Only two weeks prior, we hosted the Malaysian CMO Awards Discovery Edition and celebrated an amazing new set of winners for the year. We then carried this Discovery theme into the Marketing Conference on May 9.
Marketing is not just about impressions anymore – it’s about impact. At the intersection of culture, courage, and creativity, the most successful brands aren’t the loudest – they’re the most human.
We are shifting from brief driven executions to belief-driven storytelling. From being seen to being understood. Our handsome emcee, Group Managing Director of ShareInvestor Malaysia Edward Stanislaus (pictured with me here), steered the proceedings with poise and precision.
Drawing insights from standout presentations through the day, the Malaysian Marketing Conference at the Sime Darby Convention Centre was all about discovery for 230 delegates and featured more than 23 speakers on stage.
More than half the speakers were CMO Awards winners and this added leadership glitz to the show, amongst an already colourful field of industry trailblazers.
Opening Keynote speaker, Etika Group’s CEO Santharuban T Sundaram, hit the ground running with his inspiring journey of discovery along his career path.
Ruban brought a quiet thunder to the stage with his talk, “Connecting the Dots (Backwards).” His reflection was not on campaigns, but on people — the marketers themselves.
His compelling narrative unpacked four workplace personas that shape the workplace:
The Comparers (always measuring against others)
The Life-Path Planners (addicted to timelines)
The Calm But Costly (those who seem wise but cost momentum)
The Fast & The Frustrated (those chasing titles before maturity)
Ruban, himself an inaugural CMO of the Year award winner in 2018, shared, “Patience, grit, and emotional intelligence are the underrated superpowers in marketing. You don’t know which dots will matter. But your future self will.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
At this year’s Conference, I had the honour of hosting the Spotlight Sessions—a fastpaced, high-energy segment designed to shine a light on individuals who are shaking up the marketing world.
Across these short, sharp interviews, we zoomed in on rising talents, disruptive thinkers, and the unsung heroes behind bold brand moves. From digital trailblazers to brand rebels, each guest brought their own flavour of insight—raw, unfiltered, and refreshingly real.
What made the Spotlight Sessions unique was their format: one mic, one conversation that got straight to the point. No slides. No fluff. Just stories of grit, failure, reinvention, and marketing with meaning.
For delegates, it was a behind-the-scenes look at the people who don’t just ride the wave—but create the current. For me, it was a privilege to guide those conversations, ask the hard questions, and hold space for perspectives that often go unheard.
In a room full of CMOs, the Spotlights reminded us of the human spark behind every strategy. And that sometimes, the shortest stories leave the deepest impact.
UNTAPPED POWER OF MALAY MUSLIM CONSUMERS
VML Malaysia’s Chief Strategy Officer Filipe Lampreia and Associate Planning Director Farha Manan deep dived into Malaysia’s Malay Muslim community.
Revealing how underrepresentation presents both a risk and an opportunity. Their Muslim Intelligence research uncovered powerful insights across three generations:
Gen Z is redefining tradition with intentionality
Gen X is repurposing religious spaces into community and tech hubs
Malay-nials are reconstructing family and belonging on their own terms
These insights reframed culture not as a checklist, but as a living system that demands respect. Cultural marketing isn’t about targeting — it’s about connecting. It’s not about stereotypes — it’s about stories.
Brands that succeed in this space will be those that treat culture as a lens, not a label.
“BE STUPID” AND BRAVE
After lunch, Stanley Clement, CEO of Mediabrands Content Studios (MBCS), urged marketers to “Be Stupid.” Not because ignorance is bliss, but because safe marketing is obsolete.
His catchy presentation called out the industry’s obsession with measurement, highlighting campaigns like Diesel’s “Be Stupid,” Pedigree’s “Child Replacement Programme,” and Burger King’s “Mouldy Whopper” as proof that emotional risk creates powerful results.
The boldest work wasn’t always measurable upfront— but it sparked culture, shifted perception, and won hearts.
His rallying cry? We don’t need more marketing scientists. We need marketing pirates who aren’t afraid to be messy, irrational, and real.
OMNiA: MEDIA AS A MULTISENSORY EXPERIENCE
Media Prima OMNiA proved that great media isn’t a placement — it’s a playground.
Sai Phaik Cheng, Director, Solution & Implementation at Media Prima OMNiA, kept the action going with her session on Integration for Transformation.
Her take was that consumers no longer exist in single-channel silos; instead, they seamlessly traverse multiple platforms throughout their day.
Individuals might be watching videos during their commute, perhaps watching live streams or participating in online discussions and engaging with the same station on social media later.
This interconnectedness necessitates an advertising approach that is not focused on just putting all eggs into 1 basket.
She shared some stunning examples…
In the Softlan “Scent-Sational” Train Campaign, they turned the Kelana Jaya LRT line into a full-sensory experience — scent diffusers, wrapped visuals, live TV coverage, and on-ground sampling. Result? 3X market share growth.
SUPER Coffee took things even higher—literally. With Hot FM DJs broadcasting for 24 hours while climbing Mount Kinabalu, the campaign connected with everyday Malaysians around values of perseverance and pride. Over 6 million Malaysians tuned in.
These campaigns weren’t ads. They were adventures.
She also unveiled OMNiA’s AI Brand Pulse — a system that uses machine learning and large language models to track cultural sentiment, generate predictive story ideas, and synthesise trends for over 20 brands across Malaysia.
But what sets it apart is not the tech. It’s the human editorial layer that reviews and refines the output, ensuring brand voice and cultural relevance are never compromised.
The lesson? AI isn’t replacing creativity — it’s supercharging with insight.
REAL TALK, HARD TRUTHS.
I took the stage again to moderate the Panel Discussion, where we unpacked the theme “Marketing is a Landmine.”
With a stellar lineup of CMO voices, we dove into the hidden risks marketers face today— brand safety, AI disruption, weaponised outrage, fractured supply chains—and how brave brands navigate them.
Both segments revealed a simple truth: modern marketing is no longer about playing it safe. It’s about sensing the ground, reading the signs, and sometimes, making the bold move anyway.
Starring in the Panel were:
Salawati Yusoff – Chief Branding Officer, Proton New Technology Sdn Bhd (Pro-Net)
Alex Goh – Vice President, Marketing MR.DIY
Fiona Liao – Group Chief Marketing, Communications & Sustainability, Officer POS Malaysia
Elaine J Chew – Chief Marketing Officer, Lemmy
WHEN TRANSIT BECOMES THEATRE!
Chayenne Tan, GM, of Product Development & Digital Marketing at MRT Corporation did a brilliant job hosting the extra-large panel on “Mobilising Brands and Communities Through Transit Marketing.”
The discussion featured leading players in OOH revolution:
Catherine Chai – Marketing Director, Sony Pictures Malaysia.
Jeff Cheah – CEO, Seni Jaya Corporation
Schrene Goh – Chief of Commercial, MRT Corporation
Gitanjali Sriram – Group CSO, Trapper Group
Andrew Tai – Director, Synapze Sdn Bhd
Izan Satrina Mohd Sallehuddin – Senior Director, Think City
Casey Loh – Creative Chief, The Clan
Some key MRT campaigns were screened in a cinematic video, offered a visionary glimpse into what branded content can look like in public infrastructure.
Rather than force-fit advertising into transit spaces, it imagines the MRT as a canvas for national storytelling — where light, motion, and narrative merge.
Think City’s public art initiatives across Kuala Lumpur, from Kwai Chai Hong’s drama-lit alleys to interactive installations at MRT Pasar Seni Station, are redefining what city branding looks like.
These aren’t just beautification projects; they’re cultural interventions.
Initiatives like “Oculus” by Bono Stellar, “Fusion Wayang Kulit”, and “Dreamweaver” turn public spaces into immersive storytelling canvases.
They elevate everyday commutes into moments of reflection and pride. In a fragmented media world, these physical experiences offer something digital can’t: tactile, emotional, collective memory.
Marketers take note: realworld experiences still carry unmatched power – especially when tied to cultural identity and community relevance.
What’s powerful here is the ambition: to make the mundane magical. To turn the ride to work into a multisensory experience. It’s not just brand visibility — it’s brand belonging.
This Panel Discussion took the narrative on OOH to a whole new level and the sharing opened up new conversations on how we all look at OOH.
CLOSING SURPRISE: JOEL LIM OF MANTAYAY
From Creator to Catalyst, Joel was a befitting close to an energetic Conference.
Founded in 2023 as a TikTok agency, MantaYaY has rapidly expanded into influencer marketing, content creation, live streaming, and e-commerce services. Today, it manages over 3,000 content creators, with a strong foothold in gaming and digital entertainment.
A 2-year-old TikTok agency and media company on track for RM40 million in revenue this year? There’s just no stopping…
Joel Lim’s evolution from influencer to impact-driven change-maker showed how the power of voice can shape values.
In a world overwhelmed by content, Joel reminded marketers that authenticity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a bridge.
By leveraging his influence to tackle societal issues and drive civic engagement, he proved that reach without resonance is empty. His transformation offers a blueprint for creators looking to move from momentary virality to meaningful legacy.
Listening to Joel Lim’s journey from engineer to #1 gaming creator and co-founder of agency left everyone inspired and excited to learn and do more.
MARKETING REDISCOVERED.
The conference revisited the rules of marketing in today’s context and technology.
Whether it’s a CEO telling marketers to slow down, or a brand climbing a mountain to prove its values — all roads led to one insight…
Marketing must matter more. In the age of AI, virality, and hypertargeting, let’s not forget that people still buy with their hearts.
And if your campaign doesn’t make someone feel something — it probably won’t make them do anything either.
A big Thank You goes out to our sponsors, partners, friends, supporters and fans.
View the Malaysian Marketing Conference website here.
The APPIES is an annual event that presents a rare opportunity for creative, media, digital and marketing agencies or brands to present their best campaigns to the industry.
This is the only event where Live Presentations meets Live Judging.
Similar to TED Talks, The APPIES is the chance for great presenters with outstanding work to show it off to some of the industry’s most important industry leaders.
This year’s winners will receive Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies for 21 categories, and 6 special Best of Best categories (red trophies) that require no submissions!
Campaign entries must have run between June 2024 to May 2025
