Malaysian Media Awards Winners Showcase

The Challenge
PETRONAS pioneered Merdeka TVCs, but recently other brands had copied its formula on TV and YouTube. How could we create differentiation?

Insight, Strategy and the Idea
MEDIA INSIGHT: Radio has the highest reach (94%). Because it’s not used by other brands at this time, and allows audience participation, it’s the perfect platform to dominate during Merdeka. MEDIA STRATEGY: We identified and partnered with highest listenership stations, Hitz and Era, to launch the first ever real-time radio reality show, co-creating content with their listeners. IDEA: We invited ordinary Malaysians to give our hero, named MerdekaMan, a ride as he hitch-hiked across Malaysia capturing stories. MerdekaMan’s mission: to travel throughout Malaysia seeking what Merdeka means to ordinary Malaysians. He would hitchhike nationwide within 14 days, and his location would be broadcast on radio, so that listeners could find him and give him a ride. He would chat with motorists, capture their stories and post those on web and social media

Media Execution
MerdekaMan did hourly call-ins on both stations throughout the day to inform listeners on his whereabouts. He appeared on radio in morning and evening drive time, announcing his location and asking for a ride to the next town. In return he gave petrol gift cards and merchandise. Live reads, call ins, promo spots, announcer interactions, coupled with online location tracker told his unfolding story. Radio stations’ social media assets provided exciting updates in real-time.

Results and Effectiveness
First ever real time reality show on radio, successfully differentiated the brand Reached 6 million Malaysian radio listeners (72 million impressions) across 14 days Received 192 callbacks, 80 rides from ordinary Malaysians Over 3.4 million people reached on radio stations’ social assets, average of 900 organic likes per post. Generated 20 video stories and 140 real-time journey clips, 2 videos posted daily, overall generated 2 million views (impressions) Brand recall rose 7% (YoY), top of mind scores exceeded competitors