The Christmas Atelier hops aboard the Downtown Line

The Christmas Atelier is taking its festive marketing beyond the halls of Marina Bay Sands this year, rolling out a month-long Downtown Line train activation aimed at bringing its roster of local brands and artisans into commuters' everyday journeys.

Running until 14 November, the specially dressed MRT train is part of The Christmas Atelier's 2026 "Delivering Christmas magic" campaign and was unveiled by minister for transport and second minister for finance Jeffrey Siow. The activation is supported by Enterprise Singapore.

The train features festive graphics and a series of collectible keepsakes designed to build awareness and anticipation ahead of The Christmas Atelier's return to Marina Bay Sands from 12 to 14 November.

In conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Lelian Chew, founder of The Atelier & Co., said the decision to take the campaign onto Singapore's public transport network stemmed directly from this year's "Delivering Christmas Magic" theme. Chew noted: 

What better way to deliver festive discovery to Singapore than via everyday transport journeys?

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The Downtown Line was also a deliberate choice because of its direct connection to Bayfront MRT Station and Marina Bay Sands, allowing the activation to lead commuters towards the physical event and the brands taking part.

For Chew, the train also offers something increasingly difficult for brands to secure in a digital-first environment: sustained attention.

"Daily commuters on the Downtown Line are likely a captive target audience to attend our event at Bayfront station, Marina Bay Sands, and time on a train carriage cannot be 'scrolled past'," she said.

To turn that attention into discovery, three QR codes have been placed within the decorated train cabin, directing commuters to The Christmas Atelier's website and its participating brand directory.

Chew said this gives founder-led businesses, particularly those without permanent storefronts, an opportunity to gain visibility beyond the market itself and reach audiences outside The Christmas Atelier's existing digital footprint.

The campaign is also designed to encourage repeat engagement throughout its month-long run. Commuters can collect four Christmas-themed train hangers featuring a Christmas tree, stocking, wreath and gift tag, with a new design introduced every Friday.

Each comes with stickers that commuters can use to personalise the keepsake, an element Chew said was intended to turn downtime during a commute into a more participatory experience.

"We wanted to turn downtime on the train into an opportunity for imaginative engagement, encouraging commuters to get off their phones and interact with The Christmas Atelier," she said.

Commuters who collect and complete all four designs can bring them to The Christmas Atelier during the event for a goodie bag that includes a one-day admission pass, with limited redemptions available each day. The mechanic is intended to connect engagement on the train with attendance and sales for participating brands at the physical market.

Beyond the MRT, The Christmas Atelier is extending the "Delivering Christmas magic" idea across other transport touchpoints, including a partnership with Grab for rides to and from the event and a separate activation on wheels set to appear at the market.

This year's Christmas Atelier will bring together more than 130 founder-led artisanal brands spanning fashion, beauty, lifestyle, home and gourmet categories. Nearly half of participating brands are returning, alongside a new group of makers and creators joining the market for the first time.

Participating brands include Bynd Artisan, House of Holly, TRIA the Label, RÓA, Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie, Clumzy and Vetreska.

The Christmas Atelier has grown from a market of nine brands into an annual platform for independent artisans and homegrown businesses, with its eighth edition also featuring large-scale festive installations, gifting concepts and seasonal experiences.

The activation comes as Singapore's MRT network increasingly becomes a stage for brands looking to turn everyday commutes into experiential marketing opportunities. Earlier this month, Maybank transformed a Circle Line train into a live theatre experience, bringing more than 200 young Singaporeans along for an interactive take on money, relationships and adulting.

Held at Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, "Adulting journey. Served your way" featured actress, director and content creator Annette Lee and content creator Jenn Chia, who used live performances, humour and audience interaction to explore career choices, finances, housing, relationships and other milestones of young adulthood.

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