marketing interactive

With America’s global image arguably more complicated than ever, Brand USA is hoping to reframe the conversation with its biggest global tourism push to date. Brand USA, the destination marketing group for the United States, has launched America the Beautiful, a global tourism marketing campaign that marks a new chapter in Brand USA’s approach. The organisation-wide platform brings every facet of the brand under a single strategic vision designed to cut through what it described as “noise” and remind travellers what they truly love about the USA. The initiative takes a distinct shift from product to people and reminds the world that it is the people, the stories, culture and shared experiences that sets the US apart as a destination. Timed ahead of a milestone year marked by the FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th anniversary and the Route 66 centennial, the campaign aims to accelerate growth and reignite international affection for the brand. A new AI-powered planning hub, AmericaTheBeautiful.com, underpins the effort. Built with Mindtrip technology, it offers personalised recommendations, interactive maps and itinerary tools across eight languages, helping travellers connect iconic gateways with lesser-known regional destinations – a move Brand USA said will make trip planning more intuitive and engaging. The campaign rolls out across connected TV, streaming, out-of-home, digital and social media in nine priority markets including Australia, South Korea, India, Japan and the United Kingdom, with targeted messaging designed to reach globally curious travellers seeking outdoor, cultural and luxury travel experiences. Tourism remains a big driver of the US economy, contributing US$147 billion in the year to July 2025, but visitation from key markets – particularly Canada – has been in decline. Brand USA data shows international visitors to the United States sit at 32.5 million, down 3% from last year. While Canada recorded a steep 17.7% decline, Mexico surged 12.5%, partially offsetting the overall dip. Across the broader regions, arrivals from Asia fell 2.2% and Oceania slipped 2%, underscoring why Brand USA is intensifying efforts in these long-haul, high-value markets. As Brand USA president and CEO Fred Dixon put it, the campaign’s goal is to invite the world to rediscover America and “see it, feel it and carry home experiences that become core memories.” “With America the Beautiful, we’re delivering a fresh invitation to explore the USA in new and exciting ways. As we look ahead to 2026 and the decade of mega events on the horizon, we remain laser-focused on maximizing international tourism opportunities to drive economic impact and job growth while inviting the world to celebrate 250 years of America the Beautiful.” source

Singapore and Malaysia users can now book rides, travel, entertainment, and more directly within the Grab app, without creating new accounts or downloading separate apps. The move expands Grab’s ecosystem beyond its core deliveries, mobility, and digital financial services, while offering brands access to its 46 million monthly transacting users across Southeast Asia. Partner Apps launch with five services: Firsty, a global eSIM provider allowing travelers to stay connected in over 180 countries; HelloRide, an on-demand bicycle-sharing service; Jolibox, an entertainment platform offering games and short dramas; redBus, a bus and ferry booking platform covering Singapore and Malaysia; and Drive lah, a peer-to-peer car-sharing service. Users can book, transact, and pay securely via GrabPay, and earn GrabRewards Points — rebranded as GrabCoins from November 2025. Don’t miss: Punggol goes driverless as Grab rolls out self-driving shuttles The integration also enables contextual advertising based on user activity. Riders en route in a Grab car may see promotions for HelloRide bikes nearby, or notifications to purchase a Firsty eSIM before traveling. According to Grab, Partner Apps will expand to more local and international brands across its markets in the coming months, giving users more everyday choices—from booking travel tickets and rides to accessing entertainment—directly within the Grab app. “Partner App services complement our users’ lifestyles beyond Grab’s on-demand offerings. Users can enjoy a seamless all-in-one experience through their existing accounts and payment preferences, while Partner brands can leverage Grab’s platform to reach a wider audience across Southeast Asia,” said Philipp Kandal, Grab’s chief product officer.  Brand partners welcomed the collaboration. Jiayuan Mao, director of global partnerships at Jolibox, said: “This partnership connects us with a wider audience and creates new engagement opportunities.” Vince Vissers, founder of Firsty, added: “Grab users can now stay online anywhere, without roaming surprises or local SIM swaps.” Hayden Choo, managing director of overseas markets at HelloRide, said the integration promotes greener and smarter urban mobility. The expansion of Grab’s platform isn’t limited to digital services. The company is also testing autonomous mobility in Singapore with Ai.R, its first autonomous vehicle service in the heartlands. Operated in partnership with AV technology firm WeRide, Ai.R will run two fixed routes in Punggol with 11 vehicles cleared under Singapore’s Milestone 1 safety assessment. A trained safety operator will be onboard during the rollout. The move reflects Grab’s broader strategy to combine technology, convenience, and lifestyle services, reinforcing its superapp ecosystem for both digital and physical mobility solutions. Related articles:  Grab takes Singapore’s ‘chope’ culture to the next level with restaurant stunt  Grab and Gojek orders become symbols of cross-border solidarity amid Indonesian protests  STB partners Grab to elevate visitor experience and support local businesses  source

Spotify is joining hands with the world’s largest music companies — Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Merlin, and Believe — to develop AI-powered products designed to empower artists rather than compete with them. The move comes as generative AI continues to reshape how music is created, distributed, and experienced. Spotify said the collaboration aims to ensure “responsible innovation” that protects artists’ rights, creative choices, and compensation in an increasingly AI-driven ecosystem. According to the streaming giant, the partnership will focus on four key principles: upfront agreements with rights holders, artist choice in participation, fair compensation, and strengthening artist-fan connections. Don’t miss: Spotify’s latest campaign plays to Gen Z’s soundtrack-obsessed culture in PH Spotify is building a dedicated generative AI research lab and product team to develop tools aligned with these principles. The company said it will work closely with artists, songwriters, and producers to shape future AI-powered music experiences. “Technology should always serve artists, not the other way around,” said Alex Norström, co-president and chief business officer at Spotify. “Our focus is making sure innovation supports artists by protecting their rights, respecting their creative choices, and creating new ways for fans to discover and enjoy the music they love.” Leaders across the music industry have voiced support for the initiative. Rob Stringer, chairman of Sony Music Group, said the partnership “acknowledges that direct licensing in advance of launching new products is the only appropriate way to build them”. Lucian Grainge, Universal Music Group chairman and CEO, added that the move represents “critical steps forward” in creating a commercial landscape where artists, fans, and technology companies can all thrive. In tandem, Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group, also highlighted the importance of ensuring AI “works for artists and songwriters, not against them,” while Merlin COO Charlie Lexton praised Spotify’s commitment to “respecting and valuing copyright and creativity.” Denis Ladegaillerie, founder and CEO of Believe, said the collaboration aligns with its vision of “value-creative AI”, tools that put artists and their careers at the centre, deepening fan engagement and creating new commercial opportunities. Spotify said more rightsholders and distributors will be invited to join the collaboration over time. The partnership also reflects Spotify’s broader push to blend creativity and technology across its ecosystem. Most recently, Spotify Advertising launched “Tunetorials”, a playful campaign that turns marketing education into music through ad strategy–inspired tracks. Designed to help marketers understand how to reach the right audience with the right message, the series blends entertainment and insight in true Spotify fashion, with each original song and video spotlighting different aspects of its advertising ecosystem, from multi-format campaigns to ROI tracking. Related articles: Spotify celebrates heart and soul of music fandoms through film Nike and Spotify turn music into motivation for girls worldwide    7UP and Spotify merge science with sound with new Spiceit playlist source

Salesforce and OpenAI have announced a wide-ranging partnership that will bring Salesforce’s Agentforce 360 platform directly into ChatGPT, allowing businesses to access CRM data, customer conversations and Tableau visualisations inside the conversational interface for the first time. Unveiled during the opening session of Dreamforce 2025 in San Francisco, the integration marks a major convergence between enterprise systems and generative AI. It also gives OpenAI’s frontier models, including GPT-5, a deeper foothold in business workflows by embedding them within Salesforce’s customer and commerce applications. SEE MORE: Salesforce opens the age of ‘Agentic Enterprise’ The partnership lets companies query sales records, analyse customer sentiment and generate data-driven insights simply by typing into ChatGPT. Salesforce’s enterprise logic and governance layer remains intact, with all activity governed through its Atlas Reasoning Engine. Businesses can also use OpenAI models inside Salesforce to build intelligent agents and prompts within the Agentforce 360 Platform. Marc Benioff, chair and CEO of Salesforce, described the move as a “natural step” in the company’s push toward what he calls the “age of the Agentic Enterprise.” “As consumers, we already get instant recommendations or insights from ChatGPT,” Benioff said. “Now enterprises can deliver that same intelligence and immediacy. By uniting the world’s leading frontier AI with the world’s #1 AI CRM, we’re creating the trusted foundation for companies to become Agentic Enterprises.” For employees, the partnership means Salesforce tools will soon surface in ChatGPT’s app ecosystem, giving authorised users access to customer data and Tableau dashboards within a secure conversational environment. ChatGPT’s capabilities are being woven into Salesforce-owned Slack, allowing teams to summarise conversations, generate content and surface insights in the flow of work. Developers will also be able to tag OpenAI’s Codex agent inside Slack channels to write or edit code based on natural-language instructions. “We believe that AI systems are going to unlock potential for humanity levels that we today can’t even comprehend,” Brad Lightcap COO OpenAI, told delegates during on the opening day of Dreamforce.  OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the goal was to make AI feel more embedded in everyday workflows. “Our partnership with Salesforce is about making the tools people use every day work better together, so work feels more natural and connected,” he said. “It’s an important step in how AI can improve daily workflows under our efforts together.” The collaboration also extends into commerce. A new experience will allow merchants using Agentforce Commerce to surface product listings directly inside ChatGPT, with purchases handled through Instant Checkout. The system uses Salesforce’s Agentic Commerce Protocol and Stripe infrastructure to enable privacy-compliant, tokenised transactions without losing control of customer data. Benioff positioned the integration as the next phase of enterprise AI – one that moves beyond siloed apps toward multi-surface, conversational experiences. “The tools we use to work and shop are blending,” he said. “AI isn’t just in the background anymore – it’s the interface.” source

Singapore’s public service broadcaster Mediacorp continues to receive about SG$380 million in annual funding, as the government shifts towards measuring its reach across digital and social platforms, said minister for digital development and information Josephine Teo in parliament on Wednesday (15 October). Over the past five financial years, the funds have helped Mediacorp engage audiences in all four national languages. Teo noted that the broadcaster now reaches more than 90% of Singapore’s population through its channels and social media platforms, with over three-quarters of viewers satisfied with its content. While the amount is roughly half of what Finland and Denmark each spend on their national broadcasters, Teo said Singapore’s investment continues to serve an important purpose — to “inform, educate, and connect Singaporeans” through trusted and culturally representative programming. Don’t miss: Raj Parekh leads Mediacorp’s new Growth & Partnership unit, Ivan Wong departs  The minister also said that the ministry of digital development and information (MDDI) has broadened its performance metrics beyond television viewership to account for changing consumption habits. “For example, Mediacorp’s TV reach dropped by about 10% over the last decade, but unique video viewers on meWATCH have risen by about 80%,” she said, adding that overall satisfaction levels have remained steady. MP Foo Cexiang pointed to the success of Mediacorp productions such as Emerald Hill – The Little Nyonya Story, which recently topped local ratings ahead of popular Korean dramas and will debut on Chinese streaming platform Tencent later this year. He asked if the government would consider further support to help Mediacorp expand collaborations with international platforms such as Netflix. Teo replied that funding is directed at overall operations rather than individual programmes to give public service media flexibility to “adapt and innovate in the fast-changing media landscape.” Teo’s comments come as Mediacorp undergoes internal restructuring to stay competitive in a shifting media landscape. The broadcaster recently announced a reduction of 93 roles, representing just over 3% of its workforce, as part of its efforts to adapt to changing audience behaviour and economic pressures. In a company statement, Mediacorp said the move reflects the growing dominance of short-form, mobile-first, and social-led formats, while traditional long-form content and legacy platforms face mounting competition for both audience attention and advertising dollars. At the same time, clients are seeking more agile, platform-native campaigns with measurable performance outcomes — a shift that mirrors broader industry trends driving the evolution of public service media funding and measurement. Related articles:  Mediacorp slashes 93 jobs amid shifting media landscape and economic pressures  Mediacorp drops multilingual musical tribute celebrating everyday Singaporeans  RHB Singapore banks new television partnership with Mediacorp  source

Apple has unveiled its new global brand platform for Mac, “Great ideas start on Mac”, a tribute to creativity, possibility, and the first spark of inspiration. The campaign was developed by TBWAMedia Arts Lab and directed by Academy Award–nominee Mike Mills. It marks the late Jane Goodall’s final collaboration with the brand, with the conservationist and author lending her voice to the film’s narration. Opening with the blink of a cursor against a white screen, the film captures how the Mac has become the starting point for countless world-changing ideas. Don’t miss: Apple’s cinematic stunt proves the iPhone 17 Pro can take a beating It spotlights real creators across diverse disciplines, from Bruce Strickrott, chief pilot of the Alvin submersible, who has documented deep-sea discoveries on Mac since 1996; to Ruchika Sachdeva, founder of Indian fashion label Bodice; to disability rights activist Alice Wong, who uses Mac’s accessibility features daily as a nonspeaking person. Also featured is 1X Technologies, the team behind humanoid robot NEO, designed to give people more time for what they love. “Every story you love, every invention that moves you, every idea you wished was yours, all began as nothing. Just a flicker on a screen, asking a simple question, what do you see,” Goodall said. The clip ends with the caption “great ideas start here”.  Through these stories, Apple aims to celebrate the Mac as a tool that not only powers creativity but also amplifies human potential, beginning, as always, from a single blank screen.  Goodall, the famed ethologist and pioneer of the global conservation movement, recorded her narration before her passing earlier this month at the age of 91. She had previously featured in Apple’s iconic 1998 “Think different” campaign. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information.  Apple is no stranger to emotive storytelling. Earlier this year, the brand released a Chinese New Year campaign titled “I made a mixtape for you”, shot entirely on the iPhone 16 Pro. The film, directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey with TBWAMedia Arts Lab Shanghai, follows a young man transported to the 1990s through a mixtape, a nostalgic journey that highlights the phone’s advanced camera and sound capabilities. Related articles: Apple spotlights Aceh’s Ratoh Jaroe dance in latest #ShotoniPhone feature   A hit on beloved Apple as ‘eavesdropping’ and ‘spying’ get associated with US$95m Siri settlement?   Instagram brings AI age-detection to Australia, says Apple and Google must do more   source

monday.com, the global software company behind work management solutions, has launched a 360-degree brand campaign in Singapore. The campaign puts the spotlight on ‘monday sidekick’, the company’s AI-powered digital worker, highlighting how the platform integrates seamlessly into daily workflows and delivers immediate impact. Targeting local teams grappling with AI adoption, the campaign shows how monday sidekick automates mundane tasks, freeing employees to focus on creative problem-solving and strategic work. Don’t miss: Singapore leads in AI adoption, but customer service still falls short  In addition, the campaign revives monday.com’s mascot, the llama, to show that B2B marketing can be both creative and relatable. Built in-house by monday.com’s global creative team, the campaign was directed by Doug Karr, produced by Jiminy Production, post-produced by Wizard, with VFX by Juice. The OOH activation spans high-dwell locations across Singapore, including MRT lines, major malls, bus stations linking residential areas to the CBD, and Changi Airport. “As AI adoption picks up pace in Singapore, the campaign amplifies our latest AI innovations, including monday sidekick, which helps teams move beyond managing their work to getting their work done for them,” said Stephanie Perez-Israel, regional marketing lead APJ at monday.com. Robbie Ferrara, global creative director, added that the campaign addresses common anxieties around AI, from leadership pressure to unclear ROI, while keeping the messaging human-centred and engaging. The campaign coincides with the opening of its new SEA regional hub in Singapore earlier this month. The Singapore office comes as the region’s digital economy is projected to reach US$300 billion by the end of 2025. In addition, Singapore is monday.com’s second-largest market in APAC, with over 1,000 customers. Singapore is also investing heavily in AI to strengthen its economy, with up to US$198.3 billion in projected impact and plans to train 15,000 AI professionals by 2029. Currently, the new chapter is powered by talent relocating from its ANZ team. It is also seeking local hires.  Related articles:   Temasek bets on human-AI collaboration to transform investment decisions  Meta to use AI chats to personalise ads and content across platforms   ‘No longer a choice’: Neil Patel makes the case for AI personalisation at scale  source

After more than 30 years with Great Eastern, Colin Chan (pictured) has stepped down from his role as managing director, group marketing. Chan began his career with Great Eastern in 1994 in various actuarial positions before moving into marketing and progressing through product and leadership roles over the years. Across his career, Chan was involved in a number of notable initiatives at Great Eastern. This includes introducing an investment-linked product suite in the mid-1990s, setting up the accident and health department, launching the ‘Live great’ programme, creating the Great Eastern Women’s Run, reorganising the marketing function toward customer centricity, establishing the ‘Net promoter system’, building digital marketing capabilities, and leading brand work including the ‘Reach for great’ strategy and the August 2025 brand relaunch.From actuarial rigour to customer-centred marketing In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Chan emphasised the influence of his actuarial background on his leadership. “Starting my career as an actuary gave me an invaluable foundation in analytical rigour and risk management,” he said. “Product development was about translating technical complexity into customer value. I learned that the best products aren’t necessarily the most sophisticated from an actuarial perspective, they’re the ones that solve real customer problems in simple, accessible ways, and resonate with people.” “As I look back, I realised that my path from actuarial science through product development to marketing leadership came about because I made it my purpose to do what I could to help get more people understand insurance and take actions to benefit from what insurance offers,” he added, explaining that despite the importance of insurance as a lifeline for unforeseen circumstances, it does not offer immediate gratification, leaving room for much to be done in order to gather people’s interest and attention. On marketing itself, Chan was clear: Great marketing isn’t about clever taglines or flashy campaigns. It’s about understanding customers deeply, designing propositions that meet their needs, and communicating value authentically. He described how product thinking and storytelling needed to work together. His actuarial background taught him to respect data and analytics; his product experience taught him how to design for customer needs; and marketing taught him the power of storytelling and emotional connection. “In my years leading the marketing function, the constant pursuit has been to foster collaboration no just writhing the marketing function, but across teams— actuaries, marketers, product managers, distributors, operations and IT. The goal is for all of us to speak a common language of customer value and this journey continues for the organisation.”Don’t miss: Great Eastern refreshes logo as it marks 117 years On his legacy, handover and advice to future leaders When asked what he hopes his legacy at Great Eastern will be, Chan said he wants to be remembered for having grown the marketing and communications capabilities for the insurance company, being a customer advocate, and the recent comprehensive brand refresh, as well as for developing and extending Great Eastern’s branding and marketing across the region to reach new customer segments.  He also cited “championing staff volunteerism and fund-raising initiatives” and “having a strong collaborative spirit” as areas he hopes will endure. “And I hope my journey from actuarial science to marketing leadership will inspire others to embrace unconventional career paths, to see the value in diverse experiences, and to recognise that the best leaders are often those who’ve walked multiple paths.” On handing over to Kwek-Perroy Li Choo (pictured), Chan shared a message he had sent to the newly appointed managing director, group integrated propositions and platforms. “Li Choo, as I pass the baton to you, I do so with Great confidence and optimism. You have inherited an extraordinary team and have an integrated function positioned for success,” he said. “Together with your fresh perspectives, unique experiences and vision I’m sure you’ll not just build on what we’ve created but take it to a level way beyond what we could have thought of before.” Chan also shared that throughout the month-long handover period, he has seen Kwek-Perroy spend time to understand the structures in place, and is heartened by her interest to build on what his team has put in place over the years.  His advice to aspiring marketers and leaders is practical and wide-ranging. He encouraged them to embrace diverse experiences, master fundamentals before innovating, making customer empathy a priority, to never stop learning, and to make data a friend but placing importance on intuition too. “It is also crucial to build teams, not empires. The teams I’ve built are my proudest achievement. One should focus on developing people, creating psychological safety for innovation, and build collaborative cultures,” said Chan. He also urged marketers to value collaboration and purpose in their work. “Our biggest collaborators are our agents and advisors who are on the front lines, understanding customer needs and concerns in ways we never can from head office,” he said. “Build propositions together, listen to their feedback, and recognise that their success, is also your team’s success.” Above all, he reminded marketers to view their role as one of service and integrity. He added:  In an industry built on trust, your reputation is your most valuable asset. Make decisions you can defend not just legally or commercially, but morally. On his immediate plans, Chan told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that he is looking forward to a break, to take a step back, refocus and discern what the future has planned for him.  Related articles: Great Eastern chief marketer Colin Chan to step down after 30 years Former marketer Kwek-Perroy Li Choo takes on newly created MD role at Great Eastern Great Eastern’s new brand film turns life’s storms into stories of strength source

Hong Kong workplaces are the least prepared to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) out of 30 global markets studied, according to the latest Cisco survey.  Conducted via a double-blind online survey in August, the Cisco AI Readiness Index 2025 is a global study that gathers insights from 8,039 senior IT and business leaders responsible for AI integration and deployment in organisations with 500 or more employees. Participants came from 26 industries, including business services, retail, media and communications, and technology, representing 30 markets globally, such as Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, as well as US and UK. The survey found that only 2% of Hong Kong firms surveyed were considered “pacesetters” – significantly trailing the global average of 13% over the last three years.  Nearly all pacesetters (99%) had a defined AI strategy, starkly contrasting with the mere 32% of all Hong Kong organisations. These leaders were also significantly more likely to expand AI use, prioritise it in their budgets, invest in data-centre capacity, and meticulously track their AI investments’ returns. Furthermore, pacesetters demonstrated heightened awareness of AI-related security threats. The survey revealed significant hurdles for Hong Kong firms: 38% anticipated a major workload increase, 68% grappled with data centralisation, and just 14% had sufficient chip capacity. Furthermore, fewer than one in five companies could detect AI-specific security threats. Despite these challenges, 71% of organisations planned to deploy AI agents—software designed to autonomously perform tasks—to work alongside employees within a year. Globally, in the next 12 months, 71% of Pacesetters and 53% of all companies plan to develop real-world agentic use cases. This will strain IT capacity, with 62% expecting workloads to increase by over 30% in two to three years, and over half expecting a 1.5 times rise in five years. Unlike traditional automation, agentic systems act on data, demanding continuous support from networks, compute, and storage. Meanwhile, 83% of companies are planning to develop or deploy AI agents, and nearly 40% expect them to work alongside employees within a year, focusing on customer support, cybersecurity, and business process automation. This could result in a future workplace where agents assist employees, handle repetitive tasks, autonomously detect security threats, and enhance productivity. But for the majority of these companies, AI agents are exposing weak foundations — systems that can barely handle reactive, task-based AI, let alone AI systems that act autonomously and learn continuously. More than half (54%) of respondents say their networks can’t scale for complexity or data volume, and just 15% describe their networks as flexible or adaptable. Surveyed business leaders indicated they are facing challenges with their infrastructure, such as high resource allocation for IT, overall readiness to accommodate future AI offerings, and acceptable inference cycle times for use case needs. Don’t miss: Microsoft rolls out AI agents to help businesses with everyday tasks Jeetu Patel, Cisco’s president and chief product officer, said: “We’re moving past the era of question-answering chatbots and stepping into the next major phase of AI: agents that independently execute tasks. Today’s study shows that over 80% of companies are prioritising agentic solutions, with two out of three reporting that these systems are already meeting or exceeding their performance goals.” “The evidence points to a massive competitive advantage: companies that are further along are seeing dramatically stronger returns than their peers,” Patel added. Take your brand to new heights with cutting-edge AI strategies, innovative technology, and data-powered experiences. Don’t miss Digital Marketing Asia 2025 in Hong Kong on 20-21 October, where 200+ marketing leaders will explore game-changing trends, proven successes, and bold ideas shaping the future. Related articles: DMA HK: Eileen Tang on how Maxim’s breaks down data silos with AISingapore leads in AI adoption, but customer service still falls shortMeta to use AI chats to personalise ads and content across platforms source

Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) are transforming the island into a spellbinding cinematic adventure this festive season in partnership with Universal Pictures, DBS Bank, and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Running from 10 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, the activation brings the world of Wicked: For Good to life ahead of the film’s release on 20 November, inviting guests to step into the Land of Oz through immersive installations, themed experiences, and larger-than-life photo moments. At Sentosa Sensoryscape, the experience begins along a reimagined Yellow Brick Road, guiding visitors through glowing gardens and trellises toward the Emerald City. Highlights include Glinda’s bubble, a dazzling photo spot surrounded by tulip blooms, and a nine-metre-tall Elphaba’s Hat towering over Lookout Loop. Don’t miss: Singapore Tourism Board hunts for creative agency, Ebiquity to handle pitch  The journey continues across Resorts World Sentosa, where the Lake of Dreams transforms into ‘Limitless Lights: An Ozmopolitan display of music & lights’, a night-time spectacle featuring music from the film and a glittering Emerald City illumination. Over at Universal Studios Singapore, the Hollywood zone takes on a Wicked makeover, featuring meet-and-greets with characters including Elphaba, Glinda and The Wizard. The Pantages Hollywood Theatre will showcase ‘The wardrobe of Wicked’, a curated costume display featuring film replicas such as Glinda’s quarters, Elphaba’s broom, and Madame Morrible’s dress. Fans can also indulge in exclusive Wicked-themed merchandise, food, and beverage offerings, from pink-and-green treats inspired by the film’s heroines to collectible apparel and accessories. “We are excited to bring the enchanting wonder of Wicked: For Good to Resorts World Sentosa this festive season. Beyond its global cinematic appeal, this experience invites every guest to pause, connect and rediscover the joy of imagination and togetherness. It’s a celebration of friendships, family and the moments that truly matter,” said Lee Shi Ruh, CEO of Resorts World Sentosa. “Our partnership with Singapore Tourism Board, Sentosa Development Corporation and DBS Bank reflects a shared vision to shape Sentosa and Singapore into a destination where every corner tells a story and every visit spark wonder. We are proud to present an experience that is bold, immersive, and truly unforgettable for our guests,” she added.  The Wicked: For Good island transformation runs until 4 January 2026 across Sentosa and Resorts World Sentosa. The activation leads up to the Asia Pacific premiere of Wicked: For Good on 13 November at Universal Studios Singapore, marking the fourth stop of the film’s global premiere tour. The red-carpet event will welcome the all-star cast, including Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and director Jon M. Chu, with a handprint ceremony and screening at the Pantages Hollywood Theatre. A fan event at WEAVE, RWS’s lifestyle and community space, will also be held as part of the celebration. With plenty to look forward to, sentiments online towards the upcoming premiere event have been mixed, with 32.7% positive and 24.6% negative, said media intelligence firm CARMA.  In overall, netizens are excited to have the chance to see stars Grande and Erivo in person. Most mentions are aspirational with regional fans from Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia expressing interest in attending the event. However, there were multiple posts detailing negative experiences surrounding the Wicked premiere in Singapore, including ticket misrepresentation and lack of access to the movie screening, raising concerns about event management and transparency, added CARMA. Some netizens said the event descriptions kept changing, leaving many feeling confused and misled. Others are encouraging ticket holders to request for a refund.  When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out, a RWS sporkesperson said: “The Universal Studios Singapore Premiere Day Special includes admission to the park, food and beverage and retail vouchers, and provides guests inside the park with a chance to catch a glimpse of the Wicked: For Good cast on the yellow carpet during the premiere day festivities.” “Similar to other global movie premieres, the movie screening itself is a closed-door, by-invitation-only event. The website has been updated to provide greater clarity for our guests and enquiries can be sent to [email protected],” the spokesperson added.  Related articles:   Win for Pei Pa Koa as Wicked cast gushes over the herbal remedy Starbucks wows fans and Ozians with Wicked-themed products  Mattel apologises for misprinting porn site on ‘Wicked’ doll packaging  source