Malaysia MBCS, IPG Mediabrands’ media-driven creative content practice, has partnered with Aiken to produce a campaign aimed at encouraging Malaysians to shine as the brightest stars during Chinese New Year (CNY).

In the movie, a group of girls use the Aiken Vita-C Bright Skincare line to embrace their brightest selves. The girls are given the chance to succeed on the football court because of their glowing skin.

Inspired by the recent worldwide talent search for women to try out for his next film, “Shaolin Women’s Soccer,” the Aiken Brightest Star ad honours Hong Kong actor and filmmaker Stephen Chow. 

The advertisement features an open letter written by Aiken to Stephen Chow, inviting him to see the movie. It also invites Malaysians to enter the #AikenBrightestStar competition and embrace their brightest selves this Chinese New Year.

Speaking about the campaign, Phang Mei Jeng, managing director of MBCS, said, “We know that CNY is a time to watch and re-watch Cantonese films that are old favourites, and Stephen Chow’s films are number one on that list. With his movies consistently trending around the festive season, and his recent open casting on social media, we looked to do this as a tribute to this huge icon and feature Aiken as the brand that helps you be the brightest star.” 

Meanwhile, Saki Goh, senior general manager marketing of Wipro Unza, expressed, “We’re extremely excited about this campaign, as it speaks to CNY pop culture. Stephen Chow’s movies are funny and legendary, and MBCS have found a creative hook that enables us to pay tribute to him in a very special way. We hope more Malaysian women join this callout to be the biggest and brightest star, using Aiken as their ammunition to glow up in this Year of the Dragon.” 

Australia Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) in Australia, has strengthened its leadership and strategic capabilities by promoting Toby Maclachlan to head of strategy & product and hiring Trent Peppercorn to the newly established position of head of Melbourne. The newly-designated posts take immediate effect.

Maclachlan, in his new role at MBCS, will assume the responsibility of leading the overall strategic output and team across both offices. His role involves enhancing MBCS’ integrated product offering, with a specific emphasis on delivering creative and innovative experiences aimed at establishing deep connections with people.

Maclachlan, who has been the head of creative strategy at Initiative Media for three years, brings three years of expertise to his new position. His experience includes a range of positions in brand planning and leadership across FMCG, entertainment, fashion, automotive, government, and tourism.

The move to Melbourne is planned for Peppercorn, who was MBCS’s Head of Creative Services. His duties in this new role will include growing the workforce to satisfy client demand and guiding the office through the next stage of growth. 

The appointments follow MBCS’s steady annual growth since the company’s founding in 2022. The agency was founded with the intention of improving the way that IPG’s media-driven and supported creative, content, and experience capabilities are integrated.

Speaking about the promotions, Olivia Warren, managing director, MBCS, said, “Our agency’s growth and new client wins come down to the experience, creativity and capability of our team. Toby and Trent’s new roles recognise their leadership and success, and importantly will create new opportunities and pathways for our next generation of leaders to grow, while continuing to create the very best outcomes for our clients.” 

She added, “When we repositioned in 2022 our point of difference was powering our creative and strategic thinking by media, so we invested early in creative and strategy talent that could sit alongside our media specialists to deliver campaigns anchored in this ethos. Move forward to 2024 and our team has exponentially expanded, our client roster continues to grow and our creative capabilities allows us to conceive and execute integrated campaigns across both offices.” 

Speaking about his appointment, Maclachlan said, “2024 is going to be an interesting year; defining and pivotal on so many fronts, in so many ways. People expect a lot of brands RN. And rightfully so. Who brands are, how and where they show up for people, it really matters. I’m looking forward to helping brands navigate their now and next — IRL, URL, and whatever WEB 3, ai, spatial computing and next gen social media etc. brings — with true-to-brand strategies and ideas that hit different and make difference.” 

Warren commented about Maclachan, “Toby is the definition of a high achiever striving for outstanding solutions to assist clients solve their problems. He’s generally known for finding solutions to seemingly impossible asks, that are true to brand and results driven.” 

Speaking about his appointment, Peppercorn expressed, “It’s an exciting time to make this move and I am incredibly pumped to embark on a new chapter of my career and continue to work alongside such a skilled and inspiring team not just in Sydney but now in Melbourne.” 

“My new role will see me work closely with both offices providing the ability to apply my craft to help solve a range of client problems regardless of the platform, fitting perfectly with MBCS’s proposition of borderless creativity. I’m excited with opportunities to grow Melbourne’s client base organically and also bring new and exciting clients on board. It’s a burgeoning market and I am excited about the potential of what lies ahead,” Peppercorn added. 

Furthermore, Warren stated, “Both promotions are genuinely worthy and I’m delighted Toby and Trent are stepping into these new, expanded and elevated roles. I’m looking forward to seeing what our new leadership team can achieve in their new roles.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), the media-fuelled creative content practice within the IPG Mediabrands network, has released PETRONAS’ festive film that commemorates the upcoming Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations.

PETRONAS’ new film is anchored on their festive theme of the year, ‘Roots of Our Future’, which highlights and embeds the richness of heritage, customs, and culture into all the festive films of 2023.

The film, titled Rai, honours the many significant things that have progressed in Malaysia since independence. Rai means to celebrate, which is in line with the film celebrating love, legacy, and lagu (song) sudirman for Merdeka and Malaysia Day.

Set with the 70s and 80s as a backdrop, Rai is a love story at heart that will showcase the remarkable journey of PETRONAS through the decades. The interracial storyline follows Amir with his small-town innocence as he joins PETRONAS in the big city, his friendship with Maniam, and his infatuation with Ah Moi, amidst a fast-changing Malaysia.

The film features local actor Faizal Hussein, popular in the 80s, as the older Amir and was directed by Kabir Bhatia in collaboration with Mastermind Group as the production house.

The film also features the late Datuk Sudirman Arshad’s song titled Warisan, meaning legacy, heritage, or bequeath. The concert by the famous Malaysian singer will serve as another central narrative in the film. 

Well-known in local history for uniting Malaysians of all races and religions, the icon organized a free mega concert at Chow Kit Street that was attended by over 100,000 fans across Malaysia and featured songs across all local and national languages. 

Iskandar Putra, group business director at MBCS, said, “The 70s and 80s was a time of immense transformation in Malaysia. Cities were blossoming with the advent of capitalism, industrialisation and commercialisation, and PETRONAS was at the very heart of our nation’s evolution. We wanted to show the resilience of our people and the strides we’ve made, not just economically, but with our thinking and harmony.”

“Using Sudirman’s concert was significant in our storyline, as music unites, and love transcends all. The song we used was also a special nod to Malaysia and PETRONAS, as all that has come before us is a legacy for future generations. Everyone from an older generation would recognise that cassette tape, and we’ve come a long way from then to now, where our future possibilities are limited only by our imagination,” Iskandar added. 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – The iconic Mattel Barbie brand in Malaysia released a special tribute to fathers on Father’s Day. Developed together with Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), the film delivers an inspiring message that ‘not all heroes wear capes’. 

Mandar Wairkar, creative director at MBCS, said, “The film’s inspiration came from observations around Asian dads, as they are not known to be particularly expressive.”

“Typically, Asian dads are steadfast providers who are stern, strict, or even feared. However, we’re now living in an age of expression, with children seeking more outward showing of love and affection from their parents. As such, this Father’s Day, we wanted to recognise Asian dads who are breaking the mould of fatherly roles, and sending messages of positivity to their kids each day to give them strength and self-belief that they can do anything they set their minds to,” furthered Wairkar.

The short ad celebrates fathers who would do anything to make their ‘little girls’ dreams come true’. Additionally, the film encourages a social movement with the hashtag #BarbieFathersDay, for parents and their children to share how they celebrate Father’s Day to encourage more Asian dads to break the traditional fatherly mould.

Murat Ariksoy, general manager at Mattel South Asia, said, “Barbie’s tagline ‘You can be anything’ looks to inspire confidence and courage to all children out there to go out and live their dreams. This inspiring film and movement by MBCS portrays fathers as positive role models and celebrates all those fathers who go the extra mile to bring a smile to their child’s face.”

The film was released on Barbie’s Facebook page.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Another Raya campaign is gracing our screens. The love and care for family are one of the biggest reminders of the Hari Raya celebrations and Zurich Malaysia, the insurance provider, has unveiled a short film on a rather mellow touch circling the theme and one that truly tugs at the heartstrings. 

Done in collaboration with Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), the brand’s heart-warming film titled ‘Kepulangan’, or which means ‘The Return’, centres around Zurich’s Raya theme of embracing togetherness. The film tells the story of Zyra and her in-laws as they navigate the emotions surrounding the passing of her husband, the son in the family. Through these emotional upheavals, she discovers upon returning to his family home that, in the end, they will always belong together as a family and that the bond of a family is forever.

Christopher Chong, associate creative director of MBCS, shared that when they put the script together, they thought about what it really is that ties people together. 

“Love and connections are sometimes bridged by a spouse, parent, or friend, but what happens when that bridge is gone? Our story is meant to show that while there might be uncertainties in life, one can still have peace of mind with preparedness, and the underlying love of family will always be there, to help you find togetherness, even if not bound in blood,” said Chong. 

Meanwhile, Zurich CMO Thai Mei Lih, said, “At Zurich, we understand the importance of family, and the ties that bind us. When there’s safety, security and protection in place, families and loved ones can truly embrace togetherness with certainty and peace-of-mind. The MBCS team have managed to deliver a film that speaks to this message that’s at the very heart of what Zurich stands for.”

Chong further adds, “This message of the return is deeper than just returning home for Raya, it speaks to the return, and the coming together as a family, even when things don’t go as planned. We hope all Malaysians enjoy the film this Raya and cherish the important messages of family and love within.”

This isn’t the first film that MBCS has launched for a brand amidst the commemoration of Hari Raya in Malaysia. Recent collaborations for Raya include those of personal care brand Safi and local clothing line Bulan Bintang

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  To bestow blessings on Malaysians this Raya season, Malaysian noodle brand Mamee Chef, in collaboration with global content studio Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), has released a film featuring a song titled ‘Sinaran Syawal’, a song that implies a bright celebration of Syawal, which is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar following the holy month of Ramadan.

The 94-second clip features its brand ambassador and Malaysia’s queen of jazz Sheila Majid together with groovy Malaysia indie-rock band Kugiran Masdo performing the song whilst showcasing Mamee Chef’s two special flavours for the year – lontong and rendang – and how they will enhance the experience during Raya celebrations. 

Mandar Wairkar, creative director at MBCS, said that the collaboration with the Malaysian singer like Majid will bring legendary vibes for Raya, whilst featuring Kugiram Masdo band who adds pleasant surprise in connecting with the youth and introduce the go-to convenient meal for the festivities.

How Yuan Yi, chief marketing officer at Mamee-Double Decker (M) Sdn. Bhd. said, “As a brand by Malaysians for Malaysians, we really wanted to bring Mamee Chef’s authentic flavours to our fellow rakyat in an exciting relevant way this Raya, and MBCS has come through on that promise in a culturally, and pop-culturally resonant way.”

This year, Mediabrands Content Studio has also teamed with Listerine Malaysia to craft its Chinese New Year campaign.

Sydney, Australia Global content studio Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) has announced the appointment of Marshall Campbell as general manager of client service and Luke Simkins as group creative director. The new leadership is part of the agency’s efforts to strengthen the creative department.

For their new role, Campbell will focus on senior strategic advice and client service leadership whilst Simkins will be responsible for creative direction and leadership across the agency’s creative team. Both will report directly to Olivia Warren, managing director at MBCS.

Campbell brings with him a strong background in digital, video production, and business development. In his last stint, he was client director at global creative platform Genero. He also held senior roles at creative agencies Emotive and Clemenger BBDO, advertising agency TBWA\, and creative company DARE Digital in UK.

Meanwhile, Simkins brings with him experience in creative problem solving working across diverse business verticals. Some of his previous stints include the role of creative director at M&C Saatchi in Sydney and becoming part of the creative team at agency VMLY&R.

Warren said that Campbell and Simpkins are exactly what they look for in creative leaders due to their ability to make great work and achieve successful outcomes for clients.

Campbell commented, “Today’s consumer has the power to choose what they consume, so by utilising the networks media insights we’re able to enhance our creative output guaranteeing our work will reach the right audience at the right time with the right message.”

On the other hand, Simkins said that he’s honoured to lead MBCS’ creative offering at such an exciting phase of the agency’s evolution.

“By putting media insight and people at the centre of everything we do, we will drive even greater relevance for our clients,” he added.

Last year, Mediabrands Australia has also announced the appointment of Olivia Warren as managing director of MBCS.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas has released a new film that gives importance to culture and heritage that serve as the ‘roots’ of every individual. The theme is anchored to the Petronas festive theme of the year, ‘Roots of Our Future’ which highlights and embeds the richness of heritage, customs and culture into all the festive films of 2023.

Titled ‘Yǐ Hé Wéi Guì’ or ‘The Negotiation’, it features a community of shopkeepers who received a devastating news that they need to leave their places on the eve of Chinese New Year because businesses will be developed in their area. They are convinced that they will benefit from the plan due to the job opportunities. However, the group didn’t want to leave because the place brought joy and memories to them.

The film ends with the residents staying in the community, celebrating the festive together, in a unified effort to save their history, heritage, home and way of life. It was also shown that the community was also preserved by fixing the roads and buildings.

This film is created in collaboration with Ensemble Worldwide, the creative unit of Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), the media-fueled creative content practice within the IPG Mediabrands network. It was directed by multi-awarded director P Prem Anand Pillai, in collaboration with Reserve Tank as the production house.

Ahmad Nazril Ibrahim, group creative director at MBCS explained that the film highlights how it feels to be a Malaysian. He also said that upon the modern development of society, it is important to understand the cultural heritage which serves as the roots that shapes an individual’s identity in a significant way.

Ibrahim added, “We’re excited to be embarking on this new journey of films with Petronas for the year, and hope all Malaysians are excited to journey with us in celebration of our rich culture and heritage.”

Sydney, Australia After a hotly contested pitch, media agency Initiative has retained its media business remit for energy networks owner Jemena Limited, extending a 10-year relationship with the brand. The win also comes with Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), a media-fueled content practice of Mediabrands, expanding its creative remit for the same brand.

Initiative will be responsible for all national and local broadcast media buying, print, outdoor, radio, cinema, digital, search, social and addressable, and other media buying such as strategic and communication design responsibilities. Meanwhile, MBCS will handle all creative and production services and executions.

Melissa Fein, CEO of Initiative said that she is thrilled in re-signing a valued long-term partner. She also added that her team is energised in increasing Jemena’s customer base as it expands the network across regional and urban centres throughout New South Wales.

Fein added, “Jemena walks our talk; they are passionate about their customers, ambitious in their plans to decarbonise their networks and totally committed to a sustainable future, all traits Initiative values deeply. And our relationship has just got better with MBCS now on board, they’re an incredibly talented team and our cross-agency collaboration will help us continue to elevate the outstanding work we do on Jemena.”

Retaining its creative remit, Olivia Warren, managing director of MBCS expressed, “Jemena is a fascinating business with so much creative potential. Potential that is greater unlocked by having creative and media harmoniously working together under one roof. It makes collaboration easier, encourages new and gutsy perspectives and ultimately produces world class results for our clients. We can’t wait to get started.”

Meanwhile, Sandra Centofanti, head of strategy & marketing at Jemena Networks added, “Year-on-year Initiative brings fresh, exciting media thinking to the table; they understand our business intimately and deliver consistently strong results. We’re pleased to expand this relationship and onboard MBCS as our creative partners. Their connected approach to creativity and energy for our business was magnetic and we look forward to creating big things together.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – As we come around the corner of Chinese New Year festivities, oral care brand Listerine in Malaysia has cooked up a quirky and good-vibes campaign that sees it playing around the relatable ‘feat’ of capturing a decent family photo. 

The campaign, dubbed #SwishAwaySuay where ‘Suay’ means bad luck, shows a family finding it a challenge to take a photo that would have everyone showing a genuine, bright smile. The reason for such is each member’s personal burden becoming evident in their iffy dispositions.

The comic short is, in fact, quite a one-woman show, with the characters played by a single person – local content creator Jenn Chia. The popular social media personality is known for her comic fictional portrayals, and the campaign sees all of them unite in one space, led by Jenn’s famous persona ‘Auntie Siow’. 

IPG Mediabrands’ Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), which is the one responsible for the creation of the campaign, said that Jenn was an obvious choice to collaborate with, in order to relate across all ages. 

“We created the storyline with her in mind, because we love her versatility and creativeness, and gave her full creative licence to utilise all her famous characters and write the script together with us,” said Andy Ng, head of performance content & social. 

“Every year, we challenge ourselves to keep things fresh and engaging for Listerine. Rather than going the traditional route, we looked to present [out-of-the-box] entertainment to connect with our young consumer,” he added. 

The storyline finds its resolution with everyone taking the Listerine mouthwash to metaphorically ‘wash away’ bad luck – Suay – and be in a blissful state, ready for the perfect family photo. 

#SwishAwaySuay kickstarted with Jenn’s video on her Instagram account @soimjenn. According to MBCS, the video garnered up to 20,000 likes in just 12 hours. 

Tracy Foo, senior brand manager of Listerine, said, “We’re always looking for new ways to innovate Listerine as a brand, and this year has been no different. The MBCS team has once again presented us with a trendy idea that intersects well with our brand and cultural insights, while Jenn has truly brought to life a myriad [of] different characters, with friendly festive family banter that is so relatable across ages and even cultures. We’re extremely pleased with the outcome and glad to see such a positive audience response thus far.” 

Meanwhile, Jenn commented, “It has been such a gratifying experience working with the MBCS team to conceptualise something unique and different. I love how open Listerine is to push boundaries! Listerine was confident in building on the storytelling and concept enough to allow the product to be revealed during the plot twist, rather than in the first 5 seconds. I am so happy to create and be a part of this collaboration with Listerine and MBCS,” said Jenn.

The campaign launched on 3 January and will run through CNY. It will also be featuring an on-ground roadshow at 1 Utama Shopping Mall between 4-8 January, with an opportunity for fans to meet Auntie Siow. To further add to the brand engagement, four game stations have been set up for the public to experience Listerine first-hand.