Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Life insurance provider Allianz Malaysia has partnered with FCB Shout, a part of the global FCB advertising network, to release its newest “Be A-Z Ready For Tomorrow” campaign that centers on how total retirement is more than just saving money. 

The quirky campaign dove head-on into the issue of retirement schemes and the harsh future that awaits people should they continue to plan their retirement the traditional way of solely bolstering their finances. 

FCB Shout’s campaign idea peeled off the layers of outdated cliches about retirement plans and instead focused on the issue at the center of the retirement reality: preparing for retirement requires more than just saving money.

The ‘Be A-Z Ready For Tomorrow’ campaign was composed of two parts: a film and a social experiment video that featured the power of AI technology.  

The lighthearted film featured the protagonist’s older future self travelling back in time to warn his younger self about the perils that plagued their retirement as a result of the retirement savings scheme he had just contentedly signed up for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjkhU2kD6ZM

Together with the film, the campaign included a social experiment video that used AI and face mapping technology to execute the time travelling concept. Through AI, Malaysians who participated in the social experiment received messages from their future selves about the ineffectiveness of their retirement plans. 

The social experiment video was designed as a more realistic companion piece to the main film, showing viewers the reality of their retirement plans and helping them understand the real danger that awaits them in the future if they do not shift their current mindset regarding retirement. 

Amy Loke, chief market management officer at Allianz Malaysia, explained, “While it’s undeniable that savings is a critical component of retirement preparation, most Malaysians are under the impression that saving is the only thing that they need to do.The reality is, to plan for a total retirement, it is also essential to put other factors like healthcare cost and life’s unpredictability into consideration. 

She continued, “It’s a challenging conversation because of how deeply ingrained the old method is in the minds of Malaysians. But FCB SHOUT’s creative concept truly hit the nail on the head; not only raising the awareness on the importance of the oft-neglected healthcare and life aspects of retirement and showcasing how our Total Retirement Solutions are designed to get Malaysians A-Z ready for tomorrow, but also successfully doing so in a refreshingly light manner that made this difficult conversation easy to digest for our audience.”

Speaking on the campaign, Suah Boon Chuan, creative director at FCB SHOUT, said, “Challenging the traditional view will always come with resistance and skepticism, so we chose to bring the issue and Allianz Malaysia’s total retirement solutions to the audience’s attention using humour and entertainment to make our message more palatable.” 

“More essentially, we needed to show a true understanding of our audience’s desired future lifestyle, hence even our portrayal of retirement was reimagined based on the natural progression of their current way of life. There might be sci-fi elements in our spot, but we wanted it to be clear that the issue was anything but fictional,” he added. 

Australia – Real estate agency Domain has launched a new campaign with three films starring actors Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. 

In partnership with Howatson+Company, the films introduce the new brand platform ‘Know what we know’ which reflects Domain’s commitment to provide customers with confidence in their property journey.

In the films directed by Australian director Trent O’Donnell, Byrne and Cannavale play a couple who go to extreme lengths to try and uncover information that will help them find the right property.

The situations in the film are resolved by Domain’s brand new search experience, including exclusive features such as ‘Search by School Zone’, ‘Recently Sold Prices’, and ‘Suburb Insights’.

Talking about the campaign, Rebecca Darley, chief marketing officer at Domain, said, “In an era where information is the most valuable asset, ‘Know What We Know’ bridges the gap between the experts and the seekers. As a data and tech-powered business, Domain is on a journey to leverage its assets to guide Aussies through every step of their property journey.”

“Many Australians can relate to that feeling of property obsession, going above and beyond in their property search to feel confident they are making the right decision. This proved fertile ground to bring to life the new re-imagined search experience in the Domain App, and stretch the brand into a lighthearted and entertaining territory. With Domain, gone are the days of undercover suburb stakeouts and uninformed decisions, you have the power to know what the experts know, empowering you to navigate your property journey with confidence,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Richard Shaw and Jeremy Hogg, executive creative directors at Howatson+Company, added, “Since day one, Rebecca and the Domain team have spoken of their ambition for the business and the brand — you can see that ambition in this first campaign. We couldn’t be more excited to launch ‘Know what we know’ for Domain and continue to build the platform together.”

The campaign includes TV, Online, OOH, Radio, Social and sponsorship of Allianz Stadium.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Global antiseptic brand Dettol, together with its creative agency, Kingdom Digital has recently launched its latest campaign in celebration of Malaysia’s National Day.

Produced by Imagineers Film, Dettol and Kingdom Digital’s campaign film aims to celebrate firefighters and the one common legacy they share, which is to protect at all costs.

The film, titled ‘A New Legacy to Protect’,  features TPgB Syed Shahril Anuar, the station chief of the Subang Jaya Fire Station, as he shares how his late father inspired him to become the person he is today and to carry on the legacy his father began.

Tiffany Tang, the marketing director of health and hygiene at Dettol Malaysia, said, “Dettol exists to protect lives by reducing the burden of illness because keeping people healthy and safe is at the forefront of our minds. It is our mission to inculcate good hygiene habits to break the chain of infection through trusted science and innovative developments. Protection is more than action. Rather, a legacy we all share for generations.”

Meanwhile, Edmund Lou, head of strategy at Kingdom Digital, said, “Frontliners have been and will always be at the forefront of protection. Then there are the firefighters, the least celebrated frontliners. And to meet a firefighter with a strong heritage and meaningful legacy was truly an unexpected blessing.”

Singapore – Multi-category classifieds and ecommerce marketplace Carousell has launched a new campaign in collaboration with creative agency Bread Butter Bacon(BBB) to raise brand awareness of Carousell Certified Mobile in Singapore. 

The campaign by BBB aims to instill trust in consumers considering a convenient second-hand phone purchase through Carousell’s 40-point check system that rigorously examines phone quality before being sold. 

The main campaign material is presented in the form of a video ad featuring a young woman bringing home a newly-purchased second-hand phone with her parents grilling her about the condition of the phone with the same scrutiny they would give a prospective new son-in-law but are then assured that the phone was acquired reliably through Carousell. 

The campaign will run from 28 July onwards on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, as well as outdoor digital panels islandwide.

Commenting on the campaign, Lam Xin Ni, marketing manager at Carousell Singapore, said, “Our goal at Carousell is to make buying and selling second-hand items as trusted and convenient as buying brand new items. We aim to transform the second-hand mobile phone market by offering a trustworthy solution, so all consumers can access quality second-hand phones at great deals.”

Meanwhile, Sarah Inez Pratomo, creative group head at Bread Butter Bacon, said, “We’re pleased to be working with Carousell again, this time to introduce the Certified second-hand mobile phone offerings under the Carousell Certified programme. Our goal was to communicate the essence of trust and reliability in a lighthearted and emotionally engaging way, which most of us can relate to as children or parents. We are proud to be part of this innovative initiative that is set to offer consumers a seamless, trustworthy shopping experience like never before.”  

Singapore – Singaporean telecommunications company Singtel has released its new Chinese New Year film that emphasises Singtel’s commitment to providing prompt and quality service to its customers, which serves as a key differentiator of its services.

Titled ‘Don’t Worry, Be Hoppy!’, the sitcom-style short film featured two rival families, who got competitive at first but eventually bonded over the results of Singtel’s quick service. 

“Customer service lies at the heart of the Singtel customer experience and this film underscores our commitment to providing personalised, empathetic and accessible service to our customers,” said Anna Yip, chief executive officer of Consumer Singapore at Singtel.

She also added that Singtel intends to keep investing in its people and processes to deliver quality service that sets them apart from competitors. 

Lian Pek, vice president for group strategic communications and brand at Singtel, also said, “In today’s hyper connected world, technology plays a critical role in connecting people and supporting their digital-first lifestyles. But as played out in our latest festive film, sometimes things don’t go as planned and that’s where a committed service provider makes all the difference.”

Singtel has also previously released its Singapore’s National Day ad titled ‘The Making of a 5G Nation’, which illustrates how its infrastructure and engineering expertise have been vital to the National Day Parade since the 1960s.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As the Chinese New Year draws near, Malaysia-based RHB Bank has released its Chinese New Year-themed film ad titled ‘Love Carries On’, a tear-jerker story centered on the importance of parental love.

Based on the true story of a father and daughter from Sibu, Sarawak, the film focuses on the graduation speech of Ngu Nyok Ping, the daughter, as she reflects on the past memories she had with her father carrying her in his back. Due to her disability, rendering her unable to walk, her father has been constantly carrying her to school so that she can continue receiving education. The film also showed the father-daughter tandem enjoying the passing of Chinese New Year festivities each year.

Despite the threat of the disability to Nyok Ping’s future, the film showed how her father’s incredible actions of love paid off, helping her obtain her master’s degree. Today, Nyok Ping dedicates her life to helping fellow disabled members of her community. 

The real life version of the characters in the film, (left) Ngu Ee Kiong, the father and (center) Ngu Nyok Ping, the daughter, seen here after her 2016 graduation of her master’s degree from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

“There may be times we find ourselves faced with an obstacle too big to overcome on our own or a dream too far for us to reach, but with the unconditional support and love from those around us, we will realize that we’re never truly alone in our journeys. It’s in them that we will find the strength to progress and succeed,” said Abdul Sani Abdul Murad, group chief marketing officer of RHB Group.

“That message is the bedrock of this film, and it’s especially relevant now because even as we are preparing to usher in the Chinese New Year, many of us are still faced with the waves of challenges brought upon by the pandemic. This spot aims to remind Malaysians that they’re never alone during these times, and it encapsulates what RHB’s brand promise of ‘Together We Progress’ means amazingly well,” added Murad.

The film, created by advertising agency FCB Malaysia, has been shared across RHB Bank’s social media pages. To date, the film has raked in more than six million views, 15,000 likes, and 1,500 shares across RHB’s social media platforms.

For FCB Malaysia creative director Tjer Wang, the story is described to be “unbelievably out of this world and profound.” The agency made sure that as the story is being adapted, the core message remains. 

“We spent a good amount of time on fact-checking just to ensure that it was real and not fiction. It was retold and reimagined just as beautifully in the most effortless manner, despite the tremendous amount of depth that it carries,” Wang stated.

Meanwhile, Ong Shi Ping, co-owner and chief creative officer of FCB Malaysia commented that the film speaks to a deeper meaning of parental love, stating that the film showed a parent’s determination to lead his child in the right direction despite the given circumstances.

“Not only did this amazing dad keep his belief in his daughter’s capabilities, he also did what not many people could or would do to guide her in finding her own place in the world. And because of that, Ms. Ngu managed to achieve the kind of success that most of us can only dream of. It’s a truly remarkable story about progress,” Ping stated.