Maya Black Wins Two at 61st Anvil Awards for Premium Credit Card Campaign

Digital bank Maya secured two Silver Anvil Awards at the 61st Anvil Awards for its Maya Black campaign, earning recognition for reshaping how premium credit cards are positioned and marketed in the Philippines.

Organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), the Anvil Awards are considered one of the country’s most established honors for excellence in public relations and strategic communications.

Campaign Recognized for Influencer Strategy and Launch Execution

Maya Black received Silver Anvils for Best Use of Influencers and Launch Event, highlighting the campaign’s multi-platform rollout and cultural positioning.

Fully launched in August 2025, Maya Black marked Maya’s entry into branded credit cards. Instead of following traditional bank-led promotions focused on exclusivity and prestige, the campaign positioned premium credit as accessible, mobile-first, and aligned with the lifestyles of digitally native Filipinos.

The rollout followed a phased strategy, beginning with finance and technology media before expanding into lifestyle and creator-driven storytelling. Anchored on the theme “Welcome to Maya Black,” the campaign framed premium banking as an experience centered on design, convenience, and everyday relevance.

Reframing Premium Credit for Mobile-First Filipinos

Credit cards remain highly aspirational in the Philippines, but access has historically been limited by strict requirements and conventional underwriting models.

Maya Black was designed to address that gap through Maya’s app-based ecosystem, leveraging AI and alternative data to broaden credit evaluation. The card can be fully managed within the Maya app, offering digital application, instant virtual card issuance, and a numberless physical card aimed at improving security and modernizing the user experience.

By removing paperwork-heavy processes and reducing friction, the campaign sought to challenge long-standing perceptions of who qualifies for premium financial products.

Cultural Positioning and Market Impact

The campaign featured celebrities Julia Barretto, Maris Racal, and Jericho Rosales, aligning the card with diverse lifestyles rather than traditional status-driven narratives. The approach aimed to position Maya Black as both a financial tool and a lifestyle marker.

According to Maya, the campaign contributed to increased engagement and growth in its credit card segment, including a rise in first-time credit card users.

Raising the Bar for Fintech Marketing

With its dual Silver Anvil win, Maya Black signals how fintech brands are moving beyond functional product messaging to build stronger cultural and emotional connections with consumers.

As competition intensifies in the Philippine digital banking and credit card space, the recognition underscores how strategic communications and brand-led storytelling are becoming central to financial services marketing.