Maya is reshaping how Filipinos view premium banking — and the industry is taking notice
At the 61st Anvil Awards, the fintech platform earned two Silver Anvils for its Maya Black campaign, a brand-led push that reimagined how credit cards are positioned and experienced in the Philippines.
Organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), the Anvil Awards are widely regarded as the country’s benchmark for excellence in public relations and communications.
Launched fully in August 2025, Maya Black is the company’s first branded credit card — and it arrived with a deliberate challenge to a category long defined by exclusivity, paperwork, and rigid access.
Instead of framing premium credit as status-driven or intimidating, the campaign presented it as welcoming, culturally relevant, and attainable, aimed at modern, mobile-native Filipinos often overlooked by traditional credit systems.
Credit cards remain one of the most aspirational financial products in the country, yet access continues to trail demand. Against this backdrop, Maya Black was designed to rethink not only who qualifies for premium credit, but how that experience should feel.
Built for mobile-first consumers, the card leverages Maya’s digital platform, artificial intelligence, and alternative data to widen access to credit.
The entire process — from application to management — takes place within the Maya app, offering fast digital onboarding, instant virtual card issuance, and a sleek, numberless physical card. The result challenges long-held assumptions about who premium cards are really for.
Pepe Torres, Maya Group Chief Marketing Officer
Rather than a conventional product launch, Maya rolled out a strategic, multi-phase brand campaign. It first built credibility through finance and tech media before expanding into lifestyle, culture, and creator-led storytelling.
Anchored on the idea “Welcome to Maya Black,” the campaign framed premium banking as an experience shaped by design, confidence, and everyday relevance.
“We wanted to make premium banking feel personal, not privileged,” said Pepe Torres, Maya Group Chief Marketing Officer. “Maya Black wasn’t just about launching a card — it was about changing how people feel about credit and who it’s for.”
Redefining premium through culture-driven fintech branding
The campaign featured celebrities Julia Barretto, Maris Racal, and Jericho Rosales, reflecting a range of lifestyles and aspirations.
This positioned Maya Black as a modern lifestyle marker rather than just a financial product. The effort was recognized with Silver Anvils for Best Use of Influencers and Launch Event.
Julia Barretto, Maris Racal, and Jericho Rosales
The campaign’s cultural resonance translated into strong engagement, with Maya reporting continued momentum in its credit card business and a notable influx of first-time cardholders driven by Maya Black.
By blending strategy, creativity, and cultural insight, the campaign demonstrated how fintech brands can move beyond functional messaging to build emotional relevance and long-term brand value in a traditionally rigid category.
“Maya Black showed that marketing innovation isn’t just about big ideas,” Torres added. “It’s about creating experiences people want to belong to and redefining premium in a way that feels modern, inclusive, and proudly Filipino.”
With Maya Black, Maya is setting a new benchmark for fintech marketing — disrupting long-standing credit card conventions and turning financial access into a culturally resonant brand experience for a new generation of Filipinos.
