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VIENTIANE, LAOS – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 April 2026 – Green SM Laos and Star Fintech Sole Co., Ltd (Umoney) have announced the signing of a Payment System Integration Agreement to incorporate Umoney into the Green SM application, alongside a Strategic Cooperation Agreement to develop a comprehensive digital finance and smart mobility ecosystem in Laos.

Ms. Tran Hanh An - Director of Mobility Services Sales, GSM Vietnam & Laos (left), and Mr. Ha Chien Thang - Director of Star Fintech Sole Co., Ltd, at the partnership signing ceremony.
Ms. Tran Hanh An – Director of Mobility Services Sales, GSM Vietnam & Laos (left), and Mr. Ha Chien Thang – Director of Star Fintech Sole Co., Ltd, at the partnership signing ceremony.

Under the agreement, Umoney will be integrated as a direct payment method within the Green SM app. The two parties will also implement an embedded integration model enabling Umoney users to seamlessly access Green SM’s mobility services directly within the Umoney platform.

For the first time in Laos, customers will experience a fully seamless ride-hailing journey with fares processed instantly via the Umoney e-wallet upon trip completion, replacing the previously common manual bank transfer method. Users simply link their Umoney wallet to the Green SM app for fast, convenient, and fully cashless transactions. Additionally, customers using partner banking applications can pay drivers through Umoney’s QR system, delivering a flexible, fast, and secure payment experience that enhances user convenience and broadens customer reach across both platforms.

As part of the collaboration, Green SM Laos will provide comprehensive mobility solutions for Umoney’s enterprise partners and individual customers, including Green SM Car electric ride-hailing, Green SM Limo, Green SM Airport transfer services, as well as corporate travel packages and flexible, customized mobility plans. Umoney, in turn, will collaborate with Green SM to develop digital financial and payment solutions tailored for drivers within the Green SM ecosystem, encompassing e-wallet services, direct income disbursement, operational expense payments, and cash flow management tools. This synergy is designed to optimize operational efficiency while enhancing the experience for businesses, drivers, and end-users alike.

Beyond mobility and payment solutions, both parties plan to expand their shared digital services ecosystem by integrating Umoney and Unitel’s telecommunications and digital utilities into the Green SM platform, including SIM card registration, mobile top-ups, data package purchases, and other digital services, thereby enhancing the value proposition for users across both platforms.

The two companies will also jointly roll out customer benefit programs targeting Umoney users in Laos, with a particular focus on airports, transaction points, and key high-traffic locations. Through integrated service offerings and incentives promoting electric mobility, Green SM and Umoney aim to foster environmentally responsible travel habits while delivering greater value to customers within their shared ecosystem.

Mr. Ha Chien Thang, Director of Star Fintech Sole Co., Ltd, shared:”Our partnership with Green SM marks a significant milestone in Umoney’s strategy to develop a comprehensive digital finance ecosystem in Laos. The integration of payment capabilities and digital services not only enhances user convenience but also contributes to the advancement of cashless payments and the broader digital transformation of the economy.”

Ms. Tran Hanh An, Director of Mobility Services Sales at Green SM Vietnam & Laos, stated: “The partnership between Umoney and Green SM reflects a shared commitment to connecting the essential infrastructures of modern urban life, from digital finance and telecommunications to a green mobility ecosystem. Through this collaboration, we aim to expand benefits for our customers and driver community while driving meaningful green transformation that is firmly grounded in everyday mobility and consumption needs.”

Furthermore, Green SM and Umoney will collaborate on multi-channel communications initiatives to strengthen brand awareness and expand their combined customer base. Planned activities include co-branded campaigns, promotional programs for new users, digital platform communications, and on-ground experiential activations in key markets.

The partnership between Green SM and Umoney marks a significant convergence of two leading ecosystems in green mobility and digital finance in Laos, united in their pursuit of integrated service solutions that meet the increasingly diverse demands of modern urban life. This collaboration also represents a pivotal step toward fostering innovation, elevating the user experience, and contributing to the sustainable growth of the digital economy in Laos.

Hashtag: #GreenSM

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Japan has set up a financial-sector task force to assess risks from advanced artificial intelligence systems capable of discovering software flaws at a speed that could outpace existing cyber defences, deepening official concern over the resilience of banks, exchanges and payment infrastructure.

The move follows high-level talks involving the Financial Services Agency, the Bank of Japan, national cyber security officials, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group and Japan Exchange Group. The focus is Anthropic’s Mythos, a powerful AI model developed for defensive cyber security work but now regarded by regulators as a potential systemic risk if similar capabilities reach hostile actors.

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has framed the issue as an urgent challenge for core financial institutions, warning that Japan’s highly connected financial system could face cascading disruption if attackers used AI to identify and exploit weaknesses before institutions could repair them. No breach linked to Mythos has been reported, but officials are pressing banks to examine incident response plans, software exposure, vendor dependencies and market-continuity arrangements.

Japan tightens bank defences over Mythos as regulators confront a new cyber security problem: an AI tool built to strengthen software security may also demonstrate how fast the balance between defenders and attackers is shifting. Anthropic has said its Mythos Preview found thousands of high-severity vulnerabilities, including flaws affecting every major operating system and web browser. The company has placed the model under restricted access through Project Glasswing, an effort to use frontier AI for defensive discovery before equivalent capabilities spread more widely.

Security specialists see the financial sector as particularly exposed because banks rely on layered infrastructure that includes legacy systems, cloud services, trading platforms, third-party vendors and customer-facing applications. A vulnerability in one component may not remain isolated. Settlement systems, payment networks and securities markets depend on trust, synchronised data and rapid processing, leaving little tolerance for prolonged outages or uncertainty.

Japan’s top lenders have spent heavily on cyber resilience after a series of global incidents involving ransomware, software supply-chain attacks and attacks on critical infrastructure. Yet regulators remain concerned that AI-enabled vulnerability discovery could compress the time between flaw identification and exploitation. Traditional patch cycles often take days or weeks, while advanced models may help attackers generate working exploit paths far faster.

The task force is expected to coordinate technical assessments, information sharing and emergency procedures across the financial sector. Officials are also likely to examine how institutions verify third-party software, monitor anomalous activity and isolate critical operations during a cyber event. For exchanges and clearing systems, the priority will be maintaining orderly trading and settlement even if parts of the technology stack come under pressure.

The concern extends beyond Japan. Regulators in Asia, Europe and the United States have been urging banks to review their cyber controls as AI systems become more capable of code analysis, vulnerability chaining and automated exploitation. The issue has moved from a narrow technology debate into the domain of financial stability, because a successful attack on a major bank or exchange could quickly affect liquidity, confidence and cross-border transactions.

Anthropic has presented Mythos as a controlled defensive tool rather than a public product. The company says the model is intended to help responsible institutions find and fix vulnerabilities before they are misused. That defence has not removed policy concerns. The same capability that enables security teams to uncover hidden bugs can also lower the barrier for sophisticated offensive activity if access controls fail or comparable models emerge elsewhere.

Japan’s response reflects a broader shift in cyber regulation. Authorities are moving away from treating cyber security as a compliance checklist and towards stress-testing how institutions would cope with fast-moving, AI-assisted threats. Banks may face pressure to shorten patching timelines, improve software inventories and strengthen board-level oversight of technology risk.

For Japan, the issue also intersects with its ambition to modernise finance while promoting digital innovation. The country is expanding fintech services, digital payments and AI adoption across corporate operations, but regulators are signalling that innovation must be matched by stronger safeguards. Financial institutions are being asked to prepare for a threat environment in which attackers may use tools that can scan, reason and adapt at machine speed.

The immediate test for the task force will be whether it can turn concern into operational readiness. That means clear reporting channels, shared technical indicators, realistic crisis drills and faster coordination between banks, regulators, exchanges and cyber agencies. Japan’s financial authorities are seeking to prevent an AI-driven security breakthrough from becoming a market-disrupting event.

I remain strongly positive on AI. The pace of development, the scale of capital flowing into the sector, and the productivity upside it promises are all significant. Equity markets have responded accordingly, with leadership concentrated in semiconductors, cloud platforms, and software. The concentration reflects real earnings power and strong visibility. At the same time, the investment landscape around AI is broadening. The next phase is taking shape, […]

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 April 2026 – AS Watson Group has been ranked No. 14 globally in the 2026 NRF Top 50 Global Retailers List1. The recognition places AS Watson among the world’s top 15 retailers and reinforces its position as one of the leading international retail groups and the highest-ranked global health and beauty retailer on the list.

1 Superdrug

“Retail today demands more than scale, it requires agility, digital precision and deep customer trust,” said Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson. “Being ranked among the world’s top 15 retailers is a timely affirmation that we are focusing on the right priorities: disciplined allocation of capital, an unwavering focus on customers, empowered by technology and executed with discipline.”

“As we celebrate our 185th anniversary this year, this recognition is especially meaningful. Since 1841, AS Watson has evolved through generations of change – economic cycles, technological revolutions and shifting consumer expectations. Our presence across Asia and Europe has strengthened our ability to combine the speed and digital dynamism of Asia with the operational excellence and retail heritage of Europe.”

“In an increasingly digital retail world, we believe our true differentiation lies in combining advanced data, AI and seamless O+O (Offline plus Online) integrated capabilities with something far more enduring – the human touch. That combination of digital precision and human service drives stronger conversion, deeper loyalty and long-term trust. It is this balance that has sustained us for 185 years, and will continue to define our leadership in the years ahead.”

2 Watsons

Scaling AI and Personalisation at Global Reach

AS Watson has accelerated investments in AI-powered personalisation, advanced analytics and digital ecosystems across its brands. By integrating loyalty data, online platforms and in-store engagement, the Group continues to enhance customer relevance while improving operational efficiency.

This data-driven approach enables:
– A strengthened focus on customer needs
– More precise assortment and pricing strategies
– Enhanced loyalty engagement
– Faster supply chain responsiveness

Resilient Growth in a Volatile Environment

Amid ongoing supply chain volatility, cost pressures and shifting consumer behaviour, AS Watson has demonstrated resilience through diversified geographic exposure, strong local market execution and disciplined cost management.

The Group’s scale, combined with agile regional operations, positions it to respond swiftly to market dynamics while sustaining long-term growth.




Hashtag: #ASWatson




The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About AS Watson Group

Established in 1841, AS Watson Group is one of the world’s longest-standing and most recognised retail companies with roots in Asia. Today, the company operates over 17,000 stores across 12 retail brands in 31 markets, employing 130,000 people globally. This makes AS Watson Group the largest international health and beauty retailer in the world.

In the fiscal year 2025, AS Watson Group reported revenue of over US$26 billion. The company’s technology-enabled O+O (Offline plus Online) platforms serve over 6 billion shoppers annually, seamlessly integrating physical and digital retail experiences.

AS Watson Group supported over 180 charitable and non-profit organisations every year, dedicating over 40,000 hours of volunteer work to serve over 370,000 people in need in our operating markets.

AS Watson Group is also a member of the world-renowned multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, which has four core businesses ‐ ports and related services, retail, infrastructure and telecommunications in over 50 countries.

Please visit for more information.

Cybersecurity teams running local artificial intelligence models are facing a high-risk exposure after a flaw in Ollama’s model-processing system was found to allow attackers to extract sensitive server memory through a malicious model file. Tracked as CVE-2026-5757, the vulnerability affects the model quantisation engine used by Ollama, an open-source platform widely adopted by developers and enterprises to run large language models on personal computers, workstations and servers. […]

Cyber-attacks on higher and further education institutions jumped 63 per cent over a year, exposing universities and colleges to a sharper wave of ransomware, data theft, hacktivism and state-linked intrusion as digital learning systems become central to academic life. The findings point to 425 recorded incidents across 67 countries in the latest 12-month assessment period, compared with 260 in the preceding year. The rise reflects not only […]

Google Cloud is placing general-purpose Gemini models at the centre of its cybersecurity strategy, betting that broad frontier AI systems paired with specialised agents will outperform narrow models built only for security tasks. The approach, articulated by Francis deSouza, Google Cloud’s chief operating officer and president of security products, signals a deliberate shift in how the company wants enterprises to defend themselves in an era of faster […]

Federal prosecutors have charged a U. S. Army Special Forces master sergeant with using classified information from a military operation in Venezuela to make more than $400,000 through prediction-market bets, opening a criminal case that links national security secrecy with the expanding trade in event contracts. Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was named in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court on charges […]

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 April 2026 – There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes not from the stress itself, but from carrying it in silence — unsure whether it is serious enough to mention, or whether anyone would truly understand.

A newly completed Hong Kong study suggests there may finally be a way to bridge that gap. The AIM Greater China Psychology Research Group has completed a Hong Kong-based study conducted in the 2025–2026 academic year, comparing the effectiveness of human hypnotherapists against AI in delivering hypnotic experience-based stress relief experiences. The findings were striking: a significant proportion of participants felt that both approaches yielded virtually equivalent levels of relaxation — and more than 60% reported preferring their AI session after the fact.

Over 400 Applicants: A Reflection of a Generation in Need of Being Heard

The research team recruited participants experiencing family-related stress via Facebook. Within a short period of the post going live, over 400 individuals voluntarily applied — a figure that speaks not only to the pervasiveness of stress in modern life, but also to a growing willingness among the public to prioritise their own emotional wellbeing and actively seek self-care solutions.

From the applicant pool, 48 participants were randomly selected to take part. Each participant underwent two separate hypnotic experience stress relief audio sessions, each lasting approximately one hour — one recorded by a human hypnotherapist, and one fully generated by AI, including both the script and voice. Participants then compared their personal experiences of both sessions.

What Humans Can Do, AI Can Do Too

In the most critical area of comparison — stress relief effectiveness — the largest single group of participants (41.7%) rated the AI and human sessions as equally effective. On a scoring basis, the AI hypnotic experience averaged approximately 2.92 points, compared to 2.58 points for the human session — with AI coming out marginally ahead.

The study further found that nearly 90% of participants indicated they would enjoy a session if it genuinely helped them feel relaxed. In other words, what people truly care about is whether it works — not whether the voice behind it belongs to a human or a machine. On this front, AI has passed the test.

Over 60% More Willing to Share Their Feelings with AI

The results around personal preference were perhaps the most eye-opening. When asked which session they enjoyed more, 62.5% of participants chose the AI experience — and among women, that number climbed even higher, to 68.4%.

So what made AI the preferred choice? Researchers believe it comes down to one simple thing: feeling safe. With AI, there is no worry about being judged. No fear of saying the wrong thing. No awkwardness. About 1 in 4 participants said they actually found it easier to talk openly with AI — because it communicates in a way that feels clear, calm, and natural, much like everyday conversation.

The truth is, some things are just easier to say when no one is watching. That is not a flaw in human nature — it is simply how many of us work.

When it came to privacy, the findings were equally reassuring. More than half of all participants said they had no concerns about AI handling their personal information. Only a very small number — just 2.08% — said they felt uncomfortable. This points to a growing sense of trust in AI tools among the general public.

AI Reads the Data; Therapists Read the Person

Beyond the hypnotic experience itself, the local research team also evaluated AI’s capability as an analytical tool — with equally impressive results.

AI was able to rapidly process large volumes of participant responses, objectively assess individual stress levels, and identify underlying patterns. For instance, AI identified that 35% of participants independently expressed a desire for “personal space” or “better soundproofing” in their homes. On the surface, these may seem like trivial lifestyle concerns — yet AI connected this pattern to the reality of Hong Kong residents living in constrained spaces, highlighting a deeper psychological sense of having “nowhere to breathe”. This level of insight would be difficult to uncover through manual review of dozens of questionnaires alone.

AI also observed that many participants habitually occupied the role of “problem-solver” or “mediator” within their households, suppressing their own emotional needs in the process. Researchers noted that this reflects a widely recognised social phenomenon — the pressures faced by eldest daughters and the so-called “sandwich generation,” caught between the responsibilities of caring for ageing parents and raising children. AI’s ability to rapidly identify these hidden emotional burdens allows therapists to bypass lengthy preliminary assessments and focus more swiftly on the core issues that require their attention.

AI Is Here to Help, Not to Take Over

The local research team emphasises that the study was never intended to position AI as a replacement for human therapists. Rather, the aim is to explore how the two can work in tandem. Much like how blood test reports assist physicians in diagnosis, AI can play an analogous supporting role in the mental health field — organising data, identifying patterns, and lowering barriers to seeking help, so that mental health professionals can direct their energy towards the moments that truly require a human touch.

Those who proactively seek psychological support remain a minority, often deterred by the fear of inconvenience, social stigma, or the awkwardness of speaking up. If AI can serve as the bridge that encourages more people to take that first step, that alone may be its most meaningful contribution to society.

Hashtag: #HypnosisInstitute

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Hypnosis Institute

Hypnosis Institute is dedicated to helping people in Hong Kong lead healthier and more fulfilling lives through hypnotic experience. We offer accessible and practical hypnotic experience training programmes designed to integrate hypnotic techniques into everyday life, with a focus on stress management, emotional wellbeing, and personal growth.

Hypnosis Institute is Hong Kong’s only hypnotic experience professional development platform that simultaneously operates a research group, social innovation group, practical training group, crisis psychological support group, charitable initiatives, networking events, therapeutic services, and a comprehensive training pathway.

As the sole Hong Kong chapter of the Association for Integrative Medicine (AIM) in the United States, the sole overseas Hong Kong academy of UK educational institution Study House (Quality Licence Scheme), and the sole specialist hypnotic experience training school in Hong Kong under Cambridge International College in the United Kingdom, Hypnosis Institute provides internationally recognised qualifications that contribute to the advancement of the industry.

Founder Charles Leung is a trainer of trainers in the field of hypnotic experience, and has been specially appointed by the Association for Integrative Medicine as the Chief Instructor for Specialist hypnotic experience in Greater China. He has trained over 1,000 hypnotherapists and instructors, upholding the highest standards of professional development in the mental health field.

The Institute’s programmes integrate a comprehensive range of methodologies, including hypnotic experience combined with MBTI personality profiling, DISC behavioural analysis, mental health coaching, emotional education, and the HiddenMe Cards inner child tool — providing a holistic and personalised approach to hypnotic experience practice. Instructors specialise in paediatric hypnotic experience, Internal Family Systems (including inner child) hypnotic experience, stress and insomnia relief hypnotic experience, interpersonal relationship hypnotic experience, as well as hypnotic experience in reminiscence and palliative care.

Driven by the belief that everyone can harness the power of hypnotic experience to enhance their mental wellbeing, Hypnosis Institute is committed to sharing psychological knowledge and providing professional support in the areas of emotional management, life challenges, and the professional development of the hypnotic experience industry.

Follow us at , , and for the latest updates.

Google has moved to tackle one of enterprise AI’s hardest problems by giving each autonomous software agent its own cryptographic identity, part of a broader Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform unveiled at Cloud Next on 22 April. The idea is straightforward but consequential: every agent action can be tied to a unique, verifiable ID and checked against a defined set of permissions, creating an audit trail designed for […]

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Allianz Trade and DBS Hong Kong brief businesses on evolving geopolitical trade risks and the critical need for granular liquidity visibility.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 April 2026 – One year after the US Liberation Day, tariffs continue to disrupt global trade and supply chains while many economies and corporates still struggle to find their footing. The broke out of the Middle East conflict has compounded on the effect by driving lower global GDP growth (+2.6% in 2026), higher global inflation (4.3% in 2026) and stronger fiscal pressure. Amid such highly uncertain times, Allianz Trade in Hong Kong partnered with DBS for an exclusive session where industry experts and thought leaders dissected into today’s shifting geopolitical landscape and heightened credit risks, and offered their views on trade opportunities in an increasingly fragmented world.

Management teams of Allianz Trade and DBS Hong Kong pose for a picture.
Management teams of Allianz Trade and DBS Hong Kong pose for a picture.

“The Middle East conflict has added a new layer of shocks to an already fragile environment shaped by tariffs, weakening demand and declining consumer confidence. The good news is that firms have taken operational steps to adapt since the trade war began, with the most common strategies including inventory building, market diversification, sourcing from new suppliers and rerouting through third markets. Asia Pacific has emerged as the clear structural beneficiary of supply chain realignment. Hong Kong, as a major trading and financing hub in the region, continues to play a pivotal role in facilitating trade and investment flows. Together with DBS, we are here to offer our combined intelligence and support to help companies achieve customer and market diversification, better risk selection, and providing them with confidence to trade and grow safely,” states Hassan Omaish, CEO for Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan at Allianz Trade.

Jolynn Wong, Managing Director and Head of Global Transaction Services, DBS Hong Kong, says, “We are witnessing a lengthening of cash collection cycles across sectors impacted by trade route and inventory disruptions, leading to a growing proportion of receivables held at extended tenors. In this climate of heightened volatility, the role of trade finance extends beyond mere credit extension; it must now assure corporates of timely critical cash flow realisation and enable strategic suppliers to maintain production amidst disruptions. Leveraging DBS Hong Kong’s robust capital and liquidity, we provide clients with the necessary extended tenors and contingent liquidity to navigate prolonged inventory and shipping cycles, thereby fortifying their resilience. By integrating guarantees, letters of credit, credit insurance, and treasury hedging into a unified architecture through our digital platforms, we empower clients to transform volatile receivables into reliable cash flows and turn disruptions into investable growth opportunities.”

Notes to editors:
To gauge how global exporters fared through tariffs and the Middle East conflict, Allianz Trade recently published its flagship Global Survey, where 6,000 exporters across 13 countries were polled on their export performances over the past year, as well as outlook and coping strategies for the short- to medium-term. The Survey revealed that 75% of exporters expect positive export growth in 2026, which was much more optimistic than the 2025 tariff shock where expectations dropped by -40pp.

Allianz Trade Head of Economic Research Ana Boata.
Allianz Trade Head of Economic Research Ana Boata.

“For now, the impact of the Middle East conflict seems moderate, but such level of optimism remains fragile and could quickly fade if the conflict drags on. Allianz Trade’s Global Survey revealed that geopolitical and political risks are the leading threat globally for corporates (65%), while supply-related issues, such as bankruptcy of suppliers and shortage of inputs, came at second place (57%). The Middle East conflict has also tightened trade finance conditions. Not only payment cycles are lengthening, 43% of companies expect payment terms to deteriorate further. Pharmaceuticals, construction and computers/telecom are the most exposed sectors, while larger companies face disproportionately longer payment cycles,” says Ana Boata, Head of Economic Research at Allianz Trade.

Hashtag: #allianztrade #dbshongkong


The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Allianz Trade

Allianz Trade is the global leader in trade credit insurance and a recognized specialist in the areas of surety, collections, structured trade credit and political risk. Our proprietary intelligence network is based on instant access to data of 289 million corporates. We give companies the confidence to trade by securing their payments. We compensate your company in the event of a bad debt, but more importantly, we help you avoid bad debt in the first place. Whenever we provide trade credit insurance or other finance solutions, our priority is predictive protection. But, when the unexpected arrives, our AA credit rating means we have the resources, backed by Allianz to provide compensation to maintain your business. Headquartered in Paris, Allianz Trade is present in over 40 countries with 5,900 employees. In 2025, our consolidated turnover was EUR4 billion and insured global business transactions represented EUR1,400 billion in exposure. For more information, please visit .

About DBS

DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank’s “AA-” and “Aa1” credit ratings are among the highest in the world.

Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named by Global Finance, by Euromoney and by The Banker. The bank is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named by Euromoney and the world’s by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the award by Global Finance for 17 consecutive years from 2009 to 2025.

DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets.

DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, as it banks the Asian way. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by uplifting lives and livelihoods of those in need. It provides essential needs to the underprivileged, and fosters inclusion by equipping the underserved with financial and digital literacy skills. It also nurtures innovative social enterprises that create positive impact.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit .

Building on the Cannes Lions Titanium-winning Vaseline Verified, Vaseline and Ogilvy Singapore launch Vaseline Originals — a first-of-its-kind product line that transforms community hacks into products, putting content creators at the centre of innovation.

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 April 2026 – In a world where beauty trends are increasingly shaped by everyday creators, Vaseline is redefining its role from product maker to platform for its community. Rather than simply validating trends, the brand is now taking the next step by turning ideas from the community into real products and recognising the original voices who brought them to life.

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Introducing Vaseline Originals (OGs), a first-of-its-kind product line inspired by verified viral hacks and the voices behind them. Developed by Ogilvy Singapore for Unilever’s Vaseline, the campaign flips the script on how beauty products are made, turning real community ideas into actual products.

“For years, creators have been reimagining what Vaseline jelly can do, often without recognition. This campaign is about giving credit where it’s due: acknowledging, celebrating and rewarding the people behind those ideas. More than a campaign, it signals how we want to build going forward with our community, not just for them,” said Nathalia Amadeu, Global Brand Director, Vaseline at Unilever.

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From Hack to Shelf: Meet the Vaseline OGs

At the heart of the campaign are two content creators who were among the early voices sharing hacks that helped shape the brand’s newest innovations.

In 2008, beauty creator Jen Chae (@frmheadtotoe) shared a simple Vaseline brow tamer hack on her blog. Lauren Luke (@laurenluke_panacea81), one of YouTube’s earliest beauty creators, introduced her Vaseline primer hack, making beauty techniques more accessible to everyday users.

Today, almost two decades later, their ideas have inspired actual Vaseline products. These include the Vaseline Brow Tamer, inspired by Jen Chae, and Vaseline All-In-One Primer & Highlighter Jelly, inspired by Lauren Luke. Beyond product innovation, the campaign recognises these content creators as Vaseline OGs and acknowledges their role in shaping ideas that have since become part of global beauty culture.

Both products sold out within minutes during their TikTok Live debut on 30 March 2026, featuring both content creators.

From Vaseline Verified to Vaseline Originals

What began as individual beauty hacks has grown into a global movement, with more 3.5 million Vaseline hack-related posts shared online. This is a testament to the brand’s enduring role in everyday routines and conversations across generations.

The campaign builds on Vaseline Verified, the brand’s award-winning effort that validated hacks shared by thousands and earned multiple Grand Prix awards, including the coveted Titanium Lion at Cannes Lions. Where Vaseline Verified proved what works, Vaseline Originals shines a spotlight on the people behind some of the most popular hacks.

And this is just the beginning. The search for content creators behind other viral Vaseline hacks is ongoing. More individuals are set to be recognised and certified as Vaseline OGs, bringing more of the community into the brand’s future.

Nicolas Courant, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy Singapore, said, “We started with a simple creative provocation: what if the best ideas were never in the boardroom, but already in people’s bedrooms and everyday routines? We traced how Vaseline was being used in culture back to its origins and found the OG creators who had been shaping these hacks long before they became mainstream. Vaseline Originals is a move from ownership to stewardship, honouring our OG content creators by sharing our success with them.”

Aanchal Sethi, Asia Managing Director Unilever, Ogilvy Singapore said “Vaseline Originals represents a deliberate strategic shift in how we build this brand, moving from validating what the community creates to actively shaping and developing ideas inspired by them. The commercial signals have been unambiguous: products selling out in minutes, demand scaling with every drop. But what this campaign confirms goes beyond a single launch. It shows that community-led innovation isn’t just culturally resonant. It’s a growth engine. This is how Vaseline stays relevant for the next generation, and how we intend to keep building.”

Link to campaign assets here.

Campaign Credits
Agencies: Ogilvy Singapore (Creative & PR), Edelman UK (PR), RADA (PR & Influencer), Acommerce (PR), PinPung (Influencer), Catch+Release (Research)
Production Houses: Double Y (Film), Chameleon (Post-Production), Pop & Strange (Post-Production), Neon Sound (Music)
Client: Unilever / Vaseline

– Leandro Barreto, Chief Marketing Officer

– Fernando Kahane, Global Brand Vice President, Vaseline

– Nathalia Amadeu, Global Brand Director, Vaseline

– Stella Megalou, Global Project Lead, Vaseline

– Rebecca Thomas, Global Senior Manager Brand Public Relations

– Shazan Zahir, Head of Beauty and Wellbeing Unilever International

– Xingyun Tan, Assistant Brand Manager, Unilever International

– Sarah Guia, Regional eCommerce Manager, Unilever International

– Manali Deshmukh, Global R&D Lead, Vaseline, Unilever International

– Manan Goel, Packaging Lead, Unilever International

– Sabhya Gupta, SEA R&D Lead

Agency: Ogilvy Singapore
– Liz Taylor, Global Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy

– Reed Collins, Chief Creative Officer, Asia, Ogilvy

– Nicolas Courant, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy Singapore

– Marco Versolato, Chief Creative Officer, WPP@Unilever

– Maggie Michella, Associate Creative Director, Art, Ogilvy Singapore

– Elder Caldeira, Associate Creative Director, Art, Ogilvy Singapore

– Nusrah Nizam, Junior Art Director, Creative, Ogilvy Singapore

– Sneha Sanil, Junior Copywriter, Ogilvy Singapore

– David Dahan, Global Client Lead, Unilever

– Aanchal Sethi, Managing Director, Unilever

– Nayna Kotian, Group Account Director, Ogilvy Singapore

– Aurea Nonis, Account Manager, Ogilvy Singapore

– Bok Jo-Ann, Project Manager, Ogilvy Singapore

– Sumegha Rao, Chief Strategy Officer, WPP@Unilever

– Shivendra Dikshit, Senior Strategy Director, Ogilvy Singapore

– Mellita Angga, Senior Strategist, Ogilvy Singapore

– James Baldwin, Head of Influencer, Asia – PR & Influence, Social, Ogilvy Singapore

– Jesslyn Laiyenes, Manager, Influence, Ogilvy Singapore

– Gerri Hamill, Head of Production

– Carolyn Ong, Senior Integrated Producer

– Siti Saleh, Project Manager

Campaign Assets
Links to original hacks:
– Jen Chae’s blog post: Clean & Natural Eyebrows Tutorial
– Lauren Luke’s YouTube video: Vaseline Primer Hack
Follow the conversation: #VaselineOriginals #VaselineVerified

Hashtag: #Ogilvy #Vaseline

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Vaseline

Vaseline is the OG, a household staple for over 155 years, trusted by generations for its healing properties. As one of Unilever’s most iconic global brands, Vaseline continues to evolve, listening to its community and finding new ways to show up for the people who have championed it most.

About Ogilvy

Ogilvy has been creating impact for brands through iconic, culture-changing, value-driving ideas since the company was founded by David Ogilvy in 1948. It builds on that rich legacy through Borderless Creativity – innovating at the intersections of its advertising, public relations, relationship design, consulting, and health capabilities with experts collaborating seamlessly across more than 120 offices spanning 90 countries. Ogilvy currently as the #1 global agency network for creative excellence and effectiveness by WARC, signifying its ability to deliver creative solutions that drive unreasonable impact for clients and communities. Ogilvy is a WPP company (NYSE: WPP). For more information, visit , and follow us on,,, and

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