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Recently, the School of Marketing and Management (SoMM) at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) hosted SoMM Fusion Fest 2025, bringing together students, staff, and industry professionals for a vibrant two-day exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and media. 

Guided by the theme “Moving forward with AI,” the event created an engaging platform for knowledge exchange, creativity, and industry exposure, empowering students to better understand how emerging technologies are reshaping the marketing and media landscape, while reinforcing the importance of adaptability, innovation, and forward-thinking mindsets in an increasingly digital-driven world. 

Day One: Setting the Stage for Innovation and Industry perspectives

The event commenced with an opening ceremony led by Prof Dr Ho Chin Kuan, Deputy Vice Chancellor at APU, who warmly welcomed students and highlighted the importance of embracing innovation and adaptability as essential qualities for navigating the rapid changes and opportunities to thrive amid rapid technological advancement.

A key highlight of the opening day was the keynote address by Datuk Jurey Latiff Mohd Rosli, President of the Malaysian Television Producers Association, titled “The future of Malaysian Creative Content in the Digital era.”

His sharing offered students valuable perspectives on how digital transformation and AI are redefining content creation, distribution, and storytelling within Malaysia’s creative industry.

The day continued with an engaging forum titled “Professionalism through Integrity and Informed Decision-Making,” featuring Lieutenant Colonel Ts Dr Zakaria Amir Hussien, Staff Officer at the Royal Malaysian Air Force, and Ms Eulis Rachmatiah Iskandar, Founder and Principal Trainer at Ethiculture Training and Consultancy.

Moderated in an interactive format, the session encouraged students to reflect on ethical leadership, professionalism, and responsible decision-making, while fostering thoughtful discussion, critical thinking, and meaningful engagement with real-world professional contexts.

To wrap up the first day of the event, students attended an industrial talk by Mr Gibson Ng, Senior Wealth Advisor and Branch Leader at Promiseland Advisory Sdn Bhd, on referral marketing and social media marketing.

Through practical examples and real-world applications, the session demonstrated how digital and referral-based strategies can be effectively integrated into everyday business practices, providing students with actionable insights that were directly relevant to their academic learning and future professional pursuits. 

Day Two: Expanding horizons through Creativity and Collaboration

For the second day, the event expanded its impact through a meaningful school outreach programme that introduced secondary school students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sungai Ramal to the fundamentals of marketing, while offering them an early exposure to the university learning environment.

The secondary school students took part in the “Kampung to City Marketing pitch Challenge,” working in teams to reinvent traditional Malaysian products for modern teenage audiences by applying the 4Ps (product, price, place, and promotion) framework, developing creative branding concepts, and presenting their ideas through short pitches, fostering teamwork, creativity, and practical marketing thinking.

For APU students, workshops formed a major highlight of the second day.

A session titled “From daily Magic to Sci-Fi Wonders,” led by Ms Adelina Ridzuan, Head of IT Strategic Planning at Bank Rakyat Malaysia, encouraged students to imagine how technology and AI could shape the future of marketing innovation.

Another workshop, “Personal branding for Students,” facilitated by Ms Siti Mazmi Niza Ahmad Zawawi, representative from Human Resource Development Corporation, challenged students to identify their unique value propositions and position themselves effectively in competitive, AI-driven markets.

The energy continued with “Gempak!,” a personal branding workshop and competition that engaged students in applying branding concepts creatively.
 

The second day concluded with industry sharing sessions featuring industry professionals such as Mr Jason Lim, Chief Executive Officer of Oriental Real Estate Sdn Bhd, and Mr Benny Ng, Chairman of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Malaysia, who shared insights on branding across individual, corporate, and non-profit contexts, offering students valuable real-world perspectives and a deeper understanding of how branding principles are applied across different sectors and organisational settings. 

Reflections on SoMM Fusion Fest 2025

SoMM Fusion Fest 2025 successfully showcased the convergence of creativity, technology, and industry relevance in marketing and media education.

Through industry engagements, hands-on activities, and exposure to emerging trends in marketing and media, the event enabled students to apply concepts in practical contexts, while strengthening their critical thinking, creativity, and professional awareness for future professional environments.

Assoc Prof Dr Devinder Kaur (Head, SoMM at APU) highlighted that the event served as a dynamic learning and networking platform that inspired students to embrace innovation, ethical decision-making, and adaptability in the face of rapid technological change.

“As AI continues to shape the future of marketing and media, SoMM Fusion Fest 2025 left students better equipped with relevant insights, skills, and perspectives, motivating them to navigate the evolving digital landscape with greater confidence and adaptability.”