This week, we're adding more pages to our Spellbook. Here's what we'll be talking about:

One big idea we’ve learned each week, shaped into words you can carry forward.

Marketing has been misunderstood for a very long time.

Somewhere along the way, it became reduced to one thing:

Posting.

Post more.
Get more likes.
Get more comments.
Get more saves.

And suddenly, those became the KPI.

The problem is, numbers alone can be misleading.

You could be reaching 100,000 people and still miss the people who would actually walk into your store.

One of the biggest mistakes SME owners make is stopping too early when defining their audience.

“Gen Z.”
“People in their 20s.”
“Coffee drinkers.”

That’s too broad.

A 21-year-old who spends nights reading history books lives very differently from a 21-year-old who spends midnight at cafes playing UNO with friends until closing time.

Same age. Different world.

That difference matters.

If you own a café, ask yourself:

Why do people actually come?

The coffee?

Maybe.

But sometimes it’s the vibe. The feeling. The stories shared there. The comfort of being around people their age after a long day.

Sometimes your café becomes the background of someone’s core memory.

That changes how you should market. That changes your content type.

You are no longer selling coffee first.

You are selling quality time, comfort, belonging, laughter, late-night conversations.

Then coffee.

Without that understanding, your content starts looking like everyone else’s.

Another common one:

“We don’t want TikTok. TikTok is for dancing. I’m gonna stick to Facebook”

Then five minutes later from the same owner:

“We target expressive Gen Z audiences.”

That audience already lives there.

You’re trying to fish for sharks in a goldfish bowl.

A lot of SME owners market based on personal preference instead of audience behaviour.

But marketing shouldn’t be about what you like.

It’s about how your audience thinks, behaves, scrolls, jokes, and spends time online.

You market to them.

Not yourself.

Ever sat at a table where you clearly didn’t belong?

Maybe you were younger, sitting with adults talking about things you couldn’t relate to.

Or maybe you were older, surrounded by younger people using slang you barely understood.

Same feeling.

You want to leave.

That’s exactly what happens with marketing too.

You can have beautiful visuals, strong edits, expensive campaigns.

But if the tone feels off, in captions, in copy, people disconnect immediately.

The way you sound matters.

Good marketing becomes simpler when you think about these three things:

How you sound.
How you look.
How you act.

If all three align properly, people start feeling like your content understands them.

And once people feel understood, they start paying attention.

1. Reach means nothing without relevance
Wrong audience, wrong results.

2. Your audience is deeper than demographics
Lifestyle matters. Interests matter. Behaviour matters. Problems matter.

3. Marketing is psychology
People respond to content that feel familiar to them.

Snapshots from our week — the work, the people, and the little victories worth sharing.

There have been so many good movies released recently, the team has made back-to-back visits to the cinema to watch Colony and Gohan.

Last Friday, our media team wrapped up a meaningful social awareness video project by Demi Gadis, directed by Alai Syafina in collaboration with AICREATIVV. While we can't reveal much just yet, we can share that the project touches on an important and sensitive topic, and we're looking forward to sharing it with everyone when the time comes.

A huge thank you to the Demi Gadis team, especially Alai and Elly, for taking such great care of our crew throughout the production. We’d also like to give a special shout-out to Haziyah and Hafiz, who stopped by with food for our Friday break. Your thoughtfulness and support meant a lot to the team. Also huge thank you for Elroy and Asyraf for providing us the location!

With half the team out on a shoot at Elroy’s place, only seven of us were left in the office — and suddenly it felt very spacious… and very cold. (We’re blaming both the missing humans and the new air conditioner we’re still trying to understand.)

It was also Haziyah and Hafiz’s turn to feed the team, and they came through with a solid lineup: nasi katok, ice cream, and a generous spread of traditional treats.

We kicked off lunch with a doa led by DB, followed by a moment of sharing what we were grateful for this past week — a wholesome pause before diving back into work (and second helpings)

Our resident globe trotter, Elroy Ramantan, will be away for a month — but not without making sure the office stays up to his standards.

In true ‘Type A’ fashion, he prepared a four-page rulebook on maintaining cleanliness before his departure. Thorough, thoughtful, and very on-brand.

Thanks, Elroy — safe travels, and we’ll try not to disappoint.

A collection of our latest uploads on our website & socials worth checking out.

Things we’re loving lately, because inspiration hides where you least expect them.

Recently, Raf and her friends stopped by Double One Restaurant at Jalan Durian for some Ayam Gepuk, and wow, the spice level was no joke! She went for the sambal merah at level 1, thinking it would be mild, but it was already lip-numbing! If you're a spice lover, this one's definitely worth a try.

If you’re on the hunt for modest sports pants, Haziyah recommends the Ultra Stretch Active Wide Pants from Uniqlo.

They come in five easy, neutral shades that pair effortlessly with your activewear — and yes, they’re sweat-proof.

Super lightweight, ultra-stretchy, and breathable, these are the kind of pants you’ll forget you’re even wearing (until you realise how comfortable you are).

Brunei's first all-in-one app! As the only local search engine for Brunei, you can find movies, restaurants, record community issues, local news and more!

If you want to read the previous pages, head over to this link right here:

That’s all for this week. See you on the next page of the Spellbook.

At AICREATIVV, we aim to make everyone who engages with us 1% better—from clients to community. Public Victory, always.

Each week, we'll share insights, tips, and recommendations to help you learn the magical combination of strategy, creativity, and business know-how that truly enchants your audience.

Let's unlock the magic of strategic design.

We hope this brought you value.

Business owners, marketing departments & corp comms - have a project in mind? Let’s discuss.