Weekly roundup: Tesla faces boycott in MY, Cheil SG MD steps down and more

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Happy Friday MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to the weekly roundup. This week, we saw the boycott movement reignited in Malaysia with Tesla now being thrown into the ring of fire and an adorable Pokémon collection from Pos Malaysia that may have encouraged fans to get into stamp collecting. Meanwhile, Anand Vathiyar has hung up his boots after five years at Cheil Singapore as its managing director.

If you need a quick summary, welcome to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's weekly roundup, a video and article feature in which we take you through the biggest stories of the week and take a deep dive into trending topics we've seen in the industry.

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1. Tesla faces boycott in Malaysia after Elon Musk backs Trump's Gaza plan

Tesla faces boycott in MY after Elon Musk backs Trump's Gaza plan

Tesla is facing increasing calls for boycotts in Malaysia due to CEO Elon Musk's support for US president Donald Trump. Trump recently made headlines for his plans to take over Gaza and permanently displace Palestinians from the enclave. According to media intelligence firm DATAXET NAMA, the overall sentiment was predominately negative with 85% negative, 10% positive and 5% neutral sentiments.

A few comments (5%) employed highly emotive language—including the term “swasticar”—to express deep contempt and extreme dissatisfaction with Tesla’s brand, attributing these sentiments to Musk making what was described as a “Nazi gesture.”

The CEO has since dismissed the accusations regarding his hand gestures on X, saying that his critics "need better dirty tricks" and that he is "so tired" of the comparisons of him to Adolf Hitler. The calls for boycott have reportedly raised questions about Tesla's potential manufacturing plans in Malaysia.

Read more here.

2. Have you seen Pos Malaysia's Pokémon special edition stamp set?

National post and parcel service provider Pos Malaysia has unveiled a special stamp set in collaboration with Pokémon Trading Card Game. The stamp set celebrates the beloved Pokémon franchise and features designs inspired by the trading card game.

The special set includes ten stamps, four postcards a souvenir cover envelope, a Pokémon Trading Card Game fun pack and a playmat. The stamp set is available while stocks last, and fans could pre-order them in-person at Pos Malaysia's booths at the Pokémon Trading Card Game Showdown 2025 at Bukit Bintang City Centre or at Pos Malaysia's bureaus and post offices.

“The launch marks a milestone for Pos Malaysia as we embark on a landmark collaboration in Southeast Asia with one of the world’s most iconic pop culture brands. Just as Pokémon brings people together globally, we too are passionate about delivering meaningful connections. We are excited to bring this special stamp collection to life as part of that mission," said Fiona Liao, group chief marketing, communications and sustainability officer of Pos Malaysia.

Read more here.

3. Cheil Singapore MD Anand Vathiyar steps down

Cheil Singapore managing director Anand Vathiyar has stepped down from the role. In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Vathiyar expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the incredible journey over the past five years at Cheil. Vathiyar first joined the agency in 2020. He was previously founder, managing director and executive creative at Up & Up for over 16 years. Prior to which he was creative head, Audi A-P at Bates Worldwide and a deputy creative director at Dentsu, Young and Rubicam.

"I joined Cheil in early 2020. There were challenges to stabilise the business from the get-go, the agency had witnessed a significant exodus, our client services director, Peter, had passed away (RIP Peter) and we had to deal with the pandemic and lockdown," said Vathiyar in a statement to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

"As I look to the future, I’m excited to explore new opportunities and, perhaps, embark on a journey similar to that of my namesake, VJ Anand, who made the bold decision to be ballsy. I appreciate all the support from my colleagues and partners. Stay tuned for what comes next," he added.