Malaysia Airlines partners with Bonsey Jaden to celebrate the culture of Malaysian hospitality
Malaysia Airlines and Bonsey Jaden Malaysia have collaborated to showcase the local hospitality that sets Malaysia apart as a must-experience travel destination in Southeast Asia. The newly launched Malaysian hospitality campaign, dubbed MH3.0, is aimed at revitalising awareness for Malaysia Airlines as a beloved travel brand by calling to mind its highly regarded standard of service.
This partnership with Malaysia Airlines began in April of this year, where Bonsey Jaden was tasked with breathing new life into their latest brand awareness effort. Most notably, the focal point of this initiative was to leverage on the intrinsic inclination for hospitality in both the country as a whole, as well as Malaysia Airlines’ brand ethos. The campaign weaves together the tradition of hospitality within the brand with a creatively fresh and meaningful approach–a true testament to Bonsey Jaden’s reputation for innovative storytelling and expertise in brand building through powerful insights and strategy.
Opening with a scene depicting children playing outdoors before panning to elderly uncles drinking their coffee, it takes viewers on the lifelong journey that creates the culture of Malaysian hospitality. While that aspect of the national identity in itself may be difficult to define, one poignant moment towards the end of the two-minute runtime speaks of it as their motivation “to be at our best, even when no one is watching.”
Group Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, Lau Yin May, said: “Being the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines takes pride in bringing our unique delivery of Malaysian Hospitality. We do this by treating our customers with the utmost care, not as passengers but as guests to our home. MH 3.0 is the third iteration of a series of Malaysian Hospitality brand initiatives that began in 2018, and we are taking it to the next level with this latest campaign, which was creatively produced in collaboration with Bonsey Jaden. ‘This is Malaysian Hospitality’ is what uniquely defines us as a nation, not just as an airline. While we embrace the future of Malaysia, we must not forget the values of the past, stemming from our rich heritage and traditions that resonate well with anyone from all around the world. We realise that it is innate in us and naturally exudes itself even when no one is looking. We hope that as we transcend this hospitality culture from generation to generation, everyone we meet is proud to be Malaysian and demonstrate this hospitality. As customers continue to be our centre of gravity, now is the moment for us to be on top of our service delivery, emanating the very core of Malaysian Hospitality culture to all our stakeholders, partners and customers, especially when the world is transitioning towards the new normal.”
From the different snapshots of Malaysian life to the thoughtful selection of diverse faces, every detail was taken into account to help fully capture Malaysia Airlines’ vision, with the help of production company Directors Think Tank. The slow-motion action allows the audience to zoom in on each individual person and moment that contributes to building that uniquely Malaysian philosophy. The colour treatment of the video draws on warmer tones to evoke a sense of timelessness and nostalgia; driving home the truth that Malaysians’ welcoming nature does not exist from one isolated moment, but on the series of experiences that they have from childhood through to old age.
From a technical standpoint, the production also highlights the significance of a well-executed narrative. The straightforward yet nuanced storyboard deliberately nods to the natural diversity of Malaysia, while its careful framing contributes to an effectively delivered message; allowing viewers to piece together the sounds and visuals with their own experiences, validating both the overall concept as well as the audience’s lived circumstances.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Malaysia Airlines and Directors Think Tank on this campaign,” says Daniel Posavac, Co-Founder and CEO of Bonsey Jaden. “From the very beginning the passion our teams have shown for bringing Malaysian Hospitality to life has been inspiring, and I am very proud of the work we have developed!”
This effort comes in the wake of Malaysia relaxing their mask mandate in most places, barring medical facilities and public transport. As it has become clear that the country has fully embraced the endemic stage of COVID-19, Malaysia Airlines looked to redefine its trademark qualities in a way that is better suited to the post-pandemic era, while regaining the affection and affinity that people feel towards travelling.
The campaign video can be viewed on Malaysia Airlines’ Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages, as well as Blinq digital billboards at the following locations: Federal Highway, SS2 LDP, GAMA, Penang, Jalan Tun Razak, KL, Cheras/ Ampang, Jalan Damansara, NPE, and Jalan Cheras.
