The campaign marks a new chapter for the 29-year-old brand as it shifts towards more culturally driven marketing, combining earned, owned, paid and social media to spark conversations before officially revealing the campaign behind the viral moment.

The activation began with what appeared to be an accidental open microphone during ERA FM’s popular Petang ERA programme, where DJs Haziq, Muna Bella and Der were heard talking about craving a thick, crunchy pizza before Haziq seemingly walked out of the studio mid-broadcast to satisfy his hunger.

With no brand attached to the incident, the unexpected moment quickly gained traction online, prompting widespread speculation over whether it had been staged.

Domino’s later confirmed it had orchestrated the stunt as the launchpad for its new ‘Unbox Your Cravings’ platform, which encourages Malaysians to embrace spontaneous cravings instead of putting them off.

Beyond the campaign, Domino’s rolled out a fully integrated activation across multiple channels, including follow-up radio segments on ERA and HITZ FM, social content featuring the DJs, creator collaborations led by Azfar Heri, digital out-of-home placements, wrapped campaign vehicles, food publisher partnerships, and a cinematic brand film.

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According to Domino’s, the campaign generated more than 17.2 million people reached, 134 million earned impressions, and 1.7 million creator reach, demonstrating how a single cultural moment can be amplified across multiple media touchpoints.

Ringo Joannes, Region CEO of Domino’s Pizza Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia, said the campaign reflects the brand’s new direction.

“Cravings are among the most honest signals we have. They are immediate, emotional, and impossible to ignore. With ‘Unbox Your Cravings,’ we wanted to reflect that truth in a way that feels real to people today,” Joannes said. 

“This is about recognising those small but meaningful moments when you choose to listen to what you want, instead of putting it off and being there, ready, when that decision is made,” added Joannes. 

With ‘Unbox Your Cravings,’ Domino’s is repositioning itself beyond product-led promotions, using entertainment, storytelling, and integrated media to create stronger cultural relevance and deeper engagement with Malaysian consumers.

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Findings from Criteo’s Spark of Discovery 2026 report show that while brands continue to believe their discovery strategies are working, many are struggling to translate those efforts into meaningful business growth. 

Although 99% of Singapore brands said their current discovery strategies are effective, only 36% strongly agreed that these strategies contribute to brand growth.

The research, which surveyed consumers and brands across Singapore, India and Australia, found that Singapore shoppers are among the region’s most digitally confident. 

Just 32% said online shopping feels more like a chore than shopping in-store, compared to the APAC average of 37% and 55% in India. However, that confidence comes with higher expectations.

Efficiency has emerged as a top priority, with 43% of respondents identifying faster and less time-consuming experiences as the improvement they most want from e-commerce platforms.

While enjoyment still plays a role in online shopping, Singapore consumers approach discovery with purpose. About 63% said joy matters when they shop online, but they are nearly as likely to stick to a shopping list (62%) as they are to explore something new (60%). 

Compared to markets like Australia, where only 54% expressed openness to discovering new products, Singapore shoppers appear more receptive—provided the recommendations are relevant and useful.

The findings also point to a changing influence landscape. Only 28% of Singapore consumers said influencer content drives excitement around brands, below the APAC average of 34% and significantly behind India at 54%.

Instead, trust and credibility carry greater weight. More than half (54%) cited positive forum reviews as a key driver of excitement, while 51% pointed to easy access to customer support. 

Even impulse purchases appear to be grounded in product appeal rather than social pressure, with 59% of impulse shoppers naming attractive product design as their main trigger. By comparison, only 8% cited peer pressure as a purchasing factor.

The report also suggests that Singapore consumers are becoming more comfortable with the trade-offs associated with AI-powered commerce. 

Nearly six in 10 respondents (59%) recognised that sharing more data can result in more personalised recommendations, while 56% said they were comfortable with brands using their purchase history to tailor suggestions. 

However, willingness declines when more sensitive data is involved, with only 43% comfortable sharing their email contacts.

Timing, meanwhile, has become increasingly important. Around 44% said seeing the right ad at the right moment contributes to excitement during the shopping journey, highlighting an opportunity for brands to use AI to improve precision rather than simply increase volume.

Brands appear ready to respond. According to the report, 92% plan to use AI to enhance user experiences, while 91% intend to leverage the technology to remove guesswork from product discovery.

“Singapore is a strong indicator of where e-commerce in Asia-Pacific is heading. Consumers here are highly digitally literate—they know exactly what a great shopping experience looks like, and they have no patience for anything less. They want discovery to find them at the right moment, not interrupt them at the wrong one,” said Sukesh Singh, Managing Director for Southeast Asia at Criteo.

“For brands, that’s both the challenge and the opportunity. Generic, broad-reach campaigns don’t cut it anymore. What wins is algorithmic precision that actually respects the shopper’s intent—and AI is what makes that possible at scale. Get it right in Singapore, and you’ve cracked a template for the rest of the region.”

With 85% of Singapore consumers saying shopping festivals influence what they discover and buy, upcoming events such as 10.10, 11.11 and 12.12 remain important opportunities for brands. 

But the report suggests that success will depend less on blanket promotions and more on delivering timely, trustworthy and genuinely relevant recommendations.

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Founded in 2019 by Nadia Bartel, Michelle Ring and Laura Broque, HENNE has built a strong following for its minimalist wardrobe essentials and premium fashion aesthetic, becoming one of Australia’s fastest-growing contemporary fashion brands.

The appointments mark a new chapter in HENNE’s growth strategy as the Melbourne-founded brand looks to strengthen customer acquisition across Australia and New Zealand ahead of future international expansion.

Under the partnership, Jaywing will oversee paid media strategy, execution, and optimisation across Meta, Google, TikTok, and Pinterest, while also managing reporting, analytics, creative strategy, and production support to improve campaign performance and marketing effectiveness.

Meanwhile, The Social CliQ will lead HENNE’s social media strategy across Meta and TikTok, delivering full-funnel campaigns spanning influencer marketing, user-generated content (UGC), and conversion-focused creative.

The appointments follow a competitive pitch process, where HENNE evaluated agencies based on strategic thinking, creative capability, performance marketing expertise, measurement and team fit.

As part of its remit, Jaywing will also deploy its proprietary FeedOps platform to optimise HENNE’s product data across paid media channels, helping improve campaign performance while preparing the brand for emerging AI-powered and agentic commerce environments.

Ash Terry, eCommerce Director at Jaywing, said the partnership comes at an important stage of HENNE’s growth journey.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with HENNE at such a pivotal stage of its journey. What stands out is the brand’s commercial maturity and its clear focus on sustainable new customer acquisition,” said Terry. 

“That long-term mindset creates the conditions for truly effective performance marketing, where data, creative and media work in lockstep. With the addition of FeedOps and our advanced measurement approach, we can unlock new levels of efficiency and scale for HENNE,” added Terry. 

Talia Datt, Founder and Managing Director of The Social CliQ, added that HENNE’s strong brand identity creates opportunities to build deeper engagement across social platforms.

“HENNE is a brand with an incredibly strong aesthetic and cultural resonance, which gives us a powerful platform to build from. We’re excited to be working alongside Jaywing and the HENNE team on this great Australian brand,” said Datt. 

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Brands that will lead in this environment are those that can move beyond broad strategies — combining intelligence-driven precision with genuine cultural resonance and responsible engagement practices.

Responding to these industry imperatives, MARKETECH APAC is rolling out the fourth edition of its flagship conference in Malaysia. What’s NEXT in Marketing: Malaysia 2026, scheduled for22 October 2026 at Sheraton Petaling Jaya, will bring together marketing leaders and brand innovators to explore the trends, tools, and strategies defining the next era of marketing in the country.

This year’s edition will dive into how brands can harness AI to unlock new growth frontiers, build customer value through responsible and transparency-led engagement, and deliver seamless experiences across every touchpoint. Sessions will also tackle Malaysia’s fast-evolving digital buying journey, the power of local culture and storytelling as a creative force, and how marketers can cut through data overload to activate insights that drive real, measurable impact.

Across the conference, participants can expect keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing, alongside networking opportunities to connect with industry peers and leaders from both local and international brands.

The conference will also introduce “MEET THE EXPERTS”, a new format enabling direct engagement with seasoned marketers. In small-group sessions, attendees will gain practical insights from real campaign strategies and case studies, offering actionable takeaways for today’s fast-evolving landscape. 

The initial speaker lineup includes:

• Asyraf Suhaibi, Head of Brand Management at Air Selangor
• Benjamin Woo, Group Head of Marketing at Astro
• Lolitta Suffian, SVP Customer Experience at Bank Simpanan Nasional
• Ahmad Nasyami Mihat, Head of Marketing at Hyundai Malaysia
• Alyaa Ramlan, Head of Social at Unifi
• More to be announced soon…

What’s NEXT in Marketing: Malaysia 2026 is part of the broader What’s NEXT in Marketing conference series, which includes:

• April –What’s NEXT in Marketing: Philippines 2026
• July –What’s NEXT in Marketing: Singapore 2026
• August –What’s NEXT in Marketing: Indonesia 2026
• September –What’s NEXT in Marketing: Thailand 2026
• November –What’s NEXT in Marketing: Hong Kong 2026

To learn more about What’s NEXT in Marketing: Malaysia 2026 and secure your seat, click HERE.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact MARKETECH APAC’s Sales Team at [email protected]. 

For speaking opportunities, reach out to John Lou Peña at [email protected].

 For registration enquiries, contact the Registrations Team at [email protected].

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Founded in 1997, CX Lavender has built a strong reputation for helping Australian brands improve customer experiences through loyalty programmes, digital platforms and transformation projects that connect strategy with execution.

The acquisition marks another step in Omnicom Oceania’s strategy to expand beyond traditional media and creative services into broader customer and marketing transformation. 

It also reflects growing demand from businesses for integrated partners that can combine strategy, technology and customer experience under one roof.

The deal includes CX Lavender’s team of around 20 specialists, its proprietary technology assets, and its brand, with existing clients, including Westpac, continuing to be supported by the agency under Omnicom Oceania.

Nick Garrett, CEO of Omnicom Oceania, said customer experience has become a business-wide priority for organisations.

“This acquisition accelerates our customer experience  capabilities across the group. The partnership marks another step in Omnicom Oceania’s progress moving beyond a  traditional media and creative model into a broader marketing and customer  transformation business,” explained Garrett. 

Adrian Paul, COO of Omnicom Oceania, added that the acquisition strengthens the group’s connected capability model.

“This acquisition will preserve the independent spirit and culture of Lavs, backed by the  scale and capabilities of Omnicom Oceania. This investment strengthens the connected  capability model we are building across Omnicom Oceania and further expands our ability to help clients navigate increasingly complex customer and marketing environments,” said Paul.

Ryan Stubna, Chief Creative Officer at CX Lavender, shared, “Joining the Omnicom Oceania  network gives us the opportunity to scale our capability and continue evolving how we help  clients design and deliver connected customer experiences. Our Client Services Director, KaLing Ng, and I are excited to retain our indie energy, backed by a powerhouse network.” 

“There’s a strong alignment in how both businesses think about the future of customer  experience and the growing need for more connected customer journeys. Bringing our specialist capability together with Omnicom Oceania’s broader network creates exciting opportunities for both our team and our clients,” added Stubna.  

CX Lavender has worked with leading Australian brands across financial services, retail, and travel, delivering customer transformation programmes that combine strategy, experience design, and technology.

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As the Official Broadcast Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on RTMKlik, U Mobile positions its brand around making every match and every football moment more accessible, immersive, and rewarding for fans across the country.

At the heart of the campaign is a hero film created by Naga DDB Tribal and directed by Barney Chua of BikinCita, which celebrates the traditions and memories that unite Malaysian football fans during every World Cup by drawing on familiar match-day rituals like late-night watch parties and iconic moments that have shaped generations of supporters.

Rather than focusing solely on football itself, the film highlights the connections and shared experiences the tournament creates, reinforcing U Mobile’s message that the FIFA World Cup is about bringing people together.

Beyond enabling live access to all 104 tournament matches on RTMKlik, the campaign also extends into a series of fan engagement initiatives under the ULTRA Football Fest, encouraging supporters to celebrate the tournament both on and off the screen.

The campaign also introduces the ULTRA Dream Football Tour, giving one winner and three companions the opportunity to visit some of the world’s most iconic football cities. Subscribers can also take part in giveaways featuring home entertainment upgrades, smartphones, televisions and official tournament jerseys.

Bernard Lee, Head of Brand and Marketing Services at U Mobile, shared, “Malaysians have a special connection with football. The rituals, reactions and celebrations don’t just happen every four years. This is our way of bringing the world’s biggest football event closer to home and creating unforgettable moments that fans can experience and share together.” 

“The World Cup has always been about more than football,” explained Walter Teoh, Executive Creative Director of Naga DDB Tribal. “It is one of the few occasions that transcends age, background and circumstance, creating moments of shared anticipation, celebration and connection. Those are often the memories that endure long after the tournament ends.”

Through a combination of live streaming, experiential rewards and emotional storytelling, U Mobile’s latest campaign demonstrates how brands can transform major sporting events into integrated customer experiences that extend well beyond the final whistle.

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The appointments come as organisations across the region move beyond AI experimentation and seek practical applications that can deliver measurable business outcomes.

Thipsena will oversee Google Cloud’s go-to-market strategy, customer and partner engagement, and business operations in Thailand. 

Reporting to Mark Micallef, Managing Director for Southeast Asia, he will work closely with organisations across the country to help them leverage Google’s AI portfolio as they transition into what the company describes as the “Agentic Era”.

He joins Google Cloud from Thailand-based AI and data analytics company STelligence, where he served as executive director and chief technology officer. 

During his tenure, he led projects helping organisations deploy AI and data-driven technologies to solve business challenges, including the AI deployment for Thailand’s TH2OECD National Project.

Prior to STelligence, Thipsena held senior leadership positions at Microsoft Thailand, including deputy managing director of the Cloud Solution Unit and chief information security officer, where he guided enterprises through cloud adoption, cybersecurity initiatives and generative AI exploration.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Indonesia, Google Cloud has named veteran technology executive Karim Siregar as Country Director. 

He will lead local operations and market strategy while working with organisations ranging from digital-native startups to established enterprises to accelerate AI transformation.

Siregar most recently served as chief information officer at PT BFI Finance Indonesia. 

He was also the founding president director of PT Bank Jago and CEO of Dkatalis Digital Labs, where he helped establish one of Indonesia’s earliest ecosystem-embedded digital banking models.

His three-decade career also includes leadership roles at Bank BTPN, Bank Danamon and Bank Mega, with experience spanning financial inclusion, transactional infrastructure and enterprise modernisation.

Mark Micallef said both markets represent significant opportunities for Google Cloud’s regional ambitions.

“Thailand is a critical growth engine for Southeast Asia’s digital economy, and our US$1 billion investment in Thailand and new cloud region in Bangkok reflects our absolute commitment to serving the country and our customers here,” he said.

He added that Thipsena’s technical expertise and experience supporting enterprise transformation made him well-positioned to deepen ecosystem collaborations in Thailand.

In Indonesia, Micallef noted that organisations are increasingly seeking scalable AI deployments capable of delivering immediate value.

“As organisations look to move past the initial phase of AI experimentation, the mandate has shifted entirely to scalable, real-world deployment that drives immediate value for their end-users,” he said.

“Karim’s exceptional track record of building, governing, and scaling digital-first institutions in Indonesia makes him the perfect leader for this next chapter.”

For his part, Thipsena said successful digital transformation depends on balancing innovation with trust.

“Thailand has the momentum to shape the region’s digital future, and Google Cloud is committed to being an open, collaborative partner in that journey,” he said.

Similarly, Siregar emphasised that technology adoption must remain grounded in solving real customer problems.

“Technology only matters when it simplifies lives and creates practical, measurable value for real users,” he said. “I am thrilled to partner side-by-side with our Indonesian customers and local ecosystem to accelerate a secure, responsible digital future that benefits the broader economy.”

The appointments underscore Google Cloud’s growing investment in Southeast Asia, where demand for AI-powered solutions continues to accelerate across sectors ranging from banking and retail to telecommunications and startups.

The company said its AI capabilities, anchored by Gemini Enterprise, are helping organisations reimagine operations, boost workforce productivity and unlock new avenues of growth as they prepare for an increasingly agent-driven future.

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The findings, drawn from Amperity’s The 2026 Consumer Priorities Report: The New Rules of Loyalty in the Age of AI, examine how generative AI is reshaping the way consumers discover brands, make purchase decisions, and define loyalty. The study is based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers aged 18 to 65 conducted in May 2026 using Pollfish.

The research shows that consumers are increasingly relying on AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to compare products, plan travel, and evaluate services, placing new pressure on brands competing for attention and loyalty. 

While personalisation remains important to consumers, the report notes that its effectiveness depends on whether experiences are perceived as relevant, timely, and trustworthy.

According to the report, 80% of generative AI users said they use tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini to research products, compare services, or plan travel, while the same proportion said they sometimes or often act on AI-generated recommendations by clicking links, making purchases, or booking services. In addition, 60% of respondents said AI has led them to choose a brand they had not previously considered, while only 23% said they go directly to familiar brands without first considering AI recommendations.

The study also found that 63% of consumers would switch brands for a better offer, underscoring the increasingly conditional nature of loyalty. It added that loyalty programmes, rewards, and consistent cross-channel experiences remain among the strongest drivers of customer retention, although respondents indicated they are typically loyal to only a small number of brands within each category.

On personalisation, 72% of consumers said tailored experiences are somewhat or very important when choosing a brand, while 58% said invasive or “creepy” personalisation makes them less likely to engage. Meanwhile, 78% said they are more likely to interact with personalised experiences when they trust how their data is being used. Consumers also reported growing frustration with irrelevant, repetitive, and poorly timed brand interactions.

Overall, the findings point to a broader shift in how brands compete in an AI-driven marketplace, where consumers increasingly depend on AI tools to surface options and compare offerings. The report suggests that brands will need to move beyond static campaigns and fragmented customer journeys toward real-time decision-making grounded in trusted customer context.

“Consumers are increasingly turning to AI to help them decide what to buy, where to travel, and which brands to trust. That means loyalty can no longer be taken for granted,” said Derek Slager, Co-Founder and co-CEO of Amperity. “In an AI-driven marketplace, brands need more than customer data. They need trusted customer context that helps them recognise intent and respond with relevance in the moments that matter.”

“Personalisation isn’t the goal. Relevance is,” Slager continued. “Consumers are willing to share data when they see value in return, but they expect brands to use that information responsibly and intelligently. As AI becomes a bigger part of how consumers discover and evaluate brands, the ability to act on trusted customer context becomes a competitive advantage.”

The 2026 Consumer Priorities Report: The New Rules of Loyalty in the Age of AI explores how AI is reshaping customer expectations, loyalty, personalisation, and brand discovery across retail, travel, and service industries.

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In Thailand, shark fin soup remains associated with wealth, status, and celebration and is commonly served at special occasions and shared on social media. At the same time, rising awareness of marine conservation has led to increased public criticism when shark fin consumption is posted online.

Built on the view that social pressure can influence behaviour faster than regulation, the campaign seeks to harness online judgement as a driver for reducing shark fin consumption.

Rather than attempting to create a new movement, WildAid builds on existing online behaviour, where users already comment on and question shark fin consumption when it appears on social platforms. These dispersed acts of scrutiny are brought together under #TeamShark, forming a collective effort aimed at encouraging public advocacy for shark conservation.

The campaign centres on a film that mirrors familiar social media dynamics. It depicts a family posting a shark fin meal online, expecting positive reactions, only for the post to be met with comments from #TeamShark members. Instead of expert commentary or environmental data, the narrative unfolds through user-style responses. Each comment highlights different impacts of shark fin consumption, including damage to marine ecosystems, disruption of food chains, and declining shark populations in Thai waters.

By using the comment section as the primary storytelling device, the film reframes a common online interaction into an educational format. It positions social media users not only as observers of social pressure but also as participants in it. Viewers are then invited to join #TeamShark and continue the conversation online.

The campaign aims to show how collective public sentiment can shape behaviour alongside, or ahead of, formal regulation. It also seeks to contribute to making shark fin consumption less socially acceptable over time, encouraging reconsideration of the practice.

“Team Shark” positions online scrutiny as a potential driver of behavioural change, suggesting that coordinated social media voices can influence attitudes toward shark conservation.

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Called ‘Ultra Field Test,’ the campaign features Australian football legend Archie Thompson and Sydney-based football club Sutherland Sharks FC, highlighting how AI-powered camera features can help spectators capture and review key moments during matches, bringing greater clarity to close calls while reducing pressure on referees and players.

At the heart of the campaign is a hero film released across Samsung’s digital channels, demonstrating how AI-powered mobile technology can extend beyond content creation into practical, real-world situations that matter to everyday consumers.

Recent research commissioned by Samsung found that while 66% of Australian sports fans have argued over refereeing decisions and 41% have witnessed disagreements at community events, 69% believe technology can improve officiating even though professional systems such as VAR remain out of reach for grassroots clubs.

To address this gap, Samsung’s campaign demonstrates how the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s advanced zoom and slow-motion playback can help spectators review important moments during matches, offering greater confidence in decisions and easing tensions on the sidelines.

Nathan Rigger, Head of Product for Mobile eXperience at Samsung Electronics Australia, said the campaign also showcases how Australians can use the device beyond everyday photography.

“For many parents, supporting their kids at Saturday sports is about being present in the moment and capturing key memories. Whether it’s a stunning goal or a match-winning save, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is designed to capture these moments perfectly. With features like Space Zoom, Audio Eraser, and Horizontal Lock, you can relive those memories over and over again,” said Rigger. 

Launched during one of football’s biggest seasons, the campaign places Samsung’s technology within a culturally relevant setting familiar to millions of Australians by positioning the Galaxy S26 Ultra as a practical tool that supports everyday sporting experiences. 

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