Entertainment

Lay Zhang is TECNO’s newest global ambassador

China’s rising tech brand partners up with the continuously rising Chinese superstar

Published

June 13, 2024

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Any aging EXO-Ls out there like I am? Well, TECNO is proud to announce their newest Global Brand Ambassador, Lay Zhang!

Who’s Lay?

If you’re not following the K-Pop scene nor the Chinese entertainment industry, you might be questioning who is he even.

As early as 2012, I already knew Lay Zhang the moment he was unveiled as one of the members of the widely-popular 3rd generation K-Pop 12-member boy group ‘EXO‘ managed by SM Entertainment.

He was specifically meant for EXO-M, the group’s Mandarin-speaking/singing six-member sub-unit — not until member changes happened and later promoted wholly as nine.

But prior becoming a boy group member, Zhang Yixing (his real name) was already a prominent child actor in his hometown — Hunan, China. Several years and experiences passed by, he became an independent singer-songwriter, dancer, and even a fashion trendsetter. Eventually, Lay Zhang became a superstar to his motherland.

But that’s not all! He’s also well-known in Southeast Asia, especially with his very recent girl group survival show “Show It All” which featured several girl groups from various Southeast Asian countries such as ‘BINI’ and ‘G22′ from the Philippines, ‘4Eve’ from Thailand, and ‘DOLLA’ from Malaysia.

He earned several more recognitions not just in music and dancing, but also in more serious acting — specifically in his recent film “No More Bets” which was released just last year.

Why Lay?

Lay Zhang is deemed the perfect fit for TECNO’s brand mantra “Stop at Nothing”. Just like TECNO users’ relentless pursuit of excellence past the limits, Lay also never stopped pushing his boundaries in his career.

After his early calling as an actor later turned into an idol group member, he embarked on a new journey by being a soloist in 2016. This made him more popular not just in the K-Pop and Chinese entertainment scene, but also globally.

As told by TECNO’s Chief Marketing Officer, Laury Bai, “At TECNO, we are dedicated to igniting the spirit of relentless self-improvement among our consumers. Lay Zhang, a global star celebrated for his pursuit of excellence across diverse domains, exemplifies the ‘Stop at Nothing’ ethos we champion.”

And in Lay Zhang’s own words, he is very honored to be the new ambassador for TECNO and is much excited about the collaboration. He also stated that this brand mirrors his own journey of innovation and self-advancement.

The Perfect Synergy

This newly-formed alliance is of a perfect timing as Lay just released his latest album “STEP”.

STEP is a testament to Lay’s unwavering determination in continuous progression — “Every step, no matter how big or small, contributes to the journey toward progress and success”.

Moreover, the superstar is already gearing up for his upcoming world tour, GRANDLINE 4: STEP with upcoming stops in Jakarta, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This also makes the best opportunity for TECNO to bring out exciting activities for Xingmis and TECNO fans alike in order to engage and interact with Lay in more creative ways than one.

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A post shared by Lay Zhang (@layzhang)

Lay will also help showcase TECNO’s innovative technologies and participate in various brand activities and CSR programs. This not only shows the brand’s advancements in the tech scene, but also showcase creativity, style, and elegance along music and cultural engagements.

Fueled by both the rising tech brand and the top-tier Chinese icon’s commitment to “Stop at Nothing”, TECNO and Lay Zhang are dedicated to inspire and empower consumers globally to create a better life beyond one’s limits and creative imagination.

Related Topics:C-Pop EXO EXO Lay EXO Lay Zhang K-pop Lay Zhang Tecno

Entertainment

DC’s Clayface teaser shows off a horror-filled superhero movie

Our first taste of James Gunn’s Gotham City will be frightening.

Published

April 23, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Last year, James Gunn’s Superman sparked an impressive wave of excitement for the new DC Universe. Though this year’s spotlight is on Supergirl, Clayface is also getting an eponymous film, giving us our first taste of Gotham City in this bustling universe.

There’s been a lot of mystery surrounding this film. For one, Gotham City’s DCU debut is based on, arguably, a secondary villain, rather than any member of the Bat-Family. Secondly, Gunn has confirmed that the movie will heavily lean towards the horror genre, a feat others have tried but often failed.

Today, DC Studios has released the first teaser trailer for Clayface. And no, Gunn wasn’t kidding when he said this is going to be a horror film.

Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a rising movie star suddenly scarred by a violent attack. Desperate to resurrect his career, he resorts to a scientific experiment that turns his skin into moldable clay.

As the teaser hints, the film will not shy away from body horror, including shots of Hagen’s disfigured face either from the attack or from the clay. It’s a big departure from the more traditional style of Superman or Supergirl. But it’s a gamble that might pay off for a universe as young as the DCU.

It’s also apropos that the DCU’s first horror film is getting a horror-themed premiere. Clayface will premiere in cinemas on October 23, 2026.

Entertainment

YouTube remains top PH video platform; advertisers urged to continue investing

Advertisers urged to continue investing in TV programs

Published

April 20, 2026

GadgetMatch

As YouTube remains the top streaming platform in the Philippines, advertisers are urged to continue investing in TV programs and content available on the platform, as these generate effective returns.

According to a 2025 Kantar Study, YouTube is the No. 1 video streaming platform in the Philippines in terms of reach.

The same study mentions that 97% of Filipinos in rural Visayas and Mindanao, two major island groups in the country, have watched online TV programs on YouTube in the past month.

Another significant finding is that the streaming platform is providing a 60% incremental reach beyond traditional linear TV.

This proves that YouTube is an essential bridge to Filipino TV viewers, specially in this era. The platform has transformed from just being a video hosting site to an all-in-one entertainment hub that spans traditional TV programs and both longform vlogs and shortform trending clips.

Given this massive gravitational pull, YouTube has partnered with media giants ABS-CBN, GMA, and TV5. This is to ensure the best content, from news to live sports, is available to every YouTube subscriber.

Furthermore, during the “Unstoppable: YouTube in the Next Era of Growth” event, the networks also urged advertisers to keep supporting such TV programs and related content.

They mentioned conversion numbers that say ads through such content remain effective. This is a dynamic that sponsors can continue to explore for marketing, given that YouTube has also integrated Unskippable Ads onto their platform.

Entertainment

Street Fighter movie unveils official trailer

In cinemas October 14th

Published

April 20, 2026

GadgetMatch

Courtesy: Paramount Pictures

The official trailer for the Street Fighter movie has been released, along with new posters. The film hits cinemas starting October 14.

An unreleased version of Tupac Shakur’s “Ambitionz Az A Ridah” is among the trailer’s highlights. This song was created for Mike Tyson in the 1990s.

The 2-minute, 46-second clip opens with Noah Centineo’s Ken Masters and his dynamic with Callina Liang’s Chun-Li.

It also highlights more of the human side of Ken Masters, as well has his vulnerabilities before the lead up to the tournament.

The clip’s tone then changes to a more action-packed sequence featuring the film’s other cast members in their battle forms.

The trailer concludes climactically with fireballs from both Ken and Andrew Koji’s Ryu. As previously mentioned, the Street Fighter movie is set in 1993, when Ken and Ryu are recruited by Chun-Li and thrown into combat.

This World Warrior Tournament is a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury, with a deadly conspiracy lying beneath.

Directed by Kitao Sakurai and based on the Capcom video game franchise, the movie also stars:

Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoai as Akuma
David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
Cody Rhodes as Guile
Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki
Eric André as Don Sauvage
Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
Orville Peck as Vega
Olivier Richters as Zangief
Hirooki Goto as E. Honda
Rayna Vallandingham as Juli
Alexander Volkanovski as Joe

They are joined by Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson as Balrog, who also go a lot of screen time in the official trailer. Rounding out the cast is Jason Momoa as Blanka.

Watch the official trailer here: