This Merdeka, Air Selangor dials-up nostalgia with a GenZ twist

Air Selangor and Edelman Malaysia have teamed up once again, presenting the vibrant Pilihan Raya Terhangat as this year’s National Day advertisement. The 5-minute clip redefines National Day conception with a fresh take on portraying unity within our multicultural society.

Set in a Gen-Z high school environment, Pilihan Raya Terhangat pays homage to the Malaysian obsession for food, the innocence of teenagehood, retro vibes, and a blend of 90s game shows and reality TV programmes.

Shazwan, a three-time Excellence in Character award recipient; Wong, the MSSM district-level chess champion; and Sujanna, the school’s girl’s football team striker, have all signed up to contest for the Head Student election at SMK Mata Ayer.

However, this is no ordinary election. To be named Head Student, candidates must navigate an unconventional method of electing a leader: a heated competition to finish the spiciest dish in Malaysia as quickly as possible.

Hosted by the eccentric Siti Anis, who embodies a love for reality TV shows, the school hall erupts with cheers and uproars from the spectators as they witness the race that will determine the school’s direction for the rest of the year.

Brilliant young actors Syed Amir Irfan (Shazwan), Jayden Kuan (Wong), Seshviiny (Sujanna), and Shida Abdullah (Siti Anis) bring their characters to life with their natural and entertaining performances.

Commenting on the content, Elina Baseri, Head of Corporate Communication, Air Selangor, said: “As a brand, Air Selangor has always been intrinsic to every celebration for Malaysians. Pilihan Raya Terhangat is our sincere attempt to make this year’s National Day celebrations even more memorable.

We hope that this video, a tribute to retro nostalgia with a Gen-Z twist,  fuelled by authentic storytelling and packaged in a warm message of unity, will pave the way for more groundbreaking National Day content in the future.

“Spicy food is integral to our daily lives across the many facets of Malaysian culture. There is an unspoken perception that those who can handle the heat from spicy food are stronger, bolder, and, in the classic Malay way of describing something great, ‘Power!’. We aim to present a refreshed concept for National Day-related content and hope our effort resonates with Malaysians from all walks of life.”

Mazuin Zin, CEO of Edelman Malaysia, added: “Pilihan Raya Terhangat is our heartfelt gift to all Malaysians, brought to you by Edelman Malaysia. Its one-of-a-kind storyline and direction by the exceptionally talented filmmaker Adam Zainal transport us back to our adrenaline-fueled high school days as we embrace the upcoming National Day.”

This time around, Air Selangor is taking their festive game one step further with an intriguing social media campaign, where KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) centre their experiences with spicy food in engaging content that highlights the truly Malaysian gesture of sharing food or drink with others.

The campaign ultimately leads to a call to action to watch Pilihan Raya Terhangat exclusively on hydrohub.airselangor.com.

To make things even spicier and merrier, Air Selangor is also partnering with GSC for a special social media contest that will reward winners with RM10 off the exclusive Nasi Lemak Popcorn in conjunction with Merdeka month.

Pilihan Raya Terhangat is now available at hydrohub.airselangor.com and Air Selangor’s official YouTube, Facebook and Instagram platform.