Double metals, one bold vision: Maya takes home two Silver Anvils at the 61st Anvil Awards, setting a new standard for premium banking in the Philippines.
Maya Black is proving that premium banking in the Philippines no longer has to look or feel exclusive. The digital bank’s flagship credit card campaign took home two Silver Anvil Awards at the 61st Anvil Awards, cementing its status as one of the most impactful brand launches in the country’s financial sector.
Organized by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, the Anvil Awards are widely regarded as the gold standard for excellence in public relations and strategic communications. For Maya, the recognition signals more than creative success—it underscores a shift in how premium financial products are introduced, positioned, and experienced.
Fully launched in August 2025, Maya Black marked the company’s first branded credit card. But rather than following the conventional playbook of exclusivity, complicated paperwork, and rigid qualification standards, the campaign boldly challenged the norms of the credit card industry.
It repositioned premium credit as accessible, culturally relevant, and aligned with the realities of mobile-first Filipinos who are often left out of traditional banking systems.
Credit cards remain highly aspirational in the Philippines, yet approval rates and access have historically lagged behind demand. Against this backdrop, Maya Black was designed to rethink the entire experience—from application to everyday use. Leveraging Maya’s digital ecosystem, AI-driven assessment tools, and alternative data, the card widened pathways to credit while remaining fully integrated within the Maya app.
Users can apply digitally, receive instant virtual card issuance, and manage a sleek numberless physical card—all without stepping into a bank branch.
Instead of staging a one-off launch event, Maya executed a deliberate, multi-phase brand rollout. It first built credibility among finance and technology media before expanding into lifestyle and culture through creator-led storytelling. Anchored on the campaign line “Welcome to Maya Black,” the initiative reframed premium banking as an experience defined by design, confidence, and everyday relevance rather than privilege.
“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.”
The campaign’s cultural edge was amplified by high-profile ambassadors including Julia Barretto, Maris Racal, and Jericho Rosales. By reflecting diverse lifestyles and aspirations, the campaign positioned Maya Black as a lifestyle marker—modern, stylish, and distinctly Filipino—rather than just another financial tool.
That strategic blend of influencer marketing and experiential branding earned Maya Black Silver Anvils for Best Use of Influencers and Launch Event. More importantly, it drove measurable business impact. The campaign generated strong engagement across digital channels and contributed to a surge of first-time credit card users entering the Maya ecosystem.
Beyond awards, Maya Black demonstrates how fintech brands can transcend functional messaging. By weaving together strategy, creativity, and cultural insight, Maya transformed a traditionally rigid product category into a brand experience that resonates emotionally.
“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 its double Silver win, Maya Black sets a new benchmark for fintech storytelling—challenging long-held credit card conventions and reshaping how a new generation of Filipinos sees, accesses, and aspires to premium banking.