marketing interactive

Singtel is turning concert week into a month-long celebration for fans, creators and tourists with “The concert pass”, a pop-up playground designed to extend the BLACKPINK experience beyond the stage. Running from 24 November to 24 December, the activation blends lifestyle, connectivity and culture in an immersive, content-friendly space that encourages fans to create and share memories. In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Shilpa Aggarwal, VP, mobile, customer solutions at Singtel Singapore, described the activation as “a space where fans can express themselves, create content, and celebrate community. Customers picking up a Singtel tourist SIM are guaranteed top-tier connectivity from the moment they land, allowing them to instantly share travel moments. On arrival, they’re greeted with exclusive fan freebies and immersive photobooths, creating memories even before the concert begins.” Don’t miss: Visa wants you to travel like Jennie, in latest ‘Road to Ruby’ campaign Singtel worked with Dollop and Butler Experiences to bring the activation to life. Aggarwal said, “Dollop created ultra-aesthetic photobooths, including a rotating camera in a car, while Butler managed on-ground operations. Together, we built a space fans actually want to spend time in.” The activation aligns with Singtel’s broader strategy to elevate fan engagement during major events. Aggarwal explained that concerts represent peak cultural moments, and with the company’s network already supporting high-demand shows such as Coldplay and the Singapore F1 Grand Prix, Singtel wanted to offer fans more than just connectivity. “The concert pass” aims to extend the concert experience beyond the venue, providing a 5G+-powered content playground while positioning Singtel as the go-to tourist SIM, even though the brand is not an official tour sponsor. Fans can enjoy DIY stations, collectables, and premium photostrips designed to generate shareable content and lasting memories. The activation is open to both tourists and local fans: Singtel Postpaid 5G+ Priority customers can redeem freebies at Kallang Leisure Park, while a SG$5, 48-hour priority pass via the MySingtel app offers priority access to others. Looking ahead, Aggarwal said Singtel plans to replicate this experiential approach for future concerts, festivals and cultural moments, focusing on enriching fan journeys and creating memorable experiences wherever the energy is highest. “Concerts are cultural moments when the city lights up, and we wanted our customers to feel that excitement from touchdown to encore. ‘The concert pass’ brings together our 5G+ speeds, creator-ready spaces and fan-first perks to elevate the entire journey — not just the show. It’s a demonstration of customer centricity in action, enriching the Singapore experience for tourists and deepening fandom culture for locals,” she added. The “Concert pass” is part of Singtel’s broader push to enhance experiences for visitors and fans. Earlier in June, the brand unveiled a 5G+ tourist SIM that flips the traditional prepaid checklist on its head. Instead of just buying a SIM on arrival, travellers can now unlock augmented reality (AR) experiences that turn sightseeing in Singapore into an interactive, gamified adventure. Once activated, the SIM grants access to an “AR passport”, a digital travel companion guiding users through ten must-visit spots, including Merlion Park, Sentosa and Mandai Zoo, with AR maps, trivia, games, and even rewards. Related articles: Singtel marches down National Day Parade memory lane in SG60 film   Singtel unveils patriotic brand film, rolls out enterprise-level 5G for consumers   Singtel banks on AI to tell Singaporean folktale in multiple languages source

Kinderland International Education (KIE) has appointed Alvin Tham as its first chief marketing officer (CMO). In the newly created role, Tham will focus on elevating KIE’s suite of brands as the group moves into its next phase of growth. He will lead the full marketing and sales function across Kinderland Academy, Kinderland Classics, Kinderland Workplace, NurtureStars and ELFA. Tham aims to sharpen KIE’s brand architecture and strengthen differentiation across the portfolio, driving an integrated marketing and enrolment strategy spanning digital, content, social, PR and offline channels. He will also work closely with KIE’s operations, curriculum and corporate teams to align go-to-market performance in Singapore and the region. Don’t miss: Rent-a-CMO? Why APAC is (still) cautious about the fractional marketing model The CMO role was previously structured as a marketing director position, which had been left vacant, said Tham in conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. To him, the move signals that the group is ready for “bigger brand ambitions, deeper customer engagement and a marketing engine that’s built for the future”. Tham will also serve as CMO at Crestar Education Group, overseeing brand management, marketing and communications for KIE and its wider portfolio. Commenting on his appointment, Tham said he is “excited with the opportunity to shape a clear, future-ready brand architecture for a much-loved heritage brand that is a pioneer in the early childhood education sector in Singapore.” “It’s an exciting time to join Kinderland as the Group enters new markets and strengthens its position as a top-quality preschool brand in the region. There’s a lot of work ahead, but I’m energised by the potential of our brands and what we can achieve together as a team,” he said. Tham will report to Robert Leong, group chief operating officer for Crestar Education Group and chief executive officer for Kinderland International Education. He joins from Busy Bees Asia, where he was director of marketing communications and creative, Asia, managing regional marketing, communications and customer service teams across 15 brands in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Tham previously held roles as director of marketing at MindChamps and head of marketing at the National Library Board, among others. For Tham, the move marks a meaningful career milestone. “It’s a position I’ve worked towards for two decades, the north star guiding me to choose roles that stretched me, honed my craft, and helped me learn how businesses truly grow. At the same time, I know this is where the real work begins,” he said. “I’m excited to bring that experience into Kinderland International Education, a group with deep heritage and tremendous potential, and to help shape how our brands create impact for families across the region,” he added. The appointment comes amid wider senior marketing movements in the regional education sector. In Malaysia, Taylor’s Education Group’s group CMO, Ben Foo, recently stepped down after over nine years with the university group. Foo led the group’s commercial strategy and execution. He played a key role in pushing Taylor’s beyond Malaysia’s borders, strengthening its presence in China, Indonesia and India.  Foo has since joined Woodpeckers Group as its new chief executive officer. Related articles:    Cigna Healthcare Singapore names new CMO and head of customer experience Mastercard names Accenture veteran global CMO as Raja Rajamannar steps down Driscoll’s appoints ex-Zespri CMO to newly created global role  source

Stagwell is betting on Singapore as its springboard for AI-driven marketing innovation across Asia Pacific. The challenger network announced a new APAC headquarters at Solaris, a campus in one-north, slated to open in Q1 2026. The hub promises flexible layouts, tech-enabled collaboration zones, and community spaces designed for hybrid work, while uniting Stagwell’s Singapore agencies, including ADK, Allison, Assembly, Forsman & Bodenfors, HarrisX, Ink Global and Locaria under one roof. The setup aims to accelerate solution-building, enable real-time collaboration and enhance operational agility, giving teams the tools to deliver faster, smarter and more predictive marketing strategies. Don’t miss: Assembly and ADK Global merge to form Stagwell’s APAC powerhouse “Singapore is the engine of our growth in Asia. The new Stagwell Singapore campus brings creativity, media, communications, data, and AI together so we can move faster for clients,” Randy Duax, managing director, Stagwell APAC, said. “This is the new model. More connected, more inventive, and built for the momentum of local markets. Asia is where the future of this industry is being built, and Stagwell is building it.” Connie Chan, chief growth officer at Stagwell APAC said office reflects Stagwell’s commitment to building for the future. “It’s a space designed for collaboration, creativity and sustainability – so we can show up stronger for clients in Singapore and across APAC.” The move follows a year of momentum in APAC, including Stagwell’s acquisition of ADK GLOBAL, the Singapore launch of its “Future of news” initiative, and the introduction of Stagwell Media Platform, which centralises global media, technology and data expertise. Stagwell recently partnered with Palantir to develop an AI and data platform that provides marketers with a single source of targeting information, unlocking new opportunities for ROI. The Singapore hub is positioned as the network’s nerve center for creativity, data-driven strategy and AI-powered growth across the region. Bart Price, CEO of Vita Partners, owner and manager of Solaris added: “We are excited to welcome Stagwell to Solaris and have their APAC headquarters in our building. Stagwell’s presence in the building strengthens our vision of creating vibrant ecosystems for innovative and forward-thinking occupiers across the APAC region.” Related articles: Allison Worldwide, Stagwell nabs MSL APAC CEO to lead growth and innovation  Allison names new SG office GM amidst expansion of offerings  Stagwell nabs OMD China CEO as new APAC chief growth officer   source

Hyper-personalisation has moved from an emerging tactic to the baseline of modern marketing. Today, we have behavioural signals, intent data, and predictive models at our fingertips. The long-standing industry mantra of “reaching the right person, with the right message, at the right time” has never been more achievable. However, the uncomfortable truth is that while this technology has advanced dramatically, the way we think and talk about how we use it has not kept pace. Marketers often default to seeing data as an all-knowing compass. Yet, data-driven personalisation is only as effective as the care and context applied to it. When empathy is absent, even the most sophisticated campaigns risk being perceived as cold, tone-deaf, or worse, intrusive. In those moments, trust is not earned. It is eroded. Data is not the problem – misinterpretation is Data is an essential tool. It helps us understand customer behavior, identify patterns, segment audiences, and scale delivery with precision but it also has blind spots. Data tells us what someone did. Sometimes it can even predict when they might do it again. But it cannot tell us why they did it, or what has changed in their circumstances since. It does not capture nuance, lived experience, or moments of vulnerability. Imagine someone is browsing financial products. The data suggests an interest in savings accounts or credit cards, so a hyper-personalised campaign kicks in with tailored offers. On paper, the intent is obvious, but what if that individual has just faced a job loss, or suffered a personal tragedy? What was intended as helpful nudging can quickly become painful or insensitive. The issue is not with the data itself, but it is with assuming that behavioral signals are complete truths. When we design solely around what we see in dashboards, we miss what is not visible. That gap is where misalignment and customer frustration happens. Empathy is a strategy, not a soft skill Empathy is often misunderstood in marketing. It is seen as an optional nice-to-have layered on top of hard data. However, in the age of automation, empathy is actually a strategic necessity. It is what turns personalisation into a relationship rather than a transaction. It ensures that campaigns do not just reach people but resonate with them. A human-centered approach to personalisation requires us to pause and ask uncomfortable but necessary questions. What might the customer be feeling in this moment? Could our message land differently from how we had intended it to be? Are we showing up with genuine value, or simply visibility? These are not questions that data alone can answer. They require reflection, context, and sometimes the courage to adapt or withhold a message. Far from inefficiency, that is what emotional intelligence looks like in marketing. Designing for real life, not ideal journeys No algorithm can fully anticipate the unpredictability of real life. People do not move neatly through funnels. Their intent evolves, and what resonates today may feel inappropriate tomorrow. This is especially critical in high-stakes categories like finance, healthcare, or wellness, where emotions run deep and timing is everything. In such spaces, precision without sensitivity risks doing more harm than good. The next evolution of personalisation must go beyond data accuracy and embrace human reality. That means building in mechanisms that reflect customer control and real-life complexity. That includes opt-out and reset mechanisms that let customers adjust or restart their journey; escalation paths where sensitive interactions get routed to human touchpoints, not left to automation; context-aware design where behavioral signals are enriched with situational awareness; as well as strategic restraint, recognising that silence at the right moment can be more powerful than over-communication. These are not inefficiencies but safeguards that protect the brand and what it stands for. They remind us that while data fuels campaigns, empathy protects relationships. Purpose first, personalisation second One of the most overlooked steps in hyper-personalisation is clarifying intent. Before automating touchpoints or optimising bids, we need to ask: If this message could only do one thing, what should that be? Without this clarity, campaigns risk becoming exercises in efficiency — chasing clicks, conversions, or incremental lifts — without considering the bigger picture of customer trust and brand equity. Purpose reframes personalisation. It shifts the goal from being the “most predictive” to being the “most relevant in context.” When the intent behind a message is clear, data becomes a tool for empathy, not just efficiency. It helps us not only understand what people might want, but also when, how, and even if they want to hear from us at all. The human advantage As marketers, we are conditioned to keep pushing for more: more predictive models, more real-time signals, more “always-on” campaigns, but perhaps the bigger opportunity lies in being more deliberate, being present without being overwhelming. This does not mean pulling back from technology. It means using it with intent. It means remembering that personalisation is not a showcase of how much we know about someone, it is a chance to demonstrate how much we understand them. The brands that will stand out in Asia’s increasingly competitive landscape are not the ones with the most advanced algorithms. They will be the ones with the clearest values. The ones that know when to speak and when to listen. The ones that are designed for real life, not just ideal journeys. This article was written by Terrence Quah, general manager, Merkle Singapore and dentsu X Singapore source

The creative industry is at a pivotal moment. As 2026 approaches, agencies and brands face unprecedented opportunities and challenges from rapid technological advances, shifting audience expectations, and the accelerating pace of culture. AI is no longer experimental, it’s embedded in how ideas are conceived, produced, and delivered. Brands must act not just as marketers, but as cultural contributors, creating work that resonates authentically across communities and platforms. Yet technology alone won’t drive creativity; human insight, cultural intuition, and storytelling remain what make campaigns memorable. Success lies in balancing the speed and scale AI enables with the originality, empathy, and nuance only humans can provide. To understand where the industry is headed, we spoke with Singapore’s leading creative thinkers. From AI-augmented workflows to culture-driven brand ecosystems, here’s how they see the focal points of creativity in 2026. Don’t miss: Future of PR: How SG agencies are rewriting the press playbook for 2026 Fiona Bartholomeusz, managing director, Formul8 The next wave of change in the creative industry will be driven by AI and intelligent automation. AI-augmented creativity is set to become more pervasive, reshaping how we work and sparking concerns about redundancies in certain roles. Yet, human accountability, authenticity, and insight remain irreplaceable, providing the depth and nuance in storytelling that AI cannot replicate. The key focus moving forward is integrating AI-enabled tools and processes without losing the human creative touch. Creativity has always been a people-and-passion business, and that must remain constant. While AI is a powerful enabler, the agencies and individuals who master its application will define the next evolution of advertising and the broader creative industry. Ultimately, success lies not in replacing humans with AI, but in leveraging technology to amplify human creativity, preserving the originality, emotion, and insight that form the backbone of meaningful and memorable campaigns. Munas van Boonstra, managing director, Monks SEA The next big wave for creativity in 2026 is the shift from AI-assisted to AI-accelerated creativity; where ideas scale instantly, production compresses from weeks to hours, and brands move at the speed of culture without losing craft or humanity. The real magic sits in the sweet spot between traditional creative thinking grounded in strong insights and strategy, and the power of agentic AI tools, adaptive content engines and real-time insight platforms that let us prototype, test and personalise at scale across Southeast Asia. This transformation succeeds when clients embrace experimentation. The journey includes wins, misses and rapid learnings, because AI today is the worst it will ever be – it’s evolving, not yet perfect, and requires hybrid human-AI models with the right talent, tools and time. In 2026, we’re investing where creativity compounds: people, technology and measurable impact. My priority remains constant: creativity that feels unmistakably human driven by empathy, culture and purpose, powered by AI and technology. Paul Soon, CEO, Mullen Lowe Singapore and China In 2026, the creative industry faces not a single disruption, but a cascading sequence of shifts that require orchestration over fragmentation. As marketers increasingly lean on creators and influencers to drive reach, the real opportunity lies in reclaiming brand influence—elevating it from tactical placement to a designed system of trust, experience, and cultural relevance. At MullenLowe Singapore, we’re actively shaping this narrative with a point of view we call “Radical transparency,” where brands must now consider how they appear in LLMs and browsers such as Comet, how they influence in synchrony with agentic commerce and live-stream ecosystems. Our focus is on scalable innovation: co-developing Adobe’s AI platforms such as Firefly and Harmonize, and deepening integration with Salesforce to build GenAI-powered, citizen-first brand experiences. Underpinning this is a renewed commitment to talent—retaining, rewarding, and inspiring people who want to do work that performs and resonates. We are investing ahead, acquiring differentiated tools and data sources to remain strategically valuable to our clients. Our north star remains unchanged: to build admired, effective work grounded in intelligence, creativity, and shared belief—where influence is earned, not assumed. Kunal Jeswani, CEO, Ogilvy ASEAN Marketing communication is always changing. The difference, however, is that the degree of change we would see in a decade, we are now seeing every couple of years. And that’s exciting. So here’s what I think we’ll see in 2026. One, greater client budget shifts to social, influencer marketing and large, client specific, built-to-purpose multi-brand content studios. Two, greater use of AI across the board through the full strategy and creative development process. This will lead to more average, templated, tick-all-the-boxes lower funnel work, which will in turn lead to more similar, easily forgettable content. Many clients will struggle with this. Three, strong strategists and creative leaders who consistently upskill, work with AI, and have the ability to lift and differentiate both the always-on content and critical brand campaigns with sticky, memorable ideas – will continue to be in demand for clients with enough experience to understand the value of differentiation & memorability in the expanding sea of sameness. WPP Open, our AI-powered operating system, is primed to be a transformational differentiator in the way we show up as an agency for our clients. WPP Open is an enabler of excellence. For us, the focus is on attracting and retaining the best strategists and the best creatives in the business – and equipping them with the strongest AI tool in the market to deliver the best work of our lives. Sean Donovan, president, Omnicom Advertising Group, Asia 2026 will see a continued focus on growth for our clients through: further investing in technology as a foundational platform; collaborating within the broader Omnicom family to organise around solutions to client problems; and, continuing to double down on breakthrough creativity as a key differentiator and driver of growth. And, as an organising principle, not letting the ‘Or’ bully the ‘And’. I hear way too many narrow positions shouting from their own marginal perspectives. So in 2026, let’s continue to remind ourselves that we have more access to data than ever, and, more ability to turn that data into intelligence than ever, and, more powerful

OpenAI is making ChatGPT a little more social. The company has begun rolling out group chats, letting users bring friends, family, or colleagues into the same conversation with the AI. The feature is now available to logged-in users on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan, with a wider global rollout expected after early feedback. Group chats allow users to plan events, make decisions, or work through ideas together with ChatGPT. For instance, friends can use the feature to plan a weekend trip, create a packing list, or decide on a restaurant. Teams and students can collaborate on research, draft outlines, or organise notes, all in a shared space where ChatGPT responds contextually to the group conversation. Don’t miss: OpenAI’s APAC comms head on leveraging ChatGPT as a strategic partner Users can start a group chat by tapping the people icon in any conversation, inviting up to 20 participants via a shared link. ChatGPT is designed to follow the flow of group discussions, react with emojis, and even use participants’ profile photos for personalised image prompts. Participants can also set custom instructions for how ChatGPT responds, from tone to context. OpenAI emphasised privacy and control. Group chats are separate from personal conversations, and ChatGPT does not use memory from these sessions. Users must accept invitations to join, can leave at any time, and group creators are the only ones protected from being removed. For under-18 users, exposure to sensitive content is automatically limited, with parental controls available to disable group chats entirely. “Group chats are just the beginning of ChatGPT becoming a shared space to collaborate and interact with others,” OpenAI said. The company plans to refine the experience as more users test the feature and provide feedback. The launch comes amid ongoing scrutiny over ChatGPT’s handling of user data. Earlier this month, OpenAI pushed back against a US court order requiring it to hand over 20 million anonymised ChatGPT conversations to The New York Times and other publishers as part of a copyright infringement lawsuit. OpenAI argued that producing the logs could expose confidential user information, noting that “99.99%” of transcripts were unrelated to the case. The company proposed privacy-preserving alternatives, but a judge had previously ruled in favour of disclosure, with safeguards for de-identification. OpenAI clarified that enterprise, education, business, and API customers are not affected by the order. This rollout is also part of OpenAI’s broader push to integrate ChatGPT across digital experiences. In September, the company took initial steps toward turning ChatGPT into a personal shopping assistant. The Instant Checkout feature lets users complete purchases directly in chat. US-based ChatGPT Plus, Pro and Free users can buy from Etsy sellers without leaving the conversation, with Shopify merchants including Glossier, SKIMS, Spanx and Vuori coming soon. This was followed by ChatGPT Atlas in October, a web browser built around the AI. Atlas allows ChatGPT to assist users directly on any webpage, leveraging memory from past chats to complete tasks without copying and pasting between tools. The browser aims to create a “super-assistant” experience, combining users’ work, tools, and context in one place. Related articles: OpenAI shows how ChatGPT fits into everyday life in first major campaign    Is the latest ‘Ghibli’ trend a leap for OpenAI’s facial recognition capability?        PayPal partners OpenAI to drive agentic commerce in ChatGPT source

American luxury brand Coach is rethinking retail and hospitality to engage Gen Z, transforming traditional shopping into fully immersive, shareable experiences. From a retro-futuristic aircraft in Malaysia to cafés, bars, and a full-service restaurant in Singapore, Coach is building a lifestyle ecosystem where storytelling, interactivity, and design converge. It all began with “Coach Play Singapore Shophouse”, which opened in 2023 in the heart of Keong Saik. Spanning over 4,000 square feet across three storeys, it was Coach’s largest concept store in the world at the time and the first of its kind in Asia. With Instagram-worthy nooks, six themed rooms featuring immersive and interactive experiences, and an American diner-style café, the brand quickly became a hit among Coach fans. That same year, Coach took flight in Malaysia with “Coach Airways”, a retail concept inside a repurposed Boeing 747. The experience earned recognition such as the Malaysia Book of Records title for the “First retail concept store in an airline.” Don’t miss: How luxury pop-ups are redefining exclusivity Nostalgia and retro-futurism This year, Coach Airways returned with a complete redesign, blending nostalgia and innovation to captivate Gen Z. “This new Coach Airways experience takes on a retro-futuristic theme, blending nostalgic travel aesthetics with a bold, space-age twist. The refreshed concept introduces a vibrant new color palette, our Coach Airways print woven throughout the space, and our fierce mascot, Rexy, in unexpected moments,” said Giovanni Zaccariello, SVP, global visual experience at Coach in an interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. “Compared to the 2023 version, this years’ experience feels bolder, more playful, and more visually dynamic, designed to spark curiosity and create a deeper emotional connection. It’s not just a revisit; it’s a reimagination that pushes the boundaries of retail storytelling even further,” Zaccariello explained. By combining nostalgia, interactivity, and storytelling, Coach transforms its retail spaces into experiences that are both emotionally resonant and truly unforgettable, and into destinations that younger, experience-driven consumers have never seen before and are eager to share. For Gen Z, such spaces offers experience-driven engagement, tapping into their desire for shareable, memorable moments that go beyond traditional retail. It also encourages creativity, connection and discovery, all of which are key drivers for a generation that values authenticity and immersion, said Zaccariello, adding that:  The retro-futuristic aesthetic feels both nostalgic and fresh, mirroring Gen Z’s unique ability to remix vintage influences with contemporary style. Expanding the Coach lifestyle Since then, Coach has expanded its experiential footprint in Singapore, opening “The Coach Coffee Shop” in August this year at WEAVE, Resorts World Sentosa. Located at the front of the Coach retail store, the café channels the spirit of New York City, blending fashion, culture, and community in an immersive setting. The space features a lush green façade, city skyline wallpaper, industrial fixtures, concrete walls, and decorative LED lighting. Fans will also spot Lil Miss Jo, the coffee cup mascot, on to-go cups, napkins, and exclusive merchandise including tote bags, baseball hats, T-shirts, mugs, canvas pouches, and water bottles. The all-day menu serves American classics as well as sweet offerings including American cruller-style donuts and signature soft-serve in nostalgic flavours, including a Singapore-exclusive chilli crab. Coffee and specialty drinks round out the experience, with seasonal creations such as strawberry matcha and popsicle-inspired orange cream. Meanwhile, the Keong Saik Road space has been transformed into “Coach Bar”, offering cocktails, martinis, and elevated takes on the brand’s signature sandwiches. Together, these experiences reinforce Coach’s goal to create “vibrant, unexpected, and emotionally engaging” activations for younger audiences. Most recently, the brand debuted its first full-service dining concept “The Coach Restaurant” at Jewel Changi Airport. Designed as a New York-inspired steakhouse with a Coach twist, the restaurant features leather accents, a suspended NYC taxi cab, a 10-seat chef’s counter, and an open woodfire kitchen. Signature menu items include USDA Prime cuts, Satsuma Wagyu A5, Dover Sole, and Instagram-worthy desserts such as a 20-layer chocolate cake and PB&J Baked Alaska. “These immersive partnerships complement each other by transporting customers into the world of Coach, where every detail is designed to engage the five senses,” said Zaccariello, adding that:  Whether it’s a retail experience or a restaurant collaboration, each activation deepens connection with younger audiences by making the brand feel vibrant, unexpected, and emotionally engaging—a world they want to explore and be part of. According to Zaccariello, Coach promotes these experiences through a mix of owned social media, influencers, media, and community activations. “With owned social media, our followers will see an ever-evolving content style and voice that resonates with younger audiences today,” he explained. The brand is also intentional when collaborating with its sphere of influencers and media, not only ensuring their existing demographics include Gen Z, but also that they share the brand’s values of creating authentic and expressive content for their community that resonates with Gen Z. Looking ahead, Coach will continue to create multi-sensory experiences that spark emotional connections and invite Gen Z into a world of discovery. Zaccariello concluded:  Our strategy focuses on building a strong Coach community by reimagining craft and heritage through fresh, innovative lenses—turning every touchpoint into a space for exploration, self-expression, and storytelling. With Coach Airways, coffee shops, bars, restaurant collaborations, and a full-service dining concept, the brand is building a lifestyle ecosystem tailored to Gen Z — one that blends fashion, food, and immersive experiences, keeping the next generation engaged, inspired, and coming back for more. Related articles:Coach wants you to set your own pace of life in new ‘On your own time’ positioning  How Raffles Hotel is banking on the butler to modernise luxury  Luxury goes pop: How music videos are the new catwalks for high fashion brands source

Travel platform Klook has partnered with local animal welfare group SOSD and McCann Worldgroup Singapore to launch “Singapore special walk”, a December-long weekend experience designed to raise awareness and funds for Singapore’s mixed-breed street dogs. Running every weekend evening in December at SOSD’s shelter, the activation lets attendees take the charity’s rescues, known as ‘Singapore Specials’, on a gentle guided walk. Visitors will also get an educational tour led by SOSD volunteers that outlines how the organisation rehabilitates stray and abandoned dogs. The experience ends with a picnic session, and each participant will receive a portrait shot by McCann Content Studios. Don’t miss: No thumbs, no problem: How pets are stealing the brand spotlight Klook said the initiative reflects its push to enable more meaningful community-focused experiences on its platform. McCann added that the effort aligns with its goal of using creativity to drive social impact. The campaign aims to highlight ongoing stigma around Singapore Specials, which SOSD said contributes to lower adoption rates and limited donations compared with purebreds. While adoption interest is not required, the event acts as a fundraising effort to support SOSD’s rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming work. Bookings for the “Singapore special walk” are now available on Klook. “At Klook, we’re passionate about creating experiences that bring people joy while making a positive difference. ‘Singapore special walk’ is a perfect example that connects people with a heartfelt cause, giving families and animal lovers a memorable experience with a meaningful purpose,” Sarah Wan, general manager of Klook Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. In tandem, Kieran Kua, head of operations at SOSD said, “Every walk and every interaction helps our dogs regain trust and confidence in people. Events such as ‘Singapore special walk’ raise awareness that these resilient dogs have so much love to give and are just as lovable as any purebred dog. It’s wonderful to be partnering with Klook and McCann Worldgroup to support our efforts at giving these rescues their second chance at life.” Seth Low, art director, McCann Singapore, added, “It’s always a joy to use creativity to make a tangible difference and communicate everyday truths that might be overlooked. The ‘Singapore special walk’ is a small act with a big heart. Through this campaign, we hope that our Specials can be seen in a new light both online and in real life.” As part of wider brand-building efforts, Klook has also been experimenting with sensory-led experiential work. In July, the travel platform rolled out the “Joy dispenser”, an activation under its first global brand campaign, “The best you”, created by The Secret Little Agency. Debuting at Rainforest Wild ASIA in Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the interactive vending machine invited visitors to shout bold affirmations in exchange for limited-edition incense sticks inspired by moments in the park, including scents such as “Mousedeer farts” and “A sun bear’s mid-afternoon splash”. Related articles: Klook lets Marie Kondo get messy in first global brand campaign   Klook partners SG Culture Pass to connect Singaporeans with cultural experiences    Klook and PlayStation refine experiential travel with exclusive Hokkaido tour source

Happy Friday, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to Gen Z Perspectives, your go-to feature where we unpack the week’s top stories and trending topics through the eyes of Gen Z. From the biggest industry moves to viral moments and marketing controversies worth dissecting, we’re bringing the heat with authenticity, awareness and probably a few unfiltered takes. This week, Nike cooked up a soup-themed pop-up in Guangzhou, Kylie Cosmetics finally touched down in Singapore, and acting minister David Neo apologised after calling Hong Kong’s football players and fans “idiots”. Ladle up. This week’s serving is hot. Don’t miss: Gen Z perspectives: Agency Agenda podcast, Luckin Coffee’s cheesy collab and 11.11 surge 1. Nike blends sports and Cantonese soup culture with pop-up in Guangzhou Nike has unveiled a “Cantonese Songyuan” (廣式湯苑) pop-up soup shop in Guangzhou, China, blending the familiar Cantonese soup culture with the spirit of sports. As part of the campaign in collaboration with Chinese athlete Su Bingtian (蘇炳添), who hails from Guangzhou, the shop features the tagline “落足料 点会冇料到”, a Cantonese expression meaning “As long as you give your all, you will achieve results”. This not only reflects the Cantonese culture of emphasising “ample ingredients” in soup but also aligns with Nike’s enduring sports philosophy. Read more here.  2. Kylie Cosmetics opens first standalone store in Singapore Kylie Cosmetics has opened its first standalone store in Singapore, giving fans a permanent space to explore the brand beyond online shopping and pop-up activations. The new store, located at Bugis Junction, coincides with the brand’s tenth anniversary and features the limited-edition ‘King Kylie collection’, available exclusively at the Singapore location. The store combines retail with experiential elements, offering immersive beauty activations throughout the opening weekend from 21 to 23 November. Read more here.  3. SG acting minister apologises for calling HK football players and fans ‘idiots’ Singapore’s acting minister for culture, community and youth David Neo has apologised after calling Hong Kong football players and fans “idiots”. This follows the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers held in Hong Kong on Tuesday (18 November), where the Hong Kong team lost 1-2 to Singapore at home, missing their opportunity to advance to the final round. In a livestream video, Neo praised Singapore’s winning football players following the match, saying that “all the [Hong Kong] fans were bloody idiots, and the players – they also played like idiots. But you all played like lions.” Read more here.  Related articles: Agency agenda: Rana Barua charts Havas’ growth across Asia  CHAGEE marks eight years with new look and regional celebrations     Thought leadership works, but where’s the real power in B2B influence? source

Google DeepMind is expanding its footprint in Asia Pacific with a new AI research lab in Singapore, a move that builds on the government’s push to accelerate AI adoption through its National AI Strategy 2.0 and Smart Nation 2.0 plans. The lab marks a deeper investment in the region after the company more than doubled its APAC team over the past year. Google DeepMind said its Singapore-based team will comprise research scientists, software engineers, operations specialists and AI impact experts. The team will focus on advancing core capabilities for Gemini and applying its latest models across Google’s products and Cloud customers, with an emphasis on linguistic and cultural inclusivity for Asia Pacific. Don’t miss: Google elevates Ben King to lead newly consolidated Singapore-Malaysia cluster The lab will also serve as a collaboration hub as the company works with government agencies, businesses, civil society and academic institutions across the region. Singapore organisations are already tapping Google’s AI tools across several sectors. A*STAR and the National Neuroscience Institute used AlphaFold to support new research on Parkinson’s disease. GovTech, the Cyber Security Agency, the Infocomm Media Development Authority and Google recently launched an AI agent sandbox to test autonomous solutions for public-sector use. Google DeepMind also worked with AI Singapore on Project Aquarium, an open data platform for Southeast Asian languages, and expanded the partnership to support SEA-LION, a family of LLMs tuned to regional cultural and linguistic contexts. This enabled the launch of SEA-LION v4, built on Gemma 3’s multimodal capabilities. In education, students in Singapore are receiving one-year free access to the Google AI Pro Plan, while the company introduced Gemini Academy to IMDA’s Singapore Digital Office to broaden AI literacy beyond schools. For startups, the Google for Startups: AI First accelerator is supporting local founders using generative AI to solve economic, societal and environmental challenges. Google DeepMind said these initiatives reflect the potential of combining frontier research with Singapore’s innovation ecosystem. The company added that its new lab will continue strengthening partnerships across Asia Pacific to scale the impact of AI for communities in the region. “Google has been a part of the Singapore story for close to two decades, as home to our Asia-Pacific headquarters. The new Google DeepMind research lab in Singapore is a strong signal of the importance of this region and will help to ensure Asia Pacific – which is home to more than half the world’s population, is not just consuming AI, but is an architect and developer of this transformative technology,” said Sanjay Gupta, president, Google Asia Pacific. In tandem, Lila Ibrahim, COO at Google DeepMind said, “Singapore’s forward-looking approach and unique position make it the ideal place for our new Google DeepMind AI research lab. We are here to harness the region’s exceptional talent, drive purposeful research, and build the essential partnerships to advance AI responsibly and deliver tangible, global impact.”  Jermaine Loy, managing director at EDB, said Google DeepMind’s decision to set up its first Southeast Asian research lab in Singapore strengthens the country’s push to build an AI innovation hub for the region. She added that the collaboration will help advance solutions in areas such as healthcare, energy and climate, while creating opportunities for Singapore’s talent and research community through access to advanced AI tools. The expansion comes as Google steps up broader efforts around online safety in Singapore. In October, the company unveiled that it will roll out age assurance solutions across its products in the first quarter of 2026 to provide more age-appropriate experiences for users under 18. The move follows rising parental concerns about online risks and a survey by the Ministry of Digital Development and Information calling for stronger support in managing children’s digital activities. Google’s age assurance technology uses a machine learning model to estimate a user’s age based on signals such as search activity and YouTube viewing categories. Safeguards for those identified as under 18 include default SafeSearch filters, restricted access to adult apps on Google Play, disabled Timeline features on Google Maps, and content limits on YouTube. Related articles: Google Gemini’s #BikinGebrakanLo brings AI ‘see-through’ billboards to Indonesia   Google Gemini’s student-led campaign turns AI into a catalyst for real breakthroughs   Google updates its iconic “G” with brighter gradient design source