ASIA-PACIFIC – MALAYSIA, AUGUST 5, 2013 – Malaysia Airlines has broken new ground with the launch of a global Facebook page that spans 18 key markets and 16 time zones in a global strategy that follows the launch of its new brand advertising campaign, ‘Journeys Are Made by the People You Travel With’.
The initiative was facilitated by Rally, IPG Mediabrands’ social media specialist, which is the airline’s global agency-of-record for social media activations. Derek Tan, executive director for social media of World Markets, Asia at IPG Mediabrands, said the airline was a pioneer within the aviation and transportation category in adopting the global Facebook framework.
Operating as one Facebook URL www.facebook.com/malaysiaairlines, the initiative will allow Malaysia Airlines to remain a global brand while tailoring its campaigns to the unique travelling habits of each region. It also provides the airline the convenience of managing one global community allowing it to focus its efforts and streamline its resources, while increasing the effectiveness of its marketing strategy.
Under the deal, Facebook followers can engage with the airline on a local level with locally-centric competitions and view advertisements with a localized message and flavor in addition to getting the latest news and updates including the best tips, deals and travel offers.
The page’s debut follows the launch of Malaysia Airlines’ new global brand campaign ‘Journeys are Made by the People You Travel With’ created by Ogilvy & Mather, which recognizes that everyone is on a journey and that Malaysia Airlines can help them take that first step.
In executing the campaign locally and keeping the timelines updated, all 17 countries will have dedicated social media teams in charge of content development to ensure timely, fresh content every day. The partners believe this is “key to building strong lasting relationships with customers which will then have a positive impact on the bottom line”.
Rally has touted numerous benefits from the global Facebook page such as access to consumer insights to help the airline better understand the traveling habits of its frequent fliers in each region, which would enable it to devise locally relevant content and travel deals and build long term relationships.
In addition MAS will have first-hand preview of new Facebook ad products monthly work-in-progress reports before any other client in Malaysia, brand and product tracking and consumer insights polls. It will also enjoy better cost savings and less wastage on advertising, which comes with the streamlining of the pages and communication messages.
“Most of the terms of the exclusives are to be kept confidential but in general, publishing garage workshops with Facebook, depth of insights that would only be made available to Joint Business Partners of Facebook as well as preference for new tech rollout and onsite support from Facebook are some of the offerings that come with the global deal,” said of new products that would be available first to the airline,” said Tan.
Khairul Syahar Khalid, Malaysia Airlines head of advertising and promotions, described the initiative as “only the first step in our long journey” as the carrier has promised to unleash the full potential of digital in driving its story.
According to Prashant Kumar, IPG Mediabrands Asia World Markets president and CEO of Malaysia, the strategy marks the maturity and measurability of social media in Malaysia. “Malaysia Airlines has steadily reinvented its marketing economics to accelerate the future, and we all know that the future is social. We are very excited to help Malaysia Airlines with their global investment and approach on Facebook.”
Added Tan: “We have come a long way together in not just establishing base initiatives but also in crafting real results and developing analytics in understanding real ROI on social platform and strategy development. Both have and will continue to push the envelope on defining the impact that social media will continue to create on the business. In this instance, ambition meets passion and what results are a combination of dedication towards driving content on an unseen scale as well as opportunities to develop CRM and lasting relationships with the people that matter.”
