ASIA-PACIFIC– AUGUST 2011 – Why would anyone travel with a bulky safe to Malaysia from Singapore? That same question got online viewers thinking as a
video clip of a woman heaving a hefty safe onto a bus to Johor Bahru attracted viewers and commenters on social media last week.
Maybank Singapore has revealed that the stunt was a teaser for its Cross Border ATM Service, which allows Maybank ATM holders to withdraw cash in local currency, without any charges, from Maybank ATMs in Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Indonesia.
With over 2,800 ATMs in Malaysia alone, Maybank has the widest ATM network in the country.
“The next time you travel to Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines and Indonesia, you no longer have to carry cash in local currency. Your Maybank ATM card is all you need to get local currency instantly and the service is free,” says Lim Kuo Siong, Head of IT and eâ€Business, Maybank Singapore.
“We wanted to drive home the point about how much convenience our Cross Border ATM Service provides for customers. This video brings it across in a lighthearted manner, and we chose the social media platform for its strong viral impact,” added Lim.
“We managed to get over 19,000 views on social and video sharing sites including STOMP. The video generated considerable conversation by netizens, all within a few
days,” says Charlie Blower, Managing Partner of Blak Labs, the agency behind the campaign.
“Our idea dramatizes the flipside of travelling overseas with so much cash. We decided to go social as it allows us to get our message out effectively to more people,” continues Blower. “What’s fantastic is that Maybank dares to be different and consumers are loving it.”
When the stunt was exposed, most STOMPers were “so sad” to find out that it was just a gimmick. But as long it got the message across, then the team behind it will be laughing all the way to the bank.
CREDITS
Client: Maybank Singapore
Product: Cross Border ATM Service
AgencyL Blak Labs
Creatives: Nick Tan, JJ Lin, Hwee Peng Koh, Elsa Peck, Charlie Blower
Production: Lawrence Teo, Irene Ong
