Dentsu Malaysia Celebrates Hidden Heroes with Axiata

Dentsu Malaysia has partnered with Axiata Group Berhad for Merdeka 2024 campaign to honour Malaysia’s unsung heroes, whose achievements have quietly placed the nation on the global map.

Running from Merdeka Day (31st August) to Malaysia Day (16th September), the campaign deviated from paying homage to well-recognised national icons and instead spotlighted everyday Malaysians, including a NASA competition winner, an eSports champion, a dedicated teacher, a clinical scientist, an international photojournalist, and an international speech competition winner, who may not be usually known to fellow Malaysians for their extraordinary achievements. 

Running on all key social and digital platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube, the campaign surpassed expectations, doubling Through Plays and Engagement, with a reach of over 4.2 million. It generated 3.88 million views on TikTok, two million views on YouTube, and 1.2 million views on Meta. View Through Rates were 98.8% on TikTok and 88.5% on Meta, while YouTube’s engagement rate was 39.32%, indicating a strong resonance that Malaysians felt with the campaign.

Ellison Fernandez, executive creative director at dentsu Malaysia commented, “By focusing on the stories of lesser-known achievements, the campaign showcases how everyday Malaysians push boundaries to inspire others to unite, combining talents to elevate the nation's reputation on the global stage. These unsung heroes embody Axiata's commitment to advancing every individual towards becoming catalysts for change.”

The production, completed in just two days, showcases the dedication of both teams.

Audrey Chong, CEO dentsu Malaysia added, “As a team with our roots in Malaysia, we resonate deeply with Axiata’s identity with the nation and ambition to sew the fabric of the nation. This campaign was born out of a recognition that people from all walks of life form our nation’s collective identity, no matter how big or small, and while popular national icons are celebrated, we must also elevate individuals who have excelled for Malaysia in their own ways. We are proud to be part of this meaningful campaign with Axiata and are grateful to all involved delivering this in a limited amount of time.”