KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — Many companies have moved forward in their advertisement campaigns by utilising online and digital platforms to promote their videos during major festive seasons, instead of relying purely on traditional media like television.

In the past, these festive commercials, which have become almost like a tradition for many Malaysians, would be played on television in between scheduled programmes throughout the day.

But with the advent of the internet and social media, it makes more sense for companies to shift online and with it a huge potential to reach out to a more targeted audience as well as international exposure.

Electrical utility company Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), which started coming up with festive commercials back in 1994, believes that the digital or online platform has no limitation or boundaries when it comes  to reaching out to people.

TNB corporate chief officer Datuk Roslan Abd Rahman said that their advertisements had been marketed across different media platforms, but it is the digital and social media platforms that have enabled them to interact with their targeted audience.

"With Malaysia’s current internet penetration at approximately 85 per cent, our spending on social and digital media has allowed us to reach and engage our targeted audience more effectively. What we do is ensure that each ad is customised to suit the audience,” Roslan told Malay Mail.

Roslan said the brand had been successful in spreading positive vibes, with their most watched festive advert, the 2017 Hari Raya commercial titled "Dugaan Raya Aida” (Aida’s Raya Challenge), having recorded 20 million views on online platforms.

He said it was important to recognise and understand the importance of instilling racial harmony in a diverse and multicultural country, which is reflected through the relatable advertisements they have produced.

"We recognise the importance of festive occasions and the part it plays in bringing people together. That is why in our ads are focused on capturing the audience’s emotional connection via light-hearted and entertaining storylines, infused with meaningful values,” he said.

Airline operator Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) told Malay Mail that the focus on digital platforms was a shift in growing trends, with the aim of making their commercials viral.

The airliner, in a statement, said the priority on digital platforms is supported by other media platforms to help publicise the campaigns.

"Digital platforms have an immediate effect in driving revenue compared to traditional media. We do not forgo traditional media, however, as it still has strong influence in creating awareness as well as driving sales.

"There is no one method that works for everything, but rather a mix of platforms to drive the best results,” said the airliner.

As a national carrier, MAB said the target audience depends on the festival itself.

"For example, for Chinese New Year, we focus on the local market as well as China as we share the same celebration.

"We work closely with our media agency to provide us the best and most effective media buying for all our campaigns. There is no specific media buyer we work with,” said the airliner.

MAB said its most watched festive commercial was also for last Hari Raya, which garnered over 11 million views on digital platforms.

In terms of planning and production of such commercials, the airliner said that it takes at least two to three months from planning, approval, to execution before the final outcome of the advertisement.

World’s leading oil and gas company Petronas said online platforms have enabled them to promote their festive adverts on a global scale, which in turn has made it accessible to a larger audience.

In a statement to Malay Mail, Petronas cited the success of their latest Chinese New Year webfilm called "A Long Way Home”, which had garnered three million views in less than a week on Chinese microblogging site Weibo.

"This year, for instance, we managed to expand and intensify our festive messages and campaign strategies to reach a more targeted global audience in line with our global branding efforts. Our CNY webfilm is a success in Shanghai thanks to the accessibility,” it said.

The title sponsor for Mercedes in Formula 1 also said digital platforms allow the company to track media consumption patterns better, compared to other mediums.

The company said a 2014 National and Malaysia Day advertisement titled "A Walk Through Time” officially had the highest viewership of nearly six million views on Youtube.

"Other advertisements have also been considerably memorable for Malaysians such as Tan Hong Ming, Little Indian Boy, Man Gyver, No Charge, and Rubber Boy. We still receive positive feedback on them which proves that the articulation of our messages resonated well in our audience,” it said.

When asked to reveal the production cost, it merely responded with: "A good quality ad doesn’t depend on the price tag it carries, but instead on how impactful it is in reaching out to the intended target audience.”

Petronas, which has won hearts since dabbling in television commercials back in 1996, said that the formula to a successful advertisement is good content that resonates well with ordinary Malaysians, coupled with relevant corporate values.

"We usually start with storytelling that focuses on universal values that resonate well with audiences regardless of their background, race and religion. And as the idea progresses, we will try and add in the relevant corporate values to tie it back to the brand,” it said.

Meanwhile, film director Quek Shio Chuan, 32, who has worked on 17 festive advertisements, with three of it for TNB, says it takes about an average one month to produce festive commercials.

On his recent production of TNB’s Chinese New Year advertisement titled "The Gathering”, Quek said the video took three days to shoot, with a series of pre-production meetings and procedures throughout the process.

"For the recent advert, the production team consisted of more than 50 people.

"I prefer producing festive ads for GLCs, as the companies prioritise the message and storytelling, as opposed to normal commercials which are usually very product-centric and hard-selling,” said Quek, referring to Government-Linked Companies.