Tag: Brand Ambassador

United Kingdom – Popular Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has been signed by global apparel brand lululemon as its new brand ambassador, with the F1 star starring in the brand’s upcoming global campaign ‘No Holding Back’.

The campaign highlights the dedication it takes to be a champion through the rigours of daily physical and mental training, highlighting the latest men’s training apparel, including the brand’s Metal Vent Tech franchise.

As a lululemon ambassador, Lewis will work closely with the brand’s Research and Innovation and Design and Development teams to collaborate on future products, providing insight and feedback on athletic and lifestyle collections. 

Moreover, lululemon’s Centre for Social Impact will also partner with Lewis’ global foundation, Mission 44, to integrate movement and mental health experiences into their efforts to build a fairer future for young people through education, employment, and empowerment.

Nikki Neuburger, chief brand and product activation officer at lululemon, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Lewis to the lululemon collective as our newest ambassador. Lewis is a game-changer in every sense of the word. His relentless commitment to performance, wellbeing, and impact align completely with what we stand for at lululemon. We’re excited to partner with Lewis to innovate, inspire, and create positive change together.”

Meanwhile, Lewis commented, “lululemon product is such high quality, looks amazing, and ultimately delivers the performance I need it to. I’m excited to partner with a brand that embraces a holistic approach to wellness. Together, we want to inspire our communities to be the best versions of themselves.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Sun Life Malaysia has announced the appointment of local personality Alif Satar as the brand’s 2025 brand ambassador. This strategic partnership is set to amplify the company’s mission to empower Malaysians with essential financial and Takaful knowledge, with a focus on legacy planning and family financial stability.

The collaboration is an expansion of Sun Life Malaysia’s ‘InsureLit Campaign,’ which has already impacted millions of Malaysians across diverse age groups in 2024 through innovative resources like financial literacy roadshows, engaging workshops, a dedicated women financial empowerment award, series of educational articles and videos and interactive board games.

As a father, entrepreneur, and well-loved public figure, Alif Satar brings a relatable and inspiring voice to Sun Life Malaysia’s campaign. Beyond being the face of the brand, Alif will actively participate in initiatives to raise the bar of Takaful literacy among Malaysians, such as the Takaful 101 video series, a digital content series that equips Malaysians with the knowledge needed to build and protect their financial legacies through Takaful.

Speaking on his ambassadorshop, Alif said, “As a father, my top priority is ensuring a secure future for my family, and as an entrepreneur, I believe financial literacy is not just important. I’m proud to partner with Sun Life Malaysia to help more Malaysians make informed financial decisions and secure brighter futures for their loved ones.”

Meanwhile, Raymond Lew, president and country head of Sun Life Malaysia, commented, “Alif Satar reflects the values that define Sun Life Malaysia – the commitment to building resilient family, entrepreneurship, and financial responsibility. With his influence and genuine connection to Malaysians, we are confident that Alif will inspire people nationwide to take ownership of their financial journeys and build meaningful legacies.”

It is worth noting that based on the “Insure or Unsure: Sun Life Insurance Literacy Survey” done in 2024, only 28% out of 1,107 Malaysians surveyed are confident in their knowledge of insurance and takaful products, while almost one-third (32%) have no insurance protection.

Reflecting on these findings, Lew said that their efforts in 2024 showed the power of creative engagement in promoting financial literacy. He noted, however, that there is still immense potential to elevate financial literacy among general Malaysians.

“With Alif onboard, we’re confident we can deepen our reach and inspire Malaysians of all ages to embrace financial responsibility. Building on this momentum, the InsureLit campaign is set to create an even greater impact in 2025,” he concluded.

Indonesia – Indomie, Indonesia’s iconic instant noodle brand, has named K-pop sensation NewJeans as its new global brand ambassadors, marking a strategic move to connect with young audiences worldwide.

The collaboration with NewJeans is a key part of Indomie’s global expansion through its “Oh My Good! It’s Indomie” campaign, designed to captivate younger audiences around the world.

The campaign will launch on November 3, 2024, featuring LED billboards in strategic locations such as Pavilion and Fahrenheit88 in Kuala Lumpur. An Indomie TV commercial will also be broadcast worldwide. Fans can look forward to more updates on the brand’s social media channels. 

Axton Salim, director at PT Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur Tbk (ICBP), said, “We are excited to be the first Southeast Asian brand to collaborate with them. NewJeans’ music and personality, which resonate not only with KPop fans but also the broader audience, align perfectly with Indomie’s fun, energetic, and uplifting character.”

“This is a major step for Indomie to expand our global market and stay relevant with the dynamic young generation,” Salim added. 

Also speaking on the announcement, Elly Betty, deputy head of international division at ICBP, commented, “This excitement will also be extended to various activities in many countries where everyone can experience the excitement of Oh My Good! It’s Indomie campaign.”

Spain – Global digital services and consulting agency Infosys has announced a three-year digital innovation partnership with world renowned tennis star Rafael Nadal. 

Marking Nadal’s first ever collaboration with a digital company, Infosys and his coaching team are developing an AI-powered match analysis tool with real time availability to simultaneously track insights from his live matches, when he is back on tour, along with historical data from his earlier matches. 

As the digital innovation partner for the ATP Tour, Roland-Garros, Australian Open, and The International Tennis Hall of Fame, Infosys has helped reimagine the tennis ecosystem for a billion fans globally leveraging AI, cloud, data analytics and digital experiences. Most recently, Infosys launched the Carbon Tracker, allowing ATP players to track and offset emissions from their travel on tour, being a first of its kind sustainable tech in any sport.

In addition, Infosys’ partnerships with tennis have also extended to serve communities around the world, a good example being STEM education, made engaging through the lens of tennis, to enable young children to develop a deeper appreciation for STEM studies together with Tennis Australia.

Talking about the partnership, Rafael Nadal said, “I’m very happy to work closely with Infosys, as they work to not only evolve the experience of tennis to the times, but also empower people in our communities to be part of a brighter future. I love the way Infosys has brought its digital expertise across industries to the global tennis ecosystem. 

“It has transformed the tennis experience for a billion global fans and truly empowered all players on the tour with analytics that they could have only dreamt of a few years ago. Also, the impact that Infosys is making beyond the court – creating the next opportunity for people, businesses, and communities – deeply inspires me. I believe it’s our shared aspiration to create societal good that makes our handshake truly meaningful,” he added.

Meanwhile, Salil Parekh, chief executive officer & managing director at Infosys, said, “It is an honor to welcome Rafa – one of the world’s most respected champion athletes and humanitarians – as an ambassador for Infosys. 

He is someone who personifies the spirit of always evolving, never giving up, utmost dedication and determination to give the very best in every situation. We are inspired by his approach, and it reflects our own aspirations to continuously evolve and always remain relevant for our clients,” added Parekh.

Singapore – Looking back, the year 2022 was packed with amazing campaigns that had our jaws dropped and our hearts touched. However, one emerged at the top of our list and gained MARKETECH APAC’s Branding Campaign of the Year nod — foodpanda’s brand mascot ‘Pau-Pau’. 

Unveiled through foodpanda’s 10th anniversary campaign in Asia last January, Pau-Pau was introduced to the public as its first-of-its-kind brand ambassador that represents sustainability and empowerment. The pink panda mascot was rolled out on the food delivery platform’s channels and interfaces, including the foodpanda app, website, social media accounts, and live-environment activations, amongst others. 

In an interview with Monika Mikusova, senior director of marketing for APAC, foodpanda told us how Pau-Pau was conceptualised, the traction and sentiment he gained from the public, and moreover, what more can we look forward from him and the brand’s campaigns.

The story behind fun-loving and free-spirited Pau-Pau

Before we got to know the Pau-Pau that we now love, foodpanda has been signing on real-life influential personalities to represent the brand. However, foodpanda’s desire to establish a stronger connection with its communities and give its customers someone they can relate to in their everyday lives led to the creation of Pau-Pau. His inception then began two years ago amidst the lockdowns, with over 200 people across 22 nationalities who worked to bring Pau-Pau to life.

“The creation of our own brand ambassador, Pau-Pau, allows us to connect and engage with millions of people who use the foodpanda app daily in a fresh, new way,” said Mikusova. 

Not only that, Pau-Pau was made to have a personality that matches foodpanda’s values: a fun-loving and free-spirited panda who advocates environment sustainability and believes in empowering people to live their lives on their own terms. He also had his own universe: the ‘Pandaverse’.

“As a reflection of our brand purpose, we centred Pau-Pau’s unique personality and passion points on three key values – living life on one’s own terms, the environment, and food and fun. This speaks to our commitment of making food, grocery and essential services delivery accessible to everyone, everywhere quickly around the clock,” she further explained.

How Pau-Pau inspired the foodpanda community

When we think of foodpanda, the image of Pau-Pau may now be the first thing that comes to mind. This signifies that the pink panda has indeed received love from millions of people across Asia even just almost a year from its launch. Unsurprisingly, Pau-Pau was able to build his own fanbase with his fans wanting to see more of him, even in merchandise— talk about popular!

Mikusova even shared a touching story of Pau-Pau’s fan from the Philippines, “For instance, we saw a Facebook post of a customer in the Philippines requesting for a Pau-Pau plushie or soft toy because it was the only thing her godson wanted for his birthday. We were so moved seeing how much this child loved Pau-Pau, that we wanted to do something special to make his birthday memorable!” 

As a champion of empowerment and sustainability, foodpanda through Pau-Pau has also inspired people to live life to the fullest, by simply encouraging them to grab their favourite foodie whenever they would like at any time of the day. He has likewise been the face of foodpanda’s recent green initiatives such as the ‘Let’s do our Pau-rt’ initiative in the Philippines and the launch of a locally produced and sustainable beer in Singapore called ‘Loaf Like A Panda’.

Will we be seeing more from Pau-Pau?

From having his own universe to his own fanbase, we think we may have already seen a lot from Pau-Pau. But for foodpanda, Pau-Pau is a distinct asset that will always inspire them to tell creative stories. Hence, for them, this is only just Pau-Pau’s beginning. 

“Next year will be even more exciting, and potentially Pau-Pau’s universe may grow in the future,” Mikusova concluded.

This recognition is based on Google Analytics results on the most-read stories of 2022, along with editorial validation on the significance of a leader’s contribution, campaign results, and overall impact.

Manila, Philippines – E-commerce platform Shopee in the Philippines is in hot water following the announcement of its newest brand ambassador, Filipina singer-actress Toni Gonzaga, with local netizens criticising the brand for their ambassador choice.

Shopee Philippines previously teased the new brand ambassador in a snippet video posted on Twitter on September 28.

Toni Gonzaga has been involved in controversy over the past few months after showing her staunch support to now-elected President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr., the son of former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. It should be noted that Gonzaga has appeared in numerous presidential campaign rallies for Marcos towards the May 9 national elections.

Progressive-minded netizens have called out Shopee Philippines for their new ambassador, with many saying that they would not support a brand that enables political lies.

Netizen @majiksparky stated that with the new announcement, they will switch to rival e-commerce platform Lazada.

Meanwhile, a Twitter user named @ArenoEllen, who is also an online seller, has encouraged netizens to switch to Lazada, claiming that Shopee takes a 15% cut from their payouts, while Lazada takes around 5% of payout.

Many Twitter users have also pointed out that the new brand ambassador comes after Shopee Philippines have recently laid off employees, the latest string of Shopee employee layoffs in Asia-Pacific, including China, as well as in Latin America.

Despite the criticism, Shopee Philippines pushed through with the announcement of Toni Gonzaga’s brand ambassador stint, with her thanking fans for the ‘mentions and engagement’.

A Shopee representative said that Gonzaga was chosen not for her ‘political views’ but rather her mass appeal.

“Together with our newest brand ambassador, Toni, we are working to deliver entertaining content to drive anticipation leading up to the upcoming 10.10 Brands Festival,” they said.

This was not the first time Shopee drew flak with its brand ambassador. When Shopee got international superstar Jackie Chan to be its brand ambassador for its 11.11 Regional Sale in 2021, marketing leaders and creatives criticised the ad for its ‘lukewarm’ and ‘confusing’ direction.

Malaysia – Malaysia-based leisure entertainment specialist and theme parks developer and operator, Sim Leisure Group (SLG), has appointed celebrity host and TV presenter Baki Zainal as its first-ever brand ambassador. This appointment will see Zainal anchoring and championing prominent brands under the group, including its proprietary ESCAPE brand of nature-inspired theme parks.

Zainal, who has made significant strides in Malaysia’s entertainment industry with his talent and linguistic edge, is perhaps most known for his claim to fame as a multilingual TV host, conversing effortlessly in English, Bahasa Melayu, and Mandarin, amassing a wide-reaching audience and fan base. He is also known to be an avid traveller, adrenaline junkie, and thrill seeker, making his appointment as SLG’s brand ambassador a rather natural one.

Commenting on his ambassadorship, Zainal shared that he has always had a lot of respect for Sim Leisure Group, especially for the ESCAPE brand of themed attractions, as they are a fine example of a homegrown Malaysian success story, who have made their mark in the international travel and leisure industry. 

“And as a TV and travel show host, this is something I try to promote and portray – the multifaceted nature and richness of Malaysia and Malaysians. So, when I was approached by the group to be their first-ever brand ambassador, I did not hesitate to jump on the opportunity. It’s going to be exciting and I’m truly looking forward to working with them,” said Zainal. 

Meanwhile, Choo Kheng Sim, Sim Leisure Group’s founder and CEO, commented that they are thrilled to have Zainal on board as their first-ever brand ambassador, as they have had a wonderful working relationship with him in the past when he hosted the launch of many of their attractions. 

“In addition to his natural charm and magnetic personality, his spirit of excitement and adventure has truly stood out, making him the perfect fit for this role. Moreover, his involvement with various travel and tourism bodies around the world bodes well for the group’s ongoing expansion plans, not only in Malaysia, but also internationally. We’ve got a lot of plans in store and are already working with him on several engagements to take our brands and attractions to even greater heights,” said Sim.

Singapore — Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s lifestyle super-app, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and to mark the special decennary event, Traveloka unveiled their first brand ambassador for Singapore, Singaporean actress Michelle Chong.

In anticipation of the said anniversary, the app has also refreshed its identity and value proposition, moving from Southeast Asia’s leading travel platform to becoming the region’s overall lifestyle super app.

Through Traveloka’s transformation to a lifestyle super app, the process was accelerated by Covid-19 as Southeast Asians emerged as global leaders in mobile connections with over 887 million connections, representing 132 per cent of the region’s total population. With such a mobile-first culture that readily embraces digital technologies, the platform realized the demand and opportunity for it to become a lifestyle brand.

Caesar Indra, president at Traveloka, said that the last 24 months have drastically reshaped the fundamental idea of travel and discovery. Indra continued by saying that consumers today have vastly different expectations — they prioritize convenience, safety, and personal wellbeing, which will enable them to truly enjoy and engage in activities. Traveloka has seen demand for travel and local experiences surge in the last few months and Traveloka is committed to providing seamless experiences, without the user having to leave our platform.

“As one of the first lifestyle super apps in the region, we are revolutionizing lifestyle services for millions of consumers in Southeast Asia, redefining how they live, play, and discover new adventures in their very own backyards and across the world,” Indra said.

On the topic of Traveloka’s new brand ambassador for Singapore, Indra commented, “Michelle couldn’t be a more natural fit for Traveloka. We are on a mission to fulfil the lifestyle aspirations of our users and redefine the idea of discovery with them. With her vibrant and outgoing personality, coupled with her affinity with Singaporeans, we are confident that our partnership with Michelle will bring Traveloka’s extensive lifestyle offerings and convenience closer to even more Singaporeans.”

Michelle Chong, brand ambassador for Traveloka, said, “I am very excited to come on board as Traveloka’s first brand ambassador. We haven’t been able to travel in the last two years and I can’t wait to rediscover the world with everyone again. Besides bringing everyone on a journey and adventure with me to my favourite cities, I’m also looking forward to rediscovering hidden gems in our very own Singapore. Actually, Ah Lian might be your travel companion instead, because she confirm plus chop knows how to get the best deal and travel arrangements using Traveloka.”

As the region’s lifestyle super app, Traveloka currently offers users in Singapore an innovative and tech-enabled experience. From AI recommendations to a personalized chatbot, users enjoy a comprehensive and seamless experience on Traveloka. Beyond travel services, users also have access to experiences from attractions and workshops to beauty and spa options. As Traveloka strengthens its presence in Singapore, the company is committed to introducing end-to-end solutions for Singaporeans’ lifestyle needs.

Singapore – In August this year, top e-commerce platform Shopee unveiled its newest endorser, probably its biggest ambassador to date – global superstar Jackie Chan. 

Following the announcement, Chan’s first visibility was for the platform’s 9.9 sale, and now the renowned action celebrity is back to grace Shopee’s campaign for 11.11. 

Both advertisements with Chan were nothing short of the e-commerce’s creatives DNA – a cheerful and upbeat mood, animated movements, and of course, Shopee’s staple soundtrack. 

Screencap from Shopee’s latest 11.11 ad

However, on the back of the recent release for 11.11, some marketing and creative professionals on social media gave their verdict on the ad – which leaned towards disappointment and frustration over its creative execution. 

On Monday, October 25, Richard Bleasdale, a specialist advisor at media investment analysis firm, Ebiquity, shared an article about the ad on a LinkedIn post with the comment, “Is it just me? Or is this without doubt the worst ad ever made? I challenge anyone to nominate better (worse).”

The post attracted other creative experts and advertising leaders to share opinions of their own, which had a resounding rejection of the ad’s conceptualization and overall direction. 

“The bar is very low…”, one ad leader wrote, while one marketing leader pointed out how the ad made him “lost for words.” 

Another agreed to Bleasdale, commenting, “I know what [you] mean. Very disappointing. Was hoping for more [Jackie] action.” 

MARKETECH APAC‘s Inner State reached out to some of the marketing executives that jumped on the post for their official insights on the ad.

A common sentiment among the marketing executives was how the brand failed to leverage Chan’s superstar imprint of action coupled with comedy. 

Shopee’s 11.11 platform-wide sale is running from October 25 to November 11, and the campaign was launched on October 18 on the platform’s YouTube channels across its covered markets.

The ad showed Jackie Chan on the street, being slowly approached by dangerously looking men. With an impending fight scene, Jackie is seen mustering his strength to prepare to defend.

Throughout the 30-second ad, Jackie is able to fight off the men with Shopee’s ‘Big Sale’. Using only his phone, Jackie magically defeats the men by powering through Shopee’s ‘big discounts’, where for every press of a button, discount bubbles pop up, such as “$60 CASHBACK ALL DAY” and “$6 OFF EVERY $50” off the phone and beat the men down. 

Anand Vathiyar, managing director of Cheil Singapore, describes the ad as an ‘orange mess’, a reference to the platform’s orange branding 

“Jackie Chan’s brand equity is action-comedy…Shopee could have done something [on what] we’ve come to love Jackie for instead of the orange mess they’ve rolled out,” said Vathiyar.

Echoing this, Rob Sherlock, advisory board chairman at martech solutions DAIVID, said, “I do think they could have taken Jackie Chan’s trademark antics and dialed them up into something even crazier, more ‘action’ exaggerated – and still have Shoppee fully integrated into the story.” 

He adds that instead of handing Jackie a mere phone in an attempt to inspire action to the ad, Shopee should have had “some whacky martial-arts impossibility performed by Jackie.” 

“And make the Batman & Robin pow-wow cartoon bubbles more integrated into everything we love about the man,” continued Sherlock. 

Meanwhile, Bleasdale, the one who published the LinkedIn post, shared to MARKETECH APAC that he thinks the ad has been “devoid of any idea.” 

When asked what Shopee could have done better, Bleasdale said, “Start with a real brief – with a clear objective and a compelling consumer insight. Anything that responded to that would be better and more effective than this.”

On one hand, executives were also quick to poke on the past Shopee ad with professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, saying that the e-commerce brand had been underperforming with its campaigns even before when it signed the Portuguese sports personality in 2019. 

Shopee’s 9.9 ad in 2019 with Cristiano Ronaldo

The two-year-old ad puts Ronaldo on a football field where shortly after scoring a goal, audiences in the stadium start changing into an orange-wearing army with the trademark Shopee pop-ups coming out of each one. At the middle to the end of the ad, Ronaldo performs the Shopee dance together with his team. 

According to a survey done by consumer research Milieu, 24% of audiences in Singapore ‘dislike’ the 9.9 ad with Ronaldo in 2019, with 56% ‘liking’ it. Of those that disliked the ad, stated reasons were they found it “silly” (60%), made them cringe (60%), and was “annoying” (47%), and lacked product information (37%).

For Sherlock, Ronaldo was the worst use he’s ever seen of a mega-celebrity and thinks if Shopee had done a low-quality ad the first time, it would be difficult to redeem itself.

“It probably worked, drove sales, and tattooed the brand in the consumers’ brains. But, like any sequel, it’s hard to improve on the original – or in this case, be intentionally ‘so bad it’s good’,” said Sherlock.

MARKETECH APAC has already reached out to Shopee for a comment. 

Shopee’s presence expands Southeast Asia and Taiwan. For the latest 11.11 ad, the Thailand market paid the ad a staggering 30 million views on YouTube as of writing. 

The e-commerce platform continues to be the top platform in Southeast Asia with the most visits by consumers in 2020, trailed by Lazada. 

Inner State is MARKETECH APAC’s dedicated platform for industry deep dive.

Singapore – Following its Asia-first collaboration with Singaporean artist Benjamin Kheng for a music video, local-based virtual influencer Rae is back at it again, this time being tapped by Singapore-based healthcare company OSIM for its global campaign that merges virtual reality (VR) experiences with their massage chair therapy experience.

The campaign, which promotes OSIM’s latest uDream Pro chair, invites users to a five-sense experience of massage therapy, and with virtual reality (VR) technology, users can wear VR headsets and enjoy virtual landscapes being showcased by Rae, ranging from an ethereal garden to the vast galaxy, which encourages one to imagine and travel beyond the universe while indulging the senses in wonderment.

OSIM’s campaign tagline, #uDreamOutOfThisWorld, encapsulates how users of the uDream Pro chair can relieve stress while at the same time being enchanted by the scenery they witness virtually.

“Living in both physical and virtual realms enables me to experience out-of-this-world magic, and I’m very excited that I can now share these dreamscapes for the first time, made possible by OSIM uDream Pro. It’s awesome how technology is so closely intertwined in our lives, as we harness it to enhance our well-being and re-connect with ourselves. I look forward to starting my new journey of self-care as I travel through the metaverse and beyond,” Rae said regarding her participation in this latest campaign.

Rae joins the long list of brand ambassadors OSIM has tapped, including Singaporean singer JJ Lin, Hong Kong actor Andy Lau, Hong Kong singer and actress Sammi Cheng, K-drama actor Lee Min Ho, to name a few.