Canva, GIGIL turn Kween Yasmin into internet's 'all-purpose endorser' in viral SMB push

A collaboration between Canva and Filipino independent agency GIGIL has delivered a widely memed brand moment, positioning Canva Pro as an “all-purpose platform” by giving small and medium business owners an all-purpose endorser: Kween Yasmin.

Kween Yasmin - a multi-hyphenate Filipino creator known for her mix of comedy, spoken-word, music, and business content - headlines the campaign, which allows Canva Pro users to feature her directly in their own marketing. The initiative centres on her newly launched Canva Creator Page, where subscribers can access her All-Purpose Photo Library, remove backgrounds with a single tool, and insert her into ads for any industry.

The campaign also introduces two bespoke assets: Kween Sans, a font crafted from her full-body poses, and Kweemojis, a set of custom emojis based on her expression and persona.

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Kween Sans became a breakout hit across Filipino social platforms, spreading rapidly among SMBs, major brands, celebrities, and ordinary users. The result was a deluge of fan-generated posts, parodies, and brand takeovers featuring her signature silhouette and poses.

Businesses from RS Computer Store, Escobar’s Steak House, and AnyPrint were among the first movers, followed quickly by blue-chip brands including SM, McDonald’s Philippines, and KFC.

Even political figures and institutions joined in, including Bam Aquino, the Department of Energy, and non-profit Angat Buhay. Pop culture communities soon followed, remixing the campaign in contexts ranging from Hangul guides to TWICE, Stranger Things, and Charli XCX’s BRAT cover aesthetic. Some users went as far as making their own fonts inspired by the campaign.

The surge in visibility led to a spike in interest in Canva Pro, with Filipino users asking how to access the assets and many subscribing specifically to use the Kween Yasmin library.

The campaign extended offline at the Philippine SME Business Expo last 28-29 November, where attendees could try an on-site Canva Pro All-Purpose Studio. Visitors created ads on the spot using Kween Yasmin’s assets and saw Canva Pro’s Magic Resize demonstrated live by the creator herself, as their ads transformed from horizontal to square to vertical formats.

Expo participants also experienced the Magic Music Studio, where business owners generated a 30-second jingle guide using Magic Write - after which Kween Yasmin improvised personalised jingles for them live.

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