Background

DBS Live Fresh card is the cashback credit card for Singaporean millennials, aiming to unlock new and exciting experiences. With a huge emphasis on entertainment, the pandemic and the subsequent shutting down of nightlife in Singapore took a huge toll on the card’s relevance in our audience’s lives. Recognising that the situation wasn't likely to improve anytime soon, we needed to find new and exciting ways to keep nightlife alive, all while keeping to a limited budget.

Describe the strategy

In the height of lockdown, we observed that gaming quickly became an alternative for people to connect virtually. We started monitoring our audiences closely and saw that Singaporean millennials were leaning into nostalgia as a pandemic coping mechanism. Using social listening and Google trends, we saw #throwback hit an all time high as our audiences pined for experiences lost. Behaviorally, they were exploring new outlets to satisfy their party cravings with channels such as Twitch and Houseparty. So to remain relevant, we needed to give our audiences a place that reminded them that nightlife wasn't over.

Describe the execution

Completed in 8 weeks, we launched Singapore's first virtual club: the Live Fresh Club in Fortnite. Leveraging Fortnite's cost-free creative mode, we recreated Zouk down to the very last detail by referencing original blueprints and over 150 hours of archival footage. To ensure maximum nostalgia, meticulously reconstructed every memorable element: the iconic rooms, bathroom fountain and the infamous hot dog stand. To increase replay value, the club also featured gameplay where players raced to collect cashback coins in the fastest time, mirroring the card's proposition. It was exactly what entertainment-starved people needed during the pandemic - a chance to reminisce with friends, party with their favourite DJs, all from the safety of home. To keep things fresh, they could even sabotage each other using non-violent weapons like Boogie Bombs and Impulse Grenades.

List the results

• More than 118k in social engagement, 12% increase in card applications and 12.3% increase in card usage without any paid media investment. • Over $1.5 million worth of earned media in the form of editorial coverage by key publications. • Unlocked a new category of spend that other major credit cards weren’t playing in. • Pivoted from traditional marketing to embed ourselves in the lives of our target audience in a culturally relevant way. • Signalled the card’s proposition to a completely new audience segment for DBS i.e. gamers.

Please tell us about the brand in relation to the locality or market where the product / service is distributed

DBS is Singapore's largest bank and Live Fresh is one of their cashback credit cards targeted at Singaporean millennials. The product is only distributed in Singapore. Beyond that, the nightlife destination we recreated is one with rich meaning for Singaporean millennials. Beyond hosting world famous DJs, Zouk on Jiak Kim Street was the iconic cultural instituition of clubbing and played a huge role in the coming-of-age story of every millennial here. The sense of nostalgia and memories that the features of the club evokes are unique and precious to every individual. In this way, the branded digital experience was designed to relate to them specifically.