The Brief

Maxis needed an activation campaign that would highlight their role as broadcast sponsor of the 2010 World Cup, and mark their ongoing commitment to football in Malaysia as sponsors of the Barclay's Premier League. Whilst passion for the sport of football in Malaysia has never died, the country has fallen behind as a playing nation. Maxis told the story of Malaysia's greatest ever players, and brought to life the highlight of their careers, when they qualified in the 1980 Olympic games by beating South Korea. Together with Maxis, these legendary players proved their commitment to the game, by building an entirely new national football team; one that could inspire the nation to believe in itself once again.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

The campaign set out to unite the country in pride, by evoking the glory days of Malaysian football and turning them into champions once again. The heroes and Maxis, succeeded in turning the new Malaysian football team into champions of the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup. This was the first time in over 30 years that Malaysia had won internationally, and was a true moment of glory.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

The campaign struck a chord with Malaysians, and instilled a sense of national pride in their hearts. It also made the front page of national dailies, with over RM4.5million in earned media. There were 1.5million impressions on campaign videos posted, and 80,000 downloads of the flag application. The ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup was watched by over 100 million people in the region, as Malaysia took the championship title for the first time in history. The Prime Minister declared the following day a public holiday for 28 million people. The Maxis campaign made Malaysian football the talk of the town, once again.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

The country had become a nation of people who watched football, but no longer played. Using the legendary heroes to both inspire the nation and build them a new team showed just how committed Maxis are to football. The campaign went out to 28 million people in Malaysia, appealing even to people less involved with football. The campaign struck a chord with Malaysians, and instilled a sense of national pride in their hearts. 'The sense of pride and demonstration of commitment and determination from the execution appeals at an emotional level with consumers; translating to a brand that understands its consumers, thus building affinity.' The Nielson Company.