competes for the same Japanese and regional brand mandates that CUE targets, especially across Southeast Asia.
• Publicis Groupe (Publicis Sapient): Global communications and marketing services group with a strong digital transformation and data/AI arm (Sapient). Competes for enterprise digital transformation mandates that CUE's Smart Retail/Smart City practices chase.
• Accenture Song: Accenture's digital creative and technology services arm combining consulting, design, and engineering. Most comparable to CUE's tech-led enterprise digital transformation positioning.
• Dentsu (Dentsu Creative / Merkle): Global ad holding group with extensive APAC operations, creative (Dentsu Creative), and CXM (Merkle) capabilities. Overlaps with CUE across digital services, content, and data-driven marketing.

Direct peers

• Cheil Worldwide: Samsung-affiliated global agency with strong Korea and APAC digital and retail experience offering. Competes directly for cross-market campaigns and APAC digital creative mandates.
• GroupM: WPP-owned media investment and marketing services group operating across Asia Pacific, providing media planning/buying and data-driven campaign execution. Direct competitor for CUE's Media & Data and Digital Services offerings.
• BlueFocus Communication Group: China-based marketing services group with international acquisitions and proprietary digital platforms. Closest China-headquartered peer to CUE in terms of tech + agency hybrid model and APAC ambition.
• Isobar (Dentsu): Dentsu's digital-first agency network operating across APAC. Directly comparable for digital campaign creation, e-commerce and experience design services that CUE offers via Bonsey Jaden and its digital services line.

Emerging players

• Trax: Singapore-headquartered retail AI and computer vision platform focused on in-store execution and shopper analytics. Closest pure-tech comparable for CUE's Smart Retail and Smart Manufacturing computer vision products.
• R/GA (IPG): Creative + technology agency under IPG with strong product engineering and innovation pedigree. Comparable as a tech-led creative boutique competing for technology-forward brand work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cue