Aunty M serves up laughs and ad tips in Google SEA's first YouTube creator series

Google Southeast Asia has taken a fresh, humorous approach to marketing its ads solutions with the launch of its first-ever YouTube creator series Marketing unfiltered with Aunty M.

The series stars Singaporean YouTube personality Annette Lee in her alter ego role as Aunty M, a straight-talking, no-nonsense host who breaks down complex marketing jargon while learning to promote her fiery sambal belacan business.

This marks a strategic shift for Google, moving beyond traditional, often dry B2B content to engage marketers and entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia in a format that’s relatable, entertaining and culturally relevant.

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The series, created by The Carrot Collective with creator strategy support from VIRTUE Asia, debuts across Google’s regional YouTube channels in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, backed by a paid social media campaign.

The first episode showcases Aunty M’s regional journey, where she chats with marketing professionals on how to get the most out of Google and YouTube ads solutions. By blending character-driven storytelling with practical insights, the series demystifies digital advertising in a way that resonates with Southeast Asia’s diverse entrepreneurial community.

“Marketers don’t need more boring B2B content,” said Samit Malkani, group marketing creative manager at Google Southeast Asia and South Asia frontier.

“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," added Samit. 

The content format takes inspiration from US talk shows, mixing full episodes to drive engagement, mid-form segments to build relevance, and short-form highlights to increase frequency and reach.

David Webster, CEO and co-founder of The Carrot Collective, said the goal was to reframe B2B marketing content from product explainers to a narrative universe rooted in the real frustrations and ambitions of regional entrepreneurs. “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," said Webster.

In tandem, VIRTUE Asia’s strategy director Zoe Chen highlighted the importance of authenticity and regional relevance in the series, praising Annette Lee’s role in bringing Aunty M to life. “Annette is beloved across Southeast Asia for her relatable comedic characters that capture the cultural diversity of the region. As an entrepreneur herself, she was the perfect bridge between complex ad solutions and entertainment,” Chen said.

Marketing unfiltered with Aunty M will roll out episodes throughout 2025, marking Google’s bold move to reshape how ad products are presented in the region, combining education with entertainment to better connect with marketers and SMEs navigating the digital economy.

This new series aligns with a growing trend in Southeast Asia where brands are shifting from traditional product-heavy messaging to purpose-driven, creator-led content that resonates culturally and emotionally with audiences. 

In a similar move, Samsung Singapore last year leveraged local comedy legends Jack Neo, Mark Lee and Henry Thia in a series of humorous shorts showcasing its AI-powered features in its Galaxy S24 campaign. The shorts see the three artists leveraging different functions of Galaxy AI to break the boundaries of communication and creation. 

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