Strategy

‘Truly Asia’, truly sensational

Even the most partisan of advertising gurus say that a brand kicker can only go so far. However, in the case of Tourism Malaysia, it has gone further than its coiners could have possibly foreboded and for that, Tourism Malaysia is ‘truly’ glad, finds Bhisham Mansukhani

Seeking the perfect punch line for a brand is an obsession that can overcome its keepers, to the extent that the very identity of the brand could be misplaced. Then again, if some head with a bit of genius put out a kicker that happened to embody all that the brand stood for, then the institution of advertising itself would remind the cynics of its significance. One such shining case study that comes across convincingly is the Malaysia Truly Asia Campaign. Launched in the year 2000, it could just as well have been Malaysia's lucky charm in the Indian market, although the campaign itself was a global one. Malaysia received only 45,000 Indian tourists in 1999. In 2005, Malaysia clocked 200,000 Indian tourists. Small coincidence that?

Tourism Malaysia director Manoharan, who has been responsible for the Indian market through this buoyant phase, believes that the kicker is not just creative but also very symbolic in so much as it communicates Malaysia as a melting pot. The multi-faced aspects of entertainment, culture and the exotic shades of life, a stark mix of various traditions brought in from the far corners of Asia created a picture of the diverse cultures, delectable cuisines and the adaptability and hospitality of the nation that was quite literally, 'Truly Asia'.

Manoharan recounts, "2000 was a historic year for India's outbound industry. The middle class was booming, foreign exchange was readily available and television as a medium was very powerful. There were a whole host of first-time travellers queuing up to fly out, predominantly travelling to South East Asia. Interestingly, the connotation of unaffordability was receding. On the aviation front, there were direct flights, more capacity and frequencies out of cities other than just the gateways. The time for promotion was ripe and the campaign we had couldn't have been more accurate."

The strategy

To complement the accurate timing of the launch, a sustained campaign that entailed making inroads into semi-metros to augment the reach and penetration of brand Malaysia to smaller towns and cities was made. Food festivals and cultural performances were organised at regular intervals and active joint consumer promotions were undertaken with leading Indian corporates to propagate brand Malaysia. Movie promotions, shopping promotions, contest and quizzes were organised to highlight various activities and destinations. The board participated in numerous consumer and trade exhibitions to sustain the hype on destination Malaysia and support various tactical initiatives. Regular FAM tours were organised for both the media and travel trade to provide a first hand experience of various facets of Malaysia.

"Malaysia Truly Asia is an apt reflection of the country itself. The multiplicity of nationalities, co-existing in harmony together, retaining their own cultural identity and still imbibing the general way of life here, is an attribute that ‘Malaysia Truly Asia' precisely highlights. This strategy has worked particularly well in India as Indian tourists, who are mostly weary of new places because of a lack of familiarity, found comfort in the presence of a strong Indian community already based in Malaysia and this campaign allowed us to send that message," says Manoharan.

Truly sensational

And it wasn't just the message of familiarity that the campaign adequately addressed. Rather, it was Tourism Malaysia's most reliable medium to describe Malaysia's attractions as all encompassing of the continent it belonged to. "Asia, today is known for its warm hospitality, tolerant societies, booming industry and vibrant metropolises. Malaysia boasts all of these characteristics. We have retained our values, we respect our guests and make them feel like family. In this regard, Truly Asia is a fitting tribute and not just a promotional catchphrase," he points out. There was more that the campaign allowed Tourism Malaysia to do. The tourism board in order to compartmentalise its offerings in so much as launching its eco-tourism promotion as Truly Natural and honeymoon locations as Truly Romantic. Tourism Malaysia is looking at more such segments under the ‘Truly’ series, in the premium segment which it expects to unfold through 2006.

Not in the least, ‘Truly Asia' was also showcased as a testament to the destination's appeal as a value-formoney proposition. "While room nights are very expensive in India, these have remained relatively affordable in Malaysia and airline fares have in fact fallen considerably. So there are large inventories of quality hotel rooms and plenty of airline seats, all available at prices that have never been lower. In addition, Malaysia has earned a reputation as a shopping hub that competes with the likes of Bangkok and Dubai for bargain hunters. Is there anything typically Asian that you can't find in Malaysia," Manhoran wonders. So, as many other destinations have revised their campaigns in the years that Malaysia has stuck to its constant, is change inevitable for this eponymous, South East Asian escape? Probably, says Manoharan, when it runs its cycle but that doesn't seem likely in the near future. The sustained popularity of the campaign perhaps points to the old adage - if ain't broke, don't fix it. Truly sensible!