Malaysian Media Awards Winners Showcase

The Challenge
Olympics, the world’s greatest sporting event was coming up which Malaysians follow and support avidly. But the highly cluttered advertising during Olympics posed a challenge to TM. TM had to find a way to touch everyone’s heart and unite their passion in a differentiated manner by standing out from other campaigns.

Insight, Strategy and the Idea
While Olympics is all about sporting glory, the one symbol that signifies everything it stands for is the Olympic Torch. It is also the most highly searched term during Olympics. Media Agency recommended using this universal symbol of Olympics, to light up the hearts of Malaysians. Delivering an Olympic Torch to every household emerged as the idea which symbolized a union of passion and pride for the nation while supporting Malaysia at Olympics.

Media Execution
A pictorial Olympic Torch was placed at the back page of widely consumed Harian Metro and NST, targeting the Sports section. A strategic creative twist ensured that once the person rolled the newspaper,it took up the shape of an actual Olympic Torch. It became the vehicle of support, as the readers were urged to share a selfie and their wishes to the Malaysian team while holding the newspaper Olympic Torch. These submitted selfies were printed in a banner and this banner was carried to Rio by Team Malaysia Chanters, the sports wing of TM, and was displayed on ground during matches, to show support for their countrymen. Thus TM ensured that every household became a part of the Malaysian contingent at Olympics, in full support of their nation.

Results and Effectiveness
Awareness of TM’s association with Olympics increased by 250% (Source: TNS). 1000s of Malaysians engaged with the Olympic torch who further went onto click selfies and post on their social pages which in effect with #TeamMalaysia handle organically networked with the 19 Million Facebook community in the country.