VPBank taps G-Dragon to reinvent its image, while Taylor Swift shows the global trend

Tatler Asia

20-05-2025

VPBank is not alone in this strategic pursuit. VIB, another private Vietnamese bank, has experienced a notable uptick in brand recognition since backing music ventures such as The Masked Singer and the Anh Trai Say Hi concert. Figures from VPBankS reveal VIB's card spending surged at an annual rate of 56%, while its total assets climbed to VND493,000 billion by the close of 2024.
Techcombank, too, saw promising returns on its sponsorship of Anh trai vuot ngan chong gai , a show that drew a warm reception from audiences. Capitalising on the momentum, the bank introduced new features and reached a broader customer base. VPBankS noted that the programme's impact helped Techcombank achieve a pre-tax profit of VND27,500 billion in 2024—marking a more than 20% increase on the previous year.
Learn more: From Bvlgari, Van Cleef & Arpels to Rolex: Anh Tu Atus turns Anh Trai's 'Say Hi' concert into a high-end personal runway
Sensing the appeal, several other banks have joined the fray. Techcombank has thrown its support behind the All-round Rookie series, while TPBank has taken the lead as main sponsor for Em xinh say hi. When artists help banks get closer to customers—and elevate a nation's cultural standing
It's not just Vietnamese banks tapping into the power of music. Financial institutions worldwide have seen remarkable growth by aligning themselves with international entertainment, harnessing pop culture to connect with consumers and polish their public image.
Specifically, when Taylor Swift announced The Eras Tour concert in Singapore for March 2024, UOB Bank—her exclusive banking partner for early ticket access—saw a 130% surge in new debit card sign-ups across Vietnam and Singapore. The offer proved irresistible, driving not only new registrations but also a remarkable spike in brand visibility. At one point, Swifties—the singer's devoted fan base—were searching for 'UOB' as frequently as the artist herself. The strategy struck a chord: with a fan demographic that is largely female and with around 40% aged between 30 and 40, it aligned seamlessly with UOB's target customer base for financial services.
Notably, sponsoring high-profile concerts featuring international stars has an impact that extends well beyond banking metrics. Kevin Cheong, managing partner at tourism consultancy Syntegrate, noted that such large-scale music events can shape how global travellers perceive a destination. Singapore, in particular, emerged as an alluring and premium travel hotspot in the wake of The Eras Tour.
A UOB spokesperson confirmed that the partnership with Taylor Swift did more than elevate the brand—it stimulated customer card spending and created valuable momentum across other banking services. According to The Straits Times , the tour generated an estimated US$500 million in tourism revenue for Singapore, underscoring the economic force behind musical megastars.
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Meanwhile, VPBank's announcement that G-Dragon and CL would be performing in Vietnam at the K-Star Spark 2025 event had a noticeable effect on the market. On 14 May, the bank's share price jumped to VND18,900 per unit, marking its highest point in over a month. That single session added more than VND9,500 billion to VPBank's market capitalisation, bringing the total to nearly VND150,000 billion, or approximately US$5.7 billion.
These figures reflect the extraordinary reach of artists like Taylor Swift and G-Dragon, whose influence cuts across customer segments with ease. Beyond that, banks' association with entertainment has begun to dismantle long-standing perceptions of the financial sector as impersonal or uninspired. Aligning with beloved celebrities allows banks to forge emotional bonds with their audiences, a rare advantage in an otherwise saturated and fiercely competitive industry.
In years past, appearances by global superstars in Vietnam were few and far between. Local music events tended to be modest in scale and limited in production value. That picture is now shifting. With substantial backing from private banks, Vietnam is fast becoming a sought-after destination for international performers, while domestically produced music programmes are growing in both scale and ambition. This trend is set to continue, with financial institutions likely to remain key partners in future large-scale productions—boosting not just brand equity, but also contributing meaningfully to national economic development.