Jelou Galang is a freelance journalist who loves dissecting culture, media consumption, the internet, and how these form our identity and community-building. She is an Organisational Communication graduate from the University of the Philippines and the former associate editor and brand engagement lead of 

, a Manila-based youth culture publication. Her other works have appeared in 

, and DG Traveler, among others. Her fandoms include those of Asian cinema, matcha, 

, punk rock, Notes app poetry, and her dog Maximize. When she’s not having a love-hate relationship with writing, you can catch her running to seek Strava’s validation or making mini-documentaries.

Border Reorder

People expect brands to rise to society’s challenges

Shared Values

People want their identities to be reflected in mainstream culture

Collective Equity

DJ sets, hip-hop performances, a neon-lit tunnel, and even more neon lights, plus 4,500 attendees, might lead one to the silhouette of a Gen Z-centred music festival – but is it? 

L'Officiel Malaysia

 Actually, this image is from the launch party thrown by an almost 100-year-old brand, 

 held in Kuala Lumpur in May 2024. “Tiger Beer remains relevant as it adapts to the times and keeps itself updated,” says Cyrene de la Rosa, a food and drinks journalist and bartending competition judge, in a Canvas8 interview. 

Interview with Cyrene de la Rosa conducted by the author

The Singaporean brand, which began brewing in 

 under Malayan Breweries Limited, has been considered one of the top international premium beers in Asia by the likes of Campaign Brief Asia and 

Campaign Brief Asia

adobo Magazine

 Tiger is a mainstay in Southeast Asia’s (SEA) beer charts, going toe-to-toe with each country’s ‘national beer’ on top of being a frontrunner in its homeland. 

Nikkei Asia

Tiger also helped keep its parent brand, Heineken, afloat through tough times with a 40% rise in global sales post-pandemic. 

Asia Brewers Network

, the brand keeps acing its marketing game with interactive events, a beer-powered jacket, and a soju-flavoured beer marketed by K-idol G-Dragon. 

The HEINEKEN Company

The Trade Desk

Apart from pulling thousands of fans to a party unveiling the brand’s new cocktails, Tiger’s 2024 ‘Cheers to a Bolder Tomorrow’ campaign urges Southeast Asians to be ambitious. 

Heineken Malaysia Berhad

 “We are very passionate about making beer interesting and adding variety,” claimed Andy Hewson, managing director of Heineken-owned Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS) to CNA. 

Channel News Asia

 But how does Tiger know to keep up with the times, and what does it say about Southeast Asian beer lovers?

In SEA, heritage, cultural values, and growing purchasing power are making people lean towards products and experiences that spotlight individual stories and goals. 

PRCA Asia Pacific

 These manifest through everyday items like instant noodles, TikTok trends, and beers. 

Marketing-Interactive

 From Laos’ Lao and Thailand’s Chang to Singapore’s Tiger Beer and the Philippines’ 

, the beer-loving region each has its own national contender. 

TheSmartLocal

 and Indonesia’s Indomie are examples of global brand phenomena that carry local culture with them. Debbie Yong, a branding and communications strategist, says that Tiger’s longevity can be attributed to its branding elements. With bravery and boldness attached to it, the tiger “is deeply symbolic in Asian culture, offering rich opportunities for creative plays on cultural references (such as the Year of the Tiger), animal metaphors and clever wordplay,” she tells Canvas8. 

Interview with Debbie Yong conducted by the author

Southeast Asians have been preferring less-potent or alcohol-free booze of their favourites, mainly for health. 

 Tapping health consciousness even before its pandemic emergence were Tiger's lower-ABV beers like 

 Meanwhile, its 2024 ‘Feel The Twist’ campaign introduced soju-flavoured lagers to SEA’s Hallyu (Korean wave) loving fandoms. 

BusinessToday

 De la Rosa points out that beer “sometimes (pairs) better with local food also, versus other alcoholic beverages, especially the heavily spiced ones,” like Vietnam’s pho and Malaysian laksa. 

 even recommends pairing its beer with mango sago dessert and chilli crab. In alcohol, young Singaporean shoppers are price-sensitive, given steep living costs. 

FoodNavigator-Asia

 This makes Tiger’s lower price point an affordable indulgence.

Yong commends that Tiger “plays on narratives around temperature, a ubiquitous concern across the region. By emphasising its light, crisp, and refreshing flavour profile, ice cold Tiger (became a staple) for those warm Singapore nights.” 

 This level of localised marketing thrives among young Southeast Asians, who growingly value individualism in beauty, 

representation that doesn’t rely on diasporic experiences

. The unique warmth of SEA entices not just neighbouring local cultures but the rest of the world – from 

 who flock to the tropical diversity of the region.

For Yong, Tiger’s values of thriving in spite of the odds strike a chord with “the younger generation’s desire to challenge norms and embrace modernity.” This aligns with their story of being the beer brewed in “challenging equatorial conditions with limited ingredients.” 

 In fact, 90% of Singaporeans believe brands have the power to inspire compassion and empathy. 

SYNC PR

 To execute this trait to modern audiences, Tiger tapped Son Heung-min as a brand ambassador who challenges masculinity. 

WARC

 Meanwhile, G-Dragon’s partnership humanises the brand’s barrier-breaking courage and being true to oneself. 

 This strategy taps universal values and the 82% of Southeast Asians who take influencers’ and celebrities’ recommendations into consideration when making purchasing decisions. 

“Emotional marketing should genuinely reflect the brand’s values and resonate with local culture and experience,” therefore building trust with authenticity, says Yong. 

 For its ‘A Bolder Tomorrow’ campaign – featuring a film depicting goal-focused individuals who run past milestones – Tiger commissioned YouGov on a research report, showing 90% of SEA Gen Zers and Yers put pressure on themselves, while 58% feel pressured to meet a specific ‘impossible standard.’ 

LBB Online

 A modern rendition of the ’80s track ‘Eye of the Tiger’ was utilised for the launch of 

 dramatising the retro-style brewing process. 

 De la Rosa says the reimagined song connects younger and older people with the brand. 

Intensify uniqueness and localisation efforts

Asian Gen Zs want products supporting personalisation and uniqueness. 69% of those in APAC say they are always ‘looking for the next cool thing.’ 

Sia Partners

 In a 2023 collaboration with designer Izzy Du, Tiger released a puffer jacket ‘made for the summer’ with a beer-powered cooling system. 

MARKETECH APAC

 According to Yong, “A one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective (among Southeast Asians).” 

 That’s why Tiger tailor-fits its strategies according to a Southeast Asian country’s traits – a 

 for Vietnam (it’s most active in the region), and an RPG-coded food fest in Malaysia. 

Mashable SEA

Singapore’s Tiger Beer occupied the biggest chunk of parent brand Heineken’s Asian-led sales recovery from the pandemic decline, with a 

 of Singaporeans believe brands have the power to inspire compassion and empathy

 of Southeast Asian Gen Zers and Yers put pressure on themselves, while 

 feel pressured to meet what they call an ‘impossible standard’

Tiger Beer is seen as the top premium beer in Asia and has multiple Southeast Asian markets in a chokehold

Southeast Asians have been leaning towards less-potent or alcohol-free versions of their favourite drinks

In the often masculinity-associated beer culture, Tiger Beer has been making efforts to evolve progressively by challenging stereotypes

Debbie Yong is a branding and communications strategist with more than 15 years of experience leading content and marketing campaigns for major global publishers and luxury brands. A former business journalist and prolific food critic turned consumer insights expert, Debbie tracks emerging lifestyle trends in Asia and parlays them into actionable strategies for companies to target this highly sought-after demographic. She most recently served as the Asia and the Middle East editorial director for the 

 and is regularly invited to speak on restaurant and hospitality industry panels and in the media, including two recent Netflix documentaries on Asia’s food scene. Outside of work, Debbie previously scratched her entrepreneurial itch by starting an online farmers' market and a boutique tea company.

Cyrene de la Rosa is a food and drinks journalist, columnist, and content creator with works in digital publications like ANCX, Metro.Style, and InterAksyon TV5, among others. She is now with ABS-CBN Lifestyle News Online. Cyrene has been a judge of a wide roster of bartending competitions, such as the Diageo World Class, Glenfiddich Experimental, Rémy Cointreau, Remy Martin Barrel-Aged, and Monin Cup, and was also a two-time guest judge for the Philippine Sommelier Competition. She holds a master’s degree in food studies and food management from New York University and a diploma in culinary arts from the Institute of Culinary Education. She has been covering and attending the Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards since it began in 2016.

Asia

Singapore

Beer and cider

Eating and Drinking

Citizenship

For almost 100 years, it seems the Year of the Tiger has reigned. In a masterclass of longevity and creativity, brands might learn valuable lessons from the roaring Singaporean beer brand about catering to the ever-evolving tastes, values, and excitement of Southeast Asia.