CIMB makes travel dreams a brand promise in whimsical campaign

CIMB Bank Berhad and CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad have unveiled a comprehensive travel proposition, "Travel only with CIMB", positioning themselves as the go-to bank for travellers.

The campaign promises a seamless experience across every travel stage from booking flights and redeeming travel points, to saving on holiday deals, currency exchange, lounge access, and upgrades. Customers also stand a chance to win a dream trip simply by saving or investing through CIMB’s suite of products and services.

While other banks have dominated the travel banking space through aggressive airline promotions and event tie-ins such as Matta Fair, CIMB aims to differentiate itself with a holistic theme that goes beyond one-off deals to communicate the full spectrum of travel benefits.

Don't miss: Study: Millennials power APAC solo travel surge, digital channels lead the way

The campaign is brought to life through a whimsical concept featuring talking travel objects. Luggage, passports, and boarding passes become relatable companions voicing common traveller worries, encouraging the campaign’s lead talent Sean Lee to finally take that long-desired trip. This creative approach nods to CIMB’s social movement "Kita bagi jadi" ('We make it happen'), which fosters positivity and resilience among Malaysians.

The campaign was produced in collaboration with The Clan and Directors Think Tank, with Maurice Noone directing the film.

"Travel should ignite wonder, not stress and at CIMB we’re committed to making that happen. ‘Travel made possible’ is our promise to remove those barriers. Every fee, every worry, every what‑if is nullified, so all our customers need to think about is where they want to go next and with CIMB, kita bagi jadi," said Toni Darusman, group chief brand and marketing officer at CIMB.

In tandem, Suraiya Abdul Samad, head of consumer marcomm added that "We built this proposition with one guiding question: how do we turn ‘I wish I could…’ into ‘I’m on my way’? By speaking directly to the feelings of anticipation and hesitation, we’ve created more than a campaign. We’ve created a companion for every journey so our customers can turn their travel dreams into reality." 

Creative leads from The Clan agency, which conceptualised the campaign, shared insights into the process. Copywriter Martin Wong noted, “As a frequent traveller, I’ve had moments where the desire to get away just takes over, but life—its routines, responsibilities, and reasons—always gets in the way."

"We realised that so many people feel this too: not a lack of want, but a lack of push and that’s where the spirit of Kita bagi jadi came in,” added Wong. 

The Clan's senior art director Rachel Joyce added, "We took that relatable travel urge and gave it a quirky twist by putting those inner travel voices into everyday objects. Instead of just telling people to travel, we let their desire do the talking (literally)." 

CIMB's campaign comes at a time where solo travelling has become a trend for millennials in APAC who are looking to break from routine and feed their desire for self-discovery. According to Scoot and YouGov's latest whitepaper “Unpacking the solo travel trend", over 46% of solo travellers are most likely to use credit or debit cards, followed by cash (37%) and prepaid travel cards (28%). 

Digital payments are however, less common with less than a quarter of solo travellers using online payment services and mobile payment apps such as PayPal or Apple Pay. Malaysians, specifically, tend to prefer credit or debit cards, said the study. 

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