After sparking a debate on luxury over an S$80 (US$60) Charles & Keith bag earlier this year, Singapore TikTok teen Zoe Gabriel has collaborated with brands from local fashion label The Tinsel Rack to dental start-up Zenyum – and now, she is creating content for low-cost carrier AirAsia.
In a video posted to AirAsia’s TikTok page on Friday, the 17-year-old is seen dressed in the airline’s signature red cabin crew uniform, dancing to Boy’s a liar Pt. 2 by PinkPantheress and Ice Spice.
The video has 1.1 million views and 530 comments so far.
Another TikTok video posted by AirAsia Super App refers to Zoe as their “newest AirAsia Ride ambassadress”, while a video posted by Zoe catalogues a trip to Kuala Lumpur with her family, presumably sponsored by the airline.
In the video, Zoe tries the in-flight meals, meets AirAsia’s pilots and shows how to use the AirAsia Ride application.
Response from netizens has mostly been positive, with a majority of TikTok commenters congratulating Zoe on “living the dream she deserves”, praising her humility and expressing how happy they are for her.
“This, people, (is) how life works,” stated one top comment. “Opportunity with a splash of luck. Well-deserved, Zoe.”
However, some remain critical of her success, calling her an “opportunist” and a “sell-out”.
One such commenter asked: “(What) exactly did she even do (other) than posting a TikTok (video)?”
Another agreed: “Just shows that working hard is not (a) virtue. Cry online and eventually you get it all.”
But many more hit back at the critics, saying: “Honestly why (are) people mad she got opportunities?
“If she didn’t get it, do you think you would have? Don’t rain on her parade lol.”
Zoe first went viral with an unboxing video of a Charles & Keith bag in January. As it was a gift from her father, she called it her “first luxury bag” – which drew mocking comments from netizens about how the brand is neither “famous (nor) expensive”.
In a follow-up video, the Filipino teen tearfully spoke about her family’s humble background, telling the haters: “To you, an S$80 bag may not be a luxury. To me and my family, it is a lot.”
Earlier this month, Charles & Keith also unveiled her as its new Brand Community Ambassador in line with International Women’s Day, prompting support from netizens.
Speaking to Today in January, Dr Seshan Ramaswami, associate professor of marketing education at Singapore Management University, said he believes that Zoe’s relatability has made her appealing to people and brands, alike.
However, he also warned that too many brands trying to “derive brand image benefits from her story” might come off as “exploitative rather than truly compassionate”.
Indeed, netizens have also directed their ire at the budget airline, with one Twitter user stating: “No surprise there. AirAsia is just trying to capitalise on her influence to make more money.”
Others slammed AirAsia for their notoriously poor customer service: “Customer service so horrible but got time (to) do such rubbish ah LOL.”
One TikTok user commented: “I love Zoe but I hate AirAsia because they did not refund my cancelled flight (in) 2020.”
In September last year, a paraplegic passenger was forced to crawl across an AirAsia cabin to get to his wheelchair, while December saw a customer claiming that AirAsia cabin crew had forced her and her family off an overbooked flight “like criminals”.
Still, some of Zoe’s supporters have said that they will now fly AirAsia and welcome the opportunities that it has given Zoe.
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