Grab Ads Strategies: Key Learnings from SPARK Agency Edition with Thrive Digital & Pizza Hut

Last May 14, 2025, Thrive Digital was honored to be invited to the Grab Ads SPARK Agency Edition Workshop as part of Team Pizza Hut. 

Held at the elegant Narra Function Room, Shangri-La The Fort, the event brought together some of the region’s top marketers, creatives, and media strategists to deep dive into the ever-evolving Grab Ads ecosystem—and how we can better leverage it for performance and brand building.

A Masterclass in Innovation with Sulin Lau

One of the biggest highlights of the event was the keynote session from Sulin Lau, Head of Brand & Marketing at Grab. Her talk, titled "Hacking Grab Ads", revealed frameworks and real-world campaigns from across Asia that showcased how brands can go beyond the basics by:

1. Leveraging User Data
   Grab holds a treasure trove of first-party data. Sulin emphasized that 

"Every Event is a Brand Interaction"

highlighting how brands can tailor campaigns based on behavioral and transactional insights. A standout example was Jollibee's 45th Birthday Blowout , where the brand transformed the mundane act of tracking a food delivery into an engaging experience. Customers could watch a Jollibee mascot icon approach their location in real-time, turning anticipation into a joyful interaction. This creative use of event signals not only enhanced user engagement but also reinforced brand presence during the delivery journey .

2. Connecting Online and Offline Worlds
   Sulin showcased innovative physical activations integrated with digital media—such as the Maybelline “Teddy Lippy” Helmets, where Grab riders wore branded helmets as part of a hyper-local, OOH+DOOH activation. This approach demonstrated that O2O (Online to Offline) isn’t just a buzzword—it’s an effective tool to drive both awareness and action.
   
   

3. Solving Real-World Problems Creatively
   Sometimes, the best ad isn’t an ad. Sulin featured iconic examples like “Delivery Doodles”.

—where children's drawings were transformed into actual food orders using AI, providing both entertainment and utility during lockdowns—and “Find Me Benches”

GPS-enabled benches in Vietnam that helped people easily locate pick-up points in areas with unclear addresses, enhancing the delivery experience. These campaigns addressed genuine societal challenges, demonstrating that creativity can effectively solve real-world problems.

Our Takeaway: Think Bigger, Bolder, and Smarter

As we work hand-in-hand with Pizza Hut Philippines on what’s set to be their biggest campaign of the year, these insights couldn’t have come at a better time. From using rich behavioral data to crafting interactive O2O activations, we walked away from the workshop inspired to break the mold and bring a whole new level of strategy to the table.

And trust us—what’s coming from Pizza Hut is something you won’t want to miss.

 

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Are you a brand struggling to crack Grab Ads?
Or do you have a campaign that needs further amplification across digital and real-world touchpoints?

At Thrive Digital, we don’t just run media—we solve brand problems through performance, creativity, and innovation. Let’s talk. 💬