FESTIVE seasons are times that Malaysians look forward to new commercials that are always memorable, entertaining or heart-wrenching.
When it comes to our celebration of National Day, these commercials effuse us with a sense of pride to be Malaysian, by paying homage to the land we call home and the nation we know to be family.
This year, StarMedia Group has once again tapped into the nostalgia that brought people from all walks of life together to show love and appreciation for our beloved country through this year's National Day video voting campaign.
Held in conjunction with National Day and Malaysia Day, the two-week campaign from Aug 31 to Sept 16 rounded up a selection of meaningful commercials that never fail to make us laugh or shed a tear, touch our hearts and linger on our minds.
While Malaysians' pick of the top three favourites, in no particular order, are by Shopee, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and Petronas, all participating videos are equally heartwarming and are popular with viewers.
“We are extremely proud and humbled that our Cerita Orang Kita video with the talented Kayda Aziz was voted as one of the top three favourites by Malaysians,” according to a statement shared by Shopee.
“The rationale behind the video was to send a message of empowerment, perseverance and unity to Malaysians in these challenging times. Our aim was to ignite the 'Malaysia Boleh!' spirit that continues to drive Malaysians by featuring some amazing individuals whose journeys to success have been nothing but inspiring.
“We also celebrate those who have taken the road less travelled and made a significant difference. We hope that these stories remind every Malaysian that we have the strength to create change and achieve anything we put our mind to.”
TNB corporate communications head Shukreen Ma said: “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to have scored a hat-trick in this category, not just for this Merdeka film but for our CNY and Raya films, which garnered much love and emotional connection with our audience.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our voters for their continuous support.
“Festive films have a unique space for heart-warming stories and meaningful conversations to unfold. It has also been an avenue for us to share our values that we uphold in the company.
“This recognition will motivate us to keep producing relatable films to convey positive messages in hope to make lives better and brighter.”
PETRONAS’ group strategic communications senior general manager Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz shared that Demi Cinta is a celebration of hope amid the extreme challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It celebrates people letting go of differences and coming together to lend a helping hand for the love of Malaysia and fellow citizens.
“We are honoured to be among the top three most-voted National Day videos in The Star. Thank you for voting for Demi Cinta, we hope that this music video brought you much joy and hope for a better tomorrow.”
Among different companies that flaunt their creativity in capturing these special moments are Sunway Education Group, Digi, Boustead Properties Bhd, Wonda, Taylor’s University, Dilemma Oil/Saji, EcoWorld, MMC Gamuda, Maxis, Cuckoo, Air Selangor, Lalamove, etiqa, Celcom, Watsons and SEGi.
You can view the results and enjoy the full line up of National Day videos here.
Though the productions come from diverse industries, they share one thing in common - the message and spirit of our Malaysian Family, coming together in solidarity to uplift the nation’s patriotic spirit in these trying times, paying tribute to our everyday heroes and portraying unity and togetherness in the face of adversity despite our diversity.
“This year, we saw an amazing line-up of National Day commercials that not only brought joy to Malaysians amid challenging times but also spread positivity and hope, reminding us that we can overcome adversity if we stand united,” said Star Media Group chief business officer Lydia Wang.
“As media, we believe in supporting brands by providing them with a platform to connect with the nation, and in doing so, touch the hearts of many in a way that inspires us all to push forward, together.
“We hope this campaign uplifts the nation’s battered spirit and restores hope and optimism as we continue to recover from the pandemic.
“Our heartfelt thanks to the brands and many Malaysians who took part in our campaign. We could not have succeeded without you.”
Star Media Group extends its gratitude towards Malaysians for making this video voting a success.
It promises more in the works to drive goodwill and will continue bringing brands and the nation together with campaigns like this next year.
Meanwhile, stay tuned for the upcoming Star Media Group search for the most engaging Chinese New Year commercial in February next year.
