Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Halal personal care brand Safi, in collaboration with Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), have launched a campaign in the spirit of the Raya season to empower young women with a life-changing scholarship. 

Following the transformative launch of the Biasiswa Siswi SAFI last year, a RM 1 million scholarship, SAFI is once again bringing hope and inspiration by supporting young women in their pursuit of higher education, ensuring they have the financial support to achieve their academic aspirations. 

Now in its second year, the Biasiswa Siswi programme has adopted an AI twist to connect with applicants and adapt to the contemporary, highly technology-dependent world.

Bringing this vision to life, the brand film ‘Serlah Seri Diri’ (Unleash Your Inner Shine) was launched. The film follows Seri, a young woman balancing her own dreams with the expectations of those around her. Everyone has hopes for Seri – but what about what her heart calls for? The film delivers a strong message: every path is a blessing, and by embracing that, your true essence will radiate.

The campaign also leverages AI technology to personalise engagement. Users can access the SAFI Serlah Seri Diri AI microsite to input their aspirations ahead of the scholarship application, creating custom videos that reflect their dreams, and adding a meaningful touch to their interaction with the brand. 

Through the microsite, 50 lucky winners stand a chance to win a ‘Rumah Seri’ pink dollhouse (as seen in the SAFI Raya brand film), a PR kit that contains SAFI products, each representing something for everyone in the household. The dollhouse as shown by SAFI brand ambassador Qasrina Karim, who also played the part of Seri, serves as a symbol of hope and possibilities, anchoring the initiative’s message, with each door representing special hidden gifts for young women to stand out and be the best version of themselves.

Kazlina Mohd Kassim, SAFI Brand & Insights Specialist of Wipro Unza said, “At SAFI, we are deeply committed to empowering the next generation to dream big and achieve their goals – it’s about inspiring confidence, igniting ambition, and standing alongside these incredible individuals as they turn their dreams into reality. Our first cohort of Biasiswi Siswi SAFI applicants last year was a big success, and we are excited to relaunch this aspirational opportunity and welcome new management trainees into the SAFI fold. It’s a privilege for us to play this role in nurturing their hopes and dreams.”

Meanwhile, Jennifer Wee, creative director at MBCS, said, “This story is about embracing your unique path and going after your dreams. We’ve all faced struggles in balancing expectations and figuring out what we truly want, making this message deeply personal. Through this campaign, we wanted to inspire young women to embrace their potential. Reminding them that the power to achieve their dreams lies within them, with SAFI as their steadfast companion supporting them every step of the way.”

She added, “We utilised powerful storytelling with an AI twist to replicate the vast dreams and choices that young women have today. This is the key to reaching Gen Z, a generation that lives and breathes technology. The dollhouse is a universal representation of play, dreams and imagination around the world. We used this to demonstrate the doors of opportunities available for young women through the SAFI scholarship. Each dream they have is unique, and this is their chance to reach for the opportunity.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Global toy company Mattel has launched a social campaign this Ramadon season to keep children entertained and refocused away from the Ramadan fast hunger pangs.

Developed alongside Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS), Mattel’s #PuasaPlay features a series of creative games using different Mattel toys that help keep kids entertained and distracted from hunger. 

With many Malaysian families encouraging their kids to fast during Ramadan from as young an age as 6, the campaign looks to keep kids engaged through play, to help take hunger out of their minds as they complete their fast.

The social-led campaign, dropped game challenges every few days during Ramadan, with step-by-step instructions on the Mattel toys required and how to go about using creativity and household items to complete the tasks. 

The #PuasaPlay games created are: Make the Jump, Barbie’s Camouflage Dress-Up, Mystery Raya Décor, Thomas & Friends Raya Theme Stations and Mattel Toy Charades. The games feature Mattel toys and games that are popular household names like Barbie, Hot Wheels, MEGA BLOKS Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends and UNO, and encourage the use of imagination with other Mattel toys.

Additionally, KOLs like @diyanarazip and @diananasir86, took on the game challenges to show parents how to be better prepared and educated with play to support their kids’ fast throughout the day, alongside e-commerce promotions on Shopee and Lazada and a Shopee LIVE #PuasaPlay showcase.

To capitalise on the pre-Raya shopping rush, a collaboration with Toys”R”Us is bringing #PuasaPlay Zones to the malls. Through strategically placed digital billboards, kids will be entertained and encouraged to play interactive Mattel toy-inspired games at mini #PuasaPlay Zones, keeping them engaged and away from the eateries at the malls. 

Yeo Pek Mun, brand manager for SEA at Mattel Continental Asia, said, “At Mattel, we believe that play has the power to transform experiences. With #PuasaPlay, we’re helping parents turn fasting hours into play-filled adventures, making Ramadan more enjoyable for kids while strengthening family bonds.”

She added, “This campaign not only reinforces Mattel’s role in enriching childhood experiences but also deepens brand connection by aligning with cultural moments that matter. By integrating play into Ramadan traditions, we’re creating meaningful engagement with families, driving brand affinity, and showcasing the timeless value of our toys in every stage of a child’s life.”

Meanwhile, Eddy Nazarullah, creative director at MBCS, commented, “Great creativity isn’t just about storytelling—it’s about problem-solving. With #PuasaPlay, we looked at a real challenge parents face during Ramadan and found an unexpected yet simple solution: play. By using Mattel toys in new ways, we transformed waiting into engaging moments, hunger into distraction, and fasting into fun. It’s a campaign that proves creativity isn’t just about grabbing attention; it’s about adding real value to people’s lives.”

Singapore – Travel service provider Trip.com has launched a new interactive social campaign called ‘Just Like That’, which leverages the latest traveller preferences and insights to make it easier than ever for consumers to meet loved ones abroad and explore the world again as borders reopen and restrictions ease.

With many COVID-related travel constraints removed, Trip.com continues its journey to make reconnection and rediscovery a snap – especially with many avid travellers already setting out for their next adventure and exploring global destinations ‘Just Like That’.

As part of Trip.com’s first social campaign in Southeast Asia post-pandemic, the innovative travel service provider is collaborating with over 100 KOLs in markets across Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to storytell the emotional aspects of travel, such as reconnecting with loved ones as well as showcasing the ease of using Trip.com for travel bookings. 

The KOLs include @adirasalahudi, @syarif.ig, @widsawaphatiew. The campaign will demonstrate how simple it is to book a fulfilling travel experience that fits each consumer’s needs, be it planning a romantic honeymoon in the Maldives, having an inspiring off-site meeting in Bali, or a culinary trip in Tokyo.

In addition, Trip.com will be running a #MyTripJustLikeThat giveaway on social media from now to 20 November 2022. Trip.com users from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand stand to win prizes worth up to S$1,200, MYR 4,200 and THB 35,000 respectively, including Trip coins, hotel vouchers, tickets and more.

Australia – With the original formation of a KITKAT chocolate, everyone knows that the best way to eat it is to break the partitions and enjoy it finger by finger. After all, this is where the famous slogan of the brand comes from, “Have a break, Have a KitKat.” But through the years, people have been less traditional and are taking a bite out of their KITKATs with the way they like and how they think it is most enjoyable.

In a fun and light campaign by Nestlé Australia on TikTok, the brand is finally acknowledging the passionate debate swirling online about the correct way to eat a KITKAT.

Done with creative agency Wunderman Thompson, the ‘Have a bite’ social campaign sees KITKAT jump in to respond to the many people proudly flaunting their innovative and somewhat intriguing approach to the correct KITKAT consumption method.

The natural tendency is to tear the pack, break off a finger, and snap in half. But some people have opted to take a giant bite out of all four fingers, or even nibbling off the chocolate layers.

The campaign, which will be running until 30 September, kicked off with prominent TikTok creators throwing their voices into the debate by showing how they have a bite. Roped in the commotion to shed more light is screen legend Michael Caton who bit into a KITKAT himself and asking Aussies, “Is this wrong?” 

Commenting on the campaign, João Braga, chief creative officer of Wunderman Thompson, said, “As Australia’s favorite chocolate bar, we know that people have some serious love for the iconic treat, but we wanted to discover new ways to engage with the fanbase online. What better way to do this than by jumping into the heartfelt and passionate debate over the true, right, and ‘correct’ way to eat a KITKAT.”

Joyce Tan, Nestlé’s head of marketing, added, “We knew it was time to finally weigh in on the conversation regarding how to properly eat a KITKAT and acknowledge the weird and wonderful ways Aussies eat theirs.”

“Teaming up with Wunderman Thompson, we were able [to] leverage the power of TikTok creators and iconic Australian actor Michael Caton to generate real-time conversation about the many ways that a KITKAT is enjoyed,” Tan said.

In line with the social campaign, KITKAT releases limited-edition packs showing variations of the iconic bitten KITKAT.

Ultimately, Nestlé said in a press release, KITKAT is OK with how you choose to eat your KITKAT “as long as you’re taking a break to enjoy it.”

To show that ‘other’ ways of having a bite are at least being entertained by the brand, KITKAT is testing the waters with some limited-edition packs, where the iconic snapping fingers printed on the pack are replaced with some of the different ways Aussies bite their KITKATs.

According to Wunderman Thompson, the campaign has gained 4.3 million views organically across TikTok and Instagram in the first 48 hours of launch, and the attention of some very passionate KITKAT fans with more than 70,000 votes in a Twitter debate.

Singapore – Food company Dole has released a new social initiative called #UnstuffedBears to communicate the rising issue of childhood hunger around the world.

The newest initiative is launched in retrospect to the increase of awareness and global movement in addressing the global hunger crisis. The campaign comes to life through the imagery of the teddy bear, a universal childhood icon.

Images will depict five teddy bears, four of them seemingly have full bellies, while one has been unstuffed, signifying someone who is hungry. The campaign goes on to say that “one in five children worldwide may go hungry this Christmas”.

The newest campaign is in line with Dole’s commitment to “The Dole Promise”, which vows to provide access to sustainable nutrition for 1 billion people by 2025.

“According to the UN World Food Programme, the impact of COVID-19 may double the number of people suffering from acute hunger. This exacerbated food insecurity crisis is acutely affecting children around the globe and in our own backyards,” said Pier Luigi Sigismondi, worldwide president at Dole Packaged Foods

“Acting on our promise to bring food and support to those in need, as well as raising awareness of this growing crisis, is at the center of this campaign. And this is just one of many steps we are taking to make a change for the better,” said Sigismondi.

The campaign will roll out via online video, display, and social media throughout the holiday season. It has already been launched in Europe and the US, with Asia launching next week. 

In order to live up to the campaign, Dole is rolling out its promotional purchase of select Dole Packaged Foods products on some eComm channels, where profits on these purchases go towards food security charities.