Rather than inventing a mascot from scratch, Setel tapped into something Malaysians already saw as familiar and heartwarming. Setel’s new brand mascot, Cetel, isn’t just a cute face, she’s a clever bridge between brand and consumer, rooted in local familiarity and emotional resonance. Her origin story is humble yet potent,
By India Fizer From copyright landmines to the pitfalls of sameness, AI brings new challenges and opportunities for creative agencies. Rony Skaf, Head of Digital and Innovation at TBWA\RAAD, talks to AdForum about how the agency uses AI not just for speed, but for strategic differentiation and creative leadership. How
By The Malketeer When Malaysia last hosted Visit Malaysia Year, the campaign leaned heavily on festivals, discounts, and photo opportunities. VM2026, however, arrives at a very different moment. We are looking at a tourism ecosystem that is both more competitive and more fragile. Costs are rising, labour is short, the
In a development that has caught the industry’s attention, Santharuban Thurai Sundaram, the game-changing CEO of the Etika Group of Companies, has tendered his resignation. He will serve out his term until March 2026, marking four years as CEO. His departure brings an unexpected close to a leadership era that
Malaysia’s retail sector faced a challenging second quarter of 2025 as higher living costs, import-driven price hikes, and global trade tensions dampened consumer spending. According to the latest Malaysia Retail Industry Report, retail sales contracted 3.0% year-on-year compared to a 0.6% growth in the same period of 2024, missing market
OpenAI has taken its first bold step into ecommerce with the launch of Instant Checkout, a feature that lets U.S. users shop and pay for products directly inside ChatGPT. The move signals the company’s entry into “agentic commerce,” where AI doesn’t just recommend products—it completes the purchase. The rollout begins
FWD Takaful has appointed Siti Hajar Rizlan as its new Chief Marketing Officer, effective 1 October 2025. She brings with her more than two decades of experience in marketing and brand leadership, particularly in the financial services sector. Siti Hajar joins the company from Takaful Malaysia, where she spearheaded award-winning
By The Malketeer OpenAI has just rolled out the largest advertising push in its history, a multi-channel campaign designed to show how ChatGPT fits into the fabric of daily life. After making its debut on one of the world’s biggest stages—the Super Bowl—the AI company is now taking a very
By The Malketeer For decades the inflight safety video has been treated as an unavoidable pre-take-off ritual. Malaysia Airlines’ latest version, “Where Culture Takes Flight,” shows how even a regulatory requirement can double as a brand stage. The brief to Reservoir Productions was more than a creative refresh. It revolved around
The marketing playbook is being rewritten in real time as generative AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity become the new gatekeepers of information. For brands, this shift is both a risk and an opportunity: the answers consumers receive from these tools are shaping purchase decisions, brand perception, and even
