Naga DDB Tribal appointed creative AOR for U Mobile’s brand and marketing services
Naga DDB Tribal has been appointed creative agency-of-record for Brand and Marketing Services for U Mobile following a competitive multi-agency pitch. Effective 1 January 2026, the appointment marks the start of a strategic partnership, with Naga tasked to support brand strategy, integrated marketing communications, and always-on creative development across key consumer and product initiatives.
The win reinforces Naga DDB Tribal’s long-standing expertise in the telecommunications category and signals a shared ambition to drive stronger brand presence, commercial impact, and sustained creative growth.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for U Mobile as it enters a new phase of expansion. As Malaysia’s newest 5G network provider, the brand is positioned to elevate how consumers and businesses connect, communicate, and engage with digital services nationwide.
Bernard Lee, Head of Brand and Marketing Services, U Mobile, said: “U Mobile is pleased to appoint Naga DDB Tribal as our creative partner for our brand and marketing portfolio. This was a highly rigorous and thoughtful pitch process, as finding the right creative partner at this stage of our growth is critical. We were looking for an agency that understood our ambitions, from the transformation of our roaming proposition to the opportunities unlocked by ULTRA5G, and could help us translate them into meaningful creative impact. Naga DDB Tribal demonstrated the strategic depth, creative ambition, and partnership mindset we need as we strengthen and evolve the U Mobile brand.”
Kristian Lee, Group Executive Director, The Foetus Group & Naga DDB Tribal, said: “For Naga DDB Tribal, the appointment represents both the unfolding of a new chapter in the agency’s rich heritage of telco expertise, as well as a future-focused collaboration rooted in a shared ambition and desire for growth – further reinforced by the agency’s recent recognition as Agency of the Year 2025 at the Kancil Awards.
“We are excited and honoured to embark on a new era with U Mobile – a brand driven by progress, innovation, and a fearless spirit in pushing boundaries. Being entrusted as U Mobile’s creative partner is a privilege and an honour we carry with purpose, aspiration, and humility. On behalf of the agency, we extend our sincere appreciation to the U Mobile team – not only for the mandate, but for the inspiring pitch brief that first sparked this partnership. It pushed our thinking, reinvigorated our talent, and reminded us of what becomes possible when a brand and agency move forward as a true collective. Together, we aim to shape work and deliver results that not only propel the brand forward, but also open doors to new creative and commercial frontiers powered by deep and meaningful consumer insights, purposeful creativity, and cultural relevance.”
As the telco landscape continues to evolve, Naga DDB Tribal sees this partnership as an opportunity to redefine how telco brands connect with Malaysians – uniting creativity, technology, and cultural insight to shape narratives for a new generation. This appointment marks the fourth major new-business success for the agency in 2025, following its Proton win and the successful retention of Astro and Prudential through competitive pitches. Together, these achievements reinforce Naga DDB Tribal’s continued evolution as one of Malaysia’s most enduring creative agencies – grounded in experience, driven by innovation, and committed to reinvention.