The winning team posing for a photo after receiving the awards. (From left) FCB Shout/The Shout Group creative director James Voon, RHB group digital marketing social media specialist Renie Chow, business banking marketing chapter lead Bryan Lim, Abdul Sani, business banking marketing head GiGi Lee, and FCB Shout/The Shout Group senior brand director Timothy Teh.
PETALING JAYA: The #JomSapot BeliLokal 2.0 campaign by RHB Banking Group (RHB) and Star Media Group (SMG) has once again been awarded, this time silver in both the Best in B2B and Best in Innovation categories at the recent APPIES 2024 Malaysia awards.
The APPIES is an annual event that offers a unique opportunity for creative, media, digital, and marketing agencies, as well as brands, to showcase their best campaigns to the industry. It is the only event where live presentations meet live judging, thereby providing opportunities for presenters to showcase their efforts to some of the industry’s most influential leaders.
“The ongoing success of the #JomSapot BeliLokal campaign, marked by the additional awards it secured, highlights our remarkable achievements in promoting local businesses through cutting-edge digital marketing strategies. We are exceptionally pleased with the campaign's impact, which has played a vital role in empowering SMEs and ultimately driving economic growth in Malaysia,” said RHB Banking Group chief marketing officer Abdul Sani Abdul Murad.
“These new accolades not only validate the campaign's effectiveness and innovation but also reinforce RHB's commitment to supporting local businesses and fostering positive economic change in the country.
“This collaboration with The Star Media Group and our creative agency, FCB SHOUT/THE SHOUT GROUP, has been instrumental in our success by driving creative concepts that resonate with both businesses and consumers. The synergy between the teams has truly been the driving force behind these impressive results,” he added.
The #JomSapot BeliLokal 2.0 campaign is an initiative that combines RHB’s #JomSapot and SMG’s BeliLokal efforts to create a unique, AI-driven marketing platform. Leveraging the power of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and celebrity endorsements, the campaign has significantly boosted the visibility and recovery of SMEs in the post-pandemic landscape.
A key aspect of this campaign was its simple sign-up process, offering SMEs free personalized AI promotional videos. These videos featured a digital avatar of Malaysian celebrity Sazzy Falak, leveraging her influence to effectively promote local brands. This innovative use of AI and celebrity endorsement has been transformative, providing SMEs with a unique and cost-free opportunity to advertise and grow.
Launched in May 2023, the #JomSapot BeliLokal 2.0 campaign has successfully engaged over 220,000 SME business owners and reached over 1.4 million Malaysians, generating more than 6.8 million impressions.
