Max brings the apocalypse region-wide to mark return of 'The Last of Us'

To mark the highly anticipated second season of the Emmy-winning HBO Original series The Last of Us, streaming giant Max launched a multi-market, hyper-local campaign across Southeast Asia and Taiwan — transforming everyday spaces into immersive post-apocalyptic experiences for fans.

Rolling out from 10 April through mid-May, the regional push spanned pop-up activations, sports event takeovers, out-of-home displays and social media contests. Fans in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan engaged with the campaign through photo opportunities, interactive games, quizzes and themed viewing parties.

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Max kicked off the campaign with bold out-of-home placements, including 3D billboards in Manila’s BGC district, wrapped sky trains across Bangkok’s BTS and MRT lines, LED displays in Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Bintang and KLCC, and a mural installation at Kwai Chai Hong by Malaysian artists Daphy and Akid One.

Similar high-impact billboards also appeared in Jakarta, Singapore’s Suntec City, and Taiwan’s Chifeng Street.

In addition, pop-up experiences played a major role in the campaign. From 13 to 15 April, Max brought The Last of Us to Thailand’s biggest water festival, Songkran, with three themed activations across Bangkok hotspots.

In the Philippines, fans interacted with an on-ground display featuring a wrecked car and sari-sari store, located at BGC in Manila and the PBA Provincial Games.

Singaporeans joined the action from 14 to 20 April at VivoCity, engaging in quizzes and social media-friendly moments.

To tap into local sports fandoms, Max staged event takeovers at the Premier Volleyball League Finals and multiple PBA and UAAP volleyball games in the Philippines, as well as the Fubon Gradian Baseball Games in Taiwan.

The campaign also included exclusive viewing parties for invited guests in Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan.

On the digital front, Max leaned into fan sentiment and emotional storytelling. In Indonesia, a social media contest prompted users to share what they would do if the person closest to them was infected—prompting a wave of heartfelt user-generated content and expanding the show’s emotional resonance.

Max's immersive regional campaigns will not stop with The Last of Us, having launched multiple regional-wide campaigns in recent times. 

For the season three launch of The White Lotus, Max rolled out an immersive multi-market campaign across Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The campaign began with a star-studded premiere event in Bangkok, featuring a green carpet and exclusive screening. It expanded through pop-up activations, themed events, and striking out-of-home (OOH) installations, including billboards, murals, and pop-ups in key locations like Bangkok, Manila, and Jakarta

Fans in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan enjoyed localized watch parties and interactive experiences, while Max also leveraged digital contests to boost fan engagement. 

Meanwhile, to celebrate its debut across Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, Max lit up moments prominent landmarks, held interactive pop-up events, and released creative social content incorporating popular Warner Bros. Discovery franchises such as Harry Potter, House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and Barbie.

In addition to themed events, Max took over billboards, train stations, and building projections, while engaging local audiences with region-specific celebrations and installations. 

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