"Lightning ball" taking social media by storm is YouTrip's latest marketing stunt

Over the weekend, videos of a mysterious “lightning ball” in Tampines, Pasir Ris, and Yishun swept across social media. The purple orb, dubbed a “lightning ball” by netizens, appeared to float in midair, striking anything in its path.

The first video, posted on TikTok by @sundayannab1 on 19 September, featured dashcam footage of a car ride, with a female passenger heard urging the driver to pull over. The clip has since amassed 3.7 million views and 137,000 likes.

Subsequent videos showed the same purple orb at Pasir Ris Park at night and a void deck in Yishun. In the comments, netizens were split: some speculated it was a genuine “ball lightning” phenomenon, while others claimed it was AI-generated. Others made light of it, jokingly comparing the orb to Pokémon characters or Mobile legends: Bang bang.

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Yesterday (22 September), multi-currency mobile wallet YouTrip revealed on Instagram that the viral sightings were part of its campaign to unveil its birthday mascot, Trippie. In a video, the orb travels from Tampines, Pasir Ris, and Yishun before arriving at Jewel Changi Airport, where it strikes a green luggage bag. The bag bursts open to reveal three purple dinosaurs, leaping out excitedly and ready to explore the world.

In its caption, YouTrip wrote "Mystery Solved: Seen these purple ball lightning videos online? That was us. Here’s a first look at our birthday mascot, Trippie." 

"These tiny dragons zipped from Tampines to Yishun before landing in a suitcase at Changi, and now, they’re ready to make a big splash. Find out how to get your hands on one very soon," it added. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to YouTrip for more details.

This isn’t the first time YouTrip has pulled off such a stunt. In April, the brand released videos of mysterious purple clouds over Johor Bahru, which went viral on TikTok with over three million views. The campaign coincided with the launch of its new MYR wallet, with promotions including free shuttle rides across the causeway and 3% cashback on MYR transactions for customers spending a minimum cumulative amount of S$200.

These types of stunts are becoming increasingly common, with brands such as Lazada joining the fray. A recent four-part TikTok series by @sixthsensemagic captured Singaporeans’ attention with a viral “cheating scandal” — though it was entirely staged. The videos, released in late August, follow an anonymous woman discovering her husband’s supposed affair, including late-night WhatsApp messages, mysterious purchases, and a confrontation outside a HDB block.

A few days later, Lazada revealed the series was part of a campaign for its “9.9 mega brands sale.” The final clip showed the twist: the husband was simply hiding Lazada purchases to avoid overpaying, and the woman arrived with her own boyfriend and a trolley of boxes. The stunt concluded by encouraging viewers to check out Lazada and redeem vouchers of up to S$99, highlighting how playful, narrative-driven content is increasingly being used to drive engagement and sales.

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