marketing interactive

GQ is expanding its global footprint with the launch of a Singapore edition this fall, published under license from Condé Nast in partnership with Paradigm Media.  Founded by industry veteran Jumius Wong, Paradigm Media brings more than 20 years of editorial and publishing experience to the title. The new edition aims to offer a nuanced, forward-looking take on contemporary masculinity tailored to the Singaporean reader. Since its founding in New York in 1957, GQ has grown into a global authority on men’s fashion, culture and luxury, known for its sharp journalism and headline-making covers featuring figures across style, sport and entertainment. Its flagship “Men of the year” event has become a cultural fixture across its markets. Don’t miss: SG reinforces public service media as trusted platform amid AI misinformation  With the Singapore launch, the brand expands its presence to more than 20 markets worldwide, joining editions in the US, UK, Japan, Korea, Italy, the Middle East and China. GQ Singapore will debut digitally in June, followed by a print edition in September, publishing eight issues a year. The title will lean into social-first storytelling, original video and premium photography as it builds its audience. “Singapore is one of the most dynamic cities in Southeast Asia, with a rich cultural and artistic heritage and a growing role as a regional hub for world-class events. This launch will strengthen GQ’s presence in the region while contributing a distinct local point of view to the global network,” said Desiree Au, publisher of GQ Singapore.  In tandem, Christiane Mack, chief content operations officer at Condé Nast said “GQ has always thrived in markets where culture, curiosity and influence intersect. GQ Singapore’s platform will connect a uniquely sophisticated audience to the established editorial excellence of this global title.”  The move marks another step in Condé Nast’s ongoing strategy to expand its portfolio through licensed partnerships in key growth markets across Asia. In 2020, Condé Nast relaunched Vogue Singapore, two decades after shuttering the short-lived Southeast Asian edition in the 1990s. At the time, the publisher positioned the move as a response to Singapore’s growing influence as a regional fashion hub, noting the rise of local design talent and the strength of its luxury fashion market, valued at US$940 million. The relaunch marked Vogue’s 27th international edition and only its second in Southeast Asia. Vogue Singapore has been under Media Publishares for the past 6 years. In 2023, the magazine celebrated its third anniversary with an audio edition. The edition was integrated with a proprietary chip technology produced in collaboration with Spatial Labs, allowing it to speak to readers. Readers could tap the NFC-enabled Continuity Chip with their smartphones to unlock an exclusive soundscape experience hosted on Vogue Singapore’s website. Photo courtesy of GQ, Facebook.  Related articles:   BurdaLuxury picks new editor-in-chief of Lifestyle Asia KL and SG Media Publishares promotes Vogue SG’s Bettina von Schlippe and Natasha Damodaran  The Peak tweaks logo in subtle aesthetic refresh  source

As the Formula 1 season opens at Albert Park this weekend, Airwallex is entering year three of a sports sponsorship push that has quietly become one of the most ambitious brand-building plays in global fintech. The Melbourne-founded payments and financial platform is now live with three major international properties, McLaren Racing in F1, Arsenal FC in the Premier League and Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants, while also layering in more local plays across Australia and New Zealand through AFL club Essendon and iconic New Zealand Super Rugby Club, the Blues. It marks a shift from a single global sponsorship to a portfolio approach that mixes worldwide visibility with local credibility. And according to Jon Stona, vice president of global marketing at Airwallex, it is already delivering “a material impact” on the business. “What we’ve seen is that it’s had a material impact, not just on trust, but also consideration,” Stona says. “This is critical in financial services, especially for a challenger brand.” He says the McLaren partnership in particular has helped sales teams unlock larger conversations in-market, accelerated existing pipelines and delivered an internal dividend too, with employee pride and recruiting lift flowing from the visibility of elite sport. “A really wonderful byproduct has been the growth in employee sentiment. There’s so much pride especially when a Grand Prix comes into town. Mum and dad will see it and instantly recognise it. We see the impact even on our recruiting pipeline of candidates wanting to join the company. It’s right across the board.” The timing is strong. McLaren arrives in Melbourne as reigning 2025 constructors’ champion, while Lando Norris topped the 2025 drivers’ standings. Meanwhile Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Brighton on 4 March keeps it at the top of the Premier League table and pushing for its first league title since 2004. Airwallex’s newest global partnership – the San Francisco Giants jersey patch deal – will debut this MLB season, adding a high-impact US platform just as the company ramps its American ambitions. Why sport? It works Airwallex’s sports strategy began with McLaren, at a moment when Stona argues the sponsorship market had briefly reset. “You know, at the time, coming off the back of Covid and also the crypto winter, what we saw was that there were a lot of sports properties and rights holders who ended up having inventory that was, I think, fairly undervalued,” he says. Airwallex also wanted a faster route to trust and brand awareness in new markets.  “The sports sponsorship angle is really interesting for us, because it’s dynamic in nature. It’s not like an out-of-home placement that goes away after a certain point of time or is just purely two dimensional,” he says.  “We see it being multifaceted and dynamic. You have content, you have hospitality, you have the actual athletes and drivers and you have the IP that you can then use intelligently through the rest of your marketing communications. “I think one of the most important aspects which makes it multi-dimensional is the fact that it can be a real product story. No partnership that we enter into is purely a logo play. We need to be a partner. We are integrating Airwallex into your products. That’s that authentic story that we’re going to tell.” That integration theme now sits at the centre of how Airwallex positions its partnerships. The Essendon deal, announced this week, includes official financial software status in addition to the jersey placement, with Airwallex’s spend and expense management tools set to be deployed across club operations. Activation is the real work If there is one line that keeps coming up in Airwallex’s playbook, it is that signing the deal is the easy part. “So much of it also comes into how you activate,” Stona says. “Signing a deal is the easy part. Actually activating and making it relevant to people, that’s where the real magic comes in.” His critique is blunt: too many brands spend everything securing the rights, then have little meaningful investment left for activation.  Airwallex instead treats sport as a “multiplier” across the marketing funnel, feeding its IP and access into content, events and performance marketing rather than isolating sponsorship as a brand-only layer. “For us, we flow it into everything that we do,” he says. “Our event strategy, our content strategy, our performance marketing makes use of that IP. Our job is to meet our customers and prospects where they are.” That idea matters particularly in B2B, where marketing has historically struggled to create emotional connection. “One of the challenges that has held B2B marketing back is that it’s just felt too impersonal. At the end of the day these are human beings that we’re trying to build relationships with,” Stona says. From global to hyper-local What is notable now is how Airwallex is evolving the sponsorship portfolio. Stona described McLaren as a “truly global” platform, a single property with worldwide reach designed to build brand salience quickly. Arsenal then became a hybrid play: global appeal combined with strategic importance in Europe as Airwallex pushes deeper into the UK and broader EMEA. Year three marks the shift into local and regional partnerships designed to embed the brand market by market. “So the third year of activity, now we start to move into the regional and hyper-local sponsorships. For us that means AFL in Australia and Super Rugby in New Zealand.” That approach now extends to the US through Airwallex’s partnership with the Giants, a move tied closely to the company’s San Francisco expansion. “San Francisco is our home in the US, and the Giants are one of the city’s most iconic institutions,” says Jack Zhang, co-founder and CEO of Airwallex. “We’ve been building here quietly for years, but this partnership marks our bold commitment to the city’s future.” And the logic, Stona says, is not simply choosing the biggest team. “It’s more important to show that you’re in this for the long term,” he says. “For us, it’s like, let’s get

Tata Communications has unveiled a new global brand positioning, “Together, limitless”, marking a major milestone in its 24-year journey as it evolves from a traditional telecom provider into a trusted orchestrator of enterprise digital ecosystems. The move is part of a broader transformation to align with the accelerating complexity enterprises face in an AI- and cloud-driven world, while strengthening Tata Communications’ relevance across global markets. At the heart of the brand repositioning is the company’s “Digital Fabric”, a unified, programmable foundation connecting networks, cloud, security, collaboration, AI, IoT, media and customer interaction platforms. According to Sumeet Walia, EVP and chief business officer, the “Digital Fabric” allows Tata Communications to move enterprises from fragmented technology stacks to cohesive digital ecosystems, offering what he describes as “a single hand to shake.” Don’t miss: Telkomsel presses the ‘heart button’ for Ramadan with 360° Siaga 2026 campaign  The brand refresh also signals a strategic shift in how the company engages with enterprise decision-makers. Today, technology alone is no longer a differentiator as enterprises seek clarity, coordination and trusted partnerships. “Companies don’t lack technological capabilities but they struggle with technological coordination,” Walia said. This varies from multiple clouds to distributed AI workloads, cybersecurity layers and edge environments, companies face boardroom-level coordination challenges. “This is where our role evolves. We are not just a provider, we act as an orchestrator.” In a move that blends B2B strategy with consumer-style storytelling, Tata Communications launched its first television and digital campaign in collaboration with McCann. The creative captures the chaos and fragmentation of the modern technology landscape before revealing the calm and clarity that purposeful orchestration enables.  The decision to adopt a narrative-led, emotionally resonant approach stems from extensive research and customer listening. Tata Communications’ internal study, supported by Kantar, revealed that while the company is highly trusted by global enterprises for complex, mission-critical transformations, this credibility is under-recognised in the wider market. By foregrounding storytelling, Tata Communications aims to connect with business decision-makers as people, reflecting the human instincts, habits, and emotional drivers that guide enterprise purchasing decisions. “The traditional distinction between B2B and B2C audiences is overstated. In reality, organisations make decisions, but it’s the people choose,” said Walia. After all, decision-makers still respond to human, relatable stories that offer clarity and confidence. This insight guided the campaign, allowing Tata Communications to move beyond functional messaging to show how it simplifies complexity, integrate technologies, and enable tangible outcomes.  Tata Communications is also leveraging this moment to underscore its expanding global presence, strengthened partnerships, and long-term vision. Through acquisitions such as The Switch, Kaleyra and Commotion Inc., and initiatives such as the “AI-ready suite” the company aims to support enterprises in scaling AI and digital operations with confidence. “Today, enterprises operate in a world defined by a fundamental paradox,” Walia explained. “Technology is indispensable for speed, efficiency and scale, yet the abundance of systems and platforms often slows them down. ‘Together, limitless’ is a declaration of how we work: integrating expertise, platforms, and partnerships to deliver outcomes without limits.” The brand repositioning comes at a pivotal moment, with enterprises increasingly navigating hyperconnected ecosystems, accelerated innovation cycles, and rising expectations around resilience, security and operational excellence. By combining technical credibility with emotional storytelling, Tata Communications positions itself as both a capable orchestrator of complex digital ecosystems and a partner that brings clarity and confidence to every enterprise engagement. The move by Tata Communications to refresh its global brand comes amid a broader trend of telecoms in the region redefining their roles beyond traditional connectivity. In Singapore for instance, Singtel renewed its partnership with National Gallery Singapore for another 10 years, extending a collaboration that has supported 16 major exhibitions and drawn over 1.5 million visitors since 2015. Beyond institutional sponsorship, Singtel has leaned into experiential activations that blend connectivity, culture and live entertainment. Its “Concert pass” pop-up activation, for example, created an immersive space that enabled fans to participate, create, and share content during peak cultural periods. Through initiatives like these, Singtel positions itself not just as a service provider but as a partner in Singapore’s cultural and digital ecosystem.  Related articles:    Singtel taps ex-Telkomsel and Indosat marketing chiefs for senior leadership roles  Telkomsel blends connectivity and play with Topgolf bundling for SIMPATI and Halo users Telekom Malaysia sets record for largest AI-generated choir   source

Luckin Coffee is leaning into nostalgia this March with a new collaboration featuring Moomin, as brands continue to tap into childhood IP to deepen emotional connection and drive repeat visits. Launched on 5 March, the campaign is guided by the tagline “Over the Moonmin” and positions the daily coffee run as a moment to slow down and reconnect. The collaboration spans limited-edition beverages, collectible merchandise and in-store as well as digital activations. In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Luckin Coffee said the partnership allows the brand to tap into a sense of nostalgic comfort, turning what it described as a routine caffeine fix into a more emotionally resonant experience for busy Singaporeans. Don’t miss: Luckin Coffee refreshes menu, eliminates Nutri-Grade D items in Singapore “By blending our modern energy with the Moomins’ timeless values of friendship and adventure, we create a soulful brand experience that resonates deeply with customers seeking both quality coffee and a moment of peace,” the company said. The collaboration aligns with Luckin’s positioning in Singapore as a brand focused on delivering fun and engaging coffee experiences, it added, noting that limited-edition merchandise plays a role in reinforcing lifestyle relevance. The launch introduces three beverages rolled out across March. The roasted coconut latte, available from Thursday (5 March), pairs espresso with roasted coconut notes for a warm, toasty profile. From 19 March, customers can opt for the pistachio chocolate frappe, which blends chocolate with pistachios and cashews, or the returning pistachio oat latte, a nut-forward mix of pistachio and cashew flavours combined with oat milk. Luckin Coffee said flavour development was guided by market research, seasonal trends and customer preferences. The aim was to create taste profiles that complement its core range while appealing to local palates and generating excitement around limited drops. Beyond beverages, the collaboration includes a Moomin-themed umbrella, available with the purchase of two selected drinks at SG$16.80 until 31 March, and “Stick-With-Me” collectibles offered with any two selected drinks, while stocks last. The company said the items were selected for both practicality and emotional appeal. Umbrellas serve as functional daily essentials, while the smaller collectibles are designed to add an element of play and encourage engagement. To amplify the launch, Luckin Coffee organised a media tasting event and rolled out Moomin-themed window decals and standees at selected outlets. The campaign is also supported by interactive social media efforts, in-store digital screens and multiple placements within the Luckin Coffee app. The brand said previous collaborations underscored the importance of balancing strong IP storytelling with product quality and operational feasibility. For this launch, it strengthened cross-team coordination and mapped clearer in-store and digital touchpoints to ensure a smoother customer journey across stores, social channels and its app. The Moomin tie-up follows another nostalgia-driven partnership by Luckin Coffee late last year, reflecting its continued use of familiar IP to deepen customer engagement. In November, Luckin Coffee Singapore teamed up with Tom and Jerry for a festive collaboration that introduced a mascarpone latte, described as “silky Danish mascarpone meets bold, full-bodied espresso”. The campaign aimed to “add a dash of nostalgia and a sprinkle of mischief to the holidays”, featuring exclusive drinks and collectibles that invited fans to “sip, collect, and relive” classic moments from the iconic cartoon pair. Taken together, the collaborations show how the brand is weaving pop culture storytelling into its product pipeline, turning limited-time beverages into broader lifestyle moments. Related articles: Luckin Coffee and IMH turn art into action for mental health awareness   Luckin Coffee and Duolingo serve up pandan power in SG collab    Luckin Coffee hits 30,000 stores as it sharpens global ambitions   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, The LEGO Group is revving up play in Singapore, STB named a new creative agency, and we unpacked a bigger question in the creator economy: where does authenticity end and obligation begin? Strap in, it’s going to be a ride. Don’t miss: Gen Z perspectives: Blind boxes, Roblox’s new thrift store & Punch the monkey 1. Can you build your dream ride? LEGO dares kids to take the wheel The LEGO Group is revving up play in Singapore with its “Build your dream ride” campaign, celebrating vehicles through hands-on building and imagination-driven fun. The campaign focuses on the LEGO City, LEGO Technic and LEGO Speed Champions sets and aims to empower children to create and build their confidence, creativity and problem-solving skills along the way. Read more here.  2. Singapore Tourism Board concludes creative pitch The Singapore Tourism Board has appointed BLKJ Havas as its creative agency, with effect from 3 March 2026. The pitch was first called in October 2025 and was handled by Ebiquity. The contract is stated to run for two years and one month, with the option to extend for up to three additional years.  As the appointed agency, BLKJ will support STB’s marketing strategy in line with the Tourism 2040 roadmap, developing breakthrough creative concepts, leveraging emerging technologies, and crafting marketing campaigns to further elevate Singapore’s profile as a top tourist destination.  Read more here.  3. When reviews can make or break a business, can influencers be honest without causing harm? Ramadan is a month of reflection and community for Muslims, but in Singapore, it’s also a feast for the senses and social media feeds. This year, 103 booths offer food, live performances, traditional Malay dance and silat, and appearances by local and regional celebrities. Amidst the colourful stalls and festivities hosted across Bugis and Geylang Serai, one banner in the Gemilang Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar at Bugis, has garnered some attention. The banner urges influencers and reviewers to “be human first, influence later.” Read more here.  Related articles:   Agatha Yap departs Scoot Was the McDonald’s CEO’s Big Arch burger bite just a big act?   UEM Edgenta picks former MCMC comms director as new corporate comms head    source

Agatha Yap has stepped down from her role of director of marketing, communications and loyalty at Scoot. In a statement confirming her exit, Scoot said that Yap has played a key role in strengthening the brand’s presence and optimising its paid media performance and strategy.  She has also contributed to expanding advertising revenue opportunities and fostering valuable brand partnerships, added Scoot.  “We are grateful for Yap’s contributions during her time with Scoot, and thank her for the significant contributions and impact she has made on the team and business. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours,” Scoot told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.  Don’t miss: Why Scoot’s multi-airline platform play will deliver more than just cheap seats Yap has been at the airlines for over five and a half years. Prior to her time at Scoot, Yap was senior director, marketing, menu and digital innovations at McDonald’s Singapore from 2017 to 2020 and director of sales, marketing, events and programming at Sentosa Development Corporation from 2014 to 2017. She also led marketing at Watsons Singapore and began her career with agency stints at Euro RSCG, BBDO and Bates.  Under Yap’s leadership, the airline launched “Scoot with heart”, a heartwarming campaign that celebrates human connections and facilitates meaningful reunions through travel. First unveiled in 2023, “Scoot with heart” featured stories of connection that invites travelers to rediscover connections that matter.  In 2024, Scoot reunited Wee Chin Choon, a centenarian living alone in Singapore, with his family from Indonesia after more than three years apart. Wee, who migrated for work over 80 years ago, hadn’t seen his relatives since the pandemic. The reunion was sparked by a video on The Smart Local’s Instagram, where Wee shared his wish to relax and have a meal with his family. Scoot responded by flying his grandnieces to Singapore and arranging quality time at Gardens by the Bay, complete with a professional photographer to capture the moment. Building on this, the December 2025 campaign introduced the theme “What if?”, encouraging audiences to reflect on relationships and moments that may have faded over time. In partnership with The Smart Local, Scoot created social-first films and digital content, featuring stories such as pilot Vanessa Khaw reuniting with her family on a flight to Nanjing. A complementary photo series showcased 20 Singaporeans sharing personal “What if” moments on handwritten message boards, from reconnecting with a late brother to visiting a childhood helper in the Philippines, bringing the campaign’s theme of connection and reflection to life across social channels. Related articles:  Scoot unveils new multi-airline booking offering  Scoot and Tourism Malaysia team up to fuel regional travel to Malaysia  Scoot strikes a chord with live music to launch Singapore–Vienna route  source

Influencer marketing in APAC is growing up, and growing sharper. According to AnyMind’s “State of influence in APAC 2026” report, the region is moving decisively toward performance-led campaigns, with creators increasingly positioned as conversion engines rather than just awareness drivers. At the same time, audiences are demanding more transparency, more authenticity, and more utility from the people they follow. Across markets, nano- and micro-influencers continue to dominate the creator pool. Creator-owned brands are on the rise and live commerce and affiliate-led campaigns are becoming more sophisticated. And while AI avatars and virtual influencers are gaining ground, trust and disclosure remain front-of-mind for audiences. Don’t miss: Credibility trumps clout in Singapore’s influencer landscape Over the past three years, performance-driven campaigns have steadily increased across APAC. In 2025, established markets such as Indonesia (73.89%) and Japan (72.34%) led in performance-focused adoption, while emerging markets such as Cambodia and Hong Kong remained heavily skewed toward awareness. The shift signals a broader recalibration: brands are no longer content with impressions alone. Creators are increasingly treated as measurable funnels, with affiliate links, TikTok Shop integrations, YouTube Shopping tags and live commerce features embedded into campaigns. Short-form video continues to dominate discovery. Longer, niche content on platforms such as YouTube is increasingly used for monetisation and deeper product education. Meanwhile, YouTube Connected TV is blending long-form storytelling with commerce, pushing influencer content into living rooms. Singapore: Aesthetic market, performance reality In Singapore, the influencer landscape is defined by a strategic tension: Instagram dominates spend, but TikTok dominates engagement. According to the report, Instagram captures 87.8% of investment, reinforcing its role in visual branding and aesthetic equity. TikTok, however, delivers the highest median engagement rates across all tiers, particularly among nano- and micro-creators. Lifestyle and home (31.9%) and food and drink (27.6%) lead investment, underscoring Singapore’s appetite for polished, daily-life content. Fashion and beauty, despite being one of the most saturated creator verticals, commands a relatively modest 6.9% of spend. Nano-creators on TikTok significantly outperform macro-creators across platforms, making them the conversion sweet spot. Meanwhile, XiaoHongShu is gaining traction as a high-intent review platform, forming what the report describes as a “Trio of engagement” alongside Instagram and TikTok. The implication is clear: Instagram builds brand equity. TikTok drives measurable engagement. XiaoHongShu captures research-driven consumers. Facebook, now holding just 0.7% share, has effectively exited the influencer conversation. Malaysia: Duopoly with a rising third force Meanwhile, Malaysia presents a near-perfect Instagram–TikTok duopoly. Fashion and beauty dominates investment at 67.9%, reflecting a highly visual and trend-focused consumer base. TikTok commands 51.98% of fashion and beauty spend, while Instagram leads in lifestyle and home and food and drink. Nano-influencers consistently deliver the highest engagement rates across platforms, reinforcing the value of high-volume, smaller-creator strategies over single celebrity placements. XiaoHongShu is emerging as a specialised third pillar, particularly in Lifestyle and home, where it already captures 28.27% of spend. With brand competition still relatively low ahead of expanded shop functions, early movers may secure disproportionate share of voice. The report recommends shifting from seasonal bursts to always-on influence engines, suggesting Malaysian consumers respond better to consistent brand presence than campaign spikes. Indonesia: Raw beats polished Interestingly, Indonesia is firmly a TikTok–Instagram duopoly, with TikTok accounting for 61.3% of campaign usage and Instagram 37.6%. Entertainment (28.46%) remains the largest creator vertical, but food and drink and lifestyle and home collectively command over 70% of investment. Brands are using entertainment to capture attention, then routing performance budgets through category-relevant creators for conversion. Nano-influencers deliver the highest median engagement across platforms, outperforming macro-creators by as much as seven times. Engagement consistently declines as follower count increases. Perhaps the most notable shift, according to the report, is stylistic. Indonesian audiences are moving from “perfect” to “personal.” Raw, vlog-style, low-production content outperforms polished ads. A strong three-second hook is no longer optional. Live shopping, affiliate links and TikTok Shop integrations are increasingly central to campaign architecture, reinforcing Indonesia’s position as a social commerce powerhouse. Philippines: TikTok-first, community-led The Philippines is decisively TikTok-first, with the platform accounting for 64.3% of campaigns. Instagram trails at 24.6%, while Facebook retains some relevance among older demographics. Entertainment (31.11%) dominates creator supply, but food and drink and fashion and beauty account for the majority of spend. Nano-influencers are the engagement champions across platforms, particularly on TikTok and YouTube. Instagram’s median engagement trails behind, especially among micro and macro tiers. The report advises brands to treat TikTok not merely as a discovery engine but as a full-funnel performance channel. High-volume nano campaigns are proving more efficient than single large-scale celebrity activations, particularly in niche or community-driven categories. Thailand: The TikTok stronghold Thailand is one of the region’s clearest TikTok-first markets, with nearly two-thirds of campaign usage concentrated on the platform. Food and drink (39.4%) and fashion and beauty (15.0%) together account for half of total spend. TikTok commands the largest budget share across these industries, confirming its dominance in both awareness and performance. Nano-influencers deliver the highest engagement across all tiers. X maintains a notable performance edge over Facebook and YouTube, offering brands an additional engagement lever beyond the usual suspects. The report also highlights the influence of local and blue-collar creators, whose relatability and authenticity resonate strongly with mass-market audiences. Trust is the new performance metric Across all markets, trust and authenticity remain the top reasons audiences follow creators, followed by utility, entertainment and aspiration. At the same time, expectations around sponsored content disclosure are rising, suggesting audiences are becoming more marketing literate, and less tolerant of blurred lines. That shift is reshaping strategy. Furthermore, nano- and micro-influencers continue to dominate the creator pool, not simply because they are cost-efficient, but because they deliver credibility within tight-knit communities. Engagement rates consistently decline as follower counts increase, reinforcing that scale alone is no longer enough. Platforms are also fragmenting by function. Short-form video drives discovery. Long-form content builds trust and monetisation. Social commerce tools convert attention into purchase. In this environment, creators are no longer just awareness vehicles, they are measurable conversion funnels.

Luxury publication Style by SCMP is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an experimental editorial project that blends storytelling with generative technology. Published as part of its February 2026 anniversary issue, the magazine unveiled The Style Files, a 16-page AI-augmented comic that reimagines Style’s editorial team as protagonists in a fictional mission to protect the publication’s two-decade archive. The storyline unfolds as a high-stakes rescue mission set in Hong Kong, where the editorial team faces a digital threat while racing against time to safeguard Style’s 20-year legacy. The comic offers a playful narrative twist for the milestone issue while exploring how emerging technologies can support creative experimentation in luxury publishing. Don’t miss: SCMP creates publisher role, CEO steps down  The anniversary edition spans 240 pages and includes a wide range of editorial content, from fashion photography to interviews curated by the publication’s editorial team. Within that broader issue, the comic serves as a dedicated space for experimentation. Rather than replacing traditional editorial craftsmanship, the project was designed to show how AI can complement human creativity in the ideation and production process. To create the comic, Style’s editorial and design team used AI tools to enhance their storyboards and mood boards before refining the visual outputs. Team members provided visual references and adjusted prompts throughout the process to ensure the AI-generated imagery aligned with their creative direction. The comic also places the magazine’s own team at the centre of the story, turning editors and designers into characters within the fictional adventure. According to Vincenzo La Torre, chief editor of Style by SCMP, the process revealed that while AI can accelerate certain stages of creative work, producing precise results still requires careful human guidance. “Throughout the process, the team guided the AI tool by providing visual references and refining prompts to ensure that the AI-generated imagery matched their specific creative vision,” he said.  Despite the growing adoption of generative tools across the media and marketing industries, La Torre noted that the process highlighted the continued importance of human interpretation and storytelling. “We learnt along the way that getting AI to produce exactly what you want is not as simple or straightforward as it might seem.”  “Humans interpret information and creative concepts within cultural, social, and artistic contexts, developing narratives and design work that connect with and evoke emotions. This distinction reflects the crucial role of human guidance in the process,” he added.  While the project marks an experimental step for the publication, La Torre said AI can play a broader role in supporting editorial productivity and idea generation, from conducting research to synthesising information into more digestible formats. In this specific project however, AI supports the team to explore unconventional ideas and more playful concepts.  “This use case of creating a 16-page comic using AI is an example of just that: something unexpected and fun that adds an element of surprise to the usual notion and format of a luxury magazine. The idea was to inject a dose of fun into an industry that can sometimes take itself too seriously,” explained the editor.  At the same time, La Torre emphasised that editorial curation remains central to the value of luxury media in an increasingly crowded information landscape. “What makes luxury stand out in a world of endless consumption is the emotion we associate with the moments, objects and people that make this industry special,” he said. “I strongly believe that what genuinely inspires and engages other people are the human emotions, the connections we share, and the inspiration we pass to one another.” The 20th-anniversary issue comes as Style by SCMP continues to evolve from its original incarnation. In 2023, Style by SCMP underwent a revamp, updating its typeface and reaffirming the publication’s vision. The revamp reflected a broader editorial shift towards inclusive luxury, valuing knowledge, access and connectivity over purely symbolic representations of wealth. The updated magazine also expanded its coverage beyond fashion, watches and jewellery, weaving in responsible luxury, entrepreneurship, innovation, women’s leadership, wellness and philanthropy. The slanted letter “l” in the new masthead, evocative of the slash (/) prevalent across creative communities, symbolised the versatility and multi-hyphenate nature of today’s luxury market, according to La Torre at the time.  The 20th-anniversary comic “The Style Files” builds on this legacy, blending two decades of Style’s evolution with bold AI experimentation while keeping human editorial curation at its core. Photos courtesy of Style by SCMP.  Related articles:  SCMP unveils new social-led campaign to highlight its readership diversity  SCMP celebrates HK culture and lifestyle with revamped PostMag  SCMP bolsters Advertising+ division with new senior hires  source

StarHub is turning Orchard Road into a free-ice-cream playground this weekend, bringing its “We got you” brand promise to life. The telco is giving away unlimited matcha ice cream outside Paragon on Saturday and Sunday (7 and 8 March), from 12pm to 3pm. The cones, served in matching green, mark a human-first activation tied to the launch of the latest Samsung Galaxy, powered by StarHub’s 5G Unlimited+. Rather than hosting a conventional product launch, StarHub is prioritising real-world moments that reflect the brand’s ethos: unlimited connectivity as a way to enable uninterrupted joy and connection. Don’t miss: StarHub concludes media pitch The activation will be amplified across StarHub’s Instagram and Facebook, with influencers and internal communications helping to extend the celebration to the brand’s wider community. “Branding is a complex discipline. It digs deep into the human soul pushing past what humans need and attempts to grasp what it wants. Sometimes it’s ice cream. This time it’s green ice cream. StarHub sees you,” said Peter Callaghan, group creative director at TBWASingapore. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information.  This weekend’s ice cream activation builds on StarHub’s broader “We got you” brand platform, which debuted in November 2025. Developed with TBWASingapore, the platform positions StarHub around connection and peace of mind rather than the usual focus on speed and data. It introduced the Hublings, a cast of all-green, non-speaking characters representing the brand’s promise of reliability and care. The Hublings fronted a campaign film and featured across social, YouTube, bus wraps, digital screens, and outdoor formats, coinciding with the launch of StarHub’s 5G Unlimited+ plans. At the time, Jun Shea, VP of consumer marketing at StarHub, described the platform as “our brand promise in action,” while Peter Khoury, chief creative officer at TBWA Asia and Singapore, said the Hublings personify StarHub’s consistent and personal dedication in a fun and memorable way. Related articles: StarHub launches Singapore’s first real-time ad replacement for live TV  StarHub takes full ownership of MyRepublic Broadband in Singapore       StarHub calls time on mindless scrolling with wellness festival  source

This month, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE is running its Women Who Lead podcast series in conjunction with International Women’s Day, spotlighting female leaders across the region’s agency landscape. The series unpacks leadership journeys, hard-earned lessons, and what meaningful progress truly looks like across marketing, advertising, and communications. The third episode features Renee Stopps, regional sales director, partner sales, APAC at Microsoft Advertising. Stopps joined Microsoft in 2016 and has spent close to a decade growing from account director to a regional leadership role that did not previously exist. she described it as “definitely not linear”. Reflecting on her path, Stopps shared that she never quite had it in mind a progression to move up from account director, to sales manager, and now regional leader. “But I was given advice by a mentor early on in my career around taking the opportunity to build my skills and capabilities along the way. So I continued to learn.” Don’t miss: Women who lead: Zora Health’s Anna Haotanto rewrites women’s health through entrepreneurship In a region such as APAC, where leadership roles can be limited compared to larger markets, Stopps said constantly learning allowed her to step into newly created roles with confidence. “Even though I might not have had APAC experience, I had other things that I was able to relate to what I was trying to achieve,” she explained. Stepping into leadership in tech, however, came with its share of hesitation. For Stopps, confidence was not about having all the answers. “It’s not about having all the correct answers. It’s really about how you show up as a person,” she said. Anchoring herself in values such as resilience and authenticity helped her navigate unfamiliar territory. Saying yes to stretch opportunities, even when they felt uncomfortable, became a defining mindset. While she acknowledged that more women are now occupying senior seats at the table, Stopps believes work still needs to be done, particularly in mid-career stages where female representation often drops. “We really need to make sure we are nurturing them and continuing to build confidence, and building pathways, and giving women just as much opportunity as what we are providing the males in our industry,” she said. Beyond her corporate remit, Stopps is an active DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) advocate and mentor, participating in industry programmes and leading internal career development initiatives. For her, giving back is deeply personal. Growing up in Western Sydney in a low socio-economic area, she said her career achievements were shaped by her mother’s example. “She raised my sister and I on her own, worked four jobs, and she was always doing everything she could for us,” Stopps shared. “That’s where my belief that everyone has a voice and everyone’s voices should be heard comes from.” DEI, in her view, is not a side project. “It’s something that I really live and breathe,” she said, describing leadership as creating clarity, fairness and psychological safety across diverse markets. Her advice to women aspiring to lead is simple. “Don’t wait to feel ready,” she said. “None of us are really 100% ready when big opportunities come our way. Take those opportunities that are going to stretch you. Sure, you’ll fail, but you will learn so much, and it will make you a much better leader as you come out the other side.” Also catch the podcast on Spotify: Tune into the rest of this conversation on your favourite podcast platforms, by searching up Marketing Connected. For all the visual people out there, we’ve got your back as well, with our vodcasts on YouTube. This episode was made in partnership with Microsoft Advertising. Related articles: Women who lead: Mutant’s Lina Marican on embracing leadership despite self-doubt Women who lead: The Atelier & Co.’s Julia Wei on leaving a place better than before Women who lead: M&C Saatchi’s Lara Hussein on being a specialist over jack of all trades source