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Volkswagen Singapore has appointed GrowthOps Asia as its lead creative, social media, and SEO agency.  The agency will support Volkswagen Singapore’s always-on brand presence and upcoming vehicle launches, with a focus on growing both owned and earned demand in one of Asia’s most competitive automotive markets. According to the agency, Singapore’s auto scene has seen rising competition from established European marques and a wave of Chinese manufacturers, intensifying the need for brand distinctiveness and relevance. The win reinforces GrowthOps’ Singapore footprint, where it continues to expand integrated teams across creative, media, and performance disciplines. The agency has built a track record with global and regional brands in mobility, financial services, and consumer categories, delivering marketing solutions tailored for complex, competitive markets. Don’t miss: CelcomDigi concludes creative pitch “We were looking for a partner who could balance brand-building with performance, and who truly understood how modern consumers discover, evaluate, and engage with automotive brands,” said John Gaw, sales director, VW & LCV, Volkswagen Group Singapore. He added, “GrowthOps demonstrated a strong grasp of our challenges, a clear creative point of view, and the ability to connect strategy, content, and demand in a meaningful way.” In tandem, Chris Greenough, regional head of creative services at GrowthOps Asia said, “Volkswagen has always stood for accessible innovation and driving enjoyment. What excited us about this pitch was the opportunity to help bring that fun spirit back, but in a way that is contemporary and relevant to Singaporeans.” Shaad Hamid, general manager of GrowthOps Singapore, described the Singapore automotive market as one of the most demanding in the region, both commercially and creatively. He added that Volkswagen’s ambitions align closely with GrowthOps’ integrated approach, which combines brand, performance, and technology to drive tangible business outcomes, and expressed enthusiasm about partnering with Volkswagen on the next phase of its growth. The appointment comes amid a busy period for European automotive brands in Singapore. In November 2025, Audi Singapore named Joy Communications as its official creative agency following a competitive pitch in July 2025. The two-year partnership, with an option to extend for another two, covers brand strategy, advertising, on-ground activations, digital, customer experience, and social media engagement. Joy Communications also works alongside Play Digital, which manages Audi’s brand portal and digital portfolio, illustrating how major European marques are investing in integrated agency partnerships to strengthen their local presence. Related articles: Volkswagen SG creates EV city for car launch    Volkswagen MY blends car rides and pet perks with new lifestyle collection   Volkswagen awakens nostalgia to launch EV range in Australia via DDB Group Sydney    source

Several government agencies and statutory boards in Singapore have called for digital and social media pitches and quotes on GeBiz, signaling a growing focus on digital engagement.  MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw accounts from the Prime Minister’s Office, GovTech, the Ministry of Transport, and the Science Centre Board, up for grabs. The tenders generally seek agencies capable of delivering end-to-end social media services – from content strategy and production to community management, campaign amplification, and performance analytics. Some contracts are structured as retainer arrangements, requiring agencies to manage day-to-day operations, implement data-driven optimisation, and ensure alignment with broader communications goals. Below is a list of government agencies and statutory boards that have recently sought social media agencies, along with a brief overview of what they are looking for: Don’t miss: STB wraps up social media pitch, retains agency partner  Government Technology Agency (GovTech) GovTech is inviting agencies to manage, advise on and create content for its digital and social media channels, spanning Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube. The brief covers corporate channels under @GovTechSG, including the careers-focused @InsideGovTech account. The initial contract is for one year, with the option to extend for another year, bringing the maximum potential duration to two years. GovTech said the engagement aims to raise brand awareness, build trust and enhance reputation across key areas including tech thought leadership, products and services, employer branding, community outreach, and corporate goodwill. According to tender documents seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, the consultancy is expected to develop channel-specific strategies, produce content, and manage daily operations. Responsibilities include content planning and creation, audience engagement, scheduling, monitoring and responding to comments, performance measurement, and reporting on both organic and paid media campaigns. The tender also calls for the consultancy to provide timely alerts if issues gain traction online, propose trending content opportunities, and optionally provide services such as graphic and video production, influencer engagement, live streaming, podcasts, audits, research, and training. It closes on 30 January 2026.  Ministry of Transport (MOT) MOT is looking for a digital and social media consultancy to support its online presence, content strategy, and daily operations across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The contract is for one year, with the option to extend for up to two additional years. The agency will be responsible for enhancing MOT’s online presence, driving engagement, and amplifying key messages and initiatives. This includes studying MOT’s current social media strategy, proposing improvements, producing content, and managing community engagement. The role also covers ad-buy recommendations and facilitating collaborations with online content creators to reach the target audience effectively. MOT said the appointed partner will also monitor sentiment on its channels, providing same-day alerts for any negative reactions arising from announcements or developments. The agency will track performance, report monthly on key metrics such as reach, engagement, and community growth, and provide recommendations based on social media trends and case studies. Content production will cover an estimated 12 posts per month, including carousel posts and short video reels. Agencies are expected to submit drafts at least two weeks before publication, allow for three rounds of edits, and supply their own production equipment. MOT will retain ownership of all content created under the contract. The scope also includes a social media audit at the end of each contract year, measuring platform performance, strategy effectiveness, and benchmarking against other government pages. The agency must have a Singapore-based office and a project team of at least five key members, including an account manager, copywriter, content creator/creative designer, visuals/production manager, and community manager. MOT reserves the right to request team replacements if performance standards are not met. A mandatory tender briefing will be held on 23 January 2026 at 2pm. Prime Minister’s Office  Earlier today (19 January), Singapore’s Public Service Division (PSD) is inviting organisations to submit proposals for a social media content management system (CMS) to support its public engagement across multiple platforms. The system will cover PSD’s channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok, including both SGPublicService and PSD-branded accounts. The contract is for an initial 12 months, with an option to extend for a further year. The CMS must be a ready-to-use software-as-a-service solution hosted on a public commercial cloud. It is expected to help PSD schedule, publish and boost content, manage community engagement, and track performance with analytics and benchmarking across all owned social channels. PSD said the appointed partner will provide an integrated solution for content management, analytics, and community engagement. As part of the evaluation, organisations will need to provide two trial accounts for at least one week of access upon request. The submission deadline for proposals is 28 January 2026.  Science Centre Board The Science Centre Board (SCB) is on the hunt for a social media strategy partner to manage and grow its digital presence across Science Centre Singapore, KidsSTOP, Omni-Theatre, and Snow City. The contract runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, with the option to extend for another year. The appointed agency will act as the digital lead, coordinating closely with SCB’s PR and marketing partners to ensure consistent messaging across platforms and a seamless audience experience. Core responsibilities include developing and executing data-driven social media strategies, content planning and production, community management, and performance reporting. SCB is aiming for an always-on approach, with 1–2 posts daily across Facebook and Instagram, while TikTok content will be jointly managed with the Centre’s in-house Transmedia team. X will be primarily reserved for crisis communications. The agency will be expected to produce 25–30 original posts and 10–15 platform-adapted posts per month, plus a minimum of five Stories, while monitoring engagement and responding to audience queries from 8.30am to 11pm daily. Performance metrics include monthly reach, engagement, and follower growth, with agencies expected to propose KPIs for each platform. Applicants must have a Singapore-based team with expertise in content strategy, account management, creative production, and community engagement. The Centre will hold a mandatory tender briefing on 15 January 2026, and shortlisted agencies will be invited to pitch their proposals.  These follow other

Singapore-based creative consultancy ballsy has expanded into the UK with the launch of ballsy London, marking its latest international move following the recent debut of content studio Kaki Sosial in Malaysia. The London operation will be helmed by long-time creative partners Dan Fryer (pictured right) and Gaetan Uytterhaegan (pictured left), both of whom take on the role of creative director. The expansion strengthens ballsy’s ambition to operate as a creative-led independent network delivering global strategies for brands across markets. ballsy co-founder VJ Anand (pictured middle) said the decision to set up in London with Fryer and Uytterhaegan was a natural progression, having previously worked closely with the duo at VaynerMedia EMEA (Europe Middle East and Africa), where both served as creative directors under his leadership. “Setting up ballsy London with Dan and Gate was a no-brainer,” Anand said. “Other than being amazing creative leads, they are first and foremost caring and empathic leaders, and this translates into the work they do for clients and brands.” According to Anand, the London launch builds on ballsy’s growing international credentials, following the success of Jetpac’s campaign last year which was conceptualised in Singapore and executed across the US, UK and Europe. He shared that ballsy London is already working on two international projects, including a generative AI film for a football fan app and club, as well as a global social influencer campaign for a well-known alcohol brand. The consultancy is also looking to support Asian brands seeking a stronger global or international footprint. Don’t miss: ballsy appoints new SG-based MD, unveils Malaysian creative content studio Fryer and Uytterhaegan bring more than 15 years of creative partnership to ballsy London, having worked together across multiple UK agencies. Most recently, both spent over four years at VaynerMedia London as creative directors, where they led social-first and through-the-line work for brands including Revolut, Visa, Heinz, TikTok, ASDA, Unilever and Merlin Entertainments. Their portfolio includes campaigns such as Revolut’s UK-wide work featuring Charli XCX, a global Visa campaign tied to the Paris 2024 Olympics, and Liquid I.V.’s “The Hot Seat”. Prior to VaynerMedia, the duo held creative roles at Fallon London, Leo Burnett and Fold7, where they worked on brands including AXA, Skoda, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Lurpak, Disney, Carlsberg and Gumtree. Their partnership began in 2009 after winning AMV BBDO’s Doritos “Make us an ad” challenge, a collaboration that has since spanned five agencies. Explaining their decision to join ballsy, Fryer and Uytterhaegan said the appeal lay in the opportunity to build a creative-led independent that strips away unnecessary layers and prioritises bold ideas.  They said the ambition was to create an agency that cuts out politics, middle management and diluted decision-making, allowing creatives to solve business problems while preserving the “ballsy” edge in the work. “We had a funny conversation about the name ballsy. Will it work in the U.K.? Is it too divisive?Then we realised that it’s probably the best filter for people who are ready to make work that actually stands out,” they shared.  Fryer and Uytterhaegan also shared that after leaving VaynerMedia, they were looking for what was next, and that was to work with great people, and make the ballsiest work they can. “We’ve worked with plenty of EMEA clients over the years who understand how much riskier it is to make ‘safe’ work and (dare we say, wisely) pivoted to us to actually move the needle of their business results,” said the duo. “We want to build the agency that those clients know they can come to when they’re ready to be ballsy.” Earlier this month, ballsy kicked off 2026 with a dual expansion move, launching a Malaysia based social content studio, Kaki Sosial, while appointing Becky Leng as its new managing director based in Singapore. Leng joins from NP Digital Singapore, where she led the agency’s operations. Leng became a part of NP Digital back when it was SearchGuru, starting as Singapore country head in 2015. She later oversaw Hong Kong and APAC operations before stepping into the Singapore MD role in October 2024, leading the agency’s regional expansion and growth across Southeast Asia. Related articles: Jetpac hunts for virgins in ballsy global campaign Ballsy and Vision Machina launch human-powered AI band Project Zilal VJ Anand launches ‘ballsy’ in SG, aims to break traditional agency model  source

Federal Express Corporation (FedEx) has appointed Salil Chari (pictured) as president of its Asia Pacific (APAC) region, effective 1 January, 2026. Chari, who previously served as senior vice president of marketing and customer experience for APAC, succeeds Kawal Preet, who has taken on a new role as executive vice president, planning, engineering, and transformation. In his new role, Chari will oversee FedEx’s strategic direction across the region and lead a workforce of nearly 30,000 employees. His remit includes driving profitable growth, strengthening customer experience, and advancing operational excellence across APAC. Don’t miss: FedEx Malaysia retains PR agency partner for further three years In a statement, FedEx said Chari’s appointment reflects the company’s long-standing practice of developing leadership from within. Chari began his career at FedEx in 1997 as a marketing analyst in Memphis, US. He has since held a series of leadership roles across Latin America and the Caribbean, APAC and the Middle East, as well as the Indian Subcontinent and Africa. FedEx said his experience across multiple markets underscores his focus on customer-centric growth and helping businesses expand their global reach. “I am excited to welcome Chari as the new president of APAC, marking an exciting new chapter for our APAC business. He brings exceptional multi-regional leadership experience and a passion for delivering value to customers,” said Richard Smith, chief operating officer, international and chief executive officer, airline, FedEx. He added, “With his deep understanding of the region, I am confident he will lead our APAC business to new heights and reinforce the region’s importance to our global growth. Thanks to Preet for her exceptional leadership; she will continue to advance our global transformation efforts.” Speaking on his new role, Chari said, “It is an honour to lead such a talented team in a region that sits at the centre of global trade. APAC is home to some of the world’s most dynamic and fast-evolving trade corridors, creating powerful opportunities for businesses of all sizes to grow and compete globally.” “As we build on our strong foundation, my priority is to strengthen resilience, accelerate growth, and deepen the role FedEx plays as a valued partner for our customers and communities. With the unwavering commitment of our team members who live the ‘Purple Promise’ every day to make every customer experience outstanding we will continue to connect businesses with new possibilities, drive innovation, and enable global trade in an ever-evolving marketplace,” he added.  Chari’s appointment comes as FedEx continues to highlight its local engagement across the region. In June last year, FedEx Singapore teamed up with immersive media agency Ingage Media to launch its first 3D holographic experience, part of the ongoing “FedEx passport to Europe” campaign. Debuting at Plaza Singapura and later at Raffles City Shopping Centre, the activation used interactive, glasses-free 3D visuals to reimagine how the company engages customers in public spaces. Shortly after, FedEx Malaysia released a Merdeka Day video titled “Different strangers. One conversation. Endless Malaysian pride”, celebrating the nation’s linguistic diversity and the connections that unite its people. The seven-minute clip, produced by JAP Media, follows strangers sharing candid conversations in each other’s mother tongues, culminating in the surprise reveal of each person’s actual race. Related articles: Kenvue names new APAC group president    Domino’s onboards FrieslandCampina veteran as new president and head of marketing for MY, SG, KH   F&N names new CEO source

The Coca-Cola Company has created a new chief digital officer role as part of a broader leadership reshuffle aimed at accelerating its digital transformation. Sedef Salingan Sahin (pictured below) currently president of Coca-Cola’s Eurasia and Middle East operating unit, will take on the newly created role from 31 March this year. She will report to incoming CEO Henrique Braun. In her new position, Sahin will be tasked with unifying digital, data and operational excellence across the company. She will lead Coca-Cola’s enterprise-wide digital strategy, integrating its digital network and connecting efforts across related functions. Don’t miss: The Coca-Cola Company appoints new marketing director, ASEAN and South Pacific Digital strategy responsibilities, which were previously overseen by John Murphy in his capacity as president and chief financial officer, will transition to Sahin. Sahin joined Coca-Cola in 2003 and has held multiple senior leadership roles across developed and developing markets. Prior to her current role, she served as president of the company’s nutrition, juice, dairy and plant category within the marketing organisation, where she led efforts to digitise the business and transform marketing operations. The leadership changes come as Coca-Cola prepares for a CEO transition. As unveiled in December 2025, Braun, currently executive vice president and chief operating officer, will succeed James Quincey as CEO on March 31, 2026. Quincey will continue as executive chairman of the board. As part of the reshuffle, customer and commercial leadership responsibilities will move from Murphy to Manolo Arroyo. Arroyo, currently executive vice president and chief marketing officer, will assume the expanded role of executive vice president and chief marketing and customer commercial officer. Murphy will remain president and chief financial officer, continuing to oversee global strategy, corporate development, investor relations, tax, treasury, audit, accounting and controls, performance management and enterprise services. Coca-Cola also announced changes to its operational leadership structure, creating two new market groupings reporting to Braun to sharpen its focus on Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Sanket Ray, currently president of the India and Southwest Asia operating unit, will oversee markets across India, Southwest Asia, Greater China and Mongolia, as well as Japan and South Korea. He will continue in his current role. Claudia Lorenzo, currently chief of staff to Quincey and former president of the ASEAN and South Pacific operating unit, will become president of the Eurasia and Middle East operating unit. She will oversee markets across Eurasia and the Middle East, ASEAN and South Pacific, and Africa. “The chief digital officer position is a pivotal new role for our future. Sahin’s proven leadership will help shape how we digitalise the enterprise end-to-end, and over the next several months she will assess how to organise the teams responsible for digital across the enterprise to help strengthen execution, simplify how we work and enable us to deliver for consumers with greater precision and speed,” Braun said. Braun added that the changes are aimed at better positioning the organisation to navigate increasingly dynamic market conditions globally. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information. Related articles: Coca-Cola turns Australian airwaves into a Christmas bridge for Filipino workers abroad   Coca-Cola celebrates connection with stunning new Kings Cross image   Johnny Cash estate sues Coca-Cola, claiming ad “stole” singer’s voice source

Honda Motor Co. has unveiled a refreshed “H mark” that will serve as the new symbol for its automobile business, marking a visual shift tied to its next-generation electric vehicle push. The new H mark will debut on Honda’s upcoming EV and hybrid-electric models, starting with vehicles introduced from 2027 onwards, the company said. First introduced in 1963, the H mark has long represented Honda’s automobile products and business activities, undergoing several design evolutions over the decades. Honda first introduced the refreshed H mark in 2024 for its next-generation EVs under the Honda 0 Series. The latest move expands its use beyond EVs, positioning it as the symbol for Honda’s broader automobile business. Don’t miss: Bentley sharpens its century-old ‘Winged B’ emblem in bold refresh The latest update comes as Honda develops its next-generation EVs, including the Honda 0 Series, which is being built around the idea of creating EVs “from zero” by returning to the company’s roots as an automaker. According to Honda, the refreshed design reflects its commitment to transformation as it enters a new phase of mobility. The new H mark, which resembles two outstretched hands, is intended to symbolise Honda’s ambition to expand the possibilities of mobility while serving customer needs more closely. Beyond vehicles, Honda plans to roll out the new H mark across its automobile business, including dealerships, communications and motorsports activities. The move comes as the global automotive industry undergoes rapid change driven by electrification and intelligent technologies. Honda described the refreshed H mark as a symbol of its “second founding”, underscoring its intent to lead this transition by offering new value through technology and ideas, without being constrained by conventional approaches. Honda’s update also comes amid a broader wave of automotive brands refreshing their visual identities ahead of the Formula 1 (F1) season. Most recently, Mercedes-AMG F1 unveiled a more minimalist logo on 1 January, showcasing it on Instagram and drawing fan attention ahead of the new season. The updated design now includes the full “Petronas Formula 1 Team” wording beneath the Mercedes emblem, alongside more prominent AMG branding. Red Bull has also released a refreshed logo this month. In a social media post captioned “What’s new, 2026?”, the team revealed a design that appears largely unchanged, but marks the return of the white outline around the ‘Red Bull’ lettering, last used in 2015. Audi, meanwhile, is using Formula 1 to debut a refreshed visual identity. Its “R26 Concept” introduces a new design language with minimalist surfaces, geometric cuts, a revised colour palette and red Audi rings deployed exclusively for its F1 team. The move positions the sport as a global stage to test and showcase the brand’s broader identity overhaul. Related articles: Audi Revolut F1 Team signs Gillette as official partner ahead of 2026 debut   PepsiCo deepens F1 push with multi-brand Mercedes partnership       Beyond the track: How brands took pole position online at 2025 Formula 1 Singapore GP source

Singtel Group has renewed its partnership with National Gallery Singapore (NGS) for another 10 years, extending a collaboration that has been in place since the Gallery’s opening in 2015. Under the renewed agreement, Singtel will continue as a founding partner of the Gallery, with Special Exhibition Galleries 1 and 2 on Level 3 of the City Hall Wing retaining the Singtel name. Over the past decade, the partnership has supported 16 major exhibitions, collectively drawing 1.5 million visitors to the Singtel special exhibition gallery. These include the Gallery’s current exhibition, “Into the modern: Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston”, the region’s largest presentation of French Impressionism, featuring around 100 works by artists such as Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Don’t miss: National Gallery Singapore’s logo gets off the wall and onto the streets  Previous exhibitions supported by Singtel include the Yayoi Kusama retrospective, the Japanese artist’s first major showcase in Southeast Asia, which attracted more than 235,000 visitors, as well as “Tropical: Stories from Southeast Asia and Latin America”, which examined shared cultural histories across both regions. Yuen Kuan Moon, group CEO of Singtel, said the partnership reflects a shared ambition to make art more accessible. “We are immensely glad that Singaporeans and visitors alike have had access to some of the world’s most exciting art offerings from our gallery in the past 10 years, and we look forward to presenting more culturally enriching work in the next lap,” he said. Eugene Tan, CEO and director of National Gallery Singapore, added that Singtel has played a key role in advancing the Gallery’s mission. “Their renewed support reflects a shared belief in the power of the arts to bring people together, spark dialogue, and deepen our collective understanding of the world,” he said. The renewed partnership will continue to support National Gallery Singapore’s ability to present large-scale international exhibitions. It also sits within Singtel’s broader efforts to reinforce its commitment to Singapore’s arts and culture sector beyond institutional sponsorships. In recent months, the telco has increasingly leaned into experiential activations that blend connectivity, culture and live entertainment. One example is “The concert pass”, a month-long pop-up activation running from 24 November to 24 December, designed to extend the concert-going experience beyond the stage. Built as an immersive, content-friendly space for fans and tourists, the activation underscores how Singtel is using its network capabilities to enable participation, creation and sharing during peak cultural periods. Related articles:    How National Gallery Singapore is trying to be a museum for everyone Singtel marches down National Day Parade memory lane in SG60 film    Singtel turns tourist SIM into pocket-sized AR tour guide  source

Coca-Cola is ringing in Chinese New Year (CNY) in Singapore and Malaysia with a new cross-border anthem, featuring Malaysia’s pop-rap trio 3P and Singaporean singer Mayiduo. The anthem forms the centerpiece of the brand’s “Grab a coke and huat together this new year” campaign, combining music, experiential activations, collectible packaging, and digital engagement to deliver a multi-dimensional festive experience. The anthem, titled “可口可樂，共創好年” (‘Coca-Cola, creating a great year together’) launches on 19 January via Coca-Cola, 3P, and Mayiduo’s Instagram and Facebook accounts. The anthem blends festive instrumentation with contemporary pop and rap elements, while the accompanying video sees the artists getting into the festive mood after receiving a can of Coke from a grandmother. The artists are also seen having reunion dinner with friends and grandparents, dancing and writing auspicious banners.  Don’t miss: The Coca-Cola Company creates chief digital officer role amid leadership restructure  To deepen engagement, the campaign includes music video cutdowns, a dance challenge on social media, and a live performance by 3P at The Starhill, Malaysia, on 20 January. On-ground experiential activations will also run in Singapore’s Orchard Road (6–15 February) and Malaysia’s The Starhill (16–25 January), designed to create interactive, co-created moments for consumers across generations. When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out, the Coca-Cola Company said that music is a universal language and a cultural staple during CNY. This is especially seen in diverse markets such as Singapore and Malaysia where music can connect communities across different languages, generations and traditions. “For us at Coca-Cola, we didn’t just want a song. We wanted a cultural property that connects generations through co-created moments, reinforcing the festive mood across two distinct but culturally aligned markets,” Chrystian Lim, marketing director, Coca-Cola Singapore and Malaysia told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. “We are using music as the universal language; and our anthem aims to make this year’s Chinese New Year celebration a nexperience people will actively join in, not just observe,” Lim added.  Meanwhile, the selection of 3P and Mayiduo reflects the brand’s strategy to feature local talents who are culturally relevant, relatable and capable of engaging younger audiences. The brand added that both artists bring vibrant energy and strong audience connections that align with the festive spirit the brand aims to capture. Moreover, supporting local talent remains a core focus for the brand when approaching festive marketing in Southeast Asia. Instead of simply celebrating the occasion, the brand looks to co-create moments with local talents and communities, allowing the festive story to feel more personal, participatory and authentic, said the brand. Beyond music, Coca-Cola has partnered with global brand design consultancy Elmwood to launch a new CNY visual identity system, reflected across cans, packaging, retail, and digital touchpoints. Inspired by fireworks, Asian textile traditions, and the brand’s signature effervescence, the system celebrates regional diversity while evoking optimism, fortune, and togetherness. Limited-edition cans feature bold horses and auspicious motifs, aligning with the Year of the Horse. Last year, the beverage giant collaborated with local media companies SGAG and MGAG to unveil a humorous jingle. The video touches on the conventional pressures faced by a partner when meeting their counterpart’s extended family during the festive celebrations. To lighten up the stress some customers may be facing, the brands used a humorous jingle to help viewers navigate the pressures.  The clip showcased the stereotypical family members that may be present during the festivities, including rich aunts and nosy elders. To rid his partner of the pressures from his family, the young man encourages the woman to “grab a coke” while welcoming her into the family. The video then ends with the couple’s humorous interaction with a not-so-familiar relative.  Photo courtesy of 3P and Coca-Cola Singapore and Malaysia. Related articles:    The Coca-Cola Company appoints new marketing director, ASEAN and South Pacific Coca-Cola adds a fizzy kick to limited-edition Converse collab  Coca-Cola seems to have learnt its lesson from the 2024 Christmas ad, but why are audiences divided?  source

This post is sponsored by Rebel & Soul. Remember when everyone panicked that robots would steal our jobs? Well, for some, it’s beginning to happen, and they’re coming for your events too. Except here’s the delicious paradox: they’re about to make them wonderfully, unforgettably human. Trend forecasters for 2026, and beyond, are talking about everything from “synthetic realities” to “human connection”. I believe they’re both right, and both wrong. Because 2026’s most memorable events won’t choose sides, they’ll seduce both. Picture this: You walk into an event. AI has already predicted the traffic pattern that nearly made you late and has quietly pushed your personalised welcome back by seven minutes so that you will arrive to a cold glass of something refreshing. The event knows you’ll drift towards the terrace at 8:15pm (you always do at these events) and so does the sustainability director you’ve been trying to meet for six months. Coincidence? Adorable that you’d think so. A conversational AI concierge answers your nerdy question about the product with surprising depth, and then seamlessly hands you to a human expert who shares a behind the scenes product story with you when you’re ready to buy. The tech is everywhere. You notice none of it. You just feel … seen. Our prediction for 2026 events? Scale still matters, but only at the extremes. The Las Vegas Sphere delivers The Wizard of Oz spectacle that leaves audiences genuinely breathless. When you can wrap 580,000 square feet of LED around people and make them feel like they’re inside another universe, scale is the experience. Awe replaces the need for connection. But very few brands have Sphere-sized budgets. For everything below that jaw-dropping threshold, the traditional 500-person gala is a thing of the past, sumptuously replaced by intimacy. Real or perceived. Today’s audiences, whether they’re buying B2B software or bubble tea, crave meaningful connections in a world that’s more tech-heavy than ever. They want experiences that whisper directly to them, even in a highly crowded room. But here’s the twist: “boutique” doesn’t mean “small”. It means making 1,000 people feel like they’re at a dinner party for 10. It means AI orchestrating 1,000 micro-moments while humans deliver the punchlines. Forrester says Asia Pacific will drive 40% of global B2B spending by 2026 and what they’re not spending it on is dull conferences with bad coffee. At Rebel & Soul, we’re obsessed with what happens in your brain during peak experiences. We call it “hyper-focus” – that delicious state where time stops, phones disappear, and your brand becomes the only thing that matters. The Sphere achieves it through sheer sensory overwhelm. For the rest of us, it’s intimacy that gets us there, the feeling this moment was crafted just for you and the memories follow because you’re surrounded by people you can share them with. Here’s the bit that should make you blink: This works for everyone. Launching an app? Create intrigue. Selling insurance? Add novelty. B2B software demo? Inject surprise. Our neuroscience-backed INVOLVE® framework has proven that memories don’t care about your industry – they care about moments that make synapses sizzle. Gartner predicts 60% of enterprises will use AI in events by 2026. We predict that 100% of unforgettable events will use AI so invisibly, so seductively, that guests will swear it was human magic. AI is the great intimacy scaler, it’s what allows you to create that dinner-party-for-10 feeling at a conference for 1,000. A few of the invisible AI elements we love include: Hyper-personalisation at scale, where AI analyses guests’ purchase histories, event attendance patterns, and social aesthetic preferences to craft individually tailored experiences – from champagne selections to art installation colour palettes – without anyone realising the environment is responding uniquely to them. Predictive logistics that border on clairvoyance with AI monitoring hundreds of variables throughout your event, including anticipating traffic delays for VIP arrivals, tracking catering consumption rates, flagging crowd-flow bottlenecks, enabling your team to fix problems before they exist. Conversational AI concierges sophisticated enough to discuss engineering specifications with enthusiasts, design heritage with collectors, and seamlessly adjust their depth based on who they’re talking to. Creative AI as a collaborator where brands mine 75 years of archives to suggest new creative directions while preserving DNA or real-time generative art that responds to crowd sentiment. Here’s what we believe keeps CMOs up at night: 85% of customers are more likely to buy after attending an event and 70% become repeat customers, yet most brands are still sending email newsletters like it’s 2019. Global trend forecaster Lindsey McInerney said it beautifully: “In a world where AI is rewriting the rules, be unapologetically human.” While your competitors are building virtual worlds nobody visits, you could be creating physical and phygital moments that people can’t stop talking about. The brands winning in 2026 won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets or the fanciest AI. They’ll be the ones brave enough to use technology to amplify humanity. To create experiences that feel like inside jokes. To make a product launch feel like a first kiss. To turn a B2B demo into a story worth sharing at dinner. Unless you’ve got Sphere money, intimacy is your superpower. And thanks to AI, you can now deliver it at any scale. Whether you’re selling SaaS or streetwear, whether your budget is $10,000 or $10 million, the formula remains beautifully simple: Make them feel something and make them feel seen. The author is Kristy Castleton, founder and chief memory maker of Rebel & Soul: MARKETING-INTERACTIVE’s gold Experiential Agency of the Year. Image credit: Dentsu, Neuromance Event, Rebel & Soul. source

ChatGPT has launched its low-cost subscription tier, ChatGPT Go, worldwide, expanding access to its AI tools as it explores advertising as a way to keep the platform affordable. Starting this week, ChatGPT Go will be available in all markets where ChatGPT operates, including Singapore, priced at SG$13 per month and in Australia for AUD$13 per month. The plan was first introduced in India in August 2025 and has since rolled out to more than 170 countries, making it the company’s fastest-growing subscription tier to date. ChatGPT Go is positioned for everyday users who want more access than the free tier but at a lower price than premium plans. Subscribers receive 10 times more messages, file uploads and image creation than free users, along with a longer memory and context window that allows ChatGPT to retain more helpful details over time. The plan runs on GPT-5.2 Instant, OpenAI’s latest model designed for daily tasks such as writing assistance, document analysis, summarisation and web search. Don’t miss: OpenAI shows how ChatGPT fits into everyday life in first major campaign With the global rollout of Go, ChatGPT now offers three consumer subscription tiers worldwide. ChatGPT Go is priced at US$8 per month, with localised pricing in select markets. ChatGPT Plus remains available at US$20 per month, offering higher usage limits, access to advanced reasoning models such as GPT-5.2 Thinking, and tools such as the Codex coding agent. At the top end, ChatGPT Pro is priced at US$200 per month and targets power users with access to GPT-5.2 Pro, maximum memory and context, and early previews of new features. Earlier in October last year, OpenAI expanded its ChatGPT Go subscription plan to Malaysia and the Philippines, giving users in both countries greater access to advanced AI capabilities at a more affordable price. In Malaysia, ChatGPT Go is priced at RM38.99 per month, while in the Philippines it costs ₱300 per month. The plan provides higher message limits, increased image generations, file uploads, and extended memory, all powered by GPT-5, OpenAI’s most advanced AI model. The expansion also included Vietnam and Thailand, two of ChatGPT’s fastest-growing markets in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, where weekly active users have tripled in the past year, ChatGPT Go is priced at ₫132,000 per month. In Thailand, where adoption has grown more than 4x, the plan costs ฿259 per month. Both markets will gain access to GPT-5-powered features such as higher message limits, image generation, file uploads, and memory. In September 2025, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Go in Indonesia, marking the country as one of the first two markets worldwide to access the new low-cost subscription plan. At IDR 75,000 per month, the service is designed to offer broader access to the platform’s most popular AI tools at an affordable price point. Alongside the global launch, OpenAI also outlined how it plans to introduce advertising into ChatGPT. While ads are not yet live, the company said it will begin testing ads in the US in the coming weeks, limited to the free and Go tiers. Paid tiers including Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise will remain ad-free. According to OpenAI, ads will not influence ChatGPT’s responses and will be clearly separated and labelled. Conversations will remain private from advertisers, and user data will not be sold. Users will also be able to control ad personalisation settings, including turning personalisation off entirely. The initial ad tests are expected to appear at the bottom of responses when a sponsored product or service is relevant to the conversation. Ads will not be shown to users under 18, nor alongside sensitive or regulated topics such as health, mental health or politics. OpenAI said advertising is intended to support broader access to AI by helping fund free and low-cost usage tiers, while maintaining user trust. The company emphasised that it does not optimise for time spent on ChatGPT and prioritises long-term user value over ad revenue. Related articles: ChatGPT Go subscription plan lands in Malaysia and PhilippinesChatGPT launches group chats for collaborative AI conversations OpenAI’s APAC comms head on leveraging ChatGPT as a strategic partner source