Gen Z perspectives: Symphonic campaigns, working with freelancers & MEA TH

Happy Friday, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to Gen Z Perspectives, your go-to feature where we unpack the week’s top stories and trending topics through the eyes of Gen Z. From the biggest industry moves to viral moments and marketing controversies worth dissecting, we’re bringing the heat with authenticity, awareness and probably a few unfiltered takes.

This week: McDonald’s Hong Kong served up nostalgia with a 10-minute micro-film revisiting its first 1975 restaurant, Audi turned horsepower into harmony and experts weighed in on Singapore’s clampdowns on foreign freelancers. Plus, a sneak peak of what went down at Marketing Excellence Awards Thailand 2025.

Snack on this. 

Don't miss: Gen Z perspectives: Stagwell backlash and SIA's new safety video

1. McDonald's HK recreates its historic first day in cinematic anniversary tribute

McDonald’s Hong Kong is taking audiences back to where it all began, with a 10-minute micro-film that nostalgically recreates the opening of its first restaurant in 1975.  

Done in partnership with DDB Group Hong Kong and OMD Hong Kong, the film, titled “Back to the beginning in 1975”, is the next instalment of the brand’s ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. It invites the city to return to the beginning, celebrate the present, and look ahead to the future — through cinematic storytelling and immersive brand experience. 

Read more here. 

2. Audi transforms engine roars into sonic symphony

Audi UK has unveiled a new campaign with BBH London that transforms the roar of its RS models into music. Titled "Engine symphony", the tactical push taps into the end of the classical music season by reimagining horsepower as harmony.

To bring the idea to life, the brand enlisted a composer to transcribe the sounds of Audi RS engines into sheet music, blending performance with artistry. The 50-second spot opens with shots of the score before showing the composer at work, capturing the engine’s acoustics. It then transitions to photographs of the sheet music displayed across out-of-home sites.

Read more here. 

3. SG clamps down on foreign freelancers, but industry voices say nuance is needed

Singapore companies have been reminded not to engage foreign freelancers for creative services such as photography, videography, and make-up for weddings and events, following a new advisory from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) issued alongside the Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association (VICPA).

Comments seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE on VICPA's Facebook post sharing the advisory have been mixed thus far, with some users thanking the VICPA for its efforts and others questioning if companies can no longer use platforms such as Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelancers. Users also questioned if foreign professionals such as established directors, were no longer able to work in Singapore for projects. While VICPA has positioned the move as protecting local creative freelancers, industry leaders say the reality is a little more nuanced.

Read more here. 

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