Mastercard has teamed up with Sticky Monster Lab to launch “Protected Monsters”, a campaign focused on payment security and fraud protection across Southeast Asia.
Developed in collaboration with Sticky Monster Lab, the campaign blends AI-powered motion capture, KOL-led education storytelling, and shareable digital assets to bring Mastercard’s behind-the-scenes security capabilities to life across Southeast Asia.
According to the campaign, most people don’t think about fraud when they’re shopping, dining out, or scrolling on their phones. They’re just living their lives. That’s exactly where things can go wrong. The campaign’s Protected Monsters bring those everyday moments to life, turning small, familiar situations into stories about where risks can quietly appear. Instead of explaining security in technical terms, the campaign uses characters and humor to make the idea of protection easy to grasp and easy to remember.
The monsters capture everyday human quirks and emotions, showing that risks can exist even in joyful moments.
The “Protected Monsters” were brought to life across the region through a mix of KOL-led storytelling, sticker packs and an always-on digital presence. KOLs transformed into AI-powered protected monsters, sharing fraud close calls in everyday moments, while fans could engage directly with the campaign through shareable monster sticker packs
Beyond social channels, the campaign extended to programmatic, in-game and OOH placements, placing the protected monsters in malls, restaurants and online spaces. This multi-channel approach ensured that Mastercard’s message — fraud can happen anywhere, but protection is always on — reached audiences wherever they were.
“Fraud can hide in the simplest moments of everyday life. By using AI to transform real-life creators into protected monsters, we’ve created a world where protection feels friendly, intuitive and personal,” said Dheeraj Raina, Senior Vice President, Head of Integrated Marketing and Communications, Southeast Asia, Mastercard.
“The campaign reminds people that Mastercard’s multi-layered security is always working for them, so they can tap, pay and live with confidence.”
Dan Parmenter, Creative Director at McCann Singapore, added: “Everyone is susceptible to fraudsters, and the monsters from Sticky Monster Lab are a great fit to represent the person in all of us that sometimes falls for card fraud trickery.”
“We had lots of fun collaborating with Sticky Monster Lab to turn these well-loved figures into protected versions of themselves, and to flip that feeling of anxiety around fraud into the confidence you will feel every time you use your Mastercard card.”
Credits
Valerie Madon – Chief Creative Officer MWG APAC
Dan Parmenter – Creative Director
Seth Low – Art Director
Ernest Tey – Art Director
Gaurav Mishra – Creative Excellence Manager
Xea Kho – Strategy Director
Natalie Oh – Senior Account Director
Hafiz Aliff – Account Director
Iffah Suhaila – Senior Account Manager
Bryan Tan – Project Manager
Jerry Loh – Creative Services Manager
Heckler Singapore
Sticky Monster Lab
