Tag: FCB Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Advertising agency FCB Malaysia has rebranded as FCB SHOUT, five years after Shaun Tay, co-owner & chief executive Officer, and Ong Shi-Ping, co-owner and chief creative officer acquired FCB’s operations in Malaysia and become 100 percent local owners and operators.

Following its transformation into Malaysia’s challenger agency, the company has developed in all areas, including its brand identity and clientele. This has led to the creation of The Shout Group, a creative holding company, and the renaming of its FCB-affiliated ad agency as FCB SHOUT.

Among FCB SHOUT’s clients are RHB Bank and Resorts World Genting, as well as global and regional names such as Domino’s and Darlie. The agency’s impressive client portfolio is an indication of its success since the buyout, which includes  homegrown brands such as RHB Bank and Resorts World Genting as well as global and regional names such as Domino’s and Darlie.

There has also been a significant increase in profits for the Group after the takeover of the agency. The Shout Group’s most lucrative year was 2021, despite the two-and-a-half years of Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and economic turmoil.

Reflecting on their initial plans during the early days of the buyout, Tay said, Shi-Ping and him both decided that a measured approach that they focused on is creating the fundamental groundwork of a sustainable, reputable agency was more important than having their ‘names on the door’ from the get-go. 

‘So we adopted a best-of-both-worlds approach where we leveraged FCB’s equity in Malaysia at the same time injecting our No Plan B attitude and distinctive, feisty personality to reshape our business, client by client and talent by talent to achieve our goal of becoming a challenger agency,” Tay said.

Tay elaborated, “The group’s focus is on talent growth. Let’s just say that as a people-before-profit organisation. We’ve always believed in investing in talent. The sort of talent who is ambitious, looking to shake things up whilst also realising that sustained growth requires effort and personal dedication to incubate. The leadership team we’ve assembled is the embodiment of this belief. They have proven their mettle time and again and are invested in the agency – just as how we are invested in their growth… Because when they win, we win. Our people are the very core of who we are and will continue to be the driving force that enables our growth and expansion plans.” 

“As seasoned operators who own the business and aren’t in a rush to sell out, we have our industry’s greatest asset – we have time,” Tay adds.

Commenting on how the group’s vision has shaped the agency, Shi-Ping shared that they had put themselves in a very unfamiliar place when they took ownership of the agency. Even though they decided to keep the FCB name, they became very much a start-up company overnight, where everything had to be rebuilt from the ground up.

“While that may seem like a daunting and unfavourable situation to many, we actually saw it as an opportunity. With all the old legacy accounts exiting prior to the buyout, it gave us a chance to reset our reputation, enabling us to better connect with like-minded clients who had the same challenger mindset. In addition, we created the foundations of the agency by handpicking generational talents who share the same vision as us to take on leadership roles. Fast forward to today, the combination of the people that we have and the clients who believe in us has shaped the agency into what it is known as now – the #1 locally-owned creative shop in Malaysia.” Shi-Ping said. 

He added, “We have all the pieces in play – ability, ambition, and the accolades – to make The Shout Group and FCB SHOUT not just a common fixture in our market but soon, a louder presence on a larger stage.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Pizza brand Domino’s in Malaysia has appointed advertising agency FCB Malaysia to be its new agency of record for creative duties. This appointment comes as a result of several chemistry sessions and a subsequent creative proposal made by FCB during the fourth quarter of 2021.

Following the move, FCB Malaysia has developed a new campaign for the pizza brand’s new ‘Mega Cheese Pizza’. It was created on the idea of ‘Can’t Get Cheesier Than This’, as the new pizza is loaded with up to half a kilogram of cheese.

Linda Hassan, the group chief marketing officer of Domino’s Pizza Malaysia, Singapore, and Cambodia, shared that the work FCB has done in taking challenger brands to the next level in Malaysia is well documented, so they were already confident of their capabilities. 

“What sealed the decision was the unmistakable entrepreneurial energy that they brought to the table. Their passion for our business was apparent from the get-go and very quickly, we knew that they were the sort of agency that would completely invest themselves in making our ambitions their own,” said Hassan.

Meanwhile, Shaun Tay, FCB Malaysia’s co-owner and CEO, commented, “We’ve seen how innovative Domino’s marketing team has been in leveraging the identity of a global powerhouse to promote a proposition that embraces local marketing flavour. As a best-of-both-worlds agency ourselves, opportunities like this are what we live for!”

Shi-Ping Ong, FCB Malaysia’s co-owner and chief creative officer, explains that going into the campaign, they knew exactly what their game plan was – to claim cheesy superiority for the Domino’s Mega Cheese Pizza. 

“This is why we decided to build our idea around the cheesiest things that would give people the goosebumps, and then use various media – from thematic and product films to radio and even print – to bring the campaign to life. By doing so, we are able to deliver a sensory overload of cheesiness not only conceptually, but also visually and auditorily,” said Ong.

The campaign is now available across TV, digital, radio, OOH, and in-store, as well as social media.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In this year’s Chinese New Year (CNY) celebration, natural bottled water brand Spritzer in Malaysia has launched a new campaign, aimed at infusing a little fun and a whole lot of natural goodness into popular CNY dishes. 

The campaign, which was created by advertising agency FCB Malaysia, highlights the benefits of the silica in Spritzer Natural Mineral Water. Titled ‘Auspicious Dishes, Spritzer Wishes’, the campaign also features many familiar sights of a Chinese restaurant, reunion dinner, and plenty of happy family members, but it mainly focuses on the dishes that are being served and the wishes that accompany them, which were delivered by the head chef of the restaurant.

Shiao Chan, Spritzer’s group marketing manager, shared that they wanted to continue introducing the benefits of Spritzer Silica-rich Natural Mineral Water at a time when Malaysians would be consuming a lot of beverages during house visits and family meals, but they knew they had to do it in a way that’s contextual to the occasion.

“Not only did this film achieve all of that, but it also gave us an opportunity to carve out a new purpose for the product by encouraging celebrants to prepare their CNY dishes with Spritzer – so that everyone can enjoy all the benefits of our natural mineral water, especially those that the silica brings as a result of enhanced collagen production, namely softer skin, shinier hair, and stronger nails,” said Chan.

Meanwhile, Wang Ie Tjer, FCB Malaysia’s head of creative, said that they approached this film in a no-holds-barred manner because they believed that even though this is a commercial for a mineral water brand, it can still be really flavourful, entertaining, and insightful. 

“We decided to leverage the insight of how every CNY dish usually comes with an auspicious wish, and then creatively turn the wishes into something that works for the brand and occasion. A big shout out to our partners at Restless Productions for bringing this film to life so beautifully, and also to our amazing clients at Spritzer for believing in the idea,” said Tjer.

The campaign has been launched last 10 January, and is still running across Spritzer’s social and digital channels.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Advertising agency FCB Malaysia has announced a slew of creative promotions, namely Wang Ie Tjer, the new head of creative, Jonathan Chan and James Voon, the new associate creative directors, Megan Ong and Wong Ching Sin, the new senior copywriters, and Ahmad Hafidz, the new senior art director.

Headlining the new creative promotions and hires is Tjer, who had previously held the title of creative director at FCB Malaysia. He has been a member of the agency’s senior team since 2018, and his consistent delivery has been integral to FCB’s continuing success in Malaysia. In his new role, Tjer will be leading a creative team of 30, spearheading the creative efforts on key clients and new businesses, while also representing the agency as a thought leader at industry events and media engagement.

Explaining why the agency decided to double down on its creative talent, Shi Ping Ong, FCB’s co-owner and CEO, shared that coming out unscathed and profitable after two difficult years of the pandemic speaks volumes of the people in the agency and their grit and tenacity during adversity, and they are now in a fortunate position to return the commitment by investing in their future.

“Why Tjer? Because he is very, very good! Since becoming part of the team, Tjer has always been putting his head down to focus on nothing but doing great work, and his can-do approach to even the most challenging tasks has honed him to become a true leader who the folks in the agency can always look to for inspiration and guidance,” said Ong.

In addition to the promotions, the agency has also made numerous new creative hires, including Suah Boon Chuan, the new associate creative director, Amin Taib, the new senior AV producer, Lim Poh Yeng, the new senior art director, and Muhammad Fadhli, the new senior graphic designer, as well as Tan Lai Kuen and Muhammad Syamim, the new graphic designers.

“If there’s one positive that we can take out from this pandemic, it’s that we’re certain that the future of FCB Malaysia is in very, very good hands,” said Ong.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In conjunction with Chinese New Year (CNY), which will be celebrated on 1 February, banking institution RHB has launched a new campaign film, aimed at inspiring Malaysians that the ‘good’ can start from one person.

As a preface to RHB’s new ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) aspirations, the film, which was created in collaboration with advertising agency FCB Malaysia, humanizes a crucial environmental issue and brings a pivotal lesson to life via a heartfelt story of a young boy and his father, who both have different views of what a small spark of action can do

Titled ‘A Spark for Change’, the film tells the true story of a fishing village that faced a waste management crisis due to its inaccessibility and the irresponsibility of its residents in managing their litter. A group of 10-year-old kids took up the responsibility and cleaned up the entire fishing village, inspiring all the villagers to be more mindful of their waste and litter.

Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, RHB Group’s CMO, believes that progress is often sparked by those who are bold enough to take the first step to bring change to the world, inspiring others with their actions to do the same. 

“That is how we can make the world a better place, and that is what ‘Together We Progress’ is all about. Hence, ‘A Spark for Change’ is more than just an environment story; it’s an origin story of progress,” said Murad.

Meanwhile, James Voon, FCB Malaysia’s associate creative director, said, “We had to strike a fine balance between education and emotion, and thanks to our production partners at PRS and GT Records, the story was perfectly and beautifully told.”

Ong Shi Ping, FCB Malaysia’s co-owner and chief creative officer, shared that people can start something good and inspire others around us to do the same.

“As we are in the midst of rebuilding our communities and lives together, I think this lesson is more relevant to us now than ever,” said Ping.

The campaign is already running across all RHB Bank’s social and digital channels.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Natural bottled water brand, Spritzer, has appointed advertising agency FCB Malaysia to handle its creative duties.

Shiao Chan, Spritzer’s group marketing manager for Malaysia, believes that FCB is a masterful storyteller with an undeniable passion for building and enhancing the stature of local brands. 

“With their solid FMCG experience at our disposal, we’re confident that this partnership will bring to life the many tales that are waiting to be told for Spritzer,” said Chan.

Shaun Tay, FCB Malaysia’s co-owner and CEO, commented that winning over a major Malaysian brand like Spritzer has always been a dream. 

“What I personally appreciate is the clarity of vision that the Spritzer marketing team has for the brand, and we’re excited to be part of its continuous story of success,” said Tay.

FCB has already started work on several key 2022 campaigns for Spritzer.

Earlier this year, Spritzer has also announced the appointment of media company Trapper as its integrated media agency partner for all Spritzer brands.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – RHB Premier, the premier banking services arm of RHB, has launched its newest integrated campaign which aims to convey its belief in applying the century-old bank’s tried and tested financial wisdom of the past to the wealth and investment landscapes of today and tomorrow.

Titled ‘Golden Wisdom’, the campaign depicts two renowned custodians of Chinese art – traditional calligrapher Ong Chia Koon, and contemporary visual artist Jaemy Choong, who unknowingly go head-to-head in bringing to life three wealth management concepts using their own respective art forms. As they both finished their artworks, both of their works were dramatically combined to create artistic masterpieces that were greater than the sum of their parts. 

The two artists, meeting for the first time throughout the whole co-creating process, then came to a realization that the wisdom of yesterday can indeed guide one today to the success of tomorrow.

The campaign, made possible by creative agency FCB Malaysia, aims to mark the bank’s long-term aspiration to become the bank of choice for affluent Malaysian Chinese. 

Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, group chief marketing officer at RHB Bank, noted that as the ‘Golden Wisdom’ campaign marks its first-ever brand campaign, they did not only stop at embarking on something that no other financial institutions in Malaysia had attempted before, but also establish the philosophy behind the bank’s approach to wealth management and investment.

“I believe we’ve achieved that with the help of Chia Koon and Jaemy, two personalities from different ends of the artistic spectrum who managed to leverage on their respective past and present techniques to co-create something that neither of them could achieve alone. To me, this collaboration is a true encapsulation of our brand belief of ‘Together We Progress’,” Murad said.

Aside from their appearance in the film, the three Golden Wisdom artworks – which feature fusions of traditional strokes and modern touches – were then used as print advertisements, social media content, and other communication materials for RHB Premier’s suite of wealth management products.

Speaking about the creative process, Tjer Wang, creative director at FCB Malaysia, stated that selling the idea of ‘Golden Wisdom’ during the pitch was an exciting experience for them, because it was such a refreshing, bold, and ambitious take on a subject that is generally perceived as uninteresting due to financial institutions always choosing to ‘play it safe’ when it comes to premier banking communications.

“And if I’m going to be totally honest, that was also the reason why our excitement quickly turned into nervousness after we had won the pitch. Pushing the envelope of creativity to introduce a brand that’s as well-regarded as RHB Premier could only end in two ways — a complete disaster or a resounding triumph. But thanks to the good people at RHB Premier who never stopped believing in us and the idea, and the amazing efforts of our production partners in Restless Productions and GT Records, this campaign came out a winner,” Wang added.

Meanwhile, Ong Shi Ping, co-owner and chief creative officer at FCB Malaysia, commented, “What we’ve achieved with ‘Golden Wisdom’ is building a sustainable platform for the bank to continue introducing their wealth and investment products around a compelling and unique story behind the brand’s philosophy. So, ‘Golden Wisdom’ marks the start of a long and exciting journey for RHB Premier, and you can expect to see a lot more audacious work from the brand in the near future.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In conjunction with the Deepavali festive celebration, also known as Festival of Lights celebrated on 4 November, banking institution RHB has launched a new campaign film, aimed at showing the essence of true beauty at the time of hardships.

The new campaign, which was created together with advertising agency FCB Malaysia, tells the true story of Nisha Thayananthan, the reigning Miss Earth Malaysia, who is not just a beauty queen but also a doctor who fought in the frontlines amid the nation’s battle in the pandemic. 

Titled ‘The Inner Light’, the film features Thayananthan’s journey in discovering her ‘inner beauty’ after spending many of her growing-up years pursuing only what’s beautiful on the outside. Told through two separate timelines of her life – a teenage Thayananthan and the Thayananthan of today, the film highlights how Thayananthan’s mother, through her humanitarian work, inspired the beauty queen to embrace her inner beauty through a simple act of kindness.

Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, RHB Group’s chief marketing officer, shared that it may be an emotional coming-of-age film on the surface but that the film also aims to be a heartfelt tribute to the nation’s frontliners. 

“It’s important that we never forget the amazing efforts and contributions from the thousands of selfless heroes like Nisha that have helped us get back on our feet. Their acts are the true definition of ‘Together We Progress’,” said Murad.

Meanwhile, Tjer Wang, FCB Malaysia’s creative director, shared that it’s been a challenge at first to do Thayananthan’s story justice using two separate timelines.

“But thanks to the guidance and expertise from our production partners at D1 Productions and GT Records, we’re ecstatic that we managed to bring the whole idea to life,” said Wang. 

Ong Shi Ping, the co-owner and chief creative officer at FCB Malaysia, said, “Even as we are slowly rebuilding our lives and attempting to put the challenges of the pandemic behind us, we should always remember the kindness and selflessness that we’ve shared during our darkest times together, and then bring them along with us into the future.” 

The campaign is currently running across all RHB Bank’s social and digital channels.