Tag: Independence Day

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Local telco TM and Grey Malaysia have collaborated to bring the nation together via technology to celebrate Malaysia’s diversity by allowing Malaysians to now see and share themselves singing an iconic Malaysian song of unity in any of 17 different languages and dialects.

The AI platform, done by Grey Malaysia, utilises the tradition of celebratory song to create a universal invitation to engage with the potential of AI, furthering TM’s commitment to making technology accessible to all Malaysians. 

The campaign uses a combination of seven AI technologies to bridge language barriers and connect diverse voices, uniting the country and bringing everyone closer to a truly inclusive Digital Malaysia.

Housed on a microsite at https://sejutasuara.tm.com.my/, Malaysians now have the opportunity to sing their rendition of Gemuruh, a well-known Malaysian song, in various local languages and dialects effortlessly. This is made possible with the assistance of integrating seven cutting-edge AI and API platforms that specialise in lip sync and voice cloning. 

With the help of Kits.ai, HeyGen and SyncLabs, the microsite can trace and clone the voices of Malaysians to sing with pride, in their choice of language or dialect. 

The campaign was created alongside Directors Think Tank and Nacho Usual Collective to produce the first Malaysian music video that consists of AI-generated vocals in multiple languages and dialects.  Bringing to life the richness of our languages through the diverse expressions of Malaysians delivering their own versions of Gemuruh, making this the ultimate music video for Malaysian by Malaysians.

Lysha Zulkifly, senior copywriter of Grey Malaysia, said, “By exploring the complexity of AI voice mapping, we wanted to use the tech to our advantage by celebrating the diversity of our languages and dialects. It’s beautiful to hear how rich our country is in culture, through this platform. I believe this is just the beginning for us to make AI our ally.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – To honour Malaysia’s Independence Day and National Day, PETRONAS has launched the fifth episode of 366, the company’s original drama series for the year, Day 243. This episode pays tribute to sports and its importance in the lives of Malaysians.

Developed in collaboration with creative agency Ensemble Worldwide, ‘366’, the seven-episode drama series is anchored upon the overall PETRONAS 2022 festive campaign themed ‘Live Again’, and sets out to portray the resilience, fortitude, and togetherness of Malaysians during trying times.

The series was launched in February with ‘Day 32’ for Chinese New Year, with the title of each episode corresponding with Malaysia’s festive celebrations. Subsequent episodes aired in April and May to commemorate Hari Raya (Day 123), and the cultural festivals of East Malaysia – Kaamatan (Day 151), the harvest festival celebrated by ethnic Kadazan-Dusuns and other related ethnic groups in the state of Sabah; as well as Hari Gawai (Day 151), a thanksgiving and harvest festival celebrated by the Dayak people of Sarawak and Sabah. 

The series revolves around the main characters, Zhi Yi, Poji, and Adam as they experience the complexities of life together with family and friends, and recognise the ties that bind them. This latest episode continues with the story of a youth football team that wants to achieve its dream of winning the Malaysian Football Festival.

Episode 5 was directed by Kabir Bhatia, a director/producer who has spent the last 20 years in Malaysia stamping his strong visual style in the film industry. It features flashbacks of badminton, a favourite grassroots sport are seen, alongside living football legends Mohd Safee bin Mohd Sali (Safee Sali) and Datuk Wira Soh Chin Ann, also known as Tauke.

Didi Pirinyuang, executive creative director of Ensemble Worldwide, said that drafting 366 over the course of the year has been a real experience, and as they develop each character, they become more and more invested to see how life pans out for them. 

She further shared that injecting the theme of sports this time also added a new fun element as the love of sports is synonymous with Malaysians, and they were privileged to recognise their legendary past.

“Shaping the storyline is a collective process, not just between us and the PETRONAS team, but with all Malaysians out there who are sharing in this journey of discovery with us. We still have two episodes to go before the end of the year, and we’re excited to see where their stories take us. Bravely forward, down new paths of inspiration,” added Pirinyuang.

The ‘366’ series is available for viewing on PETRONAS’ official YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Malaysia – In conjunction with Malaysia’s 65th Independence Day, also known as Merdeka, local telco provider Celcom has launched a new campaign to remind Malaysians to embrace the spirit upon which Merdeka was founded – happiness. 

Themed ‘Bahagia Kita’, which translates to ‘We are happy’ in English’, the campaign explores the heart of the country’s harmony and happiness – the core values of kindness, acceptance, and understanding upheld by every Malaysian, as foretold by Bapa Kemerdekaan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s Father of Independence. With inclusivity in mind, Celcom also aims to honour all cultures from East to West Malaysia by celebrating both Merdeka & Malaysia Day.

The thematic film follows the journey of 11-year-old Haikal. After he’s assigned to write a poem about Independence for school, he sets off on an eye-opening adventure around his neighbourhood. Haikal witnesses everyday Malaysian scenes and immerses himself in many multicultural experiences, and on this journey, he learns that all Malaysians are inherently kind and that the little things are what contribute to the nation’s happiness.

“As a homegrown organisation that believes in advancing society, the mantra of encouraging Malaysians to embrace happiness will help Malaysians advance positively into a future that we would be all proud of,” said Celcom. 

Moreover, in this festive season, Celcom will also help Malaysians stay happily connected with limited-time offerings, including free devices, unlimited Internet, flexible plans, and free home fibre for life, amongst others.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As a commemoration of Malaysia’s Independence Day (Hari Kebangsaan) and Malaysia Day 2022, MBSB Bank, an Islamic Bank based in Malaysia, has launched a new campaign, which is a social experiment to observe the Malaysian spirit on how far they would go to help a stranger. 

Developed in partnership with Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), the global content studio by IPG Mediabrands, the film was directed by Esham Shahlin, produced by Artisia Productions, and released on digital channels.

Titled ‘Sejauh manakah…’, which in English translates to ‘how far’, the film sees a lone man struggling to push his broken-down old PROTON Saga car through the famous streets of Klang Valley amidst crowds of onlookers. Its journey takes viewers through popular areas in the Klang Valley including Klang, Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Chinatown, and Dataran Merdeka, as well as other landmark areas in the city.

Kevin Le, executive creative director of MBCS, noted that undertaking this project with MBSB Bank was both moving and inspiring, and they wanted to see if their enthusiastic Malaysian spirit still lives on against this backdrop of increased traffic and other post-lockdown challenges. 

He further shared that proving true to the message of the film – ‘Selagi kita bergerak bersama, langkah demi langkah, kita akan sentiasa berdaya maju’, which is translated to ‘As long as we move together, step by step, we will continue to succeed’.

“The artistic direction of no dialogue was a conscious choice as we took our audience on a journey, playing off the ‘Uncle’s’ lone struggle against a backdrop of apathy, complemented by an altered and moving piano rendition of Negaraku,” said Le. 

Meanwhile, Azlina Mohd Rashad, chief corporate officer of MBSB Bank, said that they wanted to capture the essence of who Malaysians are, and this social experiment showed it to them in abundance. 

“MBCS has portrayed this idea with the heart and soul that rhymes so well with the theme of ‘Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama’ (Malaysians Stand United). Just like the film, MBSB Bank is always by your side, to accompany you and be part of your journey. ‘Sejauh manakah…’ is a gift to the nation from MBSB Bank in celebrating the National Day and Malaysia Day 2022.”

Manila, Philippines — To celebrate the Philippines’ Independence Day, SM Supermalls will be holding major events to commemorate this national holiday and encourage Pinoys to further embrace Filipino culture. Among these are the championing of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) that represent the nation’s cultural diversity and heritage, featuring of delicious Filipino cuisine, and the customary raising of the Flag ceremony to honour the Philippine Independence Day on the morning of June 12, 2022.

As a champion of local MSMEs, SM Supermalls will spoil you with Filipino cuisine options and other local products from June 1-12. Savour the diverse and rich Filipino food offerings and have a taste of different Pinoy dishes and treats from every region of the country.

Support local businesses, and buy fresh local produce and other speciality items from SM’s affiliates and tenants through the Buy Pinoy pop-up stores. Shop the best locally-made clothes, souvenirs, décor, and food brought to you by Filipino businesses from June 1 to June 12, 2022.

Steven T. Tan, president of SM Supermalls, said, “SM Supermalls has always celebrated Pinoy pride through various events where we get to appreciate our culture and express our gratitude to the heroes of past and present.”

Tan adds, “The Philippine Independence Day should never be taken for granted because holding our national pride and heritage in high regard is what makes us true-blooded Filipinos through and through. We encourage everyone to join us as we celebrate freedom at SM Supermalls.”

Manila, Philippines – To mark the Philippines’ 123rd Independence Day, which is celebrated on 12 June, fast-food giant Jollibee has launched a new campaign called ‘Pusong Pinoy’, which in English translates to ‘Filipino heart’, with the aim to celebrate the ‘Bayanihan Spirit’ – a Filipino concept of communal work, discourse, and cooperation to achieve a common goal.

Done in collaboration with advertising agency McCann Worldgroup Philippines, the campaign’s centerpiece is a heartwarming and empowering song that captures the said Filipino qualities. It is composed by songwriter Thyro Alfaro and is brought to life by popular local singers Sarah Geronimo and Billy Crawford.

In addition, the campaign’s music video was directed by local filmmaker Paolo Villaluna. It features snapshots of inspiring Filipinos demonstrating the ‘Bayanihan’ spirit such as, healthcare workers battling in the frontlines, common citizens doing simple acts of kindness, and everyday people who lead donation drives to provide food and other necessities to those in need.

McCann Worldgroup Philippines’ Associate Managing Partner Mitzie Lim-Nacianceno, shared that the film and song were designed and crafted to show how Filipinos are able to spread joy and hope to their fellowmen, through every difficult situation they have faced.

“This is made more relevant by featuring real Filipinos in our film that are making a difference for others despite this pandemic,” said Lim-Nacianceno.

Meanwhile, Arline Adeva, the assistant vice president and head of brand PR, engagement, and digital marketing at Jollibee Philippines, said, “We hope this song can be an anthem of hope and celebration, make us proud of our being Filipino, and encourage all of us to be daily heroes for one another.”

The ‘Pusong Pinoy’ campaign is already available on the official Jollibee Philippines Facebook page and Jollibee Studios Youtube channel.