Malaysia Airlines, Imaginary Friends, and Directors Think Tank celebrate the support system behind football supporters in new Manchester United partnership film

Malaysia Airlines has released a new global brand film in partnership with Manchester United, titled “Proud Supporters of Supporters.” Created by Imaginary Friends Malaysia and produced by Directors Think Tank, the campaign shifts the spotlight away from the trophies and the roars, focusing instead on the quiet, late-night devotion of the fans who bridge the distance between Malaysia and Old Trafford.

The film, directed by Rajay Singh, captures the late-night rituals familiar to millions of football fans in Asia. For the creative team at Imaginary Friends, the project was a “full-circle moment,” drawing on personal memories of watching football matches at odd hours on CRT televisions with their fathers, late nights in mamaks with friends, and sleepy mornings at work the next day. The campaign positions Malaysia Airlines as the ultimate enabler of these connections, proving that distance is no barrier to being a Manchester United supporter.

Singh said: “What I loved about the script was the chance to film football not as spectacle, but through the people around it… the waiting, the travelling, the rituals, the quiet loyalty. That’s where the truth of fandom lives. We grounded the film in those moments so the idea of supporting supporters stops feeling like a message and instead becomes something you feel.”

The video was filmed at Old Trafford and in Kuala Lumpur, connecting the iconic ‘Theatre of Dreams’ to the everyday places where fans all over the world gather. By mirroring the stadium’s energy with the atmosphere of local homes and locations, the film shows that the game is just as intense on a screen as it is on the pitch. It’s a link between the roar of the crowd in Manchester and the shared passion of supporters elsewhere in the world.

Credits
Client: Malaysia Airlines
Agency: Imaginary Friends Malaysia
Creatives: Adam Chan, Siok Yee, Chee Hao Yu, Alice Tan
General Manager: Joleyn Chin
Project Manager: Phui Shan Kwok
Lead Strategist: Sabrina Jamaludin
Production House: Directors Think Tank
Director: Rajay Singh
Assistant Director: Chevie Law
DOP: Sven Lippold
EP/Producer: Tek Nam, Carson Ng
Post-Production: Tank 3
Editor: Affendi
Art Department: Jimmy Bong / Trikings
Wardrobe: Wardrobe Room
Music & Sound: Tank Music
Production Support: Ether / Awe Productions LTD
Special Thanks: Gary Neville, Manchester United