Google launches YouTube creator series in Southeast Asia to showcase ad solutions
Google is bringing its Ad Solutions to life in a fresh new way for marketers and entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia, launching its first ever YouTube creator series featuring Singaporean YouTube personality Annette Lee, as alter ego Aunty M.
For the first time, Google has collaborated with handpicked YouTube creators to strengthen perceptions about the effectiveness and efficiency of Google and YouTube Ads Solutions, with the series created by The Carrot Collective and VIRTUE Asia supporting on creator strategy and selection.
The first episode features Lee, known for her short video series such as #ChatsWithChantelle, #AsianParentTings, and YouTube shows like Glowing Up and News Plannette, as Aunty M – the fast-talking, straight-shooting host with a flair for turning marketing jargon into plain speak, as she learns how to market her fiery sambal belacan business.
Watch Marketing Unfiltered with Aunty M.
Designed to demystify the platforms advertising products through fun, entertaining and relatable content, the episodic series shows Aunty M travelling across the region chatting to marketing professionals on how to make the most of Google and YouTube Ads Solutions.
While marketers are increasingly turning to digital ad solutions, content about ad products has remained largely static, often technical, occasionally dry, and rarely delivered in a format optimised for how audiences consume content.
Samit Malkani, group marketing creative manager at Google Southeast Asia and South Asia frontier, said: “The world doesn’t need more boring b2b content about how to launch a new ad campaign. Our products are constantly evolving, so it was time our storytelling did too. This series lets us speak to marketers and entrepreneurs on their terms, in ways that feel accessible, local, and culturally relevant.”
The content format and distribution strategy for the ‘Marketing Unfiltered’ series is similar to that used by US talk shows, with full episodes to drive engagement, mid-form segments to build audience relevance and short-form highlights to drive frequency.
The Carrot Collective’s CEO and co-founder, David Webster, said: “Our aim with Aunty M was to reframe how b2b marketing shows up – less as a product explainer, and more as a narrative universe designed to resonate with the real frustrations and ambitions of entrepreneurs across the region. By anchoring the series in character, humour and cultural insight, we’ve created a platform that doesn’t just inform, it builds affinity, earns attention, and drives deeper engagement at scale.”
Zoe Chen, strategy director at VIRTUE Asia, added: “Many YouTube creators are already creating content about Google Ads Solutions so this was an opportunity to claim that narrative by collaborating with them to produce engaging content. Our strategy was rooted in authenticity, humour and regional relevance. The brilliant Annette Lee, who brings Aunty M to life, was a natural choice. She’s already beloved across Southeast Asia for her relatable comedic characters that capture the essence and cultural diversity of Southeast Asia, and an entrepreneur herself, Annette was the perfect bridge between complex ad solutions and entertainment. Creating the character of Aunty M with her meant that this isn’t just creator-led content, it’s creator-shaped strategy.”
The content series will roll out across Google’s regional YouTube channels in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, supported by a paid media campaign across social platforms. Episode one is live now, with more to follow throughout the year.
Credits
Client: Google SEA
Agency: The Carrot Collective
Talent: Annette Lee
EP: David Webster
Showrunner: Sani Ahmed
Director: Ray Lavers
Scriptwriter: Sivaraj Pragasm
Editor support: Keith Ngiau
Project Director: Michelle Dyer
Project Manager: Nigel Lim
Strategy Director: Zoe Chen, VIRTUE Asia
Production house: Little Red Ants Singapore
